In it’s bid to arrest the security challenges in the North-East oil producing states and other troubled parts of the country, the Nigerian Navy said it has deplored 13 ships, two helicopters, and 88 boats among others to tame the menace.
In detail, the Navy said it’s mission was also to battle crude oil theft, piracy and insecurity among other criminal activities in the waterways.
The Navy made the disclosure Saturday, at the flag-off of Chief of Naval Staff’s Sea Exercise 2023, code-named “Exercise Nchekwa Oshimiri” meaning ‘protecting the waters’ in Igbo language.
Speaking at the ceremony in Onne, Rivers State, the Minister of State for Defence, Mohammad Bello Matawale, said the exercise was aimed at ridding the nation’s maritime of crimes in all ramifications, and ensure that the ‘’maritime domain is safe for commerce, industry and economic activities for national prosperity.’’
The minister noted that the operational activities of the Nigerian Navy within the last few months had recorded varying degrees of success, which according to him, had led to reduction of maritime crimes, leading to improved economic activities and national developments.
Navy patrol ship
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, noted that the exercise was aimed at assessing the operational state and readiness of the Nigerian Navy fleet to counter emerging maritime security threats in line with its constitutional mandate.
He said: “ This year’s exercise is particularly relevant, considering the strategic nature of the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria maritime environment and the attendant threats to the enormous resources in the domain.
“It is, therefore, necessary that Nigeria builds and improves capacities to secure its maritime environment. “
The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Olusola Oluwagbire, disclosed that 4,000 of the Naval personnel were to ensure safety of the Nigerian territorial waterways for the exercise.
He said: “This exercise is conducted yearly in operational readiness for the fleet to attain objectives to further project the capacity as well as access its capacity to deal with the ever-evolving security issues that emanate within the nation’s maritime space.
“This year, a total of 13 ships, 88 boats, two helicopters, two special boat services four maritime domain awareness facilities, two support units, four platforms belonging to crucial stakeholders in the maritime sector will be participating in the exercise.”
The exercise would be carried out in the next four days.
