Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the acting Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, have agreed to strengthen coordinated operations in the country’s coastal and inland waterways. 
 
Both leaders highlighted the growing strategic importance of the maritime domain to national prosperity, noting that enhanced security and surveillance are essential to protecting the waterways and other critical assets.
   
These were the discussions yesterday when the minister received the IGP in Abuja.
 
In a statement by Special Adviser to the minister, Dr Bolaji Akinola, both leaders focused on deepening institutional collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Nigeria Police Force.
 
Oyetola described the visit as timely, stressing that inter-agency synergy remains central to the Federal Government’s blue economy agenda. 
 
He said the ministry was committed to working closely with law enforcement and security institutions to ensure that Nigeria’s waters remain safe, secure and conducive to investment and sustainable use. 
 
He congratulated Disu on his appointment as the IGP, describing it as well-deserved and expressing confidence in his capacity to deliver effective leadership for the nation’s police. 
 
Disu, on his part, reaffirmed the NPF’s readiness to strengthen its operational support for maritime security initiatives, including intelligence-led policing, patrols and enhanced enforcement against criminal activities on the waterways. 
 
He also thanked the minister for the goodwill and reaffirmed his readiness to work collaboratively with all ministries and agencies whose mandates intersect with national security and economic development.
   
He said the NPF would continue to support strategic sectors, including the maritime domain, through intelligence-led operations and partnerships.
 
Both stakeholders agreed to sustain regular strategic dialogue and operational coordination mechanisms aimed at improving surveillance coverage, response capacity and information-sharing across agencies operating within Nigeria’s marine and coastal environments.