We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
By Oludare Richards
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union (EU) have committed €155 million (about $173 million) to address issues associated with maritime insecurity and related clandestine networks of dirty money in West Africa.
The ECOWAS Commission targets the insecurity situation in the Gulf of Guinea, which it said had adverse effect on the health and economic indices of ECOWAS member states.
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Source: guardian.ng
by Tajudeen Adebanjo and Yewande Fasan
The Nigerian Navy has said it arrested nine foreign nationals alongside two boats and seven trucks over alleged stolen Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS) around the Atlas Cove area of Lagos.
The Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT, Commodore Ibrahim Shettima said this while briefing reporters at the command in Apapa, Lagos.
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Source: thenationonlineng.net
Media in Togo report that a group of eight pirates attacked a ship off the country on the night of Saturday 11th.
The Togolese minister of Security and Civil Protection, Yark Damehame, named the ship involved in as the G-DONA 1, a Togolese vessel with a crew of seven. The report states that eight armed pirates in a ‘canoe’ approached and boarded the vessel. When the Navy operations room observed the vessel’s erratic movements and were unable to contact her, they deployed a naval team to investigate.
They boarded the vessel and arrested eight suspected pirates (six Nigerian and two Togolese citizens), who they handed over to the Maritime Gendarmerie for further investigation. The G-DONA 1 was escorted to Lomé.
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s dusk-to-dawn sea curfew which ends today (May 10) will be extended for another two weeks until May 26 (Sunday), says Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah.
He said the extension of the 6pm-to-6am curfew was needed due to continuous threats from cross-border criminals, including from kidnap-for-ransom groups.
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Source: thestar.com.my
Royal Marines and Royal Navy specialists have been showing Kenyan security forces how to improve their ability to fight piracy, illegal fishing and drugs trafficking.
Specialists from 1 Assault Group Royal Marines’ Board and Search School and landing craftsmen from 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group travelled to Mombasa – Kenya’s second-largest city and one of Africa’s biggest trading hubs – to deliver training and share expertise.
The contingent, made up of Royal Marines and Royal Navy ranks, were part of the Tri-Service British Peace Support Team, an organisation that aims to aid United Nations and African Union Peace Support Operations.
The training group sought to understand the current situation that is impacting Kenya’s economy and create a coherent strategy for the future as they look to shore up security in the Indian Ocean port.
The training aimed to help Kenyan security forces become better equipped to deal with the threats they face and develop a clear plan to continue protecting their waters.
The majority of Kenyan trade comes through Mombasa and shutting down criminal activity is a priority for the country’s security forces.
Around 30 personnel from a variety of Kenyan agencies came to train and learn how to conduct successful board and search of suspicious vessels.
The first part of the training consisted of classroom-based sessions on board and search operations at sea, before phase two saw coastguard, police and port authority teams work together to practise their new skills in the water.
The training included an opening and closing ceremony attended by high ranking dignitaries, which included a demonstration of the skills learned during the sessions.
A further training package is now being arranged later this year.
Source: royalnavy.mod.uk
By Odita Sunday
The Nigerian Navy, NNS Victory Calabar, has handed over eight persons suspected to be involved in illegal conveyance of oil to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Uyo Zonal Office, including 105 drums of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), and the wooden boat used for the illegal activity.
The suspects arrested onboard the boat are: Godwin Eden (Nigerian), Justice Ebanga (Nigerian), Effiong Gilbert (Nigerian), Manasseh Obani (Nigerian), Ambe Festus (Cameroonian), Alpha Emmanuel (Cameroonian), Sakwe Felix (Cameroonian) and Vasco Mekora (Cameroonian).
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Source: guardian.ng
The Nigeria Navy Ship, NNS Delta, says it has arrested seven members of the Coastal Watch & Anti-Seapirate fighters, an illegal security outfit along the creeks in Delta State.
The Commander of the NNS Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu confirmed the arrest to DAILY POST Thursday. Commodore Dewu, who spoke through the Executive Officer of the Base, Capt. A Adewuyi, also disclosed that the Navy recovered some weapons from seven suspects.
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Source: dailypost.ng
By Idowu Bankole
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said that the agency is determined to run pirates and other bandits operating on the nation’s territorial waters out of business.
While noting that so far the rate of piracy has reduced, Peterside however, assured that the trend will continue as the agency was moving to introduce new measures to tackle all forms of maritime crime.
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Source: allafrica.com
By Kingsley Jeremiah
The Federal Government has disclosed that about 43 refineries, including large scale and modular refineries have been licensed to refine petroleum products across the country.
The Senior Technical Adviser to Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister on Refineries and Downstream Infrastructure, Rabiu Suleiman, told The Guardian in an exclusive interview that two of the refineries (modular) would be inaugurated in the coming week in the Niger Delta region.
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Source: guardian.ng
Malaysia will receive six ScanEagle 2 Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) later this year while Indonesia will receive an equal number in 2022 under the United States funded Maritime Security Initiative (MSI).
US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Randall Schriver said during a media round-table in Kuala Lumpur last week that the Philippines had received six ScanEagle 2 UAS in 2018 as part of the MSI policy.
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Source: defenseworld.net
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