As part of the fight against maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, a maritime patrol operation was launched in zone “E”. This operation started on Monday, November 22, 2021 under the command of the Beninese national navy targets Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.

Several patrol vessels flying the flags of several countries, namely Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, left the Cotonou naval base on Monday, November 22, 2021 for the waters of the Gulf of Guinea. These ships are engaged in a joint securing operation of the "E" zone. The operation aims to ensure maritime safety and security. Colonel Vincent Toritseju, Director of the ECOWAS Zone "E" Multinational Coordination Centre, recalled that this operation is organized to deal with the situation in which the Gulf of Guinea and the waters of East Africa West in particular have, for a long time, faced various forms of security challenges that have undermined economic development and endangered the livelihoods of local coastal communities. The Minister of National Defense Alain Fortunet Nouatin, special guest of the event will speak of "a memorable day which marks the beginning of the realization of a dream which has seen a lot of preparation and funding efforts by several actors". The operation would focus on routine activities within the framework of policing duties at sea in order to deprive pirates and other maritime criminals of freedom of action.