The Nigerian Navy has deployed a 326-member Marine Force to protect $16.6 billion offshore oil and gas investments in the Niger Delta.

The highly trained Navy Marines with aerial, ground and amphibious abilities, will also be deployed to strengthen internal security especially in riverines and hinterlands.

Unveiling the special force, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, described its emergence as a defining moment in Nigeria’s maritime security architecture.

He urged the marines to remain focused and committed, warning that they would face adaptive and unconventional threats.

“You have undergone rigorous physical conditioning, mental resilience training and advanced tactical exercises aligned with Special Forces Tier 2 standards.

“The adversities you will face will test your mettle and strain your resolve. Remain intellectually agile, tactically innovative and decisive. Let your conduct reflect integrity, professionalism and patriotism,” he said.

Oluyede noted that Nigeria occupies a strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea, a hub of maritime commerce linked to vital oil and gas resources.

He said the new force would enhance stability in the maritime domain and safeguard national economic interests.

He also stressed the importance of collaboration with other security agencies, maritime stakeholders and coastal communities to improve security and boost public confidence.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, said the Nigerian Navy Marines was established on June 1, 2025, with training of the first batch commencing on August 14, 2025.

After six months of Special Operations Tier 2 training, the force is now ready for deployment, he added.

Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Marines Training Centre, Commodore Olayinka Aliyu, said the unit was designed as a combat-ready force capable of operating across maritime, riverine, littoral and inland environments.

He said the training covered endurance, amphibious manoeuvres, marksmanship, close-quarters battle, survival skills, small-team tactics and multi-domain operations, including land and jungle warfare exercises in Ogun State.

“To achieve this, the training regimes under Command Oversight has been deliberately structured to be rigorous, intensive, and comprehensive, covering endurance, amphibious maneuvers, marksmanship, close-quarters battle, survival skills, small-team tactics, and multi-domain integration.

“The land and jungle warfare phase, which took place at Oode Ogun State, was aimed at producing Marines who are physically robust, tactically versatile, and mentally resilient” he stated. (Daily Trust)