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Tag: gulf of Guinea

  • Eight Nigerian warships depart for anti-piracy mission in Gulf of Guinea

    Eight Nigerian warships depart for anti-piracy mission in Gulf of Guinea

    Eight elite Nigerian Navy warships have left the country’s waters to join in a global joint naval operation aimed at combating sea piracy in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Emmanual Ogalla, revealed this to journalists on Friday during the flag-off of exercise ‘Obangame Express 2024,’ in Onne, Rivers.

    Represented by Rear Adm. Olusegun Ferreira, the navy’s Chief of Training and Operations, Ogalla stated that eight warships, two helicopters, and the naval Special Boat Service (special forces) would participate in the week-long exercise.

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    “Obangame Express, sponsored by the United States African Command (US Africom), brings together naval fleets from the GoG and key partners from Europe, the Spanish navy, and North America to secure the region.

    “It offers a platform for like-minded partners to jointly devise African-led solutions to transnational threats and challenges for enhancing regional security.

    “The maritime security operations will encompass anti-crude oil, anti-sea piracy, anti-sea robbery, anti-fishing, as well as boarding and aerial operations, among other activities,” he said.

  • Tinubu reaffirms commitment to enhancing security of Gulf of Guinea

    Tinubu reaffirms commitment to enhancing security of Gulf of Guinea

    President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, March 12, reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing maritime security and safety in the Gulf of Guinea.

    According to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu spoke when he received the Special Envoy of the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, at the State House, Abuja

    The Special Presidential Envoy and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, had conveyed a message from President Mbasogo requesting a state visit by President Tinubu, emphasizing the need to revitalize the Nigeria-Equatorial Guinea Joint Commission.

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    He also emphasized the importance of fostering greater cooperation in various sectors, including oil and gas, and trade.

    Responding, President Tinubu reaffirmed the longstanding bilateral ties between Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, describing the relations as strong and brotherly.

    He recalled his previous meeting with President Mbasogo, during which they discussed strategies for enhancing economic relations, particularly in the context of ocean and marine economy, and collaborating to address the challenges posed by climate change.

    President Tinubu expressed confidence that the formal meetings between the two nations would lead to further strengthening of their relationship.

    “Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea are brotherly nations, and we enjoy very longstanding mutual relations. I am sure when next we meet formally; the relationship between our countries will grow from strength to strength,” the President said.

  • Nigerian Navy and challenges in Gulf of Guinea

    The strategic value attached to the sea and resources therein usually heightens the exposure of littoral nations to maritime security breaches. Contiguous states are therefore obliged to collectively seek measures to protect their maritime spaces due to the entwined nature of maritime boundaries and the migratory tendencies of criminal activities at sea. One key maritime area in need of such collaboration to guarantee their peace and assured prosperity is the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). The GoG is a vast area with a coastline of about 3240 nautical miles or 6000 kilometres stretching from Angola in Southern Africa to Senegal in West Africa. The Gulf consists of 20 sovereign coastal states and islands plus a number of land-linked states. The region is endowed with abundant living and non-living marine resources which if carefully managed, could contribute to sub-regional as well as global prosperity. Blessed with a dominant portion of global hydrocarbon deposits, the GoG is geographically positioned with a comparative advantage for oil and gas supply owing to its relative proximity to the world’s main energy consumers and the absence of narrow maritime shipping lanes, straits or choke points.

    Despite the aforementioned prospects of the GoG, the frequent abuse of the vast expanse of its maritime domain through illicit activities of local and foreign collaborators has continued to buoy concerns. More disturbing is that many of the illicit acts at sea are directed at the economic lifeline of both littoral and land-linked member states thus further exacerbating wide scale poverty. Recent security occurrences within the region stem largely from non-military causes such as socio-economic agitations, rising populations and unemployment in the coastal communities. The manifestations include attacks on shipping, sabotage of hydrocarbon infrastructure and maritime resource theft. There are also diverse forms of illicit trafficking, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing and marine pollution which constitute serious challenges to the development of the countries in the region.

    I am reminded of the strong political will demonstrated by the leadership of the GoG states through their ratification of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct of 2013, to curb festering mutative and migratory criminal tendencies across their common maritime borders. The Code of Conduct established standards for inter-regional cooperation based on law enforcement at sea, information sharing, training and multilateral collaboration. Other existing frameworks developed to facilitate cooperation and capacities building for maritime security operations include the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) and the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy (EIMS). However, in spite of these noble initiatives, the inability of the regional navies to effectively address existing threats attests to incomplete operationalizing of existing maritime security frameworks and limited multilateral integration among maritime enforcement agencies. Effective regional response was further hampered by challenges of inadequate platforms for maritime policing and provision for prosecution of maritime crimes across borders. Other precincts were insufficient surveillance systems and information sharing mechanism. However, as the dominant Navy in the region, the Nigerian Navy (NN) with the support of the home government has remained in the vanguard of efforts to build synergy necessary to bolster maritime law enforcement within both the Nigerian maritime environment and in the GoG.

