Security-Nigeria - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan and his visiting Beninese counterpart Boni Yayi Sunday held talks on the increasing threats to human and maritime security along their common territorial borders. President Yayi, who was received by President Jonathan at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where they also held talks, told journalists before his departure that necessary security measures had been put in place to safeguard human and maritime traffic.

Under a security partnership between both countries which became operational last month, Nigeria deployed two warships and one helicopter for the joint patrol with Benin of the waters off the coast of the two countries, in view of the rising cases of piracy in the area.

So far this year, Nigeria and Benin have reported over two dozen piracy cases, with the pirates targeting ships heading for Nigeria's busy Apapa port and the port in Benin's commercial capital Cotonou, which is known for used-car importation.

President Yayi said: “You know that if I am here,  it concerns issues of partnership between Nigeria and Benin. It is a duty for me to come here to see my brother, President Jonathan, from time to time to discuss issues that concern the citizens within our sub region.

'Today, we discussed about ECOWAS matters and  about piracy along our coast. Today we have a joint cooperation between Nigeria and Benin and I have come to brief the President about the situation concerning this and to thank him for his efforts at ensuring safety along our common borders.”

President Yayi noted that the joint border patrol earlier established by both countries had succeeded in bringing safety along the common borders of both countries.

“Right now, we have established joint  border patrols,  we call it fire for fire and that is really going on well. Other operations have led to the discovery and retrieval of some cars stolen from Nigeria into Benin Republic and vice versa.

'Currently, there is ongoing operation to discourage pirates from our seas and this has so far  been very successful. And they are working hard to ensure that the issues of piracy, cross border crimes and smuggling of small arms are checked.  As a result,  the attacks on the seas have been reduced drastically, except  for some little cases here and there,” the Beninese leader added. 

Pana 17/10/2011