The Nigerian Navy has underlined its achievement on capacity building in order to improve maritime security in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) to mark its 65th Anniversary.
The Chief of Policy and Plans, Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe who represented the Nigerian Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, disclosed this in Abuja when he briefed Journalists on the on the Nigerian Navy 65th Anniversary Celebrations.
Rear Admiral Christian Ezekobe said “the objective of this briefing was to acquaint the citizenry with the focus of the Nigerian Navy and the various activities lined up for the 65th Anniversary Celebrations of the Service.”
He said “as all aware that the country is facing myriads of security challenges coupled with the prevailing COVID – 19 Pandemic, this Year’s Anniversary is planned to be a low-key to reflect the mood of the nation”.
He also used the medium to extend NN‘s condolences to all Nigerians that have lost their loved ones while defending the fatherland as well as through the COVID – 19 Pandemic. May their gentle souls Rest in Perfect Peace.
According to him, the maritime threats that have significant effects in Nigeria’s maritime environment are piracy and sea robbery, Crude Oil Theft (COT), illegal oil bunkering, smuggling, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF), insurgency, hostage taking as well as human and drug trafficking.
He noted that in order to combat these threats, the NN adopted the Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy (TSMS) to guide its operational engagements. The strategy is based on a proactive layered response within 5 conflict spectrums characterised by distances to and from the coast.
According to him, within the last 4 months, the NN conducted and also participated in 13 Exercises (Ex) and operations (ops)geared towards combating illicit activities in Nigeria’s territorial waters especially the back waters. Pertinently, these Ex and opswhich are considered as game changers include Ex TSARE TEKU, Ex SECURED WATERS, Ex AMJI JIJI, Op RIVER SWEEP, Op CALM WATERS and Op TRI-PARTITE JOINT BORDER PATROL amongst others. Some combined Exercises such as Ex OBANGAME EXPRESS were also conducted in collaboration with regional and international navies and other maritime stakeholders for the good governance of the nation’s maritime space including the Gulf of Guinea.
ANTI PIRACY OPERATIONS
The Chief of Policy and Plans added that it is important to state that the NN has deliberately instituted dedicated operations and initiatives to enhance its policing capability towards the peaceful use of the nation’s maritime environment.
These initiatives he said “have engendered several recorded successes in the operations of NN bases. For instance,13 incidents of piracy attacks were recordedfrom July – December 2020. However, as from January –May 2021, there were only 5 pirate attacks. The rate of pirate attacks have been on the decline from what was witnessed in the last half of the Year 2020”.
ANTI CRUDE OIL THEFT OPERATIONS
Ezekobe noted that the Service has also performed credibly well in the fight against COT and illegal oil bunkering considering the short period that this administration has been in the office. The NN has through ops conducted by ops bases and Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) cumulatively deactivated a total of 95illegal refineries between January and May 2021. These activities were complemented with series of swamp buggy ops in the areas were illegal refineries were discovered. To appreciate this effort, may I state that from records, 477 illegal refining sites were deactivated between July and December 2020. This figure drastically decreased in the last 4 months (January – May)to 95. The reduction in the number of illegal refining sites deactivated can be attributed to the ongoing swamp buggy operations in the Niger Delta which makes it difficult for perpetrators to reactivate immobilized illegal refining sites.
ANTI-SMUGGLING OPERATIONS
According to him, the anti-smuggling ops are another critical area that the NN recorded success during the last 4 months. The NN through 2 key anti – smuggling ops, namely: Ops TRI-PARTITE JOINT BORDER PATROL and CALM WATERS has ensured round the clock presence and effective patrol of all identified hot spots of smugglers. From records, 91 NN ships clocked a total of 7,552 hours at sea during the period under review,leading to a significant decline of smuggling activities in our waters. Notwithstanding, 2 suspected rice smugglers, 2smuggling boats and 7 vehicles cumulatively laden with 1,842bags of rice were arrested within the period under review. In a related development, the Nigerian Navy Ship LUGARD in Lokoja recently arrested 2 suspects with 16 bags of Cannabis Sativa weighing a total of 550kg.
He noted that the suspected smugglers and their boats with products were handed over to the respective prosecuting agencies; referring to EFCC, NCS, NIS and NDLEA for further action. Details of the persons and number of bags of rice seized are as shown on the screen. These achievements also reinforce NN drive towards eradicating rice smuggling in support of the FG policy on local rice production.
INCREASED MARITIME DOMAIN AWARENESS
Ezekobe said the “NN carries out round the clock surveillance of
Nigeria’s maritime space using the Regional and Maritime Awareness
Capability (RMAC) and Falcon Eye facilities in addition to the use of vessels and helicopters”. The NN has 24 Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Centres located across the Nigerian coastline. Due to their availability, NN patrols are now more mission oriented with attendant reduction in operational logistic costs. The infrastructure has been instrumental in several known rescueas well as classified operations.
INCREASED COLLABORATION WITH OTHER MARITIME NATIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS
The NN recognises the centrality of collaboration with other maritime nations as well as local and international maritime agencies for successful maritime security operations. Accordingly, it holds regular domestic and international conferences as well as sea exercises with navies of other nations and major maritime stakeholders for the purpose of capacity building, intelligence and information sharing.
In line with what he said, the Service is currently planning to host NN Maritime Conference and Sea Exercise as part of activities for the NN Week 2021 Celebrations.
He said “the Conference would have been an International event but due to the prevailing COVID-19 Pandemic,it has been localised”. These conferences have led to shared responsibilities with improved international, regional and domestic cooperation and synergy of effort in tackling the myriad of challenges in Nigerian maritime environment.
FLEET RENEWAL
According to him, in its drive to enhance NN’s response capability, the present leadership of the NN under Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo is fully committed to acquiring more requisite mix of platforms for the Service. In this light, the NN took delivery of the Hydrographic Survey Vessel on Mon 17 May 21 in Lagos. The vessel sailed from Saint Nazaire, France for Lagos on 18 Apr 21 and is named after the decommissioned NNS LANA.The renewed emphasis on fleet renewal by this administration is further underscored by ongoing efforts for procurement of another 35 metres survey vessel and 3 Leonardo Helicopters.
He noted that in an effort to boost operations, the Service recently took delivery of 4C- Falcons interceptor boats for Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service. In addition, 90 Rigid Hall Inflatable Boats have been procured. The NN has continued toengage local companies such as Messrs Epenal, Tuwasco and SEWA to build platforms for the Service. This has not only enhanced local content development but facilitated capacity building in Nigeria’s maritime industry.Importantly, all this would not have been possible without the continuous support of the FG under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.
Ime N
