Maritime Security: AIG Okunade Meets FOC, Western Naval Command on Ways to Combat Menace at Nation’s Seaports
By Raheem Ibrahim
As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen inter-agency collaboration and enhance security within Nigeria’s maritime domain, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Maritime Police Command, AIG Okunade Ronke Nurat, has paid a strategic courtesy visit to the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral A. A. Mustapha.
The visit, which took place at the headquarters of the Western Naval Command, provided a platform for both commands to reaffirm their shared commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s coastal and inland waterways through deliberate coordination, intelligence sharing, and joint operational strategies.
Speaking during the meeting, AIG Okunade emphasised that the security of the maritime environment remains a collective responsibility, noting that sustained synergy between both commands is crucial for national security.
She also acknowledged the Nigerian Navy’s leading role in securing the nation’s territorial waters, while reiterating the complementary mandate of the Maritime Police Command in maintaining law and order within inland waterways and coastal communities.
In his response, the FOC, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral A. A. Mustapha, who warmly received the delegation, commended the AIG for her proactive approach to fostering collaboration. He reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to sustained partnership with the Nigeria Police Force in addressing maritime security challenges.
During the deliberations, both teams identified key areas of cooperation, including the intensification of coordinated patrol operations across Lagos waterways and adjoining creeks, the development of a unified response framework for maritime emergencies, and enhanced capacity building through joint exercises.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the Maritime Police Command Headquarters Annex, ASP Adebayo Rasheed Adedayo, the visit concluded with a renewed commitment by both commands to deepen collaboration in the collective interest of national security, as well as the protection of lives and property within Nigeria’s maritime domain. The meeting also featured an exchange of souvenirs.
