Lagos Hosts Security Equipment Expo, As CNS Speaks On The Modest Achievements, Challenges Of The Nigerian Navy

By Frank Oshanugor

A three-day security equipment exhibition (a.k.a. SECUREX) with no fewer than 70 foreign and indigenous exhibitors was officially declared open on Tuesday by Nigeria’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo at Landmark Event Centre, Oniru Lagos.

The exhibition which has become an annual event since 2011, in this year’s edition attracted personalities from both the public and private security sectors with many speakers who are highly placed security professionals in their own right, discussing various security related issues in contemporary times.

Speaking at the event, the CNS took time to bring to the fore, the numerous achievements of the Nigeria Navy over the years with respect to protecting the nation’s maritime environment.

He highlighted the efforts of the Navy in making the Gulf of Guinea safe for navigational activities, emphasising that collaboration with other African countries’s navies has become imperative in the fight against sea pirates and other criminal elements at sea.

Gambo, while giving a breakdown of some achievements of the Nigerian Navy in recent time, disclosed that the rate of piracy declined in 2021 from what it was in 2020.

Speaking about the challenges facing the Nigerian Navy in contemporary time, the Naval Chieftain said operational ships were inadequate to police the

maritime space, hence the Navy recently resorted to local manufacturing of naval boats as a way of remaining committed to making the maritime environment safe.

Gambo, who was honoured at the occasion with a Fellowship Award by the Occupational Safety & Health Association (OSHAssociation) emphasised that safety comes first in any human endeavours.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Navy has in the past eight years embraced OSHAssociation with a view to acquiring more knowledge in the safety domain, adding that he was proud to be associated with the OSHAdministration.

In his welcome address to guests at the event, the Regional Director, Afrocet Montgomery; organisers of the event, Mr. George Pearson said SECUREX

West Africa has been serving the security and affiliated communities since its launch in 2010 and has become one of the leading and most recognised platforms for exhibitors to network and do business in the region.

According to him, Afrocet Montgomery Exhibitions and Events specialise in running high-end exhibitions and events in West Africa. He added that the extensive knowledge and experience of the African market has enabled the team to develop a strong and growing portfolio of shows, which cover a wide range of sectors.

Ironically, the exhibition did not hold for two years (2020 and 2021) in Nigeria due to the global fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the three-day event progresses, exhibitors already on ground include Effanti Nigeria in partnership with JVA Technologies South Africa, Detego Digital Forensics, Western Digital, Turnstar, Transworld Security, Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security (NIIS), International Institute for Professional Studies (IIPS), Halogen Group, Eons Intelligence, Danfoss Fire Safety, HIK Vision, High Hope Zhongtian Corporation, Euro Holography and many others.