The United States Ambassador to Nigeria Richard Mills has pledged his country’s continued support for the Nigerian Navy in its efforts to combat piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
The ambassador made this commitment during a courtesy visit to the Western Naval Command in Lagos in Abuja.
The Gulf of Guinea, which stretches along the coast of several West African nations, has been a hotspot for piracy, with criminal activities posing a threat to international shipping and regional stability.
The US envoy emphasized the importance of international cooperation in securing the region, citing the strategic economic and security interests shared by both nations. “Our collaboration with the Nigerian Navy remains a priority in tackling piracy and other maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea.
“We want to reduce to the barest minimum maritime crimes such as piracy, oil theft, Unregulated Unreported Fishing among others.
“We have been talking about how to strengthen our partnership and what more we can do to enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea.”
The ambassador said that one of the ways to ensure that the partnership was strengthened was through the conduct of maritime exercises between the two navies to improve coordination.
The United States is committed to providing the necessary support to ensure safe and secure waters for all,” the ambassador stated.
The Nigerian Navy has been actively engaged in operations aimed at curbing piracy in the region, and the ambassador’s pledge reinforces existing ties between the two countries in maritime security.
This partnership is expected to include training, intelligence sharing, and the provision of technical assistance to boost the navy’s capacity to respond to piracy and other security threats in the Gulf of Guinea.
The commitment comes as part of broader U.S.-Nigeria bilateral relations, which have seen cooperation in areas such as security, trade, and diplomacy.
Earlier, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command Rear Admiral Mustapha Bala Hassan, said the US Ambassador was briefed on the areas they can work with Nigeria in other to make the global maritime economy much better placed.
He said that there is need to enhance and upgrade the sensor capabilities of the Regional Maritime Awareness Capabilities (RMAC) system to put the Navy in better stead among world navies.
He said: “The United States is ever present in the Gulf of Guinea in terms of cooperation with Nigeria and indeed the countries of the Gulf of Guinea. So they are not relenting, they are already planning another OBANGAME EXPRESS to help keep us all on our toes in the event of any eventuality.”
