The naval vessel HMS Trent of the Royal Navy has arrived in Lagos, Nigeria.
According to The PUNCH, Trent is embarking on its second tour to Nigeria, as part of a regional endeavour aimed at providing assistance to allies and partners in their efforts to combat unlawful activities like as piracy and illicit trafficking.
As per a statement issued by the British High Commission, the purpose of the visit is to facilitate the provision of capacity training and offer assistance in enhancing marine security within the region.
According to the commission, the HMS Trent set sail from Gibraltar with a proficient boarding team consisting of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone. The commission further stated that the primary objective of HMS Trent is to provide assistance to West African allies in their efforts to enhance their maritime law enforcement capabilities. This support aims to enable these countries to effectively combat maritime crimes and contribute to the overall stability of the broader West African region.
“With around £6bn of UK trade passing through the region, part of Trent’s tasking is to support stability across the Gulf of Guinea through training to help partner navies take the fight to criminal actors, fostering ties and sharing knowledge, whilst conducting patrols to increase security.”
HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, said, “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 deployment, according to the UK’s Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, showed how a genuinely global Britain is taking action on the international arena to address common security concerns.
Baxter noted, “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.”
