The European Union (EU), in partnership with the Government of Portugal, has donated two 8.9 metre rigid-hull inflatable patrol boats and maritime crime investigation equipment to the Nigerian Navy to bolster the fight against piracy, illegal fishing, drug trafficking and other maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
The equipment was handed over Tuesday at the Joint Maritime Security Training Centre (JMSTC), Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos, under the Support to West Africa Integrated Maritime Security (SWAIMS) project, an EU-funded initiative implemented by Portugal to enhance maritime security across ECOWAS member states.
Representing the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command Rear Admiral Abdullahi Abubakar Mustapha, said the donated assets would enhance the Navy’s surveillance, rapid response and law enforcement capabilities.
He recalled that Nigeria was removed from the International Maritime Bureau’s list of piracy-prone countries in 2021 due to the Navy’s sustained maritime patrols, surveillance and enforcement operations.
He said the newly donated boats and forensic equipment would serve as force multipliers in consolidating the country’s maritime security gains.
EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, described the donation as part of the European Union’s long-term commitment to strengthening maritime security in West Africa.