From left: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON and the Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu, during a visit by the IGP to the Minister IGP in Abuja recently.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, on Thursday played host to the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, in his office in Abuja, saying there was need for institutional collaboration between both organisations.

Dr. Oyetola congratulated Disu on his appointment as the Inspector General of Police, describing it as well deserved and also expressed confidence in his capacity to deliver effective leadership for the Nigeria Police.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister, Dr. Bolaji Akinola , discussions at the meeting focused on deepening institutional collaboration between the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and the Nigeria Police Force, with particular emphasis on strengthening coordinated operations in the country’s coastal and inland waterways.

It was gathered that 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.

Dr. 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.

“I warmly congratulate you on your appointment as Inspector-General of Police,” the minister said. “Your track record of professionalism and service inspires confidence that you will perform excellently in this office and further strengthen the security architecture of our country.

“The maritime sector holds enormous promise for economic diversification and job creation. To unlock its full potential, we must guarantee safety and order across our waterways through seamless cooperation among all relevant agencies”, the Minister said.

The IGP in turn thanked the Minister for the goodwill and reaffirmed the readiness of the Police Force under his watch to work collaboratively with all ministries and agencies, whose mandates intersect with national security and economic development.

He noted that the Nigeria Police Force would continue to support strategic sectors, including the maritime domain, through intelligence-led operations and partnerships.

“I wish to reaffirm the commitment and readiness of the Nigeria Police Force under my watch to strengthen its operational support for maritime security initiatives, including intelligence-led policing, patrols and enhanced enforcement against criminal activities on the waterways”, the IGP said.

A highpoint of the meeting was an oral agreement by both parties 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.