The Nigerian Navy’s anti-piracy operation code named ‘Operation (Op) Tsare Teku’ has been extended by three months with effect from October 20, 2016, Navy Director of Information, Commodore Christian Ezekobe, has disclosed. “This,” he said in a statement issued on Friday, “follows the successful conduct of the first and second phases of the Operation, which were launched on April 25, 2016 and July 22, 2016 respectively. Tsare Teku, which is an Hausa phrase means ‘Safe River’.”

Commodore Ezekobe disclosed that “ships and platforms of the Nigerian Navy currently participating in the Operation include NNS Centenary, NNS Okpabana, NNS Sagbama, NNS Andoni and NNS Kyanwa. The Task Group is supported with a robust intelligence network from the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability Centres (RMAC) and the Falcon Eye located at Yenagoa, Calabar, Lagos, Oghara and Abuja.”

Continuing, he said: “At the flag off ceremony of phase 3 of the Operation held on 20 October, 2016 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, said that prior to the commencement of the Operation in April 2016, there were about 40 successful cases of piracy attacks in Nigerian waters. According to the CNS, this trend stopped as soon as the Operation was launched.

“Giving an assessment of the operation, Vice Admiral Ibas noted that during the first phase from April to July 2016, only two successful cases of piracy were recorded, while one successful case and one unsuccessful attempt were also recorded during the second phase of the operations between July and now. He maintained that these significant achievements as evidenced by marked reduction in successful piracy attacks and other maritime crimes have, no doubt, enhanced shipping activities and protection of oil and gas infrastructure. It also provided support for ‘Operation Delta Safe’ as a viable platform to cover the whole of the Niger Delta region and surrounding waterways.

“Additionally,” the statement also read, “Operation Tsare Teku has continued to enhance the tactical and technical capability of Naval Ships and personnel. In the course of these operations, the Nigerian Navy has partnered with other maritime stakeholders in order to improve efficient intelligence sharing and compatibility for the benefit of maritime security.

“In a related development, the Chief of the Naval Staff has embarked on annual inspection of Nigerian Navy Ships, Bases, Units and establishments as part of strategies to mitigate operational and administrative challenges being faced by the service.

“In view of the importance of this operation in the economic prosperity of the nation, you are please requested to disseminate this information for the awareness of the general public.”

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