In a strategic shift to secure Nigeria’s $16.6 billion offshore oil and gas infrastructure and reinforce stability in the Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian Navy on Friday inducted 328 personnel into its newly formed Marine unit.

The elite troops, nicknamed the “Bushmen,” completed six months of intensive training conducted by United States Special Forces, undergoing aerial, amphibious, and ground combat drills across harsh terrains and demanding operational environments.

The induction ceremony, held at Nigerian Navy Town, Ojo, was presided over by the Chief of Defence Staff, Olufemi Oluyede, who described the graduation of the pioneer Marines as a defining moment for Nigeria’s maritime defence posture.

“Nigeria sits at a strategic crossroads in the Gulf of Guinea. The establishment of the Nigerian Navy Marines is a systemic and timely evolution in adapting our strengths to meet contemporary challenges on our shores,” he said.

Oluyede noted that although the Navy maintains presence from inland waterways to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), evolving asymmetric threats, including attacks on oil facilities and maritime crime demand a more integrated combat structure.

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According to him, the Marines will close operational gaps between land and sea, enhance protection of critical national assets, secure coastal communities, and sustain economic activities linked to oil production and maritime trade.

“Your mettle will be tested. Remain tactically innovative and decisive. Uphold teamwork as your shield and discipline as your compass,” he charged the new force.

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Chief of the Naval Staff, Idi Abbas, said the Marines operate under the Navy’s Special Operations Command, created eight months ago to boost precision strikes, counterterrorism efforts, and strategic interdictions.

“The establishment of the Marines reflects the Navy’s strategic vision for an adaptive, modern, and capability-driven force structure. The synergy between the Marines and the Special Boat Service will provide the amphibious depth and precision delivery required across the full spectrum of naval operations,” Abbas said.

He pledged sustained investment in advanced training, modern equipment, and rapid deployment platforms to ensure the new unit delivers “enduring and decisive operational effects.”

Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Marines Training Centre, Commodore Olayinka Aliu, revealed that the unit was formally established on June 1, 2025, as a light infantry and special operations-capable force.

The pioneer Basic Marines Qualifying Course, which began in August 2025, covered physical conditioning, land warfare, amphibious manoeuvres, close-quarters combat, marksmanship, survival skills, and small-team tactics.

“To achieve this, the training regimes under Command Oversight have 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, aimed at producing Marines who are physically robust, tactically versatile, and mentally resilient,” he stated.