Eugene Agha
17 December 2007
Lagos — Nigerian warships will today arrive at the Navy Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos after days of patrol around the country's internal and territorial waters and the entire Gulf of Guinea region, a maritime domain that cuts across Southern, Western and Central Africa.
At a briefing in Lagos yesterday, Rear Admiral Goody Ombo, FOC, Nigerian Navy Training Command (NAFTRAC) said the patrol was part of 'Operation Sarkin Teku' which he said, was designed to enchance the capacity of naval personnel and ensure effective maritime security of the region wherein over 50 billion barrels of crude oil reserves are deposited.
He said the Nigerian Navy had been embarking on regular operations, patrols and tours of the Gulf of Guinea to deter criminal activities, guarantee safety of oil installations and vessels and protect maritime sovereignty of Nigeria and ensure that best practice is observed in zone.
Ombo said: Nigerian Navy ships from the Eastern and Western fleets that have been at sea for the past six days will be returning today 17th December. The ships will arrive exactly at 9 a.m. at Nigerian time. This is another major achievement in the history of Nigerian Navy as efforts are currently being made to better maritime governance and security.
The Ships were engaged in various manouvres,exercises, operations and fleet review. The exercise codenamed 'Operation Sarkin Teku is under the commander of the task fleet, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye. The officer conducting the exercise and officer in charge of tactical command are rear admirals Umosen and Baraji respectively.
But President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua in Washinton last Thursday had accepted the proposal of the United States Government to establish the US Command in Africa codenamed AFRICOM.
In concept, the AFRICOM was said to be centred on capacity-building, conflict prevention, counter-terrorism, humanitarian services and security of oil installations and vessels in the country's waterways and Gulf of Guinea.
But opposition parties have criticised Yar'Adua for endorsing the US African Command (AFRICOM) set up by the US in October to partner with Africa in enhancing security on the continent.
In a statement last Saturday, spokesman, Action Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, condemned what he termed Yar'Adua's "volte face" during a recent official visit to the US.
He said the President elevated "expediency over Nigeria's sovereignty" by endorsing AFRICOM, a few weeks after Nigeria joined some other African countries to reject the command.
Mohammed said Yar'Adua apparently succumbed to the pressure to back AFRICOM because the US had promised to recognise his government, which came into office last May amidst what has been widely described as the worst elections in the history of Nigeria.
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