The Nigerian Navy has inaugurated 30 Nigerian-built gunboats as well as 45 operational vehicles in Lagos, to intensify the fight against vandals and militants in the country.

The Minister of State for Defence, Mohammad Dan-Ali who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary, Danjuma Sheni said the boats possess anti-ballistic protection and weapons.

He also said the boats were constructed by a company in PortHarcourt, Nigeria.

“The country’s security challenges have continued to demand a great deal of human and material resources to surmount, which in the light of dwindling revenue would be sustainable only with generous innovations and incorporation of home grown solutions,” Dan-Ali said.

“I am hopeful that the boats being launched today would further boost the ongoing patrol efforts in the various rivers and creeks of the country to the immense benefit of the nation’s maritime security,” the minister said.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas, said the Epenal boats were an improvement on 30 others unveiled in Port Harcourt in February.

“These boats no doubt, have boosted navy maritime operations. However, as part of the efforts to continue to achieve unchallenged dominance of our maritime environment, the navy within a space of six months has launched another 39 specially built patrol boats into her fleet.

“These efforts, both then and now, represent navy’s modest contribution to enhance national security and prosperity.

“Of the 39 boats launched, nine were acquired from Sri Lanka and would be greatly helpful for patrol of territorial waters and the contiguous zone,” said the naval chief.

Ete-Ibas said  the navy was looking inwards in the production of the nation’s naval hardware.

“The mounting operational challenges in the face of progressively dwindling economy necessitated the navy to explore more cost saving options through local construction of these patrol boats.

“The cost of production of a unit of the boat is less than half the cost of producing similar boats from overseas. “These boats retained all positive features of the previous set including being fitted with appropriate weapons for credible firepower,” Ete-Ibas said.

He added that, “They are also expected to present a better sea-keeping ability with a wide margin for the many corrections applied to the design concept of Lot 1, through series of stage trials in the production cycle.

“I can say we are gradually but steadily moving towards the saturation of the nation’s backwaters with patrol boats for improved security of our maritime domain,” Ete-Ibas said