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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Nigerian Navy said it has deployed about eight ships, two helicopters and special boat service to Exercise Obangame Express 2024 taking place in Gabon. The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, speaking at the flag off ceremony in Onne, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said Exercise Obangame Express, was designed for “exercise fleets of the Gulf of Guinea region with participation from strategic international partners, who identified with the common vision of a safe and secured region for shared prosperity and development.”
Speaking through the Chief of Training and Operations, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Olusegun Fereirra, the CNS said the exercise also presents an opportunity for like-minded partners to work together to develop African-led solutions to the transnational threat and challenges with the strategic aim of promoting regional security. He, however, enjoined the participating ships, personnel and maritime information entities to embrace this opportunity of Exercise Obangame Express 2024, to attain the objectives of the exercise as clearly articulated in the exercise’ directives promulgated earlier. Ogalla restated the commitment of the Nigerian Navy to regional collaboration geared towards enduring and emplacing a safe and secured common maritime slave for economic activities to strive.
He said: “So, for the Nigerian Navy, we are deploying about eight ships, two helicopters and of course, our special boat service which are involved in special operations.
“We also have our strategic partners from Europe; we have the Spanish Navy taking part as well as delegation from the United States. As you are aware, this year’s edition is hosted by Gabon. So, we are also taking part and the exercise is conducted simultaneously across the Gulf of Guinea.”
