Nigerian Navy @66: Reinforced Commitment to Maritime Safety
Blessing Ibunge
writes that the 66th anniversary of the Nigerian Navy afforded it the opportunity to show how they have reinforced maritime security, especially in tackling piracy, pipeline vandalism and other forms of criminalities. To mark the momentous anniversary, the navy played host to 29 navies across the Gulf of Guinea at the International Maritime Conference held in Rivers State
As part of activities to commemorate the Nigerian Navy 66th Anniversary celebrations, an International Maritime Conference was organised at Onne, Rivers State. Hosting about 29 navies from across the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), some of the highlights include free medical services delivery conducted for host community and sea surveillance on the sea to ensure the safety of maritime ways, among others.
The maritime conference was organised with the aim of proffering important solutions to the myriad of challenges confronting navies in Africa in pursuit of sustainable maritime security and effective maritime governance in the Continent.
The conference witnessed the presence of over 300 delegates and 900 participants from 29 countries including heads of navies and coastguards in Africa, the EU and other allied friends of the Nigerian Navy from Brazil, South Korea, China and USA among others.
Other participants include eminent retired and serving senior military officers, accomplished scholars on maritime security, captains of industry, international maritime partners as well as relevant local and international maritime stakeholders.
THISDAY observed that this year’s conference, upwhich was at its 4th iteration, for the first time, expanded the proceedings beyond member states of the Gulf of Guinea to the entire African continent, including states along the East African coastline.
The conference discussed two main papers titled ‘Building International Collaborative Capacities for Sustainable Maritime Security in the GoG’ and ‘Effective Maritime Governance in the GoG: A Panacea for Sustainable Blue Economy’.
Declaring the conference open, President Muhammadu Buhari noted the commitment of the Nigerian Navy in ensuring safety of the nation's waterways.
Represented by the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi at the conference, President Buhari stressed that the Nigerian Navy partnering other Navies across the Gulf of Guinea was in right direction for credible capacity that will guarantee a collective maritime defence.
He acknowledged that the conference would fashion out the best way forward for collaboration among security architecture and curb maritime crime in the collective maritime environments.
He said: "To this end, we owe a strong reason to support the Nigerian Navy and I make bold to commend the Nigerian Navy for their giant strides in maritime security operations, which resulted to several arrests of economic saboteurs, perpetrators of illegal bunkering, smugglers, pipeline vandals, and other miscreants in the fight against illegality in the gulf of guinea maritime domain.
"The efforts has brought about decline in piracy and ultimately delisting of Nigeria from the international maritime Bureau of piracy list in March 2022. The Nigerian Navy is the pertinent agency in the marine sector that has the responsibility in the constitution to check threats in the maritime threats.
"These threats have become transnational and beyond the scope and capability of one nation to deal with. The situation therefore calls for international collaboration and this conference therefore symbolizes strategic collaborative initiative between the Nigerian Navy and other international maritime stakeholders, to mitigate the increasing vulnerabilities in African water especially in the Gulf of Guinea."
Noting that the Gulf of Guinea region is very rich and endowed in living and non living resources, the President said the economic opportunities therein as well as the strategic problems cannot be over emphasised.
In his remarks, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, noted that this year's international maritime conference with the theme “Optimising International Collaboration for Maritime Security and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in Africa", was apt and timely.
Gambo noted the increasing demand for effective collaboration in maritime policing, stressing that the current security threat in the Gulf of Guinea is of serious concern to the larger Africa and global communities.
"Typically, maritime threats within the gulf of guinea have become transnational and are evolving beyond the scope and combat capability of one nation.
"One of the major implications is the increasing
demand for effective collaboration in maritime policing, the present situation calls for greater international collaboration as well as intelligence cooperation within states."
The CNS also regretted that in the past decade, a huge capacity gap has emerged among the Gulf of Guinea of Navies at Portugal in efficient discharge of its mandates.
He added that the objective of the conference was to elicit proper understanding and develop strategies that will enhance collective preparedness to meet present and emerging maritime challenges.
"No single navy can do it alone, it therefore urges us all to be frank and sincere in our deliberation in proffering solutions that are implementable in their immediate, short and long terms", the CNS added.
