The Nigerian Navy on Friday night concluded a mock sea rescue operation as part of activities to commemorate its 60th anniversary.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that eight countries including Nigeria participated in the 24-hour exercise which took place about 200 nautical miles off the coast of Benin.

The other countries included Ghana, Cameroon, France, United Kingdom, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire and Namibia.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonishakin, who flagged off the exercise, said part of its objective was to sharpen the personnel’s skills on the conduct of anti-piracy operations.

He said that the exercise was also intended to test the navy's ability to share information on the containment of maritime criminality within the Gulf of Guinea.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok Ibas said the exercise was based on a fictitious rescue operation of a hijacked merchant ship MT JAAHU and her crew.

“The rescue was successfully conducted by a regional maritime force of countries of the Gulf of Guinea.”

Rear Adm. Adeniyi Osinowo, who led the mock rescue said that the exercise was also to consolidate on the gains of recent inter naval cooperation, particularly at operational level.

The Namibian Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Adm. Peter Vilho, said that the exercise was successful, adding that the navy was doing its best to rid the nation's waters of criminalities.

NAN reports that some fleet and manoeuvres conducted during the exercise were Communication Exercise, Fleet Manoeuvres, Gunnery Exercise, Visit Board Search and Seizure.

Others were Maritime Interdiction Operation, Man Over Board and Boarding Exercise. (NAN)

•Photo shows Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok Ibas.

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