Nigerian Navy deploys assets for maritime security in Gulf of Guinea
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The Nigerian Navy has deployed 10 ships, two helicopters, and other assets for Exercise Obangame Express 2026, a special operation aimed at combating maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea. The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, announced the deployment during the flag-off ceremony aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship KADA in Onne, Rivers State. The operation will target piracy, sea robbery, illegal trafficking of arms and drugs, crude oil theft, and illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. Vice Admiral Abbas, represented by the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral P.E. Effah, highlighted that the exercise, initiated in 2010 by the United States Navy and Gulf of Guinea nations, has become a strategic platform for coordinated maritime security. He emphasized its role in fostering unity, enhancing interoperability, and strengthening regional cooperation, information sharing, and tactical readiness against evolving threats. The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral C. D. Okehie, noted the Gulf of Guinea's strategic importance as a global sea lane and its vulnerability to maritime threats, underscoring the need for Nigeria to build robust maritime security capabilities and deepen cooperation with partners.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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