ROSEMARY NWISI writes on her experience as she embarked on an eight-day adventure with the Nigerian Navy and other navies, as they participated at this year’s Exercise Obaganme Express
To make Nigerian coastline on the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) safe haven for legitimate maritime businesses to thrive has been the utmost priority of serving Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, from the moment he was inaugurated in January 2021.
Though not an easy task, considering the rising cases of illicit business activities on the maritime domain, Vice Admiral Gambo remains resolute and committed nevertheless.
There is no gain saying in the fact that rising cases of maritime crimes ranging from oil theft to sea robbery, sea piracy, illegal importation of arms and ammunition, child trafficking and smuggling of outlawed foreign and substandard products are negatively impacting the desired economic growth efforts of the government via industrialisation and its gains of job creation and national development in no small measure.
Considering the huge economic investments of the country on the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) and the great economic gains maritime transportation is capable of bringing into the national coffers annually if the route is made safe, little wonder Vice Admiral Gambo would go to any length to maximise every available opportunity to up the games of his officers for effectiveness and results.
One of such opportunities was Exercise Obangame Express 2022, which ended recently.
Gambo understood the place of intensive capacity building and constant evaluation in winning the hydra-headed maritime war in the Gulf of Guinea and other Nigerian waters for safety, security and growth/development.
It was for this reason he declared zero tolerance to all forms of maritime crimes and criminal activities while his regime lasts.
In his determination to achieve the set goal, the CNS took advantage of Exercise Obangame Express 2022, to engage intensive training of Nigerian Navy Officers at sea for eight days.
The event was also meant to evaluate the operational capability of the men to respond to maritime events, prevent and counter maritime threats, demonstrate power projection and effective collaboration with other national agencies in the fight for maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
It was equally aimed at assessing and improving GoG law enforcement capacity, promoting national and regional security, improving knowledge of African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP), planning and operations, and shaping security forces’ assistance efforts.
Obangame is a Cameroonian local dialect meaning “Togetherness.” The exercise is held annually, mostly in the month of March. This year’s edition held between March 11 and 18. It was an all sea training and practice event.
No fewer than 30 countries along the GoG in Africa and Europe collaborated and participated in this year’s event.
A delegation from the US African Command was present at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian leg of the exercise, held by the CNS at Navy Jetty in Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Two Canadian Navy ships, US Coast guide ship, participated in the exercise.
On her part, the Nigerian Navy deployed 10 ships and two helicopters and maritime domain awareness assets as well as element of special boat service for this year’s exercise.
Speaking during the flag-off, Vice Admiral Gambo noted that Obangame Express 22 would create quality opportunity for Nigerian Navies to work with other navies to achieve security in the Gulf of Guinea.
The exercise reportedly began in 2010 with nine countries, including Nigeria. Currently, over 28 GoG countries are actively participating with activities for the exercise decentralised for effectiveness.
According to Gambo, “Exercise Obangame now in its 12th year is an annual multinational maritime exercise, which was birthed on the need for Gulf of Guinea navies and coastguards to cooperate for regional maritime safety and security in furtherance of the Yaunde code of conduct.
“This year’s exercise is particularly instructive, considering the efforts of Nigerian government at operationalising the African continental free trade agreement according to United Nation’s Conference on Trade as Development (UNCTAD).”
The Navy chief further explained that the exercise was designed to improve regional collaboration through joint operations, intelligence sharing and harmonised legal framework to enhance collective capabilities of Gulf of Guinea nations against maritime crime.
The event was held in three zones, E and F, Ghana and Senegal respectively. This year’s main opening event was held in Senegal.
The Nigeria leg was organised by Nigerian Central Naval Command in Onne Ports, where the 10 ships assigned for the exercise took off.
The Flag Officer Commanding Central Naval Command, Real Admire Idi Abbas was also present at the flag-off ceremony.
Participating nations
Countries scheduled to participate in Obangame Express 22, include Angola, Belgium, Benin, Brazil, Capo Verde, Cameroon, Canada, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, France, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Italy.
Others are Liberia, Morocco, Namibia, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Congo, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and the United States.
Also participating will be the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS).
Events at Sea
Events at sea were multi-tasking. While the officers were being trained, they were at the same time tested on competence, just as they equally engaged on sea patrol and arrests of suspected criminal elements at sea during the period.
This was confirmed at sea by the Fleet Commander, Central Naval Command and Officer in Tactical Command, Exercise Obangame Express 2022, Commodore Olusanyo Bankole when he said, “We did several exercises during the event, ranging from human trafficking rescue and interdiction, drug trafficking, anti piracy, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, illegal oil bunkering, Man Overboard, Search and rescue, illegal arms running, hostage taking and rescue, as well as communication without gadgets among others.
