Nigeria has a total size of 923,763 square kilometers, with a total boundary length of 4,000 kilometers of which 853 kilometers is the coastline. Its coaster area is rich in hydrocarbon and other natural resources, which has been the main stay of the nation’s economy.
However, this blessing come with a price, as the coaster area also experience some security threats, such as piracy, pipeline vandalism, and crude oil theft, which has had great consequence on the nation’s economy.
The Nigerian Navy (NN) is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the territorial integrity of the country along the coastlines; and it has lived up to this mandate over the years. It has since its establishment in 1958 continues to ensure security along the coast of the country, curbing several security threats through several measures.
In recent times, Nigeria’s maritime environment began to witness a resurgence of militant activities in the Niger Delta, occasioned with a rise in piracy and sea robbery, crude oil theft, illegal oil refining, illegal bunkering and kidnap for ransom. To curtail activities of these criminals the Nigerian Navy, under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, revived several operations, training and logistics delivery including fleet renewal in order to safeguard the maritime environment.
These were closely guided by the Strategic Directives of the Chief of Naval Staff, which set out critical milestones to be realised under the Revised NN Transformation Plan (NNTP) 2011 – 2020, while keeping the evolving security threats confronting the nation under constant review.
As operations, fleet renewal and infrastructural development took a center stage since 2015 in order to enhance its efficiency, the Nigerian Navy continue to give priority to the welfare of its personnel, which the naval leadership recognised as it greatest asset.
Operations
To ensure safety of the maritime environment, the Nigerian Navy launched several anti-smuggling, anti-piracy and anti-oil theft operations and also engaged in joint operations with other sister services and law enforcement and security agencies.
The Navy participated in a Joint Operation codenamed “Operation Awatse” which was launched in October 2014 to curb pipeline vandalism and illegal dealings in petroleum product in Lagos State. The operation was later extended to Ogun state following its success in Lagos. This led to reduction of menace of pipeline vandalism in both states. Several arrests were also made during the period of the operation.
Another joint operation being undertaken by the Navy is Operation Delta Safe which has the mandate to protect oil and gas infrastructure, deter militancy and crude oil theft in the Niger Delta. This operation has since it inception recorded huge success in the area.
Aside participating in joint operations the Navy continue to pursue its mandate of securing the maritime environment, hence in 2016, the Navy put in place Choke Point Management Control Regime, armed personnel in houseboats supported by patrol boats are deployed in strategic locations within the creeks and areas most prevalent with crude oil theft and illegal refineries.
Since the introduction of the Choke Point Control Regime, several arrests have been made, leading to the destruction of barges and other vessels used for conveying stolen crude oil as well as illegally refined products. For instance, a total of 210 storage tanks and 181 wooden boats were destroyed in 2016, while 2,268 storage tanks and 184 wooden boats were destroyed in 2017. In 2018, 1,994 storage tanks and 176 wooden boats were destroyed, while as at 30 Aug 2019, 3,285 storage tanks and 415 wooden boats have been destroyed.
As threats raise their ugly heads, the Navy continue to hold the bull by the horn by activating more operations to curtail them. Hence, in 2017 it launched Operation River Sweep to stop illegal refineries in the Niger Delta. Through this operation, it destroyed 1,218 illegal refining sites were destroyed in 2017, 383 in 2018, and 345 as at September 2019. Also 205 persons were arrested in 2017, 130 in 2018, and 218 as at September 2019. And in May 2019, it activated Operation Calm Water which led to destruction of about 124 Illegal Refineries, 1,226 Metal Tanks & Ovens, 14,477,800 Ltrs of Illegally Sourced Products and the arrest of 3 vessels comprising MV DIASY, MV ATARA and MT ROSE. Also, BARGE EBIZARH was arrested. Additionally, MT NAVIGATOR CAPRICORN with 23 crew onboard and MV SWORDFISH were rescued from pirate attacks.
