The Nigerian Navy has commenced its annual sea inspection exercise aimed at strengthening maritime security and enhancing the operational readiness of its personnel.

The exercise, conducted by the Eastern Naval Command and codenamed Exercise DIN MINGI (“Safe Waters” in Ibani), was officially flagged off by the Fleet Commander, Rear Admiral Chiedozie Donald Okehie, aboard NNS SHERE at the Navy Jetty, Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT) Onne, in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Rear Admiral Okehie said the exercise aligns with the Command’s four strategic pillars—Professionalism, Operational Readiness, Welfare, and Inter-agency Collaboration—with this year’s theme focused on protecting critical infrastructure through strengthened partnerships.

The two-day operation, which kicked off on Tuesday and ends Wednesday, November 19, involves nine naval ships of various classes, three helicopters, an Epsilon EP55 UAV, and several multipurpose assault boats drawn from the Nigerian Navy, Army, and Air Force.

According to the Fleet Commander, these assets demonstrate the Navy’s combat preparedness to secure Nigeria’s maritime domain and safeguard vital economic infrastructure.

A key component of the exercise includes an opposed boarding drill on a simulated hijacked Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessel—an operation designed to test specialized skills needed to neutralise threats while maintaining vessel safety and structural integrity.

Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are also on board to help identify psychoactive substances on suspected vessels, reinforcing the exercise’s inter-agency collaboration focus.

Rear Admiral Okehie emphasized that the exercise is intended to assess the Eastern Fleet’s operational readiness, enhance joint operations, and deny criminal elements freedom of action in Nigeria’s waters.

Reflecting on past exercises, he noted that such operations significantly improve the Navy’s capacity to respond to real-time maritime threats while strengthening cooperation among security agencies.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, to maintaining a highly motivated and professional naval force capable of securing the nation’s maritime interests.

The Command also highlighted its achievements in recent months, including arrests of vessels involved in illegal activities and other successes that have improved maritime security in support of the Federal Government’s Blue Economy agenda.

Rear Admiral Okehie assured that all participating units will uphold the highest standards of professionalism, adhering strictly to Rules of Engagement (ROE) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) throughout the operation.