The Royal Navy warship, HMS Trent arrived in Lagos on Sunday to assist in the fight against illegal activities such as piracy and illegal human trafficking in the region.
According to a statement from the British High Commission, Trent’s was visiting the second time to Nigeria.
Part of the statement read:
“The visit will help deliver capacity training and support maritime security in the region.”
Royal Navy Trent sailed from Gibraltar with a team of Royal Marines experts and a Puma surveillance drone.
HMS Trent’s mission was to help allies in West Africa develop their capabilities to combat crime at sea and play an effective role in stabilizing West Africa as a whole.
Around £6 billion of United Kingdom, UK trade flows through the region and part of Trent’s role will be to lead partner navies in the fight against criminals, promote relationships, and carry out patrols to strengthen security.
The aim was to support stability across the Gulf of Guinea through training that helps share knowledge while maintaining the balance of the Gulf of Guinea.
HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, said,
“It is an honour for HMS TRENT to return to Nigeria, an important visit on the Ship’s three month deployment to West Africa. We are excited to work with our partner nations as we strive for a long term solution to maritime insecurity across the region.
“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.
UK Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter said, “This deployment demonstrates how a truly Global Britain is stepping up on the world stage to tackle shared international security challenges.
“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.”
