- Exercise OMI AILEWU launched to boost maritime security and protect critical national infrastructure.
- Rear Admiral Mustapha says the Navy is “battle-ready to safeguarding lives and property.”
- Simulation involved air-and-sea Special Forces rescue to test rapid-response capability.
The Nigerian Navy has reaffirmed its commitment to national security and economic diversification with the launch of Exercise OMI AILEWU (Calm Waters), a high-intensity operational drill designed to strengthen maritime security and protect critical infrastructure within Nigeria’s coastal corridor.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the exercise, held at the Dangote Quays Free Zone Enterprise, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lekki temporary site in Ibeju-Lekki, showcased the Navy’s readiness to support the Federal Government’s blue economy agenda.
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According to naval authorities, the operation aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic vision, particularly in safeguarding assets that drive energy and industrial growth.
Declaring the exercise open on Thursday, 27th November 2025, the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abubakar Abdullahi Mustapha, emphasized the Navy’s unwavering preparedness.
“Our men are battle-ready to safeguarding lives and property,” he said, noting that the operation began with anti-smuggling and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing drills.
Rear Admiral Mustapha described the exercise as a direct implementation of the directive from the Chief of Naval Staff, who ordered intensified operations against maritime criminality.
“You cannot combat criminality without training and testing the proficiency of men and equipment,” he explained. He added that Exercise OMI AILEWU was designed “to protect critical national infrastructure” through simulated responses to multiple security threats.
Intelligence-based scenarios formed a major part of the exercise, including a simulated takeover of the Dangote Refinery facility by armed criminal elements.
The Navy executed a coordinated counter-assault involving sea and air insertion of Special Forces.
“Insert special forces on sea and air to clearly and surgically free them. You can see the precision, preemptiveness and the proficiency of the men,” Mustapha stated.
He added that such drills build confidence because “training is the best welfare you can give a military personnel.”
Highlighting the economic relevance of the Dangote facility, the FOC said:
“This facility for instance is a national pride, our objective is to support Mr President’s aspiration of economic diversification and energy and food security through the blue economy.”
He outlined his operational strategy anchored on four pillars: “detection, disruption, denial and deterring of any activity in our waterways.”
Rear Admiral Mustapha also stressed robust interagency collaboration.
“We cannot do this alone, we’re gonna hand over the case of narcotics to NDLEA and the case of this terrorist we hand it over to the appropriate authority,” he said.
He commended communities for providing timely intelligence and underscored their central role in sustaining security.
“The community is the center of gravity. If you have intelligence from the community you be able to address crimes,” he noted.
He reinforced the Navy’s civil-military cooperation approach, echoing the Chief of Naval Staff’s message that “we need the community and the community also needs us.”
Appreciating the media for its role in public engagement, he added:
“The media has a critical role to really play: encourage our heroes who are putting their lives in arms way in order to give us the freedom to do what we do.”
The simulation phase of Exercise OMI AILEWU featured a joint air-and-sea manoeuvre to rescue hostages from a mock enemy stronghold. Special Boat Service operatives executed a swift surgical insertion using helicopters and high-speed naval craft, culminating in the successful extraction of all hostages.
Designed to run for three days, the exercise focuses on enhancing operational efficiency in anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, emergency response, and protection of national maritime assets.
Senior officers present included Rear Admiral Dacosta (Rtd), Commander of FOB Epe; Captain S.O. Ohunenese, Commanding Officer FOB Lekki; Commander B.C. Bulus, as well as key officials of Dangote Petrochemicals, including Capt. Rana and Mr. Miguel.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its unwavering commitment to securing Nigeria’s maritime environment as a foundation for national stability and sustainable economic growth.
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