 The Nigerian Navy's continued efforts to reduce maritime crimes along the nation's territorial waters and the Gulf of Guinea. This is in line with exercise-grown African Nemo 2021, recently flat-off by the Navy. A correspondent, J.C. S.A., has details. 13 ships and two helicopters belonging to the Nigerian Navy set sail into the high seas on Thursday, following the commencement of the exercise. Exercise-grown African Nemo is hosted by the Central Naval Command and the operation is led by NNS Thunder. No fewer than a thousand personnel, including the French Navy, are participating in the exercise which is meant to boost security in the Gulf of Guinea. The flag officer commanding Central Naval Command rare admiral Obi Ibuchulam highlights the importance of the exercise. It is very important considering the multinational nature of maritime crimes for exercises such as exercise-grown African Nemo, which serve as viable platforms for multinational and multi-agency collaboration in the fight against these maritime crimes and in ensuring security of the maritime environment overall, particularly in our subject. When African Nemo also consists of a drill, different ammunition are being fired. The flag officer describes maritime crimes as transnational, hence the need for multi-agency collaboration. Maritime crimes are transnational in Nigeria and you will recall that last year, the pirates' incident that occurred in Nigerian waters, the pirates were arrested here in our waters. It involved a French person, sorry, a Chinese person. Maritime Domain Awareness Infrastructure and the Special Boat Services SBS of the Nigerian Navy are also deployed for the exercise which is expected to last for over a month. And as always, thank you very much.