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By Godwin Chukwumaechi, Port Harcourt
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has said that Nigeria is no longer in the piracy hot list of the international maritime community.
He made this known on Thursday at the 2024 Graduation Ceremony of the Advanced Combat Training Programme for the Maritime Security Unit of the Deep Blue Project at 5 Battalion Nigeria Army, Elele Barrack, Rivers State.
He said the delisting was as a result of the success of the Deep Blue Project, which he announced had received global acknowledgement adding that if “significance is the zero piracy incidence in our waters in the last two years”
The NIMASA boss also announced that the United States recently increased Nigeria’s continental shelf, “this means Nigeria, through its armed forces and the Deep Blue Project has more areas to make secure and safe to harness the blue economy.
“We are therefore determined to expand the coverage of the security and safety of continental shelf to increase the contribution of the blue economy to the GDP of the nation”.
The Deep Blue Project was designed for specific goals, each is vital to the safety and security in the Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as well as for the country’s economy.
The objectives of the Deep Blue Project includes: a true and real time presentation of an integrated maritime situation picture of the Nigerian waters, creation of quality targets for operation based on Intelligence, prevention of illegal activity in the Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), enforcement of maritime regulations, enhancing the safety of lives and property at the maritime environment, prevention of illegal activities in the sea and the inland waterways and enhancing the enforcement capabilities of NIMASA to generate revenue.
In his address, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, noted that the event was not just a graduation ceremony but also a testament of hard work, dedication and commitment to securing the nation’s maritime domain. He reminded the graduates that they have the responsibilities of safeguarding the waters and ensuring that they remained safe, secure and free from all forms of threats.
Also speaking, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola explained that the extension of the continental shelf from 200 to 300 kilometres has widened the country’s collective responsibility of ensuring that “we harness our vast potentials that our waters, that we contribute to protect our marine resources against potential threat”.
He said; “Since the full deployment of the Deep blue project platform and asset in 2021, within the Nigerian continental shelf, maritime security has been significantly enhanced, the project has contributed immensely to the significant reduction in piracy and maritime threats, enhancing safety and security in the maritime space.
“Sequel to this intervention of this international Maritime Bureau has moved Nigeria from piracy list. The achievement of zero piracy incidence in Nigerian water in 2022 is quite commendable.
“We are committed to sustaining this, we commend all the key major players. It should be noted that the United Nations security Council acknowledged the progress made by Nigeria in maritime security with reference to the contribution of the Deep blue project.
“Let me assure you all of that the President who have demonstrated unwavering support, is resolute and his committed to sustaining this momentum in the leadership and vision are instrumental”.
Some of the dignitaries dignitaries present at the occasion were: the Chief of Army Staff, represented by the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, the Chief of Naval Staff represented by the Flag Officer Command, Eastern Naval Commanding, Rear Admiral S.A Akinwande, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun represented by the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, Olatunji Disu.