L-R: Representative of Hon. Minister of Defence Special Adviser on Security to the Minister for Defence in Nigeria; Musa Likita fsi, Director Maritime Safety and security Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy; Musa Makoji, His Excellency Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Adegboyega Oyetola CON, Director General Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency; Dr Dayo Mobereola, Commander of NAF Mobility Command; Air Vice Marshal Michael Nnanye Onyebashi, Representative of State Minister for Defence, Director Navy Affairs; Joel Christopher, The Commander Operation Delta safe; Rear Admiral OBF Oladipo during the 2026 Deep Blue Operational Maritime/C4i Capability Demonstration and Graduation Ceremony in Elele, Rivers State.
BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS
The Federal Government has unveiled plans to expand Nigeria’s flagship maritime security initiative, the Deep Blue Project, to volatile coastal corridors including the Bakassi Peninsula and Igbokoda, in a fresh push to tighten security across the nation’s waterways and sustain the war against piracy.
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed the move on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of 492 Advanced Combat Personnel under the Deep Blue Project at the 5th Battalion Army Barracks, Elele, Rivers State.
The expansion, according to the minister, is designed to reinforce security in vulnerable maritime corridors and consolidate the gains Nigeria has recorded since the launch of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, widely 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.
The minister noted that the initiative would strengthen operational efficiency, improve maintenance systems, and ensure maritime security assets remain fully functional in protecting Nigeria’s territorial waters and coastal communities.
Oyetola said Nigeria’s aggressive maritime security reforms had yielded remarkable results, with the country recording zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters over the last four years. He added that piracy attacks across the Gulf of Guinea had dropped by over 70 percent within the same period.
He recalled that before the Deep Blue Project came on stream in 2021, the Gulf of Guinea was notorious as one of the world’s most dangerous maritime routes, accounting for nearly 45 percent of global piracy incidents and more than 90 percent of kidnappings of seafarers at sea during peak periods.
According to him, the deployment of integrated air, land and sea security assets, backed by advanced surveillance technology and rapid response systems, has transformed Nigeria’s maritime security landscape and restored confidence among global shipping operators and investors.
The minister linked the improved maritime security environment to the broader economic agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that safe waterways remain critical to trade expansion, investment inflow, and the growth of the marine and blue economy sector.
He charged the newly trained operatives to remain disciplined, patriotic and professional while carrying out their assignments, urging them to uphold teamwork and respect for the rule of law.
Oyetola also commended the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Armed Forces, security agencies and international training partners for their roles in strengthening Nigeria’s maritime security capabilities.
Earlier, Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, described the graduation as a strong demonstration of Nigeria’s growing operational readiness and determination to maintain a secure and economically viable maritime environment.
Mobereola revealed that the 492 graduating personnel underwent 33 specialised training programmes across different operational units within the Deep Blue architecture.
The graduating officers include Maritime Security Unit operatives, special mission helicopter pilots and technicians, special mission aircraft pilots, vessel crew members, interceptor boat drivers and mechanics, armoured vehicle personnel, intelligence operators, and unmanned aerial systems operators.
According to him, the personnel received advanced maritime security training in countries including Syria, Italy, Swaziland, Australia and Nigeria, exposing them to international best practices in modern maritime operations.
He also highlighted the growing arsenal of the Deep Blue Project, which includes special mission aircraft and helicopters equipped with maritime surveillance systems, deep-sea patrol vessels, unmanned aerial vehicles, interceptor boats, and armoured coastal patrol vehicles designed for rapid response missions.
The ceremony also featured the commissioning of a new Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Workshop and Training Centre, inspection of operational assets, tactical demonstrations, and the presentation of certificates to the graduating security personnel.
Representatives of the Ministers of Defence, service chiefs and other senior government officials attended the event and delivered goodwill messages in support of Nigeria’s expanding maritime security drive.
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2026-05-24
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