The Nigerian Navy has kicked off the 2024 edition of Exercise Crocodile Lift, held in conjunction with the French Navy, which has brought a Mistral class amphibious warfare vessel to participate.
The three-day exercise was officially launched by Rear Admiral Shehu Gombe, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Doctrine Command, at Naval Base Apapa on the weekend.
Exercise Crocodile Lift comes weeks after Exercise Grand African Nemo (4-12 December), which was also organised with French input.
“While Ex Grand African Nemo primarily focused on Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations and legal resolutions, Crocodile Lift is designed to enhance amphibious warfare capabilities,” Gombe said. “This aligns with our vision of fostering a safe and secure region for shared prosperity and development.”
“This platform offers an invaluable opportunity for participants—units, ships, and formations—to achieve the objectives of Crocodile Lift 2024.”
“The exercise also presents an opportunity for partners with a shared understanding of our security objectives to deploy African-led solutions to transborder threats and challenges to enhance regional security,” Gombe said.
“The Nigerian Navy remains resolute in the sustained fight against crude oil theft, piracy, illicit trafficking and other maritime crimes, which is part of our policing role. Furthermore, being the nation’s maritime sentinel we remain relentless in the task of fostering a safe and secure maritime environment that engenders a thriving blue economy for enhanced prosperity for all Nigerians.”
Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Monday Oamen, said the objective of this year’s edition is the creation of a safe and secure maritime domain through the simulation of an amphibious operations towards safeguarding the Gulf of Guinea against piracy, sea robbery, crude oil theft, and other forms of criminality.
“During this year’s exercise, the Nigerian Navy will be conducting a combined amphibious operation in collaboration with the French Navy. On its part, the Nigerian Navy will deploy two ships (NNS Kada supported by DB Abuja), two Special Boat Service detachments and two helicopters.
The French Navy Mistral class amphibious assault ship and helicopter carrier Dixmude arrived in Lagos on 21 November to take part in Exercise Crocodile Lift 2024.
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