    Beginning from the domestic environment, the NN holds regular meetings with major maritime stakeholders as a form of backward integration with Maritime Law Enforcement Agencies, in recognition of the centrality of intelligence and prompt information sharing to successful maritime security operations. A key outcome of this interaction is the promulgation of the Harmonized Standard Operating Procedure (HSOP) on the arrest and detention of vessels/persons in Nigeria’s maritime environment. The HSOP seeks to resolve the lack of common understanding and limited synergy among MLEAs and stakeholders and provides guidelines for MLEAs to collaborate in the conduct of their assigned functions in the maritime environment.

    A commendable stride has also been made by the NN in the enhancement of its surveillance capabilities through a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) project to enhance surveillance and interdiction efforts. The twin but complementary systems of the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) facility and the FALCON EYE system have continued to be expanded, in view of their highly encouraging outputs. It is worth recalling the rescue of a tanker, MT MAXIMUS by NN in 2016, three days after her hijack by pirates in Cote D’Ivoire waters, across the maritime territories of over six different nations. This episode remains a classical demonstration of the effectiveness of a robust internal capacity committed to a multilateral collaboration as a panacea to security challenges in the GoG. With the aid of effective MDA systems, suitable platforms and seamless coordination among a number of states along the transit corridor of the criminal convoy, the ship was trailed by the NN and eventually intercepted at the fringes of Sao Tome and Principe waters with six pirates arrested and one killed in action. Subsequent to this success, a strong deterrence value was incidentally established. It is heart-warming to state that since that episode, no such brazen attempt by the criminals to hijack oil tankers has occurred. To consolidate the gains of the MDA project, the NN in collaboration with the US Government recently established a regional MDA Training School for joint training of personnel of the NN and other navies of the GoG to steadily improve capacity for collective response to security challenges at sea.

    The NN has equally shown commitment to strengthening international collaboration as part of efforts to improving maritime security in the GoG by active participation in bilateral and multilateral efforts to enhance collective security. This has led to the establishment of a mechanism for sharing maritime information with regional navies and maritime regulatory agencies at the Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre in Ghana. Furthermore, the establishment of the Multi-National Maritime Coordination Centre in Benin Republic for ECOWAS Zone E member states, under the lead of the NN, the ECOWAS Zone E heralded a new dawn in multilateral cooperation in the region with the signing of an MoU between of the Chiefs of Naval Staff of Benin, Togo Niger and Nigeria at Cotonou and the Head of Gendarmerie of Niger Republic on modalities for emplacing a continuous joint multilateral patrol by member countries, to dominate their common maritime space through joint maritime and air patrol and active collection and dissemination of information. The operationalization of this MoU would greatly curb transnational maritime crimes across Zone E.

    In further demonstration of her commitment to operationalizing multilateral integration for the security of the GoG, the NN as an indigenous GoG Navy initiated the conduct of a biennial International Maritime Conference and Regional Sea Exercise (IMCREMEX). After an inaugural EX OPIA TOHA in 2016, the second Exercise EKU KUGBE held in 2018, involving over 17 ships and aircraft from seven different countries including the Chinese PLA Navy Ship YANCHENG, to further consolidate inter-regional multilateral effort at securing the GoG was held. At the conference proper, the need to harmonise all maritime security initiatives and legal frameworks through ratification in respective national legislations as well as the development of a joint maritime operational procedure and establishment of a common mechanism for information sharing were endorsed by member states.

    It must be acknowledged that much of NN’s operational attainment received a good boost from the initiatives of international partners. The opportunities for joint training offered by various multinational exercises such as the US-driven EX OBANGAME EXPRESS and the French Navy-organised EX NEMO have steadily improved capacity and collective response to security challenges in the GoG. Their footprints of support have been eloquent towards encouraging and bolstering domestic and regional collaboration in practical terms and on sustainable basis. Following the participation of the Chinese Navy in INCREMEX 2018, the NN looks forward to a more consistent interaction between both navies in the future.

