U.S. Coast Guard begins training with Nigerian Navy on Maritime Law Enforcement capabilities

Twenty-four officers of the Nigerian Navy are participating in a four-week intensive U.S. Coast Guard Boarding Officer training program which kicked off on Monday, August 30.

Six trainers from the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center in Yorktown, Virginia are in Lagos to lead this capacity building program which seeks to strengthen maritime law enforcement capabilities in Nigerian waters, particularly in the Gulf of Guinea.

Sponsored by the U.S. Africa Command, the training will explore a variety of internationally recognized techniques and procedures for maritime law enforcement at sea in a safe and professional manner.

The training offered by the U.S. Coast Guard will highlight more challenging scenarios and tactics in the use of force, evidence processing, arrest procedures, and perseverance.

In addition, participants will explore best practices in countering illicit maritime activities such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; the trafficking of weapons, narcotics, and people; as well as the ongoing threat of piracy and oil infrastructure insecurity.

The U.S. Coast Guard training is part of a close and continuous military partnership between the United States and Nigeria spanning decades to strengthen defence ties and promote regional security.

Last month, officers assigned to USS Hershel “Woody” Williams visited Lagos and participated in a three-day at sea training exercise with Nigerian offshore patrol vessels.

In July, 25 officers of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service and a team of U.S. Army Special Forces completed a five-week Joint Combined Exchange Training also known as J-CET.

Nigeria and the United States work together in multiple bilateral and multilateral military exercises, including African Lion, Flintlock, and Obangame Express, as well as strategic maritime security forums.

The U.S. government works closely with all the services of the Nigerian military to provide technical assistance, equipment, and professional exchange and training opportunities.