EASTERN NAVAL COMMAND LAUNCHES EXERCISE DIN MINGI, EXPANDS JOINT MARITIME SECURITY PUSH

The Eastern Naval Command has launched one of its most expansive maritime security drills in recent years, flagging off Exercise DIN MINGI on Tuesday, November 18th 2025. The ceremony took place aboard Nigerian Navy Ship SHERE, where the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral C.D. Okehie, signaled the official start of the operation.

Named after the Ibani phrase for Safe Waters, Exercise DIN MINGI reflects a renewed push by the Nigerian Navy to tighten maritime security and protect national economic assets. This year’s theme, Protecting Critical Infrastructure Through Inter-Agency Collaboration, underscores the growing reliance on joint operations to counter crime across Nigeria’s coastal corridor.

The multi-day drill will deploy an impressive lineup of assets including nine naval ships, including NNS SHERE, OJI, EKULU, ZUR, BURUTU, GONGOLA, BADAGRY, OSE and SHIRORO. They will be supported by Nigerian Navy and Air Force helicopters, Epsilon EP55 UAVs and multipurpose assault boats provided by both the Navy and the Army.

Covering the entire Eastern Naval Command’s extensive maritime jurisdiction, the operation will stress-test the fleet’s logistics, tactical response and command-and-control systems under simulated real-world pressures. Scenarios include anti-piracy and anti-hijacking incidents, anti-drug trafficking operations, anti-oil theft and illegal bunkering missions, VBSS procedures and coordinated fleet manoeuvres.

Rear Admiral Okehie, serving as Special Guest of Honour, emphasized that the exercise is a strategic anchor for improving preparedness and sharpening inter-agency alignment. He described the drill as evidence of a shared commitment to secure the nation’s waterways and guarantee the safety of mariners, commercial operators and offshore installations.

The Officer in Tactical Command, Rear Admiral K.O. Oguntuga, urged participating units to operate with precision and discipline, noting that every deployment at sea strengthens teamwork and operational maturity.

The event drew top-tier military leadership and institutional partners, including the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Major General E.E. Emekah; Rear Admiral E.A. Zipelle of the Naval Training Command; Group Captain A.A. Okpaleye of the 115 Special Operations Command and representatives from the Nigerian Police Force, NSCDC, NDLEA and the Nigerian LNG, among others.

The ceremony wrapped up with the formal flag-off, a group photograph, and a briefing from the FOC Eastern Naval Command, setting the stage for days of coordinated security operations offshore.