Leveraging punishment for effective enforcement of discipline in the Nigerian Navy

The research examines how punishment in the Navy is used as a tool to institute discipline, order, compliance, and operational efficiency. Discipline remains at the core of military structure; therefore, punishment remains both a means of correction and deterrence against infractions. The research examines the types of punishments applied in the Nigerian Navy, their legal provisions, and their efficiency and effectiveness in behavior modification among personnel and looks at how a balance is struck between enforcing discipline on one hand and maintaining morale and human rights on the other hand in the armed forces. Adopting a doctrinal approach, reviews of relevant military laws, including the Armed Forces Act, alongside case studies of disciplinary actions, the research findings reveal that punishment is necessary to ensure discipline, but fair and consistent for effectiveness, negating negative results such as resentment or loss of confidence in the leadership. This study concludes with a call for the disciplinary process to be improved: better training in the art of administering discipline for naval officers, transparency of its punishment system, rehabilitation programs together with punitive actions.