Maritime Security: NIMASA Receives Last Batch of Mission Helicopters

 Anne Ejuka

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has received a Special Mission Aircraft in the final phase of the delivery and installation of assets under the Deep Blue Project designed to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, received the aircraft, in company with Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and NIMASA’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Chudi Offodile.

Jamoh who had earlier inspected three Special Mission Helicopters at the Naval Base, Apapa; while addressing  journalists at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, during a brief ceremony to mark the arrival of the aircraft said the assets would further improve security on the Nigerian waters.

The Director General revealed that with the deployment of the Deep Blue Project assets, there has been a drastic reduction in the rate of attacks in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) saying the goal is to eliminate entirely such incidents. “There has been a drastic decrease in the rate of security breaches in our waters in recent times. This is a clear indication that we are getting it right with the Deep Blue Project; The figures we are getting from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) are encouraging, we ultimately aim to completely eradicate security hindrances to shipping and business generally in the Nigerian maritime domain" he said.

TheNigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has received a Special Mission Aircraft in the final phase of the delivery and installation of assets under the Deep Blue Project designed to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, received the aircraft, in company with Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and NIMASA’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr. Chudi Offodile.

Jamoh who had earlier inspected three Special Mission Helicopters at the Naval Base, Apapa; while addressing  journalists at the Nigerian Air Force Base, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, during a brief ceremony to mark the arrival of the aircraft said the assets would further improve security on the Nigerian waters.

The Director General revealed that with the deployment of the Deep Blue Project assets, there has been a drastic reduction in the rate of attacks in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) saying the goal is to eliminate entirely such incidents. “There has been a drastic decrease in the rate of security breaches in our waters in recent times. This is a clear indication that we are getting it right with the Deep Blue Project; The figures we are getting from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) are encouraging, we ultimately aim to completely eradicate security hindrances to shipping and business generally in the Nigerian maritime domain" he said.