US working with Nigerian military to counter security threats-Envoy -Philip Nwosu

The United States government said it is working closely with the Nigerian Military to counter threats to secu­rity in Nigeria and Af­rica.
The US Consul General Jeff Hawkins stated during the reception of a warship donated to the Nigerian Navy by the US government that the US and Nigeria have common interest in a peaceful, well policed Gulf of Guinea .He added that the donation of the warship will increase Nigeria’s ability to reach this shared goal.
Hawkin noted that many of the West Africa’s security challenges comes from the sea and “this powerful new naval platform will significantly enhance Nigeria’s ability to control the maritime environment .”
Saturday Sun learnt that the vessel NNS OKPABANA, like its sister vessel, NNS THUNDER, is designed as a high endurance cutter.
Receiving the vessel in Lagos, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, said the addition of the vessel would boost the navy’s war against maritime crimes.
According to him, OKPABANA was the second of the Hamilton class of cutters to join the navy’s fleet between 2012 and 2014.
He said: “The addition of this ship into the NN fleet will certainly bolster our zeal to end the menace in our maritime domain and the region, as well as support the regional and global effort to eliminate transnational maritime threats’’.

Culled from the sun