UK warship docks in Nigeria to enhance maritime security in region

HMS Trent, a vessel of the Royal Navy, arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, on Sunday.

As part of its regional mission to assist allies and partners in suppressing illegal activities including piracy and illicit trafficking, Trent is making its second trip to Nigeria.

The British High Commission said in a statement that the visit will boost maritime security in the area and help offer capacity training.

According to the commission, the HMS Trent left Gibraltar with a skilled boarding team of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone. Its mission, according to the commission, is to support West African allies by assisting nations in building their capacity to combat illegal maritime crimes and ensure they can effectively contribute to the stabilization of larger West Africa.

“With almost £6 billion of UK trade flowing through the area, part of Trent’s tasking is to promote stability across the Gulf of Guinea through training to help partner navies take the battle to criminal actors, establishing ties and sharing expertise, while undertaking patrols to boost security,” the statement from Trent’s mission statement reads.

“The Royal Navy has a long history of engagement within the region and an enduring collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” HMS Trent’s commanding officer, Commander Tim Langford, stated. My team is eager to collaborate with their counterparts in Nigeria and expand on the connections made during our visit to Lagos in 2021.

The deployment, according to Jonny Baxter, the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, showed how a genuinely global Britain is taking action on the international arena to address common security concerns.

Nigeria is a significant and valued defense partner for the UK in West Africa, according to Baxter. We are eager to collaborate with Nigeria to fight the numerous challenges that our two nations share and to enhance marine security in the Gulf of Guinea.