PBA ReporterAs part of its effort to support strengthening maritime security in Nigeria, the United States government has donated an 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) to the Nigeria Navy Special Boat Service.
A statement from the U.S. Consulate General, Public Affairs Department in Lagos, said the RHIB will boost the Nigeria Navy Special Boat Service’s rapid response in Nigeria’s territorial waters, adding that it is part of a longstanding security partnership.
U.S. Consul General Will Stevens emphasized the robust maritime collaboration between the United States and Nigeria in advancing peace, stability, and security in Africa during his remarks at the Boat Transfer Ceremony held by the Nigerian Navy at the Joint Maritime Security Training Center in Lagos.
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“The donation of the Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat from the U.S. government to the Nigeria Navy Special Boat Service demonstrates the U.S. commitment to enhancing the Nigerian Navy’s maritime interdiction and response capacity throughout Nigeria’s territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea,” Consul General Stevens said.
In May, a group of U.S. Marine Special Forces and officers from the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service concluded a nine-week Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET). A number of U.S. engagements, like the JCET, give top U.S. and Nigerian military forces the chance to collaborate, share knowledge, and forge stronger bonds.
In two of the biggest yearly international maritime security exercises in the area, Obangame Express and Exercise Flintlock, Nigeria actively participates. In an effort to promote cooperation amongst participating nations in tackling transnational marine concerns, these exercises are slated to occur simultaneously in May 2024.
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