Nigerian Navy Expects More Warships, Arrests Illegal Vessels

By SULEMAN DAHUN

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas has directed naval commands to ensure that recently arrested vessels are processed and handed over to appropriate prosecuting agencies not later than 15 December 2019.

Addressing Principal Staff Officers, Flag Officers Commanding and Commanders of autonomous naval commands, Vice Admiral Ibas directed these units to work closely with zonal offices of prosecuting agencies and inform the Naval Headquarters and headquarters of such agencies of the handing over process.

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Source: prnigeria.com

Coalition asks NASS to revisit probe of $195m maritime security contract

A coalition of civil society groups has urged the National Assembly to revisit probe on the ceding of Nigerian Coastal Waterways to a questionable private firm.

In a petition to the lawmakers, the group disclosed that the contract was awarded to HSLI security firm and technologies at the cost of 195 millon dollars. Correspondent Habidah Lawal reports that the 195 million dollars maritime security contract was signed off by the Federal Executive Council in December 2017.

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Source: tvcnews.tv

Delta communities to Buhari: save us from pirate attacks

Elo Edremoda

About 11 communities in Burutu and Bomadi council areas of Delta State are reportedly under serious attacks by pirates. The communities, in a save-our-soul message to President Muhammadu Buhari, claimed that efforts to get the intervention of the local and state governments, as well as security operatives, have received no response.

According to them, the hoodlums who patrol the creeks daily, have held the communities under siege for over three months, maiming, stealing and raping their women.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

Pirates blow up community chair’s home in Delta

Okungbowa Aiwerie

THERE is tension in Ekogbene community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State after suspected pirates and cult gangs blew up a community leader’s home.

The Nation gathered that the attack was to cow the community leadership. A source said no life was lost as the chairman and his family were outside during the attack.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

Sanwo-Olu flags off Crocodile Smile IV, tasks security on vandals, others

Precious Igbonwelundu

Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday flagged off Exercise Crocodile Smile IV with a charge to security agencies to flush pipeline vandals, pirates, kidnappers and armed robbers out of the state.

He declared the exercise open shortly after watching a beach landing and counter terrorism simulation at the Takwa Bay Island in Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

Nigeria: Attacks Against Energy Infrastructure Threatens Oil Revenue, Pipeline Operator Says

What Happened: A wave of persistent and sophisticated attacks against Nigeria’s Nembe Creek Trunkline pipeline has severely affected the operating firm’s ability to transport and export oil, according to a company spokesman, Sweet Crude Exports reported Nov. 17. He added that the pipeline has been shut down for 61 days so far in 2019 and that total losses over the year amounted to nearly 2 million barrels of oil.

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Source: worldview.stratfor.com

Fighting piracy in the Gulf of Guinea needs a radical rethink

By Dirk Siebels

The Bonita had been anchored off Benin for several days, waiting for a berth in the port of Cotonou. On November 2, 2019 the crew had a traumatic awakening. Armed men boarded the vessel and kidnapped nine crew members. Only two days later, four seafarers were kidnapped from the Elka Aristotle, which was anchored off Lomé in neighbouring Togo.

Unfortunately, these were not the only attacks off the coast of West Africa in which seafarers were kidnapped. Nevertheless, the patterns are changing, with gradual signs of improvement. In addition, attacker success rates in the region have declined from 80% over ten years ago to just under 50% in 2018.

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Source: econotimes.com

Pirates Thriving Off West Africa Show Disunity, Togo Leader Says

By Yinka Ibukun

West African states’ failure to coordinate their response to piracy off their coastline is the main reason attacks are persisting, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe said.

Seaborne assailants boarded two vessels off the coast of Togo and neighboring Benin earlier this month.

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Source: bloomberg.com

Despite N350.4b annual security budget, oil facilities not safe

By Kingsley Jeremiah

Though the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and some International Oil Companies (IOCs) operating in the country stake as much as N350.4b for staff and asset protecting yearly, the nation is still losing over N1.6t to oil and gas theft every year.

Indeed, stakeholders in the sector are pointing accusing fingers at the nation’s military and a network of politically exposed individuals as being behind the growing losses of crude and refined petroleum products estimated at $42b (N15t) in the past 10 years.

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Source: guardian.ng

Nigeria to form border force with neighbors Benin and Niger to fight smuggling

Camillus Eboh

ABUJA (Reuters) – Nigeria and neighboring countries Benin and Niger have agreed to set up a joint border patrol force to tackle smuggling between the West African countries, they said in a communique on Thursday.

Foreign ministers from the three countries met to discuss smuggling following a decision by regional giant Nigeria, which has Africa’s largest economy and biggest population, to close its land borders to trade until at least Jan. 31, 2020.

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Source: reuters.com