The Nigerian Navy has arrested 30 crew members and intercepted three vessels in a sweeping crackdown on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
The arrests were the culmination of a three-day joint fisheries protection initiative dubbed Exercise Coastal Grip II and Operation ABO EJA.
The operation mobilised naval ships, helicopters, Special Boat Service personnel, and regulatory experts to secure the country’s marine resources against severe economic exploitation.
A Threat to the Blue Economy
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Friday, the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Abdullahi Mustapha, stated that the operation sends a definitive message: Nigeria’s waters will no longer be heavily exploited with impunity.
Representing the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, Mustapha highlighted the transnational nature of the crime, noting that the arrested crew comprised both Nigerians and foreign nationals.
The economic stakes for Nigeria are high
The country imports more than 70 per cent of its fish requirements. Mustapha warned that the continuous depletion of local fish stocks through illegal harvesting threatens to worsen this import dependency, severely impacting government revenue, food security, and the livelihoods of coastal communities.
Operation ABO EJA—which translates to “fisheries protection” in Yoruba—brought together the Nigerian Navy, the Federal Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (FDFA), and the Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC).
Government Demands Compliance
Usman Garba, representing the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, restated the Federal Government’s commitment to sustainable fisheries governance. He warned that IUU fishing, marine pollution, and habitat destruction continually deprive the nation of critical economic resources.
Garba also took the opportunity to address public scepticism, dismissing social media claims that suspected illegal operators are routinely released without consequence. He challenged accusers to provide verifiable evidence rather than spreading unsubstantiated rumours.
Beyond maritime arrests, the operation targeted environmental threats, with Garba warning that plastic waste and other pollutants are devastating aquatic ecosystems.
As Operation ABO EJA closes, the Navy has pledged sustained surveillance and deeper regional cooperation across the Gulf of Guinea to ensure that the nation’s blue economy remains safe, sustainable, and profitable for legitimate industry operators.
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