On Sunday, the Royal Navy warship HMS Trent arrived in Lagos to help combat illegal activities such as piracy and smuggling in the area.
This is the second time HMS Trent has visited Nigeria, as confirmed by the British High Commission.
During this visit, the ship will provide training and support to enhance maritime security in the region. HMS Trent set sail from Gibraltar with a team of skilled UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone on board.
Its mission is to assist West African nations in building their capabilities to combat maritime crimes and contribute to stability in the wider West Africa region.
With approximately £6 billion worth of UK trade passing through this area, one of HMS Trent’s main objectives is to promote stability in the Gulf of Guinea. This will be achieved by providing training to partner navies to better confront criminal activities, fostering cooperation, and sharing knowledge. Additionally, the ship will conduct patrols to enhance security in the region.
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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.”
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 contributes to a wider international effort by the Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (FOGG) which supports Gulf of Guinea nations to implement regional maritime security frameworks, bringing stability to a region that has seen international shipping disrupted, seafarers’ lives put in danger, and damage caused to local economies.