ITF Calls for Action on Gulf of Guinea Piracy

Following back-to-back attacks on two vessels in the Gulf of Guinea last week, the International Transport Worker’ Federation has called for urgent global and regional cooperation to fight piracy off West Africa.

On November 2, pirates kidnapped nine crewmembers from the Norwegian-flagged MV Bonita while the vessel was at anchor off the coast of Benin. Two days later, four crewmembers were taken hostage off the coast of neighboring Togo from the Greek-flagged Elka Aristotle. Several other abductions have been reported in the Gulf of Guinea in recent months, including eight crewmembers taken hostage off Cameroon in August and 10 seafarers off the coast of Nigeria in July.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

Pirates attacked Italian supply ship, two crew wounded, Mexico

NIKOLAY TORKIN

Italian offshore supply ship REMAS with 35 people on board was attacked by some 7-8 armed pirates in two fast boats on Nov 11, in Gulf pf Mexico, N of Ciudad del Carmen, Mexico. Pirates boarded the ship, in following skirmish two crew, both Italians, were wounded, but luckily, wounds aren’t life threatening. Pirates managed to loot the ship and the crew, and fled. Injured seamen were transferred to hospital, REMAS moved to Ciudad del Carmen anchorage and anchored.

Offshore supply ship REMAS, IMO 9586459, dwt 2681, built 2011, flag Italy, manager MICOPERI, Ravenna.

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Source: maritimebulletin.net

Oil theft and Nigeria’s self-imposed poverty

Jerry Uwah

Nigeria is wallowing in self-imposed poverty. The situation would remain so for a pretty long time because no one in federal government has the political will power to confront the elements of backwardness in the land. Agriculture has remained in the hands of millions of peasant farmers who eke out a living through subsistent farming with primitive implements. Nigeria cannot feed its teeming population.

Nigeria is practically broke, but the federal government insists that what it is battling is sporadic cash flow problems rather than absolute cash crunch.

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Source: blueprint.ng

Sabah cops looking into deaths of family of six, all believed shot

By STEPHANIE LEE

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah police are looking into the deaths of a family of six, all believed shot to death in a boat on their way to the southern Philippines from Semporna district on Nov 6.

State police commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said in the case, the six, including children and adults, were heading to the southern Philippines when they were believed to have ran into the shooters.

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Source: thestar.com.my

We’re engaging security agencies to secure waterways – NIWA

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Inland Waterway Authority (NIWA) Dr George Muoghalu, said the authority is engaging security agencies, especially the Nigerian Navy to play the expected role of ensuring that the waterways are secured and safe for use.

He also said the Authority was working hard to ensure that the 10000 kilometers waterways are all year round navigated.

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Source: dailytrust.com.ng

Navy ships ‘Ang Pangulo,’ ‘Emilio Jacinto’ deployed to Mindanao for relief ops, maritime patrol

By Martin Sadongdong

Philippine Navy (PN) vessels BRP “Ang Pangulo” (ACS25) and BRP “Emilio Jacinto” (PS35) were sent to Mindanao on Monday to help in the on-going relief operations for the victims of the series of earthquakes and for maritime security.

Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, Navy Flag Officer in Command, led the send-off ceremony held at Pier 13, South Harbor in Manila.

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Source: news.mb.com.ph

Maritime Security in Gulf of Guinea: France advocates concerted efforts

Mrs Genevieve Darrieussecq, the Secretary of State to the French Minister for the Armed Forces, has advocated for concerted efforts to address the challenges of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

She said concerted efforts were needed to carry out a decisive work to combat the scourges that threaten safety at sea, which was an indispensable work for the development of the West Africa sub-region.

Mrs. Darrieussecq made the appeal in Accra at the G7++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea Group (G7++FoGG) 2019 summit.

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Source: businessghana.com

Security contract: Ocean Marine threatens to sue NPA

Sunday Aborisade

The Ocean Marine Solutions Limited, a maritime security company, has threatened legal action if the Nigerian Ports Authority fails to rescind its order suspending its security contract at the Lagos ports.

The NPA suspended the OMSL multi-million dollars contract at the ports based on the directive of the Senate, which has also commenced a probe of its activities.

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Source: punchng.com

Benin scales up piracy preventing measures in Cotonou port

COTONOU, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — Benin’s government on Wednesday announced scaled up protection, security and safety measures for hovering vessels in the Cotonou port.

The measures include the “provision of an armed protection squad on board”, according to a government release made public Wednesday night. “The presence of the squad is going to prevent any attempts of piracy and to alert operating centers”, the release also said.

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Source: xinhuanet.com

NEITI: Nigeria lost $42bn to oil theft in 10 years

By Regina Otokpa

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has raised the alarm that in the last 10 years, crude oil and refined products worth the sum of $42 billion were stolen from the country.

This was contained in a Policy Brief titled ‘Stemming the Increasing Cost of Oil Theft to Nigeria’ released and made available to newsmen by NEITI’s Director, Communications and Advocacy, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji yesterday in Abuja.

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Source: newtelegraphng.com