    Despite a harsh fiscal environment at home, the Nigerian government has remained committed to enhancing the response capability of the NN through the acquisition of more patrol vessels and aircraft. Noteworthy is the on-going fleet expansion programme which has led to addition of several offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), Seaward Defence Boats, induction of over 200 Inshore Patrol Boats including the strengthening of air bases. Two of the navy’s recent OPVs, NNS CENTENARY and NNS UNITY, were built by Chinese shipbuilders. The Chinese government also graciously donated a Fast Patrol Boat, NNS SAGBAMA to the Nigerian government. The fleet recapitalization effort has thus enabled the NN to extend reach in support of regional effort to secure the common seas while enabling the NN better attend to her domestic policing roles. This has led to the huge reduction in incidences of crude oil theft and other crimes in Nigeria’s maritime environment, with the government confirming a drastic reduction in national crude oil losses between 2015 and 2017. Increased NN presence at sea also resulted in a 50 per cent reduction of acts of piracy within the GoG between the First Quarter of 2018 and the First Quarter of 2019, as attested to by the International Maritime Bureau. The modest attainment by these acquisitions clearly suggests that more ships with prolonged endurance such as OPVs are needed for sustained presence at sea and the protection of critical assets in the deep offshore areas.

     

    • Excerpts from paper presented by the Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibas at the International High Level Symposium for Naval Leaders Marking the 70th Anniversary of the Chinese Peoples’ Liberation Army Navy in Qingdao – China.

  • Navy, others search for answer to piracy

    As maritime crimes assume transnational and frightening dimensions in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), regional navies and other stakeholders have converged on Lagos to work out how to set aside territorial boundaries for the common good, reports Precious Igbonwelundu.

    This year’s OBANGAME Express was not the first multinational sea exercise in the Gulf of Guinea. It was, in fact, the ninth edition, a brainchild of the United States Naval Forces Africa (US NAVAF) commenced in 2010. But the 2019 edition of the exercise that had 20 African navies and 11 allied nations in attendance was one of many firsts.

    It was indeed, the first time member states agreed to uninterrupted hot pursuit of suspect vessels across territorial space in about 85 mock exercises executed within 12 days. Also, this year’s OBANGAME Express was the first time a fully equipped Regional Maritime Domain Awareness Training School, a counterpart funding initiative between Nigeria and U.S. situated at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, was put to use. Participating navies enacted their scenarios at sea. It was also a first for the deployment of sniffer dogs to the high seas for counter drug trafficking simulations.

    Hosted by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, the exercise aimed at assessing and improving the GoG law enforcement capacity, promote national and regional security, improve knowledge of African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP), planning and operations, as well as shape security forces’ assistance efforts.

    A multi-phased exercise, which promotes the importance of regional cooperation between all the navies in the GoG, OBANGAME Express, a Fang, Southern Cameroonian word for togetherness, is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information sharing and enhance the collective capabilities of member states to counter illegalities in the maritime domain.

    It also served to demonstrate and evaluate operational capability to respond to maritime events, prevent and counter maritime threats; demonstrate power projection and the ability to effectively operate as a multinational force under a regional control authority; demonstrate and evaluate maritime operations centre operability with tactical units and evaluate and access Africa Partnership Station (APS) training effects.

    For this year, the Nigerian Navy (NN) deployed eight warships, including two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs)- NNS CENTENARY and NNS UNITY; two maritime patrol helicopters to complement a warship each deployed by the US, Togolese and Portuguese navies for the Nigerian phase of the sea exercise.

    At the opening ceremony which held at the Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL) Victoria Island, Lagos, the need for regional navies to eschew suspicion, allow seamless patrol and uninterrupted hot pursuit of rogue vessels from one country’s territorial to the other was brought to the fore giving the ease with which pirates, sea robbers and other maritime offenders navigated the general area.

    Acknowledging the security challenges plaguing the region, Vice Admiral Ibas told participants at the opening ceremony in Lagos that these multifaceted and evolving threats were leading to deepening conditions inimical to peace and security. Of particular concern, he said, was the realisation that many of the threats posed a great danger to effective exploitation of the maritime environment and increasingly manifest as transnational and cross-border crimes, hence, the need for a united response by regional navies and coastguards.

    “This esteemed assembly is no doubt fully abreast of the gains of the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) 2050 and the Yaoundé Code of Conduct of 2013, which have facilitated capacity building within a defined architecture for regional maritime security Operations.

    “These instruments have also emplaced standards for inter-regional co-operation based on law enforcement at sea, information sharing and training, further enhancing multilateral collaboration in the GoG.

    “This is the spirit that birthed the OBANGAME EXPRESS as a tool for enhancing the collective capabilities of GoG countries to counter sea-based illicit activities by improving regional cooperation,” said Ibas.

    For Vice Admiral Ibas, one of the gains of collaboration was the agreement by members of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Zone E to allow navies of member state chase suspect vessels into another territory without the usual bureaucratic and diplomatic bottlenecks. The development, he noted, was giving the criminals a hard time which has ultimately led to reducing maritime crime in recent times.

