Nigeria deploys 10 war ships to check pirate attacks

Authority of the Nigerian Navy has deployed 10 war ships in a massive operation which aimed to stop pirate attacks on local and international merchant ships on the nation's waterways.

The operation would contain the high spate of attacks by oil thieves on critical oil and gas installations and other criminality prevalent on the nation's territorial waters, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, Nigeria's Chief of Naval Staff, said on Saturday at the launch of the operation.

He said the operation was a continuation of an earlier operation it launched in the first quarter to tackle incessant attacks on merchant ships.

The navy chief told his audience that pirates and oil thieves carried out 30 attacks on Nigerian waterways. Sixteen of these attacks were successful between January and April.

He added that there have been less than seven attacks on the sea with only one pirate attack being successful, since the first phase of this operation was launched to protect ships.

Ibas said the operation aimed to inject new tactics and robust operational initiative to tackle the merging security challenges in the Niger Delta.

He added that the operation would enable merchant ships move their cargoes freely, which according to him, will improve economic activities and revenue for the country.

The navy, he said, would soon take delivery of many gun boats to complement 30 newly built gunboats it recently deployed to waterways and creeks in the Niger Delta. Endit