Navy deployed eight ships and helicopters to the Gulf of Guinea for a special mission.

The Navy has sent eight ships and two helicopters to the Gulf of Guinea for Operation Beni Kekere 2021, which means “water defense” in Ijaw.

Rear Admiral SK Ibrahim, the Flag Officer (FoC) Commanding Eastern Naval Command, characterized the maritime domain in the Gulf of Guinea as crucial to national security and development as he flagged off the operation in Rivers State over the weekend.

Piracy, maritime robbery, crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, as well as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, among other things, have all been chronic threats to the resources, according to Ibrahim.

Though the navy has made significant progress in reducing such threats, he added that the persistence of the offenders necessitated a constant renewal of measures to deny them freedom of operation.

“In this respect, the Eastern and Central Naval Commands have organized a combined exercise, the first of its type in recent years, to build on the accomplishments of the current operation Calm Water II,” he added.

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Additionally, the Navy has released a captured vessel in the Delta.
The sea exercise, which will include anti-piracy operations, protection of oil installations, and search and rescue operations, among other things, will include all maritime domain awareness facilities and components of the commands, according to Ibrahim.

In conjunction with Operation Delta Safe, he said the two commands’ operation bases and naval security stations will conduct clearance operations in the backwaters against criminal hideouts and illegal refineries.

He expressed hope that the operation would give the country’s anti-piracy law, which was just enacted by the National Assembly, the required bite.

Ibrahim praised Vice-Admiral AZ Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), for providing the exercise with the required assistance.

Rear Admiral Kennedy Egbuchulam, the FOC of Central Naval Command, said the exercise’s goal was to improve the navy’s teamwork and fighting skills against crime.