ECOWAS NAVAL CHIEFS UNITE TO TACKLE PIRACY, TERROR IN GULF OF GUINEA

West African naval leaders are stepping up joint operations, with Nigeria taking the lead to secure the Gulf of Guinea from piracy, terrorism, and organised crime.

Naval chiefs from ECOWAS member states have agreed to strengthen their joint maritime security efforts to counter rising threats across the Gulf of Guinea, including piracy, terrorism, drug trafficking, and illegal fishing.

The decision was reached during the fifth ECOWAS Sub-Committee of Chiefs of Naval Staff meeting held in Accra, Ghana, where Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, played a leading role in coordinating discussions.

Top regional and international stakeholders—including ECOWAS officials, maritime security centres, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and the European Union-African Chamber of Commerce—reviewed current threats and strategies to improve surveillance and rapid response across West African waters.

ECOWAS officials praised ongoing operations such as SAFE DOMAIN, ANOUANZE, and joint maritime patrols, while also calling for closer collaboration with landlocked countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger to disrupt cross-border terrorism and organised crime networks.

A key outcome of the meeting was renewed commitment to fully activate the Combined Maritime Task Force (CMTF), a multinational naval force designed to respond quickly to maritime threats using shared intelligence and coordinated patrols. Countries including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Gambia have expressed readiness to join Nigeria in the initiative.

Nigeria will host the official launch of the task force in Lagos between May 31 and June 1, contributing naval ships, a helicopter, vehicles, and operational facilities. The force is expected to strengthen maritime surveillance, protect trade routes, and boost regional stability.

The meeting also highlighted Nigeria’s Falcon Eye Surveillance System as a key asset in improving maritime monitoring, reinforcing the country’s leadership role in safeguarding West Africa’s strategic waters.