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
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.
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
“I congratulate the heroic action of our armed forces” who intervened after “a call for help from a boat (…) attacked by a star with on board ten pirates,” said a statement from the vice- President of the Defense and Security Equatorial Guinean Teodorin Nguema Obiang read Tuesday on state radio.
“Thanks to the swift intervention of our armed forces, (we) managed to save the crew on board and arrest the ten pirates, whose alleged nationality is Nigerian,” he added.
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Source: afrique.lalibre.be
Tug reported attacked at 1200 UTC in position 03:04N – 007:59E, around 92nm SSE of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Vessel and crew safe and under military escort by a warship at 1430 UTC (6 May). Reported (MDAT) 5 May. Via OCEANUSLive.org
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
The Indians were reportedly abducted on April 19 when the vessel, the Palau-registered Apecus, was anchored off Lagos in Nigeria.
The owners of an oil tanker, whose five Indian crew members were kidnapped in the waters off Nigeria last month, have established contact with the abductors and are negotiating for their release, people familiar with developments said on Tuesday.
The Indians were reportedly abducted on April 19 when the vessel, the Palau-registered Apecus, was anchored off Lagos in Nigeria. There was no official word on the current status or whereabouts of the kidnapped men.
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Source: hindustantimes.com
On Sunday, the heavy lift ship Blue Marlin was hijacked off the coast of Equatorial Guinea. The Spanish Navy and forces from Equatorial Guinea boarded the vessel and secured it early on Monday morning.
After unloading her cargo in the waters of Equatorial Guinea, the Blue Marlin departed Sunday, bound for Malta. On Sunday afternoon, the ship was approached by a zodiac and forcibly boarded by seven armed pirates. All twenty of the Marlin’s crew members were able to secure themselves in the ship’s citadel, which is equipped with communications gear and emergency rations.
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Source: maritime-executive.com
MV attacked and boarded by seven suspected pirates in a single speedboat at 1216 UTC in position 03:04.14N – 007:55.01E, around 90nm SE of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Crew retreated into the citadel. At 0803 UTC (6 May) vessel reported HIJACKED. Pirates reportedly attempt to enter citadel. NATO naval asset in vicinity. At 1430 UTC (6 May) the vessel and crew reported safe and under escort by a warship. Reported (MDAT) 5 May. Via OCEANUSLive.org
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