The annual multinational maritime security exercise code-named Obaganme Express, kicked off in Lagos on Friday, with nine warships, and 15 aircraft including the United States of America Coast Guard, deployed to the Gulf of Guinea, with a view to building the capacity of navies and Coast Guards towards maintaining maritime domain awareness there.
The one-week Military exercise, organised under the auspices of the United States Africa Command, had 32 countries participating.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held onboard the NNS KADA at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, the Commandant, US 6th Fleet, Vice Admiral Edward Ishee, said 450 participants comprising sailors, Coat Guards, aviators and Military personnel would be on board the ship and planes, transiting within the zones during the period, to maintain maritime security.
He explained that “Obaganmen means togetherness which is very appropriate for this exercise. The exercise will assist nations to police their own waters, it will improve search and rescue and it will also continue to improve the Guff of Guinea nations’ ability to tackle piracy, illegal fishing, and trafficking in human and oil bunkering.
” By participating in Obaganmen Express, we will continue to build partnerships and capability to tackle maritime criminalities that threatened the Gulf of Guinea”.
In his remark, the US Consul General, Will Stevens, pointed out that Africa’s maritime problem was not exclusively Africans but the entire globe’s and that when collectively tackled, other nations of the world would reap the benefits.
