PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI LAUNCHES NATIONAL SECURITY AND WATERWAYS PROTECTION PROJECT IN LAGOS STATE.

The Chairman Governing Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency (NIMASA), Rt. Hon. Asita Honourable participate at the official launch of assets under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also known as the Deep Blue Project in Lagos.

The project, commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari with the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon Chibuike R Amaechi as Chief Host, is the first integrated maritime security strategy in West and Central Africa with the aim of tackling the incidences of piracy, sea robbery, and other crimes at sea and it is Nigeria's boldest statement ever to secure our waters.

The main objective of the Deep Blue Project which was jointly initiated by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Defence, and being implemented by NIMASA 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.

The land assets include the Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence Centre (C4i) for intelligence gathering and data collection; 16 armoured vehicles for coastal patrol; and 600 specially trained troops for interdiction, known as Maritime Security Unit comprising personnel from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police, and Department of State Services. The sea assets include two Special Mission Vessels and 17 Fast Interceptor Boats. The air assets comprise two Special Mission Aircraft for surveillance of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); three Special Mission Helicopters for search and rescue operations; and four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

Thursday, June 10, 2021.

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