Nigerian Navy Acquires Warship from China
The Nigerian Navy (NN) fleet has received a boost with the arrival of the newly acquired warship, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Centenary F91, stealth Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV).
The first of two P-18N Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) ordered by Nigeria was delivered in November 2014 at the China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC)'s Wuchang Shipyard in Wuhan, China.
This is coming barely a month after the Navy received another war ship, the NNS OKPABANA, which was acquired from the United States of America.
The second vessel is expected to arrive in Nigeria later part of the year and substantial part of it is finishing and fitting work will be done in Nigeria.
Receiving the vessel on behalf of the navy, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin said the addition of the vessel would boost the navy's war against maritime crimes.
He said Chinese security cooperation with Nigeria has increased over the years, especially with the building of a warship for Nigeria at the Chinese Ship building company.
A statement issued by the Command Information Officer (CINFO), Lieutenant Commander Abdulsalam Sani said the new vessel is an offshore patrol vessel. It was built by the China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Company (CSOC) at Wuchang shipyard in Wuhan, China.
In his remarks, Liu Kan, the Consul General of the Chinese Consulate-General in Lagos, said China will continue to value the good relations with Nigeria.