Gulf of Guinea Focus: Week 18
- Agwe Global
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
The Nigerian Navy’s Central and Eastern Naval Commands embarked on Exercise Fleet Sentinel, a joint operation aimed at strengthening maritime security and enhancing the capacity to combat crime within national and regional waters. The exercise was flagged off at the weekend, aboard NNS Kada at the Bonny Anchorage, Rivers State, by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas. Exercise Fleet Sentinel comes barely hours after successful conclusion of Exercise Obangame Express 2026, a multinational maritime security operation involving navies from West and Central Africa, as well as Europe. Speaking at the flag-off, Vice Admiral Abbas said the exercise was designed to address emerging maritime threats within the Nigerian Navy’s constitutional mandate.
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Maritime stakeholders have raised fresh concerns over the increasing sophistication of stowaway methods in Nigeria’s waters, following the arrest of at least eight stowaways by the Nigerian Navy in separate operations since the beginning of 2026. The arrests were disclosed through a series of press statements and media briefings issued by naval authorities, particularly the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Beecroft, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, who provided updates on recent interceptions and maritime enforcement activities. Incidents recorded between March and April involved stowaways intercepted on vessels and near the Lagos Fairway Buoy. However, industry experts say the growing trend of stowaways gaining access to ships through unconventional routes—particularly the rudder compartment points to the need for stricter external vessel checks. According to reports, in March 2026, naval operatives intercepted two stowaways off the Lagos coast, during a routine patrol.
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The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on militants and kidnappers in Cross River, seizing boats and outboard engines during follow-up operations in the Calabar waterways. This is contained in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Abuja. Folorunsho said the operation was conducted at Dayspring Island, where naval troops had earlier destroyed a militant hideout and established a forward security outpost. He said troops sustained pressure on identified enclaves, leading to the discovery of 10 outboard boat engines concealed in nearby bushes and within a structure linked to a suspected militant. ” All items were seized and secured by the troops,” he said. He added that in a related operation based on fresh intelligence, troops advanced into a creek near Akpamfi, forcing militants to flee. Folorunsho said that the fleeing suspects abandoned two fibre boats and a 200-horsepower outboard engine, which were subsequently recovered.
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The Nigerian Navy and a U.S. Congressional Delegation (CODEL) have reinforced their partnership in Lagos to enhance maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea . This is contained in a statement by the Director of Naval Information, Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, in Abuja. Folorunsho said the delegation, led by Mr Adam Barker, paid a courtesy visit to the Western Naval Command Headquarters in Lagos, where they were received by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Adm. Abubakar Mustapha. In his remarks, Mustapha highlighted the command’s role in safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain and supporting regional security initiatives. He emphasize the importance of the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability (RMAC), describing it as a critical tool for real-time monitoring, information sharing and coordinated responses to maritime threats. According to him, RMAC has significantly enhanced the Navy’s capacity to combat sea robbery, crude oil theft and other illegal maritime activities.
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The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has begun intensifying efforts to combat illicit financial flows and terrorism financing. The commitment was demonstrated through a sensitisation programme it organised on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT), held at its headquarters in Abuja. A statement on the sensitisation programme was made available to newsmen in Abuja by the NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada. Maiwada said the programme was part of the service’s first-quarter operational review and a training session for AML/CFT Unit officers, aimed at building capacity, promoting ethical standards and enhancing inter-agency collaboration. Speaking at the session, Muhammad Shuaibu, the Assistant Comptroller-General in charge of Headquarters, said the initiative underscored the increasing importance of AML/CFT operations within the service and Nigeria’s wider financial and security framework.
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To strengthen security on national inland waterways, maritime stakeholders have called on the Ministry of Blue Economy and the National Assembly to fast track the establishment of Coast Guard. The stakeholders said the establishment of a functional National Coast Guard to police activities on the over 850 kilometers inland waterways had been long overdue considering the importance of the sector to the country’s growth and development. In a statement signed by Abdulazeez Ayodele Aloba and made available to journalists in Lokoja, he said the call followed a series of avoidable maritime incidents and persistent illegal activities across Nigeria’s waters. He raised concerns over the absence of a specialised civil maritime body responsible for search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and law enforcement at the sea. Aloba, a maritime security expert argued that the current structure leaves critical operational gaps, particularly in emergency response and inland waterway safety, thereby exposing citizens and economic assets to avoidable risks.
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