    While participants for the sea exercise sailed safely to the Atlantic Ocean from western waters, heads of navies and coastguards of the region, academics, European and American partners, among others converged on the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island for a three-day Senior Leadership Symposium to seek lasting solution to sea robbery, piracy, crude oil theft, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, human and illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs to name a few.

    At sea, the participating platforms conducted exercises, such as tactical manoeuvring, counter illicit trafficking, search and rescue, anti-piracy, energy security, ship boarding and queries, air operations, communication drills, regional information sharing, anti-illegal fishing, advanced medical training, Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure (VBSS), vertical assault simulations and Gun Exercises (Gunnex).

    “The anti-arms and narcotics smuggling began at exactly 10 am of day-two. The simulation saw the Portuguese ship interrogate NNS Centenary which acted as a suspect vessel. What played out was that the suspect vessel had declared that it was only carrying spare parts, just for the security forces to find drugs (cocaine) onboard, which led to arrest of the captain and five crew members.

    “The second exercise started at exactly 14:35 pm and involved six ships including two vessels from NN, and one respectively from Portugal, Cameroon, Morrocco and U.S. The contingent carried out battle formations before the exercise proper.

    “On day three, the simulation of illegal drugs and fishing happened. After the illegal vessel was arrested, they were interrogated, arrested then handed over to the immigration for further investigation and persecution. Afterwards, a search and rescue operation was carried out during the simulation of a hijacked vessel.  Day four saw the repetition of search and rescue operation. However, helicopter landing and medical evacuation also took place,” narrated a journalist who was onboard NNS CENTENARY for the five-day sea exercise

    Reviewing the exercise at the closing ceremony in Lagos, the U.S. NAVAF described this edition as the most difficult since the commencement of OBANGAME Express.

    The difficulties notwithstanding, US Navy Admiral James Foggo scored this year’s excellent, noting that exercise scenarios were specifically drafted to suit maritime threats in the region.

    He said: “I have served in the headquarters of the African Partnership Station since 2010 and when we started, we did not have maritime operational centres; we did not have the Yaounde Code of Conduct in the maritime domain of the Gulf of Guinea.

    “Now, countries collaborate better than they did in 2010 because of relationships built as a result of OBANGAME Express held every year. We have made incredible progress.

    “This year was even more difficult. We had sniffer dogs for anti-drug trafficking simulations. We had Special Boats Services (SBS) from the Nigerian Navy. For the first time, we had the Maritime Domain Awareness Centre as part of the exercise.

    “We are enthusiastic about successes recorded in the past nine years as we look forward to the 10th year. I give this year’s exercise an A+. “Firstly, we had 33 countries, 2500 participants from navies and coastguards from GoG nations, Europe, Cape Verde and North America all coming to participate in maritime domain security.

    ‘In the last couple of weeks, we have had 85 series of exercises, 95 ships some big as NNS THUNDER and others as small as patrol crafts. We had 12 aircraft participating and providing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

    “We did so many exercises, some started off slow and easy till it got very hard like a vertical assault at sea: that is training with risk. We will take the lessons learnt and implement in the next one.”

    Forggo said he was enthusiastic about success recorded in the past nine years and looked forward to the 10th year.

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    Acknowledging that maritime crimes in the GoG had evolved beyond the scope and capabilities of each nation, Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali called for collaborative commitment for a common approach.

    Dan-Ali, who was represented by Director Navy, Patrick Ekawu, said the scourge of various forms of illegalities constituted serious challenges to the development of the countries in the region.

    “One commonality amongst these maritime threats is that they have become transnational and have evolved beyond the scope and capability of one nation to combat. For most of the Gulf of Guinea Navies and Coast Guards therefore, one of the major implications of the emerging security equation is the increasing demand for maritime policing functions. Regrettably, in the past decade, a huge capability gap has emerged amongst Gulf of Guinea Navies and Coast Guards, in the efficient discharge of these roles.

    “The situation increasingly gave rise to the need for greater international collaboration as well as interagency cooperation across various national capabilities and policy levels. It is against this background that Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS has remained relevant in developing the capabilities of the various navies and coast guards in the Gulf of Guinea to combat maritime security challenges within their maritime domain, collaboration with international partners, relevant maritime security agencies and organisations…

    “Permit me to reiterate that the magnitude of most maritime threats and their inter-connectedness, coupled with the fact that they provide such a diversity of impact demand that we keep coming together to fashion collaborative framed responses. I make bold to state that no single Navy or Coast Guard can do it alone. It is therefore hoped that the lessons from this exercise would be developed into collaborative action plans to support strategic-level initiatives to enhance our collective preparedness to meet emerging future maritime challenges in the ever-changing strategic security environment.”

    To Vice Admiral Ibas, the exercise achieved its objectives as it showcased the use and importance of communication among the nations in the respective maritime zones, especially in areas of maritime interdiction operations. “It also created a platform for the NN to practice the operationalisation of the Harmonised Standard Operation Procedures for arrest, detention and prosecution of a criminal vessel in our waters.

