The Nigerian Navy kicked off Exercise Obangame Express 2026 on Sunday, deploying 9 warships, 2 helicopters, and elite commandos in a five-day multinational push to choke piracy, oil theft, and trafficking in the Gulf of Guinea.
The flag-off held onboard NNS IKENNE on April 26, with Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Idi Abbas represented by Chief of Operations Rear Admiral Patrick Effah.
Backed by U.S. Africa Command, Obangame Express 2026 pulls in over 30 countries across West and Central Africa. The goal: boost interoperability and maritime domain awareness to tackle piracy, sea robbery, crude oil theft, illegal fishing, and trafficking.
Nigeria’s contribution is heavy. Running April 26–30, the exercise rolls out 9 Nigerian Navy ships, 2 helicopters, maritime surveillance assets, and Special Boat Service teams.
It’s not just the Navy. Nigeria Customs, NDLEA, EFCC, and Immigration are in the fight, testing inter-agency synergy against maritime crime.
Vice Admiral Abbas called the exercise “a critical platform for fostering unity of effort, improving information sharing, and enhancing maritime awareness.”
He said OE 26 is about building trust, tightening interoperability, and sharpening forces to face evolving threats.
The drills are real-world: counter-piracy ops, anti-trafficking sweeps, illegal fishing interdictions, search and rescue, and VBSS — visit, board, search, and seizure.
Abbas linked the exercise to Nigeria’s removal from the International Maritime Bureau’s piracy-prone list in 2022. He credited sustained regional and international collaboration, with Obangame Express as a key driver.
The Gulf of Guinea, he stressed, remains vital to global trade, energy security, and economic stability.
Obangame Express 2026 lands on the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary — seven decades of guarding Nigeria’s waters and regional peace.
The CNS thanked Commander-in-Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu for support to the Armed Forces and hailed the professionalism of all personnel and agencies involved.
The press statement was signed by Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, Director of Naval Information.
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