The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has taken delivery of additional mobile assets for enhanced maritime security under the banner of its Deep Blue Project. The main objective of the project is to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea. The Project has three categories of platforms to tackle maritime security on land, sea, and air.

Two unmanned aircraft systems, nine interceptor patrol boats and 10 armored vehicles have been added to the existing assets earlier procured by the Nigerian Federal Government and commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari .

Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director General of NIMASA, thanked President Buhari for his sustained support in the fight against sea piracy and other maritime crimes and said the additional equipment will improve on the gains recorded in securing the Gulf of Guinea and Nigerian maritime domain.

Jamoh also described the recently held Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum in Abuja as a success in rallying international support in the suppression of maritime insecurity. He recommended Nigeria’s Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offenses (SPOMO) Act to support maritime law enforcement and said other countries are considering replicating it.

In addition to the new acquisitions, NIMASA’s assets include the Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence Center (C4i) for intelligence gathering and data collection, 600 specially trained troops for interdiction, special mission vessels, fast interceptor boats, and surveillance and rescue aircraft.