Nigerian Navy kicks off counter-piracy aimed exercise

According to a local news portal in Nigeria, the Nigerian Navy has deployed 14 warships and two helicopters within the scope of the “Secured Waters Exercise” to support counter-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Chief of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, stated during his speech at the Pre-sail Ceremony of Secured Waters exercise that the exercise aimed to secure and create a conducive environment improving the maritime business.

“One of my cardinal priorities is to include the operational efficiency of the NN’s fleet in terms of sea readiness and availability for operational deployment. This is the main motivation to boost our capacity to meet our statutory maritime commitment speedily.” the Nigerian Navy Chief said. 

“My vision for the Navy on taking over command is to leverage on all factors of national location, technology, training, teamwork, and synergy to reenergize the Nigerian Navy. Accordingly, the exercise will test a broad spectrum of maritime operations to enhance the security of Nigeria’s maritime security domain to check criminality at sea.” Admiral Gambo added.

The exercise is scheduled to last three days.

Naval Post Comment: The Gulf of Guinea is one of the most dangerous regions globally in terms of piracy. According to a report this month by the International Maritime Bureau’s Piracy Reporting Center, last year, pirates hijacked three vessels, fired on 11, and boarded 161, according to a report this month. Crime on the high seas is hard to deal with because distances are vast, and the pirates can make their getaways before help arrives. 

The most significant multinational effort against piracy is CTF-151, which operates mostly at the Gulf of Aden. Though many piracy incidents occur in the Gulf of Guinea, there is no permanent counter-piracy effort. Thus, as the most powerful Navy in the region, Nigeria must undertake more responsibility to keep the merchant traffic safe.