The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency said it has graduated 492 advanced combat personnel and conducted the capability presentation of the Deep Blue Project Task Group. This is even as the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, announced plans by the Federal Government to expand the Deep Blue Project to vulnerable coastal and maritime corridors across the country, including the sensitive Bakassi axis, as part of efforts to further strengthen Nigeria’s maritime security architecture.
Oyetola announced this on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of the 492 advanced combat personnel and capability presentation of the Deep Blue Project Task Group held at the 5th Battalion Army Barracks in Elele, Rivers State. The Special Adviser to the Minister, Dr Bolaji Akinola, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday obtained by The PUNCH.
Oyetola said the planned expansion would target critical coastal areas such as the Bakassi Peninsula, Igbokoda, and other vulnerable maritime corridors across the country. According to him, the initiative is aimed at consolidating the gains already “recorded under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project.” “Building on the significant strides already made, the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is currently evaluating strategic frameworks for the expansion of the Deep Blue Project to further strengthen our maritime security architecture in critical coastal areas such as Igbokoda, Bakassi, and other vulnerable maritime corridors,” Oyetola said.
He explained that the move would further curtail maritime insecurity, enhance operational capacity, improve maintenance systems, and ensure that maritime security assets remain fully functional and effective in safeguarding Nigeria’s waters. The minister stated that Nigeria had recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters over the past four years due to the sustained implementation of the Deep Blue Project and collaboration among security agencies.
He also said that piracy incidents across the Gulf of Guinea had declined by more than 70 per cent within the same period. According to him, prior to the establishment of the Deep Blue Project in 2021, “the Gulf of Guinea had become one of the most dangerous maritime corridors globally, accounting for nearly 45 per cent of reported global piracy incidents and over 90 per cent of crew kidnappings at sea during peak periods.” He said the project had significantly transformed Nigeria’s maritime security framework through the deployment of integrated air, land, and sea assets supported by advanced surveillance systems and rapid response capabilities.
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He urged the graduating personnel to uphold professionalism, patriotism, teamwork, and respect for the rule of law in the discharge of their duties. Oyetola also commended NIMASA, the Armed Forces, security agencies, and training partners for their contributions to the success of the initiative.
Earlier, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, described the event as a major demonstration of Nigeria’s “operational readiness, institutional resilience, and determination to maintain a safe, secure, and economically viable maritime environment”. According to him, the graduating officers completed 33 specialised training programmes covering multiple operational units within the Deep Blue Architecture.
He said the graduates comprised “232 maritime security unit operatives, 19 armoured vehicle drivers, 13 armoured vehicle mechanics, eight special mission helicopter pilots, eight helicopter technicians, five special mission aircraft pilots, six aircraft technicians, 49 special mission vessel crew members, 28 interceptor boat mechanics, 62 interceptor boat drivers, 52 command, control, communication, computer and intelligence operators, and 10 vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial systems operators.” Mobereola said the personnel underwent advanced security and operational training in several countries, including Syria, Italy, Swaziland, Australia, and Nigeria, exposing them to global best practices in maritime security operations.
He said the operational assets of the Deep Blue Project include two special mission aircraft fitted with maritime surveillance sensors, two special mission helicopters for over-sea operations, two special mission vessels for deep-sea operations, eight unmanned aerial vehicles for real-time intelligence gathering, 16 fast interceptor boats, and 15 armoured coastal patrol vehicles.