The Federal Government has announced plans to extend the Deep Blue Project to the volatile Bakassi axis and other vulnerable maritime corridors as part of a renewed effort to tighten security across Nigeria's coastal waters. Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, disclosed this on Thursday at the graduation ceremony of 492 Advanced Combat Personnel under the Deep Blue Project at the 5 Battalion Army Barracks, Elele, Rivers State.
Expansion to Strategic Coastal Locations
The minister stated that the expansion would cover strategic coastal locations, including Bakassi Peninsula, Igbokoda, and other identified high-risk maritime routes. This move aims to consolidate gains already achieved under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, popularly known as the Deep Blue Project. According to Oyetola, the ministry is currently reviewing strategic frameworks to strengthen maritime surveillance, operational response, and asset deployment in vulnerable coastal communities.
He said, '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.'
Impact on Maritime Crimes
The minister noted that the initiative would further curb maritime crimes, improve maintenance systems, and boost the operational efficiency of security assets deployed across Nigeria's territorial waters. He revealed that Nigeria had recorded zero piracy incidents within its territorial waters over the past four years, while piracy across the Gulf of Guinea had dropped by over 70 per cent within the same period. This success is attributed to sustained collaboration among security agencies and the implementation of the Deep Blue Project.
Oyetola recalled that before the launch of the initiative in 2021, the Gulf of Guinea ranked among the world's most dangerous maritime corridors, accounting for nearly 45 per cent of global piracy incidents and over 90 per cent of crew kidnappings at sea at its peak. The Deep Blue Project has transformed Nigeria's maritime security framework through the deployment of integrated air, land, and sea assets backed by advanced surveillance systems and rapid response capabilities.
Economic Implications
The minister linked the improved maritime security environment to the Federal Government's broader economic agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing that secure waterways remained critical to trade, investment, and national economic growth. He urged the graduating personnel to uphold professionalism, discipline, patriotism, and respect for the rule of law in carrying out their duties. He also commended the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Armed Forces, and other security partners for sustaining the initiative.
Graduation Ceremony Highlights
Earlier, Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, described the graduation ceremony as a strong signal of Nigeria's operational preparedness and commitment to a secure maritime environment. He disclosed that the 492 personnel completed 33 specialised training programmes across various operational units under the Deep Blue architecture. The graduating officers included 232 Maritime Security Unit operatives, pilots, vessel crew members, interceptor boat drivers and mechanics, aircraft technicians, C4I operators, and unmanned aerial systems operators.
According to him, the personnel underwent advanced maritime security training in countries including Syria, Italy, Swaziland, Australia, and Nigeria. He listed key Deep Blue operational assets to include special mission aircraft and helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, special mission vessels, interceptor boats, and armoured coastal patrol vehicles designed for intelligence gathering and rapid maritime response.