    “The exercise of the task elements in anti-piracy, hostage rescue operations and tactical fleet manoeuvres, in particular, is most rewarding. Furthermore, I recognise among the several other highpoints the valuable practice of the Special Forces in VBSS operations, and insertion/extraction of troops, evidence collected from crime scenes in conjunction with the MDAs in furtherance of law enforcement and the staging of mock MEDEVAC.

    “The prospects of greater integration of the established maritime security mechanism covering ECCAS 4 zones (A-D) and ECOWAS zones E, F and G as a structure to support security in the GoG has pleasantly been raised both from the understanding secured from the complimentary Senior Leadership Symposium and in the combined exercise. We can by this achievement, look forward to greatly enhanced mutual support operations at sea.”

    Speaking at a pre-event briefing, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Obed Ngalabak, said about 31 countries, including 20 African nations and 11 allied countries, were participating in the exercise.

    Ngalabak said: “The Obangame Express is 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 force assistance efforts.

    “The overall objectives are to assess each of the participating countries’ capabilities in Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Interdiction Operations.’’

  • Obangame Express: Sniffer dogs, 95 ships deployed, says US

    The United States Naval Forces Africa (US NAVAF) on Friday described this year’s OBANGAME EXPRESS multinational sea exercise as the most difficult, highlighting the deployment of sniffer dogs trained specifically to detect drugs and the vertical assault simulations as climax.

    US Navy Admiral James Foggo, who heads NAVAF told reporters at the Nigerian Naval Dockyard Limited (NDL) Victoria Island that a total of 95 ships and patrol crafts, 12 aircrafts, 2,500 participants from navies and coastguards in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) region  as well as 33 countries took part in the sea exercise that spanned across African maritime domain.

    Scoring this year’s exercise excellent, Foggo said participants were taken through 85 series of simulations specifically drafted to suit maritime threats in the region, adding that for the first time, the exercise made use of a Maritime Domain Awareness Centre.

    He said: “I have served in the headquarters of the African Partnership Station since 2010 and when we started, we did not have maritime operational centres; we did not have the Yaounde Code of Conduct in the maritime domain of the Gulf of Guinea.

    “Now, countries collaborate better than they did in 2010 because of relationships built as a result of OBANGAME Express held every year.

    We have made incredible progress.

    READ ALSO: Navy seeks effective prosecution of maritime offenders

    “This year was even more difficult. We had sniffer dogs for anti-drug trafficking simulations. We had Special Boats Services (SBS) from the Nigerian Navy. For the first time, we had the Maritime Domain Awareness Centre as part of the exercise.

    “We are enthusiastic about successes recorded in the past nine years as we look forward to the 10th year. I give this year’s exercise an A+. “Firstly, we had 33 countries, 2500 participants from navies and coastguards from GoG nations, Europe, Cape Verde and North America all coming to participate in maritime domain security.

    “In the last couple of weeks, we have had 85 series of exercises, 95 ships some big as NNS THUNDER and others as small as patrol crafts.

    “We had 12 aircrafts participating and providing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR).

    “We did so many exercises, some started off slow and easy till it got very hard like vertical assault at sea: that is training with risk. We will take the lessons learnt and implement in the next one,” he said.

    Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas said the Nigerian Navy (NN) arrested 80 vessels in three years for various offences.

    “Within the past three years, over 80 errant vessels have been arrested for various acts of illegality. MT TECNE and MT NIPAL were caught in the act stealing crude oil loading facilities in 2017 and 2018 respectively,” he said.

    Ibas said the arrests had served as deterrence and helped to support the huge national dependence on the maritime economy.

    According to him, the sea exercise was organised to foster regional cooperation and information sharing amongst the GOG navies as well as other friendly navies towards tackling cross border banditry and other maritime criminalities.

    “With the benefit of this exercise now, which has further sharpened our skills, we look forward to even greater achievement over the past efforts.

    “The exercise aimed at working out each participating country’s capabilities in maritime domain awareness, implementation of regional maritime agreements and interoperability of African, European, Atlantic, and US militaries and agencies towards improving maritime safety and security in the GoG.

    “It also created a platform for the navy to practice the operationalisation of the Harmonized Standard Operation Procedures for arrest, detention and prosecution of criminal vessel in our waters,” he said.

    Declaring the exercise close, Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali noted that maritime illegalities constituted serious challenges to the development of the countries in the region.

    Dan-Ali who was represented by Director Navy Ministry of Defence, Patrick Ekawu said these illegalities had evolved beyond the scope and capability of individual nations to tackle, hence the need for joint efforts.

