Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla flagged off “Exercise Crocodile Lift’’ and “Ex-Grand African Nemo 2023’’ on Monday in Lagos to improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
The CNS alongside senior Naval officers and French nationals onboard NNS KADA.
Ogalla flagged off the combined sea exercises aboard Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) KADA at NNS BEECROFT, Apapa, Lagos State.
Five Nigerian Navy Ships, NNS KADA, NNS ABA, NNS UDU, NNS KANO and the Deep Blue Lagos would take part in the exercises.
Ogalla said the exercises were initiated by the French Navy in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other strategic partners.
“Several security breaches in the Gulf of Guinea pose serious challenges to Nigeria’s national well-being.
“Most criminal activities in the maritime domain are targeted at the economic lifeline of Nigeria through crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and other nefarious acts.
“These exercises involving the deployment of naval assets at sea and ashore in multifaceted scenarios have been merged because of overlapping timelines of both,’’ he said.
He added that a comprehensive approach involving national and international collaboration was required to mitigate the impact of myriad maritime threats confronting countries in the Gulf of Guinea.
“The sustenance of combined exercises to ensure security at the Gulf of Guinea has remained a great priority for the Nigerian Navy.
“Undeniably, Exercises Crocodile Lift’ andEx-Grand African Nemo’ which have both become annual events are some of the well-thought out international exercises involving the Nigerian Navy.
“These exercises have enhanced effective collaboration against maritime insecurity, crude oil theft, illegal oil bunkering, piracy, sea robbery, hostage taking as well as illegal unreported and unregulated fishing,’’ he said.
Ogalla expressed optimism that the exercises would add impetus to his vision of a highly motivated professional navy capable of shaping security outcomes within Nigeria’s maritime domain.
“Additionally, the exercises will further demonstrate Nigerian Navy’s commitment to the objectives of the Yaoundé Protocol in ensuring maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ he said.
Twenty-five West and Central African countries, ECOWAS, and the Economic Community of Central African States signed the Yaounde Protocol in Cameroon in June 2013.
In the protocol, they pledged their cooperation to curb illicit activities in the Gulf of Guinea which had been subjected to the highest rates of piracy in any region of the world.
The 16 coastal countries situated along the Gulf of Guinea are Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo and Guinea.
Others are Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, São Tomé and Principe, Togo and Sierra Leone. (NAN)