“Apart from seeing real live experiences on some of these crimes while at sea, our days at sea were really days of active training, training for smooth collaboration with our friends from other agencies, whenever real situation arises.
“The exercise basically was competence training for our Navy Officers. We were equally there to test and evaluate our officers, and with what I saw, I can assure you that the Nigerian Navy is ready to make our waters on the GoG safe and free for legal and legitimate local and foreign businesses to thrive”, Bankole boasted.
Speaking further, he explained more on the reason for multi-task activities.
“…in order for Nigeria to maximise the effect of the exercise, the Chief of Naval Staff approved the conduct of this exercise in the Central Naval Command area of responsibilities of the Nigerian Navy.
“Our area of exercise covers from Bonny down to Focados, Escravous and down to Igbokoda and the fringes of the Western Naval Command and Eastern Naval Command.”
“Because the central Naval Command has most of the offshore assets- oil and gas asset and national strategic asset of the Nigerian Navy, they are dominated in the Central Naval Command area of responsibility.”
He reiterated the passion of the serving CNS to clear the Nigerian area of the GoG of criminal elements to facilitate trade for economic growth.
“The strategic focus of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo since he assumed office is to have zero tolerance for Maritime crimes in Nigerian Maritime domain.
“One of the ways he has been able to do this is to increase training and operations in the Nigerian Navy.
Participant Agencies at Sea:
The OTC shed further light on the presence of collaborative agencies like the Nigerian Customs Service, the Police, Immigration Service among others at sea during the exercise.
He said, “This is the training where we assess ourselves. We have foreign observers that are monitoring our reporting system because after every exercise, we do send to all the maritime control centres of the Gulf of Guinea.
“We have the Navy and related agencies that function with the Navy. The water is Nigerian waters, so there are the Customs, the Immigrations; we have the NDLEA for drug crimes, the Nigerian Police; the JTF was also on board as observer, among others.
“We brought them to sea, so we can see how they can help them to do, effect arrest on their job.”
The Nation learnt that NAPTIP (National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons), the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission), the NPA (Nigerian Ports Authority), the Judiciary and the Department of Fisheries in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture were expected at the exercise although they were conspicuously absent.
Arrests
Four different arrests were made in the period, including one in Bonny: two fish vessels, one long wooden boat fully laden with suspected stolen petroleum product, and two oil vessels.
Over 30 crew members and persons were also arrested in the period.
Two separate statements signed by the spokesman, Central Naval Command, Commodore Ayo Ayo-Vanghan, stated:
“During the exercise, Nigerian Navy ship Thunder intercepted Motor Tanker(MT) Harbor Spirit.
“The vessel was boarded and searched by the Navy and was found to be in possession of forged documents for the evacuation of fortified and auctioned crude oil from another vessel, marked MV Kome XVIII.
“Accordingly, the vessel and 13 crew men on board (all Nigerians) were arrested and handed over to Forward Operating base in Bonny for further investigation and possible prosecution.”
Continuing Ayo-Vaughan stated: “Arrest of the vessel came two days after the arrest of a vessel named MT Queen of Peace for alleged unauthorised possession of Petroleum Product without valid documents.
“It is indicative of the resolve of the Nigerian Navy to rid Nigerian maritime environment of all infractions and illegalities for legitimate maritime activities to strive towards the economic growth of the Nation.”
According to him MT Queen of Peace had been on the Navy watch list for over one year, until it was finally held during the exercise.
“The vessel was last sighted at the Trans Amadi Jetty in Port Harcourt, over one year ago, before she switched off her automatic identification system (AIS), and proceeded on three weeks of dark (unknown), activities but was successfully intercepted South West of Bonny Fair Way Bouy during Exercise Obangame Express 22.
“The dark activities of the vessel was monitored by the NN Falcon Eye Surveillance System (FESS), and NNS Ekulu was detached from Exercise Obangame to intercept and arrest the vessel.
“Consequently, interrogation revealed that the vessel with 14 crew members onboard was laden with unspecified quantity of crude oil. ”
He said, “Additionally, the vessel was unable to provide appropriate documentation from the point of loading as well as well as documents and authority of her intended operations.
“This led to the arrest of the vessel and was transferred to Navy Forward Operation for further investigation and possible handover for prosecution.”
“The Exercise equally saw to the arrest of seven Beninoise in a long wooden boat fully loaded with unspecified petroleum products from questionable sources.” Ayo-Vaughan said.
The exercise was concluded with a beach party on board NNS Thunder at sea and debriefing of journalists at Onne Navy Jetty on the last day.