Navy vows to curb piracy, illegal bunkering on Nigeria’s waterways

The Nigerian Navy has restated its commitment to securing the country’s maritime environment against all forms of illegal activities such as piracy, illegal bunkering, and oil theft, among others.

The Navy said such illegal activities undermine its efforts at ensuring a safe maritime environment and thereby threaten the nation’s economic growth and development.

Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, stated this at a media briefing to herald this year’s sea exercise codenamed “Exercise Sea Guard 2024.”

He noted that Nigeria’s maritime environment remains a veritable medium for the sustenance of the country’s economic growth and development.

He, however, said harnessing these resources for the country’s socio-economic development and prosperity has been undermined by maritime security challenges manifested through several threats such as piracy, oil theft, illegal bunkering, and kidnapping.

Akinwande explained that the exercise, which is expected to last from September 26 to 28, is a joint operation between the Central Naval Command and the Eastern Naval Command aimed at ensuring that criminals don’t have a field day on the country’s waterways.

He noted that, over time, the Central Naval Command and the Eastern Naval Command have continuously patrolled their respective areas of responsibility through combined efforts, which have yielded significant security improvements within their domain and adjoining environments.

However, he observed that maritime insecurity still persists on a low scale in the area, saying it could worsen if not deliberately tackled with a resolute stand.

He said: “Consequences of the prevailing insecurity have necessitated the Central Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command to initiate this joint, coordinated, and decisive action aimed at denying criminals and economic saboteurs freedom of action, thereby making the area of responsibility safe and secure for socio-economic activities to thrive.”

He also explained that the objective of the exercise is to sustain a credible presence at sea in order to create a secure maritime environment for national prosperity in line with the objectives of the Chief of the Naval Staff’s Strategic Guarantee 2023-6.

Additionally, Akinwande said the exercise would serve as preparation for the forthcoming Chief of Naval Staff Annual Sea Inspection 2024.

He added that the exercise would afford commanders the opportunity to assess the operational readiness of their ships within both commands in conducting evolutions such as communication exercises, anti-piracy and anti-crude oil theft operations, emergency drills, and fleet manoeuvres.

The Flag Officer Commanding charged all participating ships to gear up toward realising the operational objectives of the exercise, which he said would foster the economic recovery of the nation.