By Obiabin Onukwugha, Port Harcourt
The Royal Navy warship, HMS Trent, which arrived in Nigeria on Sunday, will help provide capacity
training and support Maritime security in the African sub-region especially Nigerian border waters.
This is according to a statement from the British High Commission. UK Deputy High Commissioner in
Lagos, Jonny Baxter said the deployment demonstrated 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,” Baxter said.
The commission said the HMS Trent departed Gibraltar carrying an expert boarding team of UK
Royal Marines and a Puma surveillance drone.
This is Trent’s second visit to Nigeria, as part of its regional mission to aid allies and partners in
driving down illegal activities including piracy and illicit trafficking.
The statement indicated that the Royal Navy has a long history of engagement within the African
region and an enduring partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“HMS Trent’s mission is to support West African allies helping countries to develop capability to fight
illegal crimes at sea and ensure they can play an effective role in bringing stability to wider West
Africa.
“With around £6 billion of UK trade passing through the region, part of Trent’s tasking is to support
stability across the Gulf of Guinea through training to help partner navies take the fight to criminal
actors, fostering ties and sharing knowledge, whilst conducting patrols to increase security,” the
High Commission said.
HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Commander Tim Langford, who spoke on arrival in Lagos said,
“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
