The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Police Force have renewed their commitment to closer collaboration as the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Maritime, Chinedu Oko and Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police (Western) Command, CP Toyin Agbaminoja have met with NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, in Lagos to push for deeper security integration across the nation’s maritime domain.
The delegation met with the management of NIMASA on Monday at the Agency’s headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, in what both parties described as a renewed commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s maritime security ecosystem.
The visit comes at a time when Nigeria’s port corridors and coastal environment continue to witness increasing commercial activities, requiring tighter security coordination, improved intelligence sharing, and enhanced operational efficiency among stakeholders.
AIG Oko stressed that policing the maritime environment demands a harmonized structure involving regulators, security agencies, and port operators. He praised NIMASA’s role in advancing maritime safety and highlighted the Deep Blue Project as a critical investment that has repositioned Nigeria in regional maritime security conversations.
CP Agbaminoja, whose Command oversees security across major Western ports including Apapa, Tin Can Island, Lekki Deep Sea Port, Kirikiri and Ikorodu Lighter Terminals, said the police remain ready to close operational gaps and reinforce patrol efforts up to 12 nautical miles offshore. She emphasized that strengthened collaboration with NIMASA would help reduce criminal activities, boost trade, and guarantee the safety of port users.
In response, Dr. Mobereola described the police visit as a strategic step toward advancing inter-agency synergy. He noted that NIMASA’s mandate thrives on partnerships, particularly in areas such as joint operations, maritime domain awareness, information exchange, and capacity enhancement.
He reiterated that maritime security is a foundation for Nigeria’s economic competitiveness, especially as the country seeks to increase shipping activities and enhance investor confidence.
Both agencies agreed to maintain continuous engagement and align their operations to ensure safer ports, improved trade facilitation, and stronger national maritime security.
