Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) are set to deploy air assets acquired under the Deep Blue Project, also called the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, domiciled with NIMASA.
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Caption: The Chief of
Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar making a presentation to the
Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Jamoh during a working visit by the NIMASA DG to the
Nigerian Air Force headquarters in Abuja recently.
The
assets are to be deployed by the Nigerian Air Force in support of the Federal
Government’s maritime security effort.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, announced
this when the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, paid a working
visit to the Nigerian Air Force headquarters in Abuja.
A statement by Head, Corporate Communications,
NIMASA, Philip Kyanet noted that the NIMASA DG had requested adequate arrangement to receive and
deploy the two special mission aircraft expected in the country in the next few
months.
While commending the leadership of the Nigerian Air Force for
its commitment to capacity development, Dr. Jamoh noted that NIMASA was
committed to ensuring the success of the Deep Blue Project with adequate
cooperation from all stakeholders. He stated, “We have received two Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and the two special mission aircraft are expected to
arrive in Nigeria before the end of the year. The challenges associated with the
COVID-19 pandemic delayed the special training for the personnel to man these
air assets, but we have found a way around it. We will continue to seek your
partnership to secure the Nigerian maritime domain.”
Dr. Jamoh disclosed
that 17 fast interceptor
boats, 15 armoured vehicles, and two special mission vessels were some of the
land and marine assets already on the ground. He said all hands must be on deck
to secure the country’s maritime environment and change all negative narratives.
Responding,
Air Marshal Abubakar said the NAF had maintained a longstanding cordial
relationship with NIMASA, with an MOU on Maritime Air Surveillance and
Intelligence signed in 2013. He said, though, the MOU had elapsed, the NAF had
continued to play a crucial role in maritime security, working closely with the
Nigerian Navy, and NIMASA.
Air
Marshal Abubakar disclosed that NAF had recently established a Combat
Reconnaissance Group (203 CRG) in Gombe State, primarily, to deal with the
security challenges in the North-East and other parts of the North. He said the
drones that would be deployed with the 203 CRG could be moved to any part of
the country, including coastal locations, especially given the crucial place of
the maritime environment to the survival of the country.
“Indeed,
we are working towards establishing UAV wings in Lagos, Calabar, and Port
Harcourt to support other security agencies in maintaining the security of the
maritime environment,” he stated.
Abubakar
assured the DG that Air Force would do everything in its power to partner with
NIMASA on the Deep Blue Project, saying the Federal Government is doing
everything humanly possible to secure Nigeria and Nigerians.
The
Deep Blue Project, also called the Integrated National Security and Waterways
Protection Infrastructure is a maritime security project, which aims to comprehensively
tackle insecurity in Nigeria’s territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone,
up to the Gulf of Guinea.
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