Fed Govt to tackle waterway’s criminalities with Deep Blue project

Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi has reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to rid the the nation’s territorial waters of criminalities through the integrated security and waterways protection infrastructure, otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project.

Amaechi dropped the hint in Lagos during the graduation for participants of the C4I Intelligence System Operator Course for the Deep Blue Project.

The event was attended by the top echelons of the Nigerian Armed Forces, led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Gabriel Olonisakin represented by Rear Admiral A. Akinrinade.

Amaechi stated that the 853-kilometre long Nigeria coastline and the country’s location in the Gulf of Guinea made it strategic for both maritime activities and security issues.

Represented by the Director, Maritime Safety and Security, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dajuma Dauda, the minister said: “The length of our coastline, our exclusive economic zone, as well as our strategic location on a major shipping route, which is the Gulf of Guinea, means that we cannot afford illegalities, such as piracy, oil theft, sea robbery, and other crimes.

“The Deep Blue Project is a conscious effort towards addressing illegality in our territorial waters and, indeed, the Gulf of Guinea.”

In his welcome address, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the Deep Blue Project would drastically reduce criminalities in the Gulf of Guinea.