    He said: “The scourge of various forms of illegalities such as sea robbery, piracy, crude oil theft, poaching human and illicit trafficking of weapons and drugs among others constitute serious challenges to the development of the countries in our region.

    “One commonality amongst these maritime threats is that they have become transnational and have evolved beyond the scope and capability of one nation to combat.

    “For most of the Gulf of Guinea Navies and Coast Guards therefore, one of the major implications of the emerging security equation is the increasing demand for maritime policing functions.”

  • Navy seeks effective prosecution of maritime offenders

    How to effectively prosecute arrested pirates and other maritime offenders was a major issue raised during the 2019 multinational sea exercise OBANGAME Express in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), The Nation learnt Thursday.

    It was gathered that the Nigerian Navy (NN) was worried at the frequent release on bail or outright dismissal of charges against suspects by the court, a situation that has been blamed on the absence of genuine collaboration and understanding.

    The feeling of suspension and distrust among the agencies, according to the Officer in Tactical Command (OTC) Commodore Dickson Olisemenogor was as a result of the quest to outsmart each other.

    Olisemenogor who spoke to journalists on board Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) CENTENARY during the exercise said there was need for a holistic approach to issues relating to crime in the maritime sector.

    Emphasising the need for collaboration among stakeholders, he said the country would benefit more in terms of revenue generation should all concerned work towards common good.

    READ ALSO: Navy arrests 12 suspects over alleged illegal bunkering

    Adjuging the five-day sea exercise as largely successful, Olisemenogor said it would go a long way if the various agencies could continue the team spirit exhibited during the simulations.

    He said the exercise afforded participants the opportunity to test their abilities to synergise as well as assimilate operations that lead to arrest, investigate, collation of exhibits and above all sharing of information that could aid successful prosecution of maritime offenders.

    To contain cases of firearm smuggling, drug/human trafficking and illegal fishing, the OTC said the various stakeholders must work together.

    According to him, the NN has done a lot in terms of human capacity development such as joint patrol and testing of exhibit samples, adding that the exercise had fostered better understanding among GoG nations especially with the border-less sea patrols done this year.

    To the Commander NNS CENTENARY Captain Adedotun Ayo-Vaughan, the exercise served as deterrence to criminals who would have attacked merchant vessels but for the heavy presence of warships across the GoG.

    Government agencies that took part in the sea exercise included the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Agriculture (Fisheries Department), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency  (NDLEA), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NUS), Nigeria Police, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Air Force, among others.

  • Dedicated vessels to fight illegal fishing underway, says navy

    Following rising cases of Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing in the country, plans have been concluded by the Nigerian Navy (NN) and the Federal Department of Fisheries for the acquisition of dedicated vessels to contain the trend.

    This was disclosed by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas during an interview at the ongoing Senior Leadership Symposium in Lagos.

    Ibas, who was represented by the Naval Chief of Policy and Plans Rear Admiral Beegroy Ibe-Enwo at the three-day event introduced as part of the 2019 OBANGAME Express, said the navy was having closer relationship with the Fisheries Department for a more formidable front.

    Acknowledging the worsening security situation in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), Ibas noted collaboration between the navy, maritime stakeholders in the country and regional forces were addressing the issues.

    He added that 30 vessels were arrested last year, an improvement on the 37 and 45 arrests recorded in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

    He said the NN had as of last December handed over 247 cases to prosecuting agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) of which 51 had been successfully prosecuted.

    “The NN’s seamless collaboration with related agencies has helped to create effective deterrence to criminals through the arrest and prosecution of various criminals.

    “Within the past three years, over 80 errant vessels have been arrested for various acts of illegality. MT TECNE and MT NIPAL were caught in the act stealing crude oil from the crude oil loading facilities in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

    READ ALSO: Nigerian Navy takes delivery of patrol vessels

    “Suffice to state that the NN arrested a total of 30 vessels in 2018 for involvement in various forms of illegality in the nation’s maritime domain.

    “This indicates on the face value a downward trend when compared with 37 and 45 arrests recorded in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

    “These arrests have served as deterrence and helped to support a more buoyant national economy. For instance, NNPC data indicate that crude oil losses from pipelines reduced from N51.28 billion in 2015 to N4.17 billion in 2017,” said Ibas.

    On the international front, he acknowledged the contributions of allied nations including the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and France for their footprints of support which have been eloquent towards encouraging and bolstering domestic and regional collaboration in practical terms and on sustainable basis.

    Commending the US Naval Forces Africa (US NAVAF) for hosting the symposium, Ibas said there could not have been a better time for regional partners to talk than while the joint sea exercise was ongoing.

