No fewer than three Chinese warships have arrived in Nigeria as part of growing naval co-operation between the two countries, officials revealed on Monday.
The visit is coming less than a year after the US defence officials expressed concern over Chinese plans for a military base on West Africa’s Atlantic coast.
Africa Today News, New York reports that China is a key investor in infrastructure projects in Nigeria, including in the recently opened Lekki deep sea port near the economic capital Lagos.
Angola — has long been at risk from piracy with Nigerian gangs carrying out most attacks on foreign shipping vessels.
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China’s Escort Task Group 162 compromising three ships arrived in Nigeria after it had escorted a Chinese merchant vessel from the Gulf of Aden, according to Nigeria’s navy.
‘They are on port call on completion of the task before heading home. The visit is to improve diplomacy,’ Nigeria’s navy spokesman Commodore Ayo Vaughan said.
‘They hope the visit will strengthen ties between the two navies.’
One of the three ships, the destroyer Nanning, berthed in Lagos and the three will leave on Wednesday, according to the Chinese embassy in Nigeria.
Africa Today News, New York recalls that last year, General Stephen J. Townsend, commander of the US Africa Command, told Congress the US military was concerned about China opening a naval base on Africa’s coast.
‘As a first priority, we need to prevent or deter a Chinese space on the Atlantic coast of Africa,’ he said, according to a US Department of Defense statement.
The United States is one of the major arms suppliers for Nigeria, including quite recently for aircraft it uses in its protracted conflict with jihadists in the country’s northeast.