Nigeria-Benin anti-piracy patrols ”successful”
Attacks have dropped significantly over the last month The joint anti-piracy patrols undertaken by Benin and Nigeria are bearing fruit, as attacks have dropped significantly over the last month, according to Benin's Chief of Defence Staff."Currently there is an ongoing naval operation in our seas, so as to deter pirates from operating in our territorial waters. I think this has so far been successful, as there has been no more attacks, apart from some minor incidents here and there," said Benin's Chief of Defence Staff Boni Mathew.Mathew said the joint operation with Nigeria had also succeeded in ensuring safety along the borders of both countries and had helped curb such crimes and weapons smuggling.Operation Fire for Fire was designed to stop smuggling and piracy off the coasts of both nations. Armed speedboats are patrolling the waters off Benin and Nigeria, but AFP reports that the joint patrols were also to include a radar-equipped ship with a helicopter.The joint anti-piracy patrols will last six months, by which time Benin should be able to monitor its own waters.In August Benin's President Boni Yayi called for a regional summit on the issue of piracy. At the meeting in early August, Nigeria's President Goodluck ...
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