The Nigerian Navy on Sunday deployed six of its warships and two helicopters to protect key critical oil facilities at sea.

It was gathered that the move was to prevent sea robbers from taking advantage of the spread of Coronavirus to attack key installations.

The six warships along with other sister agencies embarked on the operation tagged ‘Treasure Guard 11’ targeted at putting a stop to activities of pirates and crude oil thieves operating around the country’s territorial waters.

The three days operation which started from the Western Naval Command area of responsibility, which include Lagos, Ogun, and Ondo states, saw the Navy deploying six vessels and two helicopters.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, who led the operation, said Exercise Treasure Guard which was hosted by the Eastern Naval Command in 2016, recorded a lot of achievements.

Admiral Daji noted that during the 2016 edition of the operation, a lot of vessels involved in illegalities were arrested.

He said that the arrest of the vessels used by the sea robbers gave the seafarers’ confidence to once again ply the waters.

“If you look back, about four or five years before then, there was concern about ships calling at Nigerian ports and that’s why we deemed it important to once again re-enact exercise Treasure Guard 2 to increase the confidence of the global shipping community in Nigeria waters.

“We have been preparing for over three months because we have had series of coordinating conferences with international partners, as well as with maritime law enforcement agencies.” he said.

He said that Treasure Guard 2 is set up to deal with issues of piracy, illegal unregulated and unreported fishing, human trafficking and sometimes arms trafficking witnessed in the water. (Daily Trust)