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By Philip Nwosu
Demark has reiterated its commitment to supporting maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea through targeted initiatives, including training programmes, technical assistance, and advisory support aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of regional maritime forces.
Marie van der Heijden who led the Danish Ministry of Defence delegation to Western Naval headquarters made this known during the visit as part of efforts to deepen cooperation and partnership on maritime security.
The delegation was received by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, alongside senior officers of the Command.
The visit provided a platform for strategic discussions focused on strengthening collaboration in capacity building, operational support, and intelligence sharing to counter maritime threats such as piracy, crude oil theft, illegal fishing, and other transnational crimes within the Gulf of Guinea.
In his remarks, Mustapha, speaking on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, emphasised the Nigerian Navy’s resolve to sustain partnerships with international stakeholders.
He highlighted the importance of leveraging technology and maintaining a coordinated maritime presence across the Gulf of Guinea to effectively deter and respond to emerging threats.
According to him, enhanced maritime domain awareness, supported by modern surveillance systems and collaborative operations, remains critical to securing vital sea lines of communication.
The engagement also featured an interactive session where both parties reviewed ongoing efforts to secure Nigeria’s maritime environment and explored additional areas of cooperation, including joint exercises, personnel exchanges, and logistics support to further boost interoperability and collective response capabilities.
The visit concluded with an exchange of souvenirs and a guided tour of vessels and facilities within the Command, reinforcing the shared commitment of Nigeria and Denmark towards a safer and more secure maritime domain.
