On Sunday, HMS Trent, a warship of the Royal Navy, docked in Lagos, Nigeria.
Trent is now in Nigeria for the second time as part of its regional mission to support allies and partners in combating criminal activities like piracy and illicit trafficking.
The visit would aid in delivering capacity training and supporting maritime security in the area, the British High Commission said in a statement.
The commission stated that the HMS Trent left Gibraltar with a skilled boarding team of UK Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone, adding that the ship’s mission was to support West African allies by assisting nations in building their capacity to combat illegal maritime crimes and ensure they could effectively contribute to bringing stability to wider West Africa.
“With almost £6 billion of UK trade flowing through the area, part of Trent’s tasking is to promote stability across the Gulf of Guinea by training to aid partner navies in taking the battle to criminal actors, establishing ties and sharing expertise, while conducting patrols to boost security,” reads the mission statement.
Commander Tim Langford, the commanding officer of HMS Trent, stated that the Royal Navy has a long history of engagement in the area and a strong collaboration with the Nigerian Armed Forces. My team is eagerly looking forward to the chance to collaborate with their Nigerian peers and strengthen the bonds we started when we went to Lagos in 2021.
Jonny Baxter, the UK’s deputy high commissioner in Lagos, said the deployment showed how a genuinely global Britain is assuming leadership roles to address common global security concerns.
Nigeria is a crucial and valued partner for the UK in West Africa’s defense, according to Baxter. We are eager to collaborate with Nigeria to overcome these dangers and contribute to enhancing marine security in the Gulf of Guinea as our two nations face numerous common threats.
