Nigerian Navy Collaborates With 6 Other Foriegn Forces Against Terrorism In Gulf Of Guinea
NN vessels
The Nigerian Navy, NN, in collaboration with six other foriegn Navies within and outside the zone, yesterday, embarked on a sea exercise as part of event to commemorate Nigerian Navy’s 62nd anniversary.
The exercise is also put together to tackle the increasing cases of terrorism in the Gulf of Guinea.
Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin, flagged off the NN Regional Maritime Exercise, nicknamed Exercise Eku Kugbe(meaning cooperation in Isoko) at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos.
He said: “Exercises of this nature are critical towards sustaining the resources and huge potentials of the Gulf of Guinea.
“Sadly, the potentials of the Gulf of Guinea are constantly undermined by domestic, cross border and trans-national threats that limit economic development of the region, with adverse political consequences.
“Major threats like piracy and attacks on shipping have become predominant in the region, with negative consequences on the economy and overall well being of Gulf of Guinea nations. ”
According to him, the exercise, as part of proactive measures by the Economic Committee of Central African States, ECCAS, and Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, has established maritime security mechanisms.
Earlier, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, disclosed that 12 Nigerian Navy ships and one each from Cameroon, Ghana, Togo, China, France and Portugal would participate in the exercise that would end today.