Chief of the Naval Staff
Chief of the Naval Staff
Piracy Attacks Decline in Nigerian Water- Naval
Chief
Against the background of declining piracy incidences in
Nigerian waters in recent times, the Chief of the Naval Staff
(CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has prescribed pragmatic measures
for ship owners and seafarers to adopt in order to improve their
safety and security at sea.
Speaking through the Chief of Policy and Plans Naval
Headquarters, Rear Admiral Begroy Ibe-Enwo at the West African
Shipping Summit held at the ongoing International Shipping Week in
London, Admiral Ibas adviced seafarers and ship owners to employ
evasive manoeuvres, optimal speed, use of citadels, use of Safe
Anchorage Areas and convoy protection where available.
He told the audience that as buttressed by the International
Maritime Bureau, there have been a progressive decline in the
number of piracy attacks with most of these attacks not being
successful, noting that, the decline in successful attacks was as a
result of Nigerian Navy’s (NN) intensified efforts at securing
Nigeria’s maritime environment.
Notwithstanding, the fact that successful piracy attacks
occasionally occur in Nigerian waters and indeed the Gulf of Guinea
(GoG), the CNS called for more proactive actions by the NN and
stakeholders in order to rid Nigeria’s maritime environment of all
forms of criminalities.
Admiral Ibas observed that most of the issues involved in the
security of Nigeria’s maritime domain stem from non-military causes
which usually manifest in the form of sea robbery or piracy,
economic crimes and theft of hydrocarbon resources as well as other
transnational organized crimes. He then reaffirmed NN’s efforts at
emplacing a viable domain for maritime business to thrive by
highlighting some NN independent operational engagements
established to check criminality at sea which include Op TSARE TEKU
an anti-piracy operation and Op RIVER SWEEP which is an anti-Crude
Oil Theft (COT) and anti-Illegal refining operation.
While recalling the successes of the 2 operations in the past 3
years, the CNS added that the anti-piracy operations contributed to
significant improvement in shipping into Nigeria’s maritime
environment as attested to by the Nigerian Shippers Council, while
the anti-COT and illegal refining operations prevented any stolen
crude from being taken away in ships or barges to mother vessels at
sea. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) attested to
the successes of Op RIVER SWEEP, confirming huge savings for the
nation due to massive reductions in pipeline product losses between
2015 and 2018, he said.
Admiral Ibas disclosed that the NN continues to conduct policing
patrols across the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial
waters employing the advantage of its maritime situational
awareness infrastructure to coordinate and direct the pattern of
patrols. He stated that the Service has been able to conduct round
the clock surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime space using Maritime
Domain Awareness (MDA) facilities in addition to surface vessels
and helicopters to ensure effective electronic tracking of vessels
within the maritime environment.
To further enhance maritime operations, the CNS stated that the
NN maintains regular engagements with various stakeholders
particularly, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence
Corps, Customs, Immigration, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
and other maritime nations and international maritime agencies who
had been most supportive in the accomplishment of maritime security
for the emplacement of a more conducive environment for shipping
and other maritime activities to strive.
Admiral Ibas therefore appreciated the support of the Nigerian
Government in enhancing the response capability of the NN through
the acquisition of more patrol vessels and aircraft, adding that
the on-going fleet expansion programme which had led to addition of
several OPVs, Seaward Defence Boats, induction of over 250 Inshore
Patrol Boats including the strengthening of the NN air bases had
enabled the NN to extend reach in support of regional effort to
secure the common seas while enabling the Service better attend to
her domestic policing roles.
SULEMAN DAHUN
Commodore
for Chief of the Naval Staff