Draft maritime zones bill proposes special tribunal

The government has drafted the Maritime Zones Bill proposing establishment of a special tribunal to deal with piracy, robbery and maritime violence in the Bangladesh territorial waters settled through legal battles with against India and Myanmar in an international court.

The draft proposed death sentence or life term in addition to forfeiture of property for causing death while committing and offence and indentified two ‘grey areas’ with India and Myanmar.

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Source: newagebd.net

Niger Delta Amnesty Project Probe

The inauguration of a special panel by the Federal Government to probe alleged looting of assets of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme is a warning signal that all is not well with a programme that was meant to defuse militancy in the restive Niger Delta region.

While government is committed to making life better for the people of the Niger Delta, some unscrupulous elements are frustrating the good intentions of government and by so doing stoking fire of avoidable violence.

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Source: allafrica.com

Soldiers seized boat loaded with chemical used as IED ingredient

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Patrolling soldiers have intercepted a motorboat attempting to smuggle over three dozen bags of ammonium nitrate in Basilan province, a stronghold of pro-ISIS Abu Sayyaf group in southern Philippines, the military said Friday.

It said four people were taken into custody by the soldiers and being interrogated by the military. The chemical, which is banned in the Philippines, is usually used by rebels as a key ingredient in the manufacture of homemade bombs. It did not say how many kilos were seized from the four men, but each bag of ammonium nitrate typically is 25 kilos.

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Source: mindanaoexaminer.com

Nigeria, Gulf of Guinea nations partner on sea border patrol

By Eugene Agha Lagos

The Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gulf of Guinea nations that will allow for a seamless border patrol.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Obed Ngalabak, disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos yesterday on the activities to flag off this year’s multinational sea exercise code name “OBANGAME”.

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Source: dailytrust.com.ng

Nigerian Pirates Kidnap Five After Firefight with Escort Boat

According to the ICC IMB’s Piracy Report, Nigerian pirates kidnapped five crewmembers from an OSV in the Gulf of Guinea last weekend despite the efforts of a security escort vessel. After an active firefight between the escort and the attackers, pirates boarded the target vessel, ransacked its cabins and made off with the victims.

At about 1115 hours UTC on Saturday, at a position about 30 nm off Brass, Nigeria, armed pirates in two speed boats approached an OSV under way. The OSV’s captain called for help from what IMB ICC described as a “naval escort security boat,” which maneuvered to engage the attackers. One speed boat closed in from port side of the vessel and crossed the bow, while the other speed boat exchanged fire with the security boat.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

UPDATE: Pirate Attack – Gulf of Guinea (March 9th)

Pirates armed with machine guns in two speed boats approached an underway offshore support vessel at 1115 UTC in position 03:57.2N – 006:39E, around 32nm SE of Brass, Nigeria. Captain immediately notified the naval escort security boat which manoeuvred to engage the attackers. One speed boat closed in from port side of the vessel and crossed the bow, while the other speed boat exchanged fire with the security boat. Alarm raised, crew proceeded to the engine room and all power was shut down. The pirates boarded the vessel with the aid of an elongated ladder. They broke into the accommodation, vandalised the cabins and took crew belongings and vessel properties. The pirates then proceeded to the engine room, kidnapped five men and escaped. Remaining crew sailed the OSV under escort to a safe anchorage. One Nigerian Navy armed guard reported killed in the exchange of fire between the naval security boat and the pirates. Investigations ongoing. Reported (MDAT/IMB) 9 Mar. Via OCEANUSLive.org.

Piracy on Nigerian waters: The truth

Globally, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre, based in Singapore, recorded 201 incidents of maritime piracy and armed robbery in 2018, up from 180 in 2017. The Gulf of Guinea remained increasingly dangerous for seafarers as reports of attacks in waters between the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo more than doubled in 2018.

The expansion of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea poses a dire threat to local economies, potentially undermining what little stability currently exists in the region. Oil revenue, which many countries in the region rely upon, is seriously threatened by pirate activity; 7 per cent of Nigeria’s oil wealth is believed lost due to such criminality.

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Source: vanguardngr.com

ReCAAP ISC Weekly Report 5-11 Mar 19

Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia
OVERVIEW
During 5-11 Mar 19, an incident of armed robbery against ship was reported to ReCAAP
ISC. The incident occurred on 5 Feb 19 and was reported to ReCAAP ISC by Focal Point
Singapore after verification with the relevant agencies. The location of the incident is
shown in the map below; and detailed description of the incident is tabulated in
attachment.

The full report is attached here as a PDF.

Source: recaap.org

recaap-isc-weekly-report-5-11-mar-19 Download

Dawn-to-dusk curfew in Sabah’s east coast extended another two weeks

By Muguntan Vanar

KOTA KINABALU: The dawn-to-dusk curfew in Sabah’s east coast has been extended another two weeks from Tuesday (March 12), amid continuing threats from Abu Sayyaf-linked cross-border kidnap groups and other criminal elements.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Omar Mammah said that the extension until March 27 was necessary due to the continuing threat of kidnap-for-ransom groups and other criminals from neighbouring Philippines.

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Source: thestar.com.my

AFP launches new assault as Abu Sayyaf gathering in Sulu being tracked

By: Frances Mangosing

MANILA, Philippines — The military launched a new offensive on members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on Friday, after it reportedly monitored a consolidation of terrorists in the hinterlands of Patikul, Sulu.

“Various military assets were employed together with the assaulting ground troops to attack the ASG lairs in Sulu at 6:40 a.m.

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Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net