  • Securing the Gulf of Guinea

    The problem of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea is real. These statistics paint the picture better: In 2016, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) recorded 53 attacks or attempted attacks in the Gulf of Guinea (28% of worldwide attacks) – including 36 for Nigeria.

    The Gulf of Guinea accounted for more than 50% of the kidnappings for ransom, with 34 seafarers kidnapped out of a total of 62 worldwide. It also recorded the maximum of piracy incidents which total 34 and occurred mostly in Nigeria. Angola had five, Congo had five, Benin had two, Togo had one and Ghana had only one incident.

    Last year, 10 incidents of kidnapping involving 65 crew members in or around Nigerian waters were reported.  Thirty-six cases of piracy with no vessels hijacked occurred in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG). Globally, 16 vessels reported being fired upon last year –including seven in the Gulf of Guinea.

    The fact that Nigeria is strategic in solving the maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea is not lost on the authorities. Being the biggest economy and most populous nation within the region and accounting for 65% of cargo generated within the region brings home the need for Nigeria to take the lead. Other factors, which put Nigeria in the forefront of the fight, include the facts that  65% of cargo coming into Gulf of Guinea end up in Nigeria; it accounts for 50% – 60% major maritime security incidences that occur in the Gulf of Guinea; it has the highest military contingent and might within the region; it has huge deposit of oil and gas making it a place of interest for international energy dynamics; and Nigeria has one of the largest delta areas of the world characterised by thousands of creeks. For these reasons, therefore, Nigeria is pivotal to the security and stability of the Gulf of Guinea.

    We also realise the fact that maritime insecurity has economic, social and environment implications in the region. On the economic front, it leads to loss of oil revenue to illegal local/international cartel. There is threat to commerce as 90% of the external trade depends on shipping.

    The Gulf of Guinea is a shipping transit hub thus remains under threat. This threat also leads to inability to meet the needs of the masses because of the region’s dependence on imported goods. The fishing industry which supports the GDP of the region is also affected.

    The social sides include arms and drug smuggling and human trafficking. There is a correlation between maritime insecurity, growing unemployment and youth restiveness in the region. Also, we can’t divorce it from inter-communal conflicts and dislocation of communities.  There is also agitation by seemingly marginalised sub-region within the regions which constitutes security risks (Niger Delta).

    The environment also suffers in terms of destruction and pollution of the marine ecosystem leading to loss of livelihood.

    Nigeria has thus come up with multi-dimensional interventions, which include a review of local and international laws concerning maritime crime. This is ongoing. NIMASA is currently pushing for the enactment of the anti-piracy law.

    We are also developing the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure for arrest and detention of vessels involved in illegal activities. There is also a joint initiative by the ministries of transportation and defence to strengthen response capabilities of the military through the deep BLUE PROJECT to be executed by NIMASA.

    We must not forget the presidential intervention on maritime security through building of regional coalition and corporation.

    Other steps taken are: Establishment and implementation of the ISPS Code; effective enforcement of Port and Flag State Control; an MOU with the Nigerian Navy and Air force to increase response capacity; The Federal Executive Council has approved the acquisition of special mission aircrafts, helicopters and vessels with communication equipment; capacity building programme by Ministry of Transportation and NIMASA; and Operation Prosperity by the NIMASA/Nigerian Navy.

    We are also acquiring assets to ensure maritime safety. These include C4i (Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence); FALCON EYE of Nigerian Navy (Over the Horizon Radar System); aircrafts and vessels with communication equipment;  two Special Mission Aircrafts; three  Special Mission Helicopters; two Special Mission Vessels; four units of UAVs; and 17 Fast Patrol Boats.

    The country has also strategically intervened in the GoG region by leading the establishment of ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Security Strategy (EIMS);  establishment of Inter-Regional Coordination Centre (ICC) in Yaoundé Cameroon, an initiative of ECOWAS/ECCAS/GoG Commission; the establishment of African Integrated Maritime Security Strategy (AIMS);  leading ZONE E multinational maritime security outfit in Cotonou (four nations standing maritime security outfit); active in Cote d’Ivoire based Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA); coordinating Heads of Navies of the region; and housing one of the five designated Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Africa (RMRCC).

    Other interventions that have also come into play are ratification and domestication of relevant International Treaties Safety, Security and Marine Environment Management, ratification of thirty-five IMO Conventions/ Protocols, including the ILO MLC 2006, gazetting of about thirty-four maritime Regulations pursuant to the Merchant Shipping Act 2007 and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007; and domestication of 12 relevant maritime safety conventions of the IMO which are necessary for ensuring regional maritime security and safety.

    Significantly, eight relevant conventions and protocols on marine environment have also been domesticated in order to ensure a clean marine environment. Efforts are being made by the Safety Administration through the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the domestication of other ratified conventions.

