By Evelyn Usman

In a bold move to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Nigeria’s maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, the new Defense Attaché of US embassy in Nigeria, , Col. Tom Brooks, has pledged increased trainings of personnel of the Nigerian Navy.

Col. Brooks who recently assumed office,made the pledge during a coutersy visit to the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Michael Oamen, yesterday, in Lagos.

He emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between the two countries navies, citing Nigeria’s historical role as a strong security partner in the GoG region.

The visiting Defense Attaché acknowledged Nigerian Navy capabilities, describing it as the largest and most competent Navy in the GoG, with significant responsibility for regional security.

Responding to questions from journalists on what he would be bringing to the table as the new Defense Attache , he said, ” What I would like to do no matter what , is, increase our cooperation with the Nigerian Navy specifically again, to the U.S. Africa Command, AFRICOM and the Naval Forces here in Africa.And to increase the level of engagement we have, because Nigeria has historically been a very strong security partner.

“It is the largest Navy and the most competent Navy in the Gulf of Guinea, with a large responsibility for the security of the region .The United States government recognises that and we want to support as appropriate as we can. I would like to increase the number of trainings we are doing whether it be sending Nigerian Navy personnel to the United States and also bringing teams here to do training in Nigeria”

Explaining the purpose of the visit, he said ” my visit is to introduce myself as the new US Defense Attaché to Nigeria, following my arrival from the capital city. I considered it essential to visit the Western Naval Command and meet the FOC to understand the challenges and priorities of this command. This introductory visit aims to establish open communication and explore ways to enhance cooperation between our militaries.

“To better coordinate our efforts, we need constant communication to identify areas where the US military, through US Africa Command, can assist the Nigerian military in addressing regional challenges, ultimately enabling the United States to provide support when necessary.”

In his response, the FOC, Rear Admiral Oamen noted that the Nigerian Navy and the United States have had a long-standing partnership aimed at enhancing maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. He said the partnership had been beneficial, with joint training exercises and operations that had mproved the Nigerian Navy’s capabilities and readiness to combat maritime threats.

He said “The arrival of a new US Defense Attaché is expected to further strengthen this partnership, with plans for increased training and exercises. This collaboration is critical to ensuring Nigeria’s economic survival, given the importance of the maritime domain to its security and development. With the Nigerian Navy’s continued efforts to address maritime security challenges, the country’s waters are becoming increasingly safer for commercial activities”.