The International Maritime Bureau says the Gulf of Guinea remains the world’s piracy hotspot. It said this in its Q1 2021 report.
The report also listed Apapa in Lagos, Brass in Bayelsa and Bonny Island in Port-Harcourt as high-risk waterways.
The report said, “Nigeria (Lagos-Apapa, Off Bayelsa-Brass, and Bonny Island-Port Harcourt): Pirates/robbers are often well armed and violent.
“They have attacked, hijacked, robbed ships and kidnapped crews along far from the coast rivers, anchorages ports, and surrounding waters.
“Incidents have also been reported up to about 200 nautical miles from the coast. Generally, all waters in or off Nigeria remain highly risky.
“Vessels are advised to be vigilant as many incidents may also have gone unreported; kidnapping for ransom remains the biggest risk for crews.
“Vessels are advised to take additional measures in these high-risk waters. In the past, tankers were also hijacked and part cargo stolen (gas oil).”
This report came at a time when the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, is planning a massive security upgrade on the Nigerian waters and Gulf