The UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel RFA Lyme Bay, on Wednesday, arrived in Lagos as a part of a defence engagement tour throughout West Africa, aimed toward bolstering regional maritime safety.
The go to, below the framework of the UK-Nigeria Safety and Defence Partnership, established earlier this yr, contains stops in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Senegal.
This was contained in an announcement signed by the Senior Press and Public Affairs Officer, British Deputy Excessive Fee in Lagos, Ndidiamaka Eze, on Wednesday.
Whereas in Nigeria, RFA Lyme Bay’s crew will conduct joint coaching workout routines with the Nigerian Navy, specializing in maritime functionality and interoperability.
The UK Royal Marines on board will lead boarding and search drills alongside Nigerian counterparts, as a part of a broader initiative to reinforce Nigeria’s maritime safety and defence capabilities.
The ship may also host Nigerian dignitaries and supply excursions to showcase its capabilities.
Following the Lagos go to, RFA Lyme Bay will take part within the multinational train, Grand African Nemo, a maritime safety train off the Nigerian coast involving naval forces from Spain, France, Portugal, Italy, and Nigeria.
The UK’s Deputy Defence Adviser to Nigeria, Commander Jonathan Howe, underscored the significance of the UK-Nigeria partnership in tackling piracy and violent extremism.
Howe said, “The UK is dedicated to enhancing regional maritime safety, in addition to rising Nigeria’s skill to constrain safety threats starting from piracy, violent extremist organisations.
“This deployment demonstrates our pledge to work with the Nigerian authorities to sort out shared worldwide safety challenges and assist enhance maritime safety within the Gulf of Guinea.”
The Commanding Officer of RFA Lyme Bay, Capt James Wingrove, described the go to as a possibility to strengthen ties and hone abilities by way of collaboration.
“It’s a nice privilege to carry RFA Lyme Bay alongside in Nigeria.
“The chance for my ships’ firm and embarked forces to go to the area presents an thrilling prospect while the power to coach alongside our Nigerian counterparts to hone abilities, enhance functionality and display our interoperability is extraordinarily worthwhile,” Capt Wingrove mentioned.
The deployment adopted the February 2024 renewal of the UK-Nigeria Safety and Defence Partnership, which additionally addresses counter-terrorism, cyber safety, and multi-agency responses to kidnapping and different regional threats.