The Acting Fleet Commander, Western Naval Command and Commander Deep Blue Project, Commodore Victor Choji made the declaration, during a working visit by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mohammed Abdullahi to the Management of NIMASA.
He added that the Nigerian Navy under the leadership of the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla is fully committed to the success of the Deep Blue Project.During the interactive session, he said,
Speaking further, he said the project team deployed 10 more vehicles there, in addition to a drone unit in Bonny and some personnel.
He also hinted that during the last general elections in the country, the mere presence of deep blue assets alone in those locations provided the needed inference that was required.
On his part, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, OFR, restated the Agency’s commitment to a robust relationship with the Nigerian Navy towards the economic development of the country.
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He also noted that the Agency is in constant liaison with the National Assembly to ensure an update of the nation’s maritime laws with particular reference to the Merchant Shipping Act to guarantee adequate punitive measures are in the law to deter criminalities on Nigerian waters.
While commending the Nigerian Navy for their efforts in tracking erring vessels, which switched off their Automatic Identification System, AIS in Nigerian waters, Dr Jamoh called for improved synergy amongst all organs of Government in the maritime sector.
Particularly, the Nigerian Navy and the marine arm of the Nigerian Police to quickly tackle head on; pockets of recent criminalities in the Lagos anchorage and inland waters.Earlier in his remarks, the FOC who reiterated that the Agency is his first point of call since he assumed duty as the FOC Western Naval Command, which underscores the importance the Nigerian Navy pays to her relationship with NIMASA.
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He also used the opportunity to pledge the continuous support of the Command to the Agency, while they look forward to more cooperation in the coming years, for the overall good of the nation.
