LAGOS, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Nigeria has deployed four warships, gunboats and troops for special training exercise, the Nigerian navy said Tuesday.
The two-day exercise, code-named "Exercise Pouncer," is aimed at equipping troops with requisite skills while checking their combat readiness to tackle piracy and other criminality in the nation's maritime domain, said Rear Adm. Victor Adedipe, flag officer with Eastern Naval Command.
"Four ships and one helicopter will take part in the exercise while smaller crafts (gunboats) would operate at the backwaters," he said.
Adedipe said the exercise would hone troops' proficiency in maritime operation and test strategies without actual combat.
He said the navy was desirous to putting an end to maritime crimes such as piracy, sea robbery, hijacking, illegal bunkering and crude oil theft.
Adedipe said the exercise would be held in the nation's territorial waters and not be extended to the Gulf of Guinea.
The Gulf of Guinea, which is believed to hold as much as 10 percent of the world's oil reserves, has been plagued by pirates, smugglers and other criminals.
