The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, says the Nigerian Navy remains committed to broadening partnerships at international levels for improved global maritime security.
The CNS said this at the ongoing 2nd Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Security Situation Seminar with the theme, “Maritime Security Situation and Cooperation in the Gulf of Guinea” in Shanghai China.
The Director of Naval Information, Commodore Ayiwuyor Adams-Aliu, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the seminar was facilitated by China to bring together the Chiefs of Maritime Forces and the Inter-regional Coordination Center in the Gulf of Guinea to discuss maritime security.
The naval chief highlighted the improved maritime security situation in the Gulf of Guinea and Nigeria’s role in fostering collaboration in the region.
He revealed that such collaborations include working with the European Union through its Strategy and Action Plan for the GoG to address transnational crime.
Ogalla acknowledged the active participation of the Chinese Navy in the International Maritime Conference and Regional Maritime Exercise (INCREMEX) held in May.
He said there had been several engagements between the Nigerian navy and the People’s Republic of China in the area of ship acquisition, training and technical assistance.
According to him, these include the purchase of Two 95m Offshore Patrol Boats in 2010 and the donation of two 46m Inshore Patrol Boats by the Chinese Navy in 2014 and 2022 respectively.
“The transnational nature of maritime crimes makes it expedient for navies to cooperate globally hence the Nigerian Navy remains committed to broadening partnerships at international levels for improved global maritime security,’’ he was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria as surmising.
