Nigerian Navy deploys 15 warships, 3 surveillance helicopters to boost oil production in Niger Delta   

Nigerian Navy has deployed 15 warships and three helicopters for this year’s Chief of Naval Staff sea exercise aimed at curbing maritime threats and improving security in the Gulf of Guinea. The exercise will showcase the navy’s ability to protect the maritime environment for national economic prosperity as well as its preparedness to support existing domestic and regional maritime security initiatives. This year’s Annual Sea Inspection is nicknamed exercise ‘DEIN ABAJI’ which means ‘Calm Waters’ in Kalabari language, an oil producing community in Rivers State.
 Giving insight into this development at the flag off ceremony in Onne, Rivers State on Sunday,  the Chief  of Naval  Staff,  Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, vowed to  continue to intensify  efforts that would ensure increased crude oil productions, stating that  there is rise in oil productions.
Ogalla said, during the exercise, the navy would  leverage cooperation of maritime stakeholders through information sharing in order to strengthen its collective capabilities of achieving national security objectives. “I am confident that the exercise will positively impact on our readiness for combat operations and expose other maritime agencies to the benefits of interagency cooperation”. He said that the Nigerian Navy maritime security operations have led to significant improvements in legitimate shipping activities due to reduction of crimes in Nigerian waters. “There has also been a rise in oil production as several companies have reported 100 per cent terminal factor. In collaboration with relevant agencies, we will continue to make efforts to ensure increased crude oil production” Ogalla commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unflinching support to the Nigerian Navy, the  Minister of Defence and Minister of State for Defence for their guidance and support to the Navy  and also, applauded  the Rivers State  Governor ,Siminalayi Fubara for his support. 
 Earlier,  the flag officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Saheed Akinwande, said, the Eastern Naval Command, was saddled with the hosting of this year’s Chief of the Naval Staff Annual Inspection, stating that other naval commands have been working tirelessly to ensure the security and safety of the maritime domain. “In the next few days, we will conduct series of evolutions, namely Anti-Piracy and Anti-COT Operations, Fleet Manoeuvers/Emergency Drills, as well as Amphibious Raid Exercises, amongst others” He expressed confident that the outcome will be fruitful and enhance collective efforts to protect Nigeria’s maritime interests. “This inspection will afford the Nigerian Navy the opportunity to exercise her ships and demonstrate its capabilities, showcasing our operational readiness and preparedness to respond and neutralize activities of criminal elements within our maritime domain for shipping and economic activities to thrive” the Eastern Command, FOC said.