UK warship arrives Nigeria to combat illegal maritime activities

The Royal Navy warship, HMS Trent, has docked in Lagos for the second time to assist in combating illegal activities, such as piracy and illicit trafficking, in the region.

The British High Commission, which announced Trent’s mission in a statement on Sunday, said that its assignment includes capacity training and support for maritime security in West Africa.

HMS Trent carries a team of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone to aid West African allies in developing their capabilities to combat sea-based criminal activities and promote stability.

With £6 billion of UK trade passing through the region, the ship aims to enhance security in the Gulf of Guinea by conducting patrols and fostering cooperation among partner navies.

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HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, said, “It is an honour for HMS TRENT to return to Nigeria, an important visit on the ship’s three-month deployment to West Africa. We are excited to work with our partner nations as we strive for a long-term solution to maritime insecurity across the region”.

“The Royal Navy has a long history of engagement within the region and an enduring partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria. My team are really looking forward to the opportunity to work with their Nigerian counterparts and build on the relationships established when we visited Lagos in 2021.”

The UK Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, said, “This deployment demonstrates how a truly global Britain is stepping up on the world stage to tackle shared international security challenges.

“Nigeria is an important and valued defence partner for the UK in West Africa. Our two countries face many shared threats, and we are keen to work with Nigeria to defeat these and to help improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.”

The deployment is part of a global initiative led by the Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (FOGG) to assist Gulf of Guinea nations in establishing regional maritime security frameworks, aiming to restore stability to a region where international shipping has been disrupted, seafarers’ safety compromised, and local economies harmed.