Other operations activated by the Navy are Operation TSARE TEKU was activated in Apr 2016, and Operation Swift Response activated in August 2019. Like other operation these have also recorded huge successes.
Engagements
To effectively secure the maritime environment, the Nigerian Navy also engages in bilateral and multilateral efforts with navies of other countries through participation in exercises. Such exercises include: Exercise NEMO, which is an initiative of the French navy in conjunction with ECOWAS Maritime Zone E navies to carry out maritime operations in furtherance training of GoG navies in anti-piracy and IUU fishing operations.
The exercise provided the opportunity for participating navies to train at the tactical level and promote exchange of information between the national Maritime Operation Centres, as well as Maritime Coordination Centres between West and Central Africa.
The Navy is also an active player in the annual Ex OBANGAME EXPRESS – a multinational sea exercise organized under the auspices of the United States’ Africa Partnership Station Programme. This Ex enables the Nigerian Navy and other participating navies to enhance training and inter-operability in the regional maritime security ops and logistics planning.
Dominating the coastline
Defence in contemporary world entails adequate technology and techniques, and the Nigerian Navy has continued to employ these to secure Nigeria’s coastline.
The Navy has continue to carry out round the clock surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime space using the Regional and Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC) and Falcon Eye facilities in addition to the use of vessels and helicopters.
The Navy has 23 Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Centres located across the Nigerian coastline in places such as Badagry, Lagos, Igbokoda, Abuja, Formoso, Forcados, Escravos, Brass, Yenagoa, Bonny, Iko, Ibaka, and Calabar.
These centres ensure effective surveillance of all vessels in our territorial waters whether fitted with Automatic Identification System (AIS) or not. Due to their availability, the Navy patrols are now more mission oriented with attendant reduction in operational logistic costs. Using the NN MDA facilities, prompt reporting of attacks of vessels at sea led to foiling of several piracy incidents.
Collaborating with stakeholders
The Navy understands the importance of collaboration with other maritime nations and international maritime agencies for successful maritime security operations. Hence, it holds regular international conferences and sea exercises with navies of other nations and major maritime stakeholders for the purpose of capacity building, intelligence and information sharing.
It also collaborates with stakeholders both at the international and regional levels. For instance, the Nigerian Navy and the Beninese Navy instituted joint patrols along our common maritime corridors under the Operation PROSPERITY to combat the problem of piracy.
At the local level, the Navy is collaborating with Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure prosecution of crime perpetrators.
Enhancing robust civil military relations
The Nigerian Navy has used several approaches geared towards winning the hearts and minds of the populace. One of such approaches is the use of Medical Rhapsody particularly during Navy Week Celebrations to reach out to many communities in Abuja, Calabar and Lagos areas among others. These activities have assisted in the reduction of litigations.
To consolidate on its civil military relations, the Navy established the Directorate of Civil-Military Relations (DCMR) whose mandate is to explore avenues of optimising the Navy’s civil-military engagements. The DCMR also participates actively in various fora on Human Rights discussion and participation in Humanitarian Affairs.
Fleet revival
Since 2015 when the current Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibas came on board, the Nigerian Navy fleet renewal efforts have been re-invigorated. The Navy has acquired four ships, 133 boats and commissioned nine Navy Security Stations (NSS) deployed at specified chokepoints within the Niger Delta creeks. Also there is ongoing construction and acquisitions of ships and boats.
Meeting the intellectual need of contemporary warfare
To provide professional competence required to tackle the contemporary security challenges, the Nigerian Navy has straightened it schools with adequate human and material resources. Training aids and simulators that were hitherto defective have been revived while new ones are being procured. The challenge of instructor capacity gaps is being addressed by the employment of competent retired and discharged Navy personnel.
In order to keep abreast with global trends, the Navy also subscribed to foreign courses. Over 500 officers and 250 ratings have been trained abroad in operations, engineering, legal, medical and staff courses.