    For further development, we look forward to having improved profiling capacity and information sharing on maritime criminality and illegality, enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and surface/air patrol capabilities, functional legal framework, skill development of Maritime Law Enforcement Agents (MLEAs), integration of national inter-agency efforts, adoption of a broadened concept of security to harmonise the pursuit of security outcomes, with external players approaching security cooperation transparently and inclusively and employment of good governance as an element of security and an enabler of durable security outcomes.

     

    • Dr. Peterside is Director-General of NIMASA.
  • Dakuku: we have zero tolerance for piracy in Gulf of Guinea

    Dakuku: we have zero tolerance for piracy in Gulf of Guinea

    Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Director-General Dr. Dakuku Peterside has said teh country has zero tolerance for piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

    Peterside spoke while delivering a paper at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London.

    The lecture was titled; “The problem of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea is real”.

    Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi disclosed that the Federal Government had approved an Integrated National Security Strategy (INSS) for the maritime sector. The strategy, which will be implemented in collaboration with other countries in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), is aimed to stem the tide of insecurity on the region’s territorial waterways.

    Amaechi’s paper is titled; “Nigeria’s role in responding to the causes and consequences of maritime insecurity”. He said NIMASA was already implementing a comprehensive maritime strategy in collaboration with other partners  to enhance the fight against piracy attacks in the region.

    Peterside added that the agency through collaboration with other relevant government bodies was leaving no stone unturned in ensuring zero tolerance to all forms of piracy and illegalities on the nation’s territorial waterways and the  Gulf of Guinea.

    He also highlighted four strategic pillars the agency has adopted for tackling the issue of piracy tagged; “Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy” namely situational awareness, law enforcement, response capability and regional cooperation all aimed at achieving a virile and robust maritime sector.

    Dr. Peterside, who is the Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA), also assured the international community that NIMASA will continue to collaborate with other relevant bodies both locally and internationally in order to realise its vision of a prosperous maritime sector in Nigeria and the west and central Africa sub-region.

    The NIMASA DG noted that improved profiling and information sharing on maritime criminality and illegality, enhanced maritime domain awareness and surface to air patrol capabilities, functional legal framework, integration of national inter-agency efforts, youth empowerment programmes amongst others are factors that can help bring solutions to the issues surrounding insecurity in the maritime space.

  • Nigerian Navy rated high in proficiency, rescue operation

    The Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (SBS) has been rated high, for successfully rescuing  a French warship at the ongoing military exercise, “Obangame Express’’.

    Rear Adm. James Oluwole, the Commander, Task Group 17.1, gave the ratings on-board Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Okpabana in the military exercise currently ongoing in the Gulf of Guinea on Monday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SBS, which is Nigeria’s naval elite fighting force likened to the United States Navy SEAL, rescued the French warship.

    The warship had performed the role of a merchant ship hijacked by sea pirates.

    Nigeria, alongside 29 other navies from Africa, Europe, South America and the U.S are participating in the special military exercise.

    Series of tests and proficiency training are lined up as part of global strategy to fight piracy, illicit trafficking and other maritime threats on both territorial and international waters.

    Nigerian navy commenced its part of the exercise on March 24 and would conclude   on March 28 in Lagos.

    Oluwole, who led Nigeria’s troops to the exercise, said that SBS participated in search and rescue, search and seizure and anti-drug operations among others within the nation’s territorial waters.

    “Following the assumed hijack of French ship, Jacoubet, by sea pirates; SBS was deployed on-board two assault boats as part of training exercise designed to improve troops’ proficiency in rescue operations.

    “Our special forces successfully boarded the ship and rescued the situation amidst very difficult manoeuvres which showed that our forces have tremendously improved since our first participation in the exercise in 2010.

    “Onboard the French warship; we have officials and trainers from the United States of America who assess and rate performance of our Special Forces.

    “The Nigerian Navy has improved with more sea assets which show that we are ready and prepared to execute our own part of maritime security deal in the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.

    Oluwole said that French warship coming into the nation’s territorial waters and U.S sponsorship of the exercise showed the importance the fight against sea piracy and oil bunkering had become.

    He said that sea piracy; illegal bunkering among other illicit activities on the maritime environment had become a global problem that needed international collaboration and cooperation to address.

    According to him, Nigerian warships are currently stationed alongside offshore rigs and merchant ships 24 hours daily throughout the year.

    “This is part of our commitment to ensure that those doing legitimate businesses on our territorial waters are not attacked by sea pirates and robbers.

    “This partly explains the declining cases of activities of sea pirates and robbers on our waters while oil theft has reduced drastically leading to the nation’s improved oil and gas output.

    “Obangame Express is under U.S One Thousand Ship Strategy, which sought to bring together all naval forces in the world as one fighting force to safeguard both territorial and international waters,” he said.