The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo has promised to pursue an agreement to further strengthen cooperation between Gulf of Guinea countries to reduce threats within the region.
The Gulf of Guinea stretches from Senegal to Angola, which is about 6,000 kilometres of coastline navigated daily by more than 1,500 vessels.
Illegalities such as piracy, sea robbery, kidnapping, illegal fishing, smuggling and trafficking as well as transnational organized crimes has posed a major threat to maritime security and economic development of the entire region.
The situation necessitated the signing of the ‘Code of Conduct’ by governments of countries around the region in June 2013 at Yaoundé, the Republic of Cameroun.
Intensifying regional cooperation
Vice Admiral Gambo, who was in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, south-south Nigeria, pledged to ensure that the agreement, which should have been signed before now among ECOWAS Zone E member countries was signed.
Gambo told newsmen at the Eastern Naval Command, ENC, headquarters in Calabar, that Nigeria has been at the fore in ensuring the Gulf of Guinea region was intensely patrolled and secured.
He said, “under my administration, I am planning that we make sure the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, which we were supposed to sign with the countries in the Gulf of Guinea commission get signed. So that collectively everybody must be available to patrol with us.”
“Most of the efforts is being carried out by Nigeria. Both the requirements of fueling, which is a huge capital outlay is given by Nigeria to complement the efforts of securing that region. Even though when some of those crimes occur, they still stray into our waters,” Gambo stated.
Buffer zone challenge
According to the Chief of Naval Staff, the just concluded ‘Obangame Express’ exercise in the Gulf of Guinea was held with the participation of member countries, friends and international partners as part of efforts to encourage cooperation that would lead to the prevention of crimes around the region.
The CNS remarked that countries including Benin Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Cameroun, Togo and Nigeria, which constitute the Gulf of Guinea ECOWAS Zone E members, participated in the exercise, sponsored and supported by international partners like the United States of America, France and Britain.
On the level of threats within the region, Vice Admiral Gambo explained, “most of the crimes that occur in the Gulf of Guinea region are not necessarily within Nigerian waters. Most of those crimes are perpetrated outside the 200 exclusive economic zone, which belongs to us, which also is available for international ships.”
“Other faring vessels, both war and commercial, also traverse that route. We (Nigeria) are not supposed to hinder their movement. Therefore, if crimes occur within that region, we may be available at that point in time and perhaps, our patrol efforts may be in a different direction. But, nevertheless, we are making every effort as part of our strategy to ensure we secure the Gulf of Guinea area,” he reiterated.
He further assured that the navy’s efforts to evolve dynamic strategies to combat illegalities on Nigeria’s waterways would be significantly enforced.
“The additional efforts we are making include the acquisition of platforms to fill the gaps where we observe operationally because our operations are very dynamic and we re-strategize as the challenges vary. We intend to fill those gaps to be more efficient in performing our responsibility of curbing maritime crimes at sea,” he added.
Pictures Below:
Ime N
