Nigeria records zero sea piracy in four years — Naval chief

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The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has disclosed that Nigeria has recorded zero reported piracy incidents in its territorial waters for about four consecutive years.

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Abbas stated this on Tuesday in Calabar while speaking at the graduation ceremony of participants of Naval Warfare Course 10 at the Naval War College Nigeria.

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He said the achievement reflected improved maritime security and stressed the need for the Nigerian Navy to sustain its operational tempo against emerging threats in the nation’s maritime domain.

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He said, “Encouragingly, Nigeria has maintained zero reported piracy incidents in our waters for four consecutive years, while incidents across the wider Gulf of Guinea have declined significantly.

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“These gains must be sustained through persistent maritime domain awareness, credible presence at sea, regional cooperation and timely response.”

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The Naval Chief said maritime security remained inseparable from Nigeria’s economic security, given the importance of the country’s offshore resources, ports, shipping routes and energy infrastructure.

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He said the Navy was therefore intensifying operations against crude oil theft, illegal mining and other forms of economic sabotage capable of undermining national revenue.

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“Nigeria’s crude oil production reached about 1.56 million barrels per day in June 2026, stressing that sustained security of the maritime environment remained critical to protecting the country’s economic interests,” he said.

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He urged the graduating officers to build on the gains recorded in maritime security by deploying emerging technologies and innovative operational strategies.

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“The rapidly changing security environment required commanders capable of integrating technology, intelligence and operational capabilities across maritime, land, cyber and other domains. The graduating officers are expected to build on the gains recorded in maritime security by deploying emerging technologies and innovative operational strategies,” he charged.

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He cited a research project presented by one of the participants, titled “Adopting Emerging Technology for Operational Effectiveness in the Nigerian Navy: The Way Forward for Naval Engineering,” as an indication of the importance of technology to future naval operations.

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Abbas said the Navy’s responsibilities extended beyond the maritime environment, noting that its personnel and specialised capabilities continued to support joint operations against terrorism, insurgency and other threats to national security.

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Earlier, the Commandant of the Naval War College Nigeria, Rear Adm. Muhammed Muye, said the course was designed to prepare senior officers for higher responsibilities in command, staff and strategic leadership.

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Participants from Cameroon, Ghana and Liberia were among the 34 participants who completed Naval Warfare Course 10.

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