Resolutions
At the conference, parts of the 36 resolutions reached include; that the Gulf of Guinea states should ensure the operationalisation of the maritime zones within their respective regions in line with the Yaounde Code of Conduct (YCC) framework;
That the member states should facilitate the speedy domestication of the legal framework for the Yaounde Code of Conduct architecture and ensure that it is binding on all member states through appropriate enactments by parliaments of member states;
That GoG states should develop and strengthen their surveillance capabilities in order to enhance effective information sharing among navies of the GoG;
As part of their ship renewal initiatives, African nations should leverage the shipbuilding capabilities of member countries such as Nigeria to enhance their platform holding. African states should carry out flag showing visits with vessels locally built in the GoG to showcase shipbuilding capacity;
Navies of African states should also consider acquisition of dedicated training ships that would be tailored towards their operational needs, particularly at
the tactical level;
African states should leverage the comparative advantage of each country particularly in the areas of platforms, manpower, resources and training for efficient cooperation;
African states should put in place mechanisms to ensure that resources which are illegally harvested in the Region such as stolen crude oil, fish and other resources are confiscated and returned to originating countries;
That Heads of GoG navy were enjoined to lobby their governments to establish special courts to prosecute cases of piracy, sea robbery and other related offences to ensure speedy dispensation of maritime crimes while emplacing measures to build capacity and sensitize the judiciary on relevant legislations;
African states should formulate national Blue Economy policies that are uniform in sustainability across the continent, also engage in focused Blue Economy research and development. African states should consider establishing National Marine Spatial Planning Authorities/Agencies; and
Also, that GoG states should deepen bilateral engagements, raise awareness and sign memorandum of understanding (MoU) to check Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) in African waters, especially in the GoG, among other resolutions.
Medical Outreach by NOWA
As one of the highlights of the anniversary, the Naval Officers Wives Association (NOWA) organised a free medical outreach and no less than 2000 persons in Onne community, Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, benefited.
THISDAY at the scene of the outreach observed that beneficiaries had free check up for malaria, blood sugar, blood pressure; free malaria treatment, hypertension, diabetes, HIV testing, and free eye glasses, others.
Speaking during the exercise, the President of NOWA and wife of the Chief of Naval Staff, Aisha Nana Gambo, said: "The event, which seeks to further strengthen the relationship between the Nigerian Navy and our host communities, is one
in the series of civil-military relations, usually embarked upon by the Nigerian Navy as part of its constitutional responsibility of securing Nigeria's maritime environment."
The Director of Medical Services, Nigerian Navy, Surgeon Captain Mohammed Salihu, noted that they had free HIV testing and blood glucose, adding that dental department were also on ground to offer thorough dental care to patients.
Represented at the event by Surgeon Captain Ugochi Nzeribe-Abangwu, Salihu said: "We are here today as part of our corporate social responsibility, particularly to the communities where we operate. We are here today to offer free consultations, free laboratory investigations, in areas of hepatitis, malaria, HIV testing, blood glucose.
"We also offered free COVID vaccination to the community for those that are yet to be vaccinated. We also have over 500 eye glasses to give out today. The eye department is fully on ground to assist them in that area. We also have the dental department checking the all-round needs of the community. We have toothpastes, toothbrushes and many procedures."
The King of Onne Community, HRM, Dr Emere Johnson Nkpornwi, on behalf of the beneficiaries, commended the NN and NOWA or choosing Onne community for the free medical rhapsody.
Dr. Nkpornwi also appealed for the consideration of Onne youths in Navy recruitment and in every other naval activity that would impact positively on the community.
Ways to Improving Performance of the Nigerian Navy
At the Ceremonial Sunset, which marked the end of the anniversary celebration, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, assured the NN that the federal government has begun efforts to recapitalise her fleet for improved performance.
Irabor noted as very crucial, the support of the NN in securing the vast strategic resource and opportunities in Nigeria's maritime domain, adding that she has proven to be a tireless and vigilant custodian of country's maritime environment, as well as giving the dependence on oil revenues, the NN is indisputably a critical contributor to the mainstay of the nation's economy.
Therefore, he urged men and officers of the NN not to relent, but to redouble their efforts, in order to build a bavy that all Nigerians will be proud of.
He added, "On this note I must commend the untiring efforts of the Nigerian Navy and indeed members of the armed forces in general, which has seen to the reduction of crude oil theft, violent crimes and other illegalities in the nation's maritime domain. It is gratifying to equally note the zeal to the internal security duties on the hinterland and the nation's adjoining waterways.
"The doggedness of officers and men of the Nigerian Navy in synergy with other security agencies have significantly contributed to instilling the peace and tranquility in most riverine and coastal communities."
To this end, we owe a strong reason to support the Nigerian Navy and I make bold to commend the Nigerian Navy for their giant strides in maritime security operations, which resulted to several arrests of economic saboteurs, perpetrators of illegal bunkering, smugglers, pipeline vandals, and other miscreants in the fight against illegality in the gulf of guinea maritime domain"