We cover piracy, armed robbery at sea, IUU fishing, maritime cyber security and maritime security issues.
By Francis Wakefield
Soldiers pursuing Abu Sayyaf militants found an arms cache in Patikul, Sulu on Tuesday, March 26.
Troops from the 13th Special Forces Company also retrieved from the Abu Sayyaf’s arms cache a 60mm mortar, two M16 rifles, bandoliers with magazines, IED paraphernalia, flags with ISIS markings, a military map, a handheld radio, and a night vision monocular in Barangay Bakong, Patikul at about 11 a.m.
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Source: news.mb.com.ph
ANGOLA, March 26 – The commander of the “Ngola Kiluanje P200” ship belonging to Angolan War Navy (MGA), Luís da Silva, said on Monday that the vessel is equipped with technology to track pirate boats illegally operating in the country’s maritime coast.,
The ship is part of the fleet patrolling the Angolan coast under the Operation transparency launched on Monday.
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Source: einpresswire.com
By Godfrey Bivbere & Cynthia Alo T
The Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, NMNOWTSSA, has denied reports linking piracy attacks on the nation’s waterways to seafarers.
The Union explained that the report that was recently carried in some sections of the media is a mere move by unscrupulous individuals to tarnish the image of seafarers noting that no qualified seafarer will be involved in such illegal act.
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Source: vanguardngr.com
By Godfrey Bivbere
There are indications that the Nigerian Navy may have been over-stretched in securing the waterways in the Lagos area as only nine out of 33 security points presently along the water area are manned.
Giving this indication at the meeting organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, NCS, in Lagos, the Command Operation Officer of the Western Naval Command, Capt. M. M. Braimoh said that apart from this, they have arrested 33 offending vessels in the last six months, but two of them have sunk.
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Source: vanguardngr.com
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has reiterated the federal government’s determination to rid the Nigerian territorial waters of criminalities through the Integrated Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project.
Amaechi disclosed this in Lagos during the graduation ceremony for participants of the C4I Intelligence System Operator Course for the Deep Blue Project.
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Source: allafrica.com
Philip Nwosu
Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, has called for transnational efforts towards fighting maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
The minister, who spoke at the closing ceremonies for the 2019 edition of Exercise Obangame Express, said maritime illegalities had become transnational and evolved beyond the scope and capability of one country to combat.
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Source: sunnewsonline.com
By Uchenna Eletuo
Lagos – Mr Bayo Oyekan, a ship captain, on Monday appealed to stakeholders to support the Nigerian Navy to check the incidence of piracy on the nation’s waters.
Oyekan told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the lukewarm attitude of other agencies that were supposed to support the Navy in checking piracy had made the incidence to rise in the Gulf of Guinea.
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Source: sundiatapost.com
PHILIP NWOSU
The Nigerian Navy said it arrested over 80 vessels within the last three years for various maritime offences including oil theft.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, disclosed this at the closing ceremony of the multi-national annual maritime exercise code-named OBANGAME EXPRESS 2019, saying that the vessels were arrested for various acts of maritime illegalities.
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Source: sunnewsonline.com
Nine Iranian nationals were arrested with 107.22 kilograms of heroin which were to be delivered to a drug dealer in Sri Lanka, in the seas off the Southern coast today (Mar 24).
The narcotic was packaged in 99 parcels and had been concealed in four sacks while being transported in a trawler, Police Spokesman S.P Ruwan Gunasekara said.
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Source: sundaytimes.lk
Reports state that a passenger boat was attacked by armed men around 30nm South of Calabar, Nigeria at 0600 LT. Seven armed robbers in one skiff approached the passenger/ro-ro ship and boarded her. They robbed passengers before making off with a reported five hostages.
I have additional details but am waiting for an official incident report before.
Maritime Security News 