10 Kidnapped from Freighter Off Niger River Delta

On Thursday, a freighter was boarded by pirates near the Pennington FPSO, just off the coast of the Niger River Delta. 10 crewmembers were kidnapped.

According to Praesidium International, the St. Kitts-flagged coastal freighter Milan was under way on a coastwise journey from Koko to Douala, Cameroon at the time of the incident. At about 2000 hours, the vessel slowed, then drifted until 0530 hours the following morning. 10 crewmembers have been confirmed kidnapped.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

EFCC Receives Four Suspected Oil Thieves From Navy

The Nigerian Navy has handed over four suspected oil thieves to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Rivers State.

They are Ebenezer Afonka (captain), Bernard Umor (engineer), Kingsley Monday, and Ishmael Willy, the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed in a statement. The Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the anti-graft agency received the suspects from the navy on Tuesday alongside a vessel – MV Captain Samuel.

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Source: channelstv.com

Eight days after failed negotiation, three crew members kidnapped on-board Lagos-bound vessel

By Tola Adenubi

Suspected maritime pirates have kidnapped three crew members from a Lagos bound Togolese flagged bunkering vessel, MT STELIOS K with IMO number 8679209, following failed negotiations for their release with the vessel owners over a period of eight days. This is even as findings revealed that the Nigerian Navy has dispatched a vessel to locate the whereabouts of the vessel.

Suspected pirates had boarded the MT STELIOS K on the 16 of November 2020 at exactly 40 nautical miles South Lome.

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Source: tribuneonlineng.com

MarsecNews: Note On Monday 23rd, MDAT-GoG updated their previous reports with the below (image shows last position):

WARNING 006/NOV/2020 – UPDATE 08

1. CATEGORY: BOARDING

2. TIME: 23 Nov 2020 at 0900UTC.

3. DESCRIPTION: MDAT GoG has received an update regarding the last position of the boarded MT. The attackers have left the MT. The ship is heading to Lagos, Nigeria. Local authorities have been informed.

4. POSITION: 05°19N – 003°33E (170/65NM off Lagos Nigeria).

Six Foreigners, Nigerian Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Oil Theft

The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has convicted and sentenced six foreigners and a Nigerian to seven years imprisonment for oil theft.

Justice Kolawole Omotosho gave the sentence yesterday (Mon 23rd) after three years of prosecution of the convicts by the Port Harcourt Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

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Source: thisdaylive.com

FG to Commence $195m Maritime Security Project Q1 2021

Eromosele Abiodun

The federal government has disclosed that barring any unforeseen circumstance, the $195 million Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project, which has suffered many delays will commence in the first quarter of next year.

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi announced this during an inspection of some of the Deep Blue Project equipment in Lagos at the weekend.

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Source: thisdaylive.com

Pirates kidnap five Ghanaians in Niger Delta

By Tola Adenubi

Suspected maritime pirates on Monday kidnapped five Ghanaians from the Ghanaian flagged general cargo vessel AM DELTA with IMO number 9015929 at 35 nautical miles off the Agbano Terminals in the Niger Delta area.

In an advisory notice issued on Monday to nearby vessels by both the United Kingdom-based maritime consultancy firm, Dryad Global, and the Italian maritime consultancy firm, Praesidium International; the Ghanaian flagged vessel was boarded by six to seven pirates on the 16th of November 2020 at 44 nautical miles South Brass.

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Source: tribuneonlineng.com

Pirates Abduct 14 Seafarers From Heavy Lift Ship in Gulf of Guinea

On Friday, 14 crewmembers were kidnapped from a Chinese heavy-lift ship off the coast of Sao Tome.

According to security consultancy Dryad Global, the heavy lift ship Zhen Hua 7 was boarded by pirates at a position about 80 nm to the northeast of Sao Tome, in the Gulf of Guinea. The ship was drifting at the time of the boarding. 14 out of her 27 crewmembers were kidnapped, and all of the victims are Chinese nationals, according to Dryad.

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Source: maritime-executive.com

MDAT-GoG reports new attack on tanker

MDAT-GoG reported on November 11th that a tanker was under attack by armed pirates in one skiff, in position 0512N 00235E (70 Nm southeast of Cotonou) at 0119UTC.

The initial report came from the vessel itself, which followed up to state that the attack had been aborted. It is not known at this time whether the vessel was protected by armed guards or was able to evade the pirates.

This is the latest in a series of attacks, primarily against tankers, in the last week, several of which have occurred at least 70nm from shore, highlighting the risk to vessels transiting the GoG.

Two tankers avert pirate attacks off West Africa

Two tankers transiting West Africa have successfully averted attacks by pirates on their crew, even though one of the tankers was boarded. Lee Hong Liang writes in Seatrade Maritime News:

“According to reports cited by maritime security intelligence firm Dryad Global, pirates boarded a Singapore-flagged chemical tanker Torm Alexandra in south Cotonou, Benin around 0643 UTC.”

Further, Maritime Executive carried images taken by a helicopter deployed by the Italian frigate, INS Martinengo, which show at least four men in a skiff containing fuel barrels and powered by twin outboard engines.

An incident alert was sent by MDAT-GoG on Saturday, which read:

1. CATEGORY: BOARDING

2. TIME: 07 Nov 2020 at 0640UTC.

3. DESCRIPTION: Unknown number of perpetrators have boarded a MV. All crew are in the citadel. Local authorities are aware of the situation.

4. POSITION: 03°39’48N 002°29’49E (172 Nm south of Cotonou)

This was later updated to show the vessel and crew as safe.

MDAT-GoG issues attack alert

Today, Nov. 4th, MDAT-GoG issued an attack alert following reports of an incident around 100nm off Brass, Niger Delta.

MDAT-GoG stated that it received a SSAS alert signal from a tanker which may be under attack. The incident occurred at 0549 UTC in position 02°43”56N- 006°03”23 E (190°- 100nm of Brass). They describe the vessel as drifting and not responding to calls from its CSO or MDAT. There have been no further updates.