At least 1 killed following pipeline explosion in Nigeria: official

LAGOS, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) — At least one person was killed and another injured in an oil pipeline blast in Nigeria’s business hub of Lagos on Thursday, the police and rescue officials confirmed.

Ibrahim Farinloye, spokesperson for the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA), told Xinhua that the explosion appears to be an accident, and not the work of thieves as in past pipeline explosions near Lagos. He said security personnel have since been deployed to the area where pipeline explosion occurred.

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Source: xinhuanet.com

Ghana remains open to new ideas in pursuing maritime Security

Naval Forces of countries along the Gulf of Guinea cannot maintain maritime security alone without cooperation and collaboration from relevant stakeholders, Rear Admiral Seth Amoama, Chief of the Naval Staff has said.

Rear Admiral Amoama observed that every area of maritime security has its dimensions that required cooperation and collaboration with relevant actors to drive up issues such as environmental protection, sustainable fishing and over-exploitation of other resources in the sea.

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Source: myjoyonline.com

Senate threatens NIMASA DG with arrest over maritime security probe

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh

The Senate has threatened to compel the Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, via a warrant, to appear before it to answer questions on his agency’s involvement in the operation of alleged illegal security services in the nation’s waterways.

The Senate Joint Committee on Navy, Marine Transport and Finance yesterday described the Dakuku’s failure to honour its invitation as disrespectful.

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Source: guardian.ng

19 crew kidnapped from HK-flagged VLCC off Nigeria

Sam Chambers

The piracy situation in West Africa has descended to new lows with a VLCC raided by armed men yesterday and 19 crew kidnapped. The attack on the Anglo-Eastern-managed Nave Constellation took place 66 nautical miles south of Bonny Offshore Terminal, and 24 nautical miles east of the Egina FPSO.

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Source: splash247.com

MarsecNews: Security sources say that the incident occurred at around 1820 UTC on December 3rd, some 80nm South of Bonny. The kidnapped group is believed to consist of 18 Indian nationals and one crew member from Turkey. Controlling such a large number of crew suggests an equally large number of perpetrators, something we haven’t seen in the region for a while.

Senate queries $198m waterways security contract to Israeli firm

Sanni Onogu

The Senate Tuesday raised the alarm over a contract by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to an Israeli security firm, HSLI, to police the nation’s waterways at a total cost of $198million.

The Senators queried Rear Admiral Tariworio Dick, who represented the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, at a joint investigative hearing on the activities of the Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL) which hitherto provided security services at the Secured Anchorage Area (SAA) at the Lagos Port.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

11 dead bodies found in a boat in Rivers

By Okafor Ofiebor

Confusion now pervades the coastal community of Ke-clan, Degema in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State following the discovery of 11 yet-to-be identified corpses allegedly abandoned in a boat at the new Jerusalem Creek, close to Ke Clan.

The victims were suspected to have been killed by pirates operating along the waterways in the area. With frequent reports of sea pirates’ attacks on seafarers in the waterways in that area on the increase, the communities have denied knowledge of what went on around those creeks.

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Source: pmnewsnigeria.com

MarsecNews: Security sources in the region reported that Nigerian security assets were patrolling the Ke waterways on December 1st at around 1530 hours when they engaged pirates in three speedboats. Following the incident, the pirates escaped in two boats, leaving a third. On inspection, the security team found 11 dead bodies and one AK-47 in the boat. The bodies are believed to belong to local boat passengers, but this has yet to be confirmed. It’s certainly one of the most grisly discoveries in recent years in the Delta and will likely lead to an increased military presence.

Maritime workers union asks port police to enhance port security

By Shulammite ‘Foyeku

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called on the police and other security personnel to put in place measures to ensure adequate security at the nation’s seaports.

MWUN President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, in a statement made available to SHIPS & PORTS on Thursday, said the union, being a disciplined and responsible body, has zero tolerance for any form of criminality and anybody caught pilfering cargoes at the nation’s ports must be made to face the full weight of the law.

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

Maritime security training for Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago is the latest IMO Member State to receive maritime security training. A self-assessment and audit training workshop took place in in Port of Spain, Trinidad (23-27 September).

Participants were trained in self-assessing how two key IMO maritime security instruments – SOLAS Chapter XI-2 and the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code – are implemented at the port facility level. This is done using established, industry-standard IMO and ISO procedures to identify areas for improvement.

The course addressed outcomes of a previous workshop on ISPS Code responsibilities delivered by IMO in Port of Spain last year.

The workshop included theoretical lessons for participants to understand the certification process involved in obtaining the Statement of Compliance of a Port Facility, presentations on audit processes and techniques, and practical exercises on role playing the review of a port facility security plan.

Source: imo.org

Nigeria, others lost $2.3bn to maritime crime in three years – UN report

Tunde Ajaja

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says the estimated economic cost of piracy to Nigeria and other West African countries between 2015 and 2017 stands at $2.3bn.

It stated that within the period under review, the sub-region lost about $777.1m to piracy on an annual basis, which it said was in addition to human costs as the Gulf of Guinea experienced an escalation of piracy, kidnapping and armed robbery at sea incidents in recent years.

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Source: punchng.com

Better prepared for maritime security incidents

Suriname is the latest country to benefit from IMO maritime security training. Participants at a workshop in Paramaribo, Suriname (7-8 May) took part in table-top contingency planning exercises involving a variety of maritime security issues. These included threats to cruise ships, border security issues involving ports, airports and land border crossing, as well as potential incidents involving proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and arms and drugs consignments.

The main objective of the exercise was to encourage a multi-agency, whole of government approach to maritime and port facility security and related maritime law enforcement issues – with participants working to identify gaps in national procedures or legislation, opportunities for improvement, and further needs for training or technical assistance.

The exercise took place following a request by Suriname to assist the country in strengthening its implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) – specifically those that fall within the scope of IMO’s SOLAS chapter XI-2 and the ISPS Code and/or the 1988 and 2005 SUA treaties (click for details of these treaties).

The workshop was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).

Source: imo.org