The Nigerian Navy has vowed that tough times now await pirates frolicking around nation’s territorial waters.
The high command noted that its maritime domain awareness facilities, which enabled early detection and swift response to incidents within the maritime environment, has ensured that Nigeria maintained its zero piracy status in the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy Rating. The Navy also informed that its fight against crude oil theft has resulted in improved crude oil production by Nigeria in recent times.
Naval Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Joseph Daniel Akpan who disclosed this during an international press briefing at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja to announce activities lined up to make the 68 anniversary celebration of the Nigerian Navy, said the Nigerian Navy is determined to rid Nigerian Maritime environment of piracy and crude oil thieves.
He said the Navy Week Celebration serves as a score-card of the NN’s performance in the service of the nation, noting that the Nigerian Navy has grown from its humble beginning with a handful of coastal boats into a force to be reckoned with, not only in the West African Sub-region, but also in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and indeed the entire sub-Saharan Africa.
He said under the current leadership of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, the Nigerian Navy has attained the highest state of operational readiness in the discharge of its constitutional roles.
According to him, “In particular, the fight against crude oil theft has been a huge success under the auspices of operation Delta Sanity which was relaunched in January this year.
“In the nine months of its existence the operation has led to the arrest of various suspects and vessels involved in crude oil theft. This has impacted positively on Nigeria’s crude oil production. For example, OPEC records for the month of April 2024 shows that Nigeria’s oil output rose to 1.28 million barrels per day (bpd) as against 1.23 million barrels per day in March 2024.”
He said this is in line with the President’s directive to eradicate crude oil theft in order to ramp up Nigeria’s oil production and exports.
He noted that the NN has also provided all-year-round situation awareness of Nigeria’s maritime domain extending to the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone through its Maritime Domain Awareness Facilities which enabled early detection and swift response to incidents within the maritime environment.
“This has ensured that Nigeria maintained its zero piracy status in the International Maritime Bureau piracy rating. In terms of fleet renewal, the NN has taken delivery of various platforms which have supported its Anti-piracy, anti-Crude Oil Theft, anti-illegal fishing and anti-illegal drug trafficking, among others.
“Notably, the NN has taken delivery of its second offshore survey vessel, 2 x 32m FPBs, and 2 x Helicopters. The NN is also expected to take delivery of 2 x 76m OPVs from Turkey later in the year. In the area of infrastructure, the NN has established a composite operations Base in Enugu State to curtail the prevailing insecurities in the South East and North Central Regions.
“Additionally, the Naval Training Command was relocated to Eleme in Rivers State. In its place, the NN has established the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria. The Institute will serve as a strategic maritime think-tank for Nigeria thereby contributing effectively to global maritime discourse to shape the future of sea power and its application.”
He said that key activities of the NN week include a special jumat prayer on Friday May 24, an interdenominational church service on Sunday may 26, at the Central Mosque and the Queen of Martyr Catholic Church Mogadishu Cantonment respectively.
“There will also be Medical Rhapsodies and Naval Officers’ Wives Association Activities (NOWA) which will hold simultaneously on Monday, 27 May 2024 in some NN host communities across Commands,” he said.
“On Wednesday 29 May, there will be an ice-breaker at Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos. The highpoint of this year’s celebration will be the flag-off of the Regional Maritime Exercise and the International Maritime Conference by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu who will be the Special Guest of Honour.
“The REMEX, which is scheduled to hold from Thursday, 30 May – Saturday, 1 June 2024, is an international maritime sea exercise involving navies from Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America. The NN will contribute 18 platforms comprising capital ships, boats and helicopters. Some of the foreign naval ships participating include Brazilian Navy Ship APA, Cameroonian Navy Ship DIPIKAR, Peoples Liberation Army Navy Ship XU CHANG, French Navy Ship OSV COMMANDANT BIROT, Ghana Navy Ship CHEMLE, United States Ship HERSHEL WOODY WILLIAMS.”
He said the international maritime conference (IMC) will take place from May 30 to 31 at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island Lagos, adding that the aim is to catalyse effective cooperation on maritime security across Africa as a key driver for unlocking the continent’s immense Blue Economy potential in line with the vision of the 2050 African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS).
the conference with the theme: ‘Promoting the Blue Economy in Africa through International Cooperation on Maritime Security’, he said, will feature the presentation of two topical papers. “The Conference will host delegations from about 21 African countries, 17 non-African countries and 13 International/regional organisations. “Notably, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the French Atlantic Fleet, the Deputy Commander of the Chinese Navy and high- powered delegations from the United Kingdom, United States as well as some African and European Union countries will be in attendance. “During the occasion, the President and C-in -C will also commission three newly acquired ships and two helicopters as well as declare open the International Maritime Exhibition in which international and local maritime security related companies will showcase their products and services,” he said.
Admiral Akpan said on the sideline, the Meeting of Gulf of Guinea Heads of Navies and Coast Guards will take place on May 31 2024, adding a the series of activities marking the Navy Week Celebration will be rounded off on June 1 2024 with the inauguration of the International Maritime Institute of Nigeria (IMION) and the Ceremonial Sunset/ Reunion Dinner at NNS QUORRA Apapa and Naval Dockyard Limited Victoria Island respectively.