The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has dismissed calls for the creation of a separate coast guard, saying such a move would be unnecessary and counterproductive.
Speaking during his Senate screening, Abbas said the Nigerian Navy already performs the duties of a coast guard and that setting up another agency would amount to duplicating functions.
“We don’t need a separate Coast Guard because the Nigerian Navy already performs those functions. Creating another agency would only duplicate efforts. It’s better to channel those funds toward boosting naval operations,” he told the lawmakers.
He disclosed that the Navy had recently established a Special Operations Command in Makurdi, Benue State, to strengthen security along inland waterways linking Benue and Lokoja, as part of efforts to secure the country’s internal maritime routes.
The naval chief-designate also outlined plans to integrate advanced technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence (AI) into naval operations to combat oil theft, piracy, and other maritime crimes.
According to him, the use of technology will modernise naval surveillance, cut fuel costs, and enhance operational efficiency in hard-to-reach areas, particularly in the Niger Delta and coastal regions.
“We will incorporate more technology, including the use of drones, to tackle maritime crime,” he said. “A lot of resources are currently wasted fueling boats to reach remote areas. Technology will help us respond faster and more effectively.”
Abbas explained that traditional fuel-heavy patrols would be complemented by digital and remote surveillance systems to create a smarter, faster, and more cost-effective security framework.
He noted that AI-driven tools and drone surveillance would help detect and prevent oil theft, illegal bunkering, and other economic crimes, thereby plugging financial leakages in the petroleum sector.
“Some of our patrols do not yield expected results because of the nature of the terrain, and resources are often wasted on fuel. Using drones will allow us to monitor these areas more effectively,” he said.
Responding to a question from Senator Olamilekan Solomon, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Abbas said most oil theft occurs in difficult-to-access creeks and coastal areas. He added that while individual thefts may seem small, their cumulative impact is significant.
He revealed that the Navy had made progress in curbing the use of offshore tankers for transporting stolen crude and was implementing digital tracking systems to monitor suspicious vessel movements.
Abbas also commented on the military’s deradicalisation programme for repentant criminals, describing it as commendable but urging that empathy be extended to victims’ families.
“Deradicalising repentant criminals is a good idea, but we must also think of the moral burden. Families who lost loved ones to these criminals should be consulted before amnesty is granted,” he said.
He reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to its Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy, a framework addressing the full range of maritime security challenges, from piracy and oil theft to smuggling and kidnapping.
“The challenges we face cannot be solved by the military alone,” Abbas concluded. “It requires a whole-of-society approach. We must synergise across the armed forces and with civil institutions to make Nigeria safer.”
