NIMASA Graduates 492 Advanced Combat Personnel, As Deep Blue Project Builds Operational Muscle
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Thursday graduated 492 advanced combat personnel trained to operate within the Deep Blue Project, underscoring a major boost to the country’s maritime security capabilities.
The graduation ceremony, held at the 5th Battalion Army Barracks in Elele, Rivers State, marked the completion of 33 specialised training programmes for cadres across multiple operational units.
According to a statement, NIMASA Director-General Dr. Dayo Mobereola said the cohort includes 232 Maritime Security Unit operatives, 62 interceptor boat drivers, 49 special mission vessel crew members, 52 C4I operators, 10 VTOL unmanned aerial systems operators, and specialists such as armoured vehicle drivers and mechanics, helicopter and aircraft pilots and technicians.
Mobereola noted that many trainees received advanced instruction abroad and at home, exposing them to international best practices in maritime security operations.
He described the graduation as a demonstration of Nigeria’s operational readiness and institutional resilience to protect its waters and sustain a safe, economically viable maritime environment.
The personnel will be deployed across the Deep Blue architecture, which already fields assets including special mission aircraft and helicopters, special mission vessels, unmanned aerial vehicles, fast interceptor boats, and armoured coastal patrol vehicles.
He said, their training is intended to sharpen rapid response, surveillance, and interdiction capabilities across Nigeria’s coastal and offshore zones.
Federal Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, who attended the ceremony, pledged to expand the Deep Blue Project into additional vulnerable corridors — including Bakassi Peninsula and Igbokoda — to consolidate gains and maintain full operational readiness of maritime security assets.
He credited the initiative for contributing to a reported four-year period without piracy incidents in Nigeria’s territorial waters and a more than 70% decline in piracy across the Gulf of Guinea.
Oyetola urged the new graduates to uphold professionalism, teamwork and respect for the rule of law as they assume duties safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain.
He also praised NIMASA, the Armed Forces, partnering security agencies and training partners for their roles in building the project’s capacity.
The event featured the commissioning of a UAV Workshop and Training Centre, inspection of Deep Blue assets, tactical demonstrations, and the presentation of certificates to the graduating personnel. Representatives of defence leadership and service chiefs delivered goodwill messages.