BY PHILIP NWOSU
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.
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 U.S. envoy emphasised the importance of international cooperation in securing the region, citing the strategic economic and security interests shared by both nations.
“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,” he said.
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 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.
Earlier, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mustapha Bala Hassan, said the U.S. Ambassador was briefed on areas where they can collaborate to improve the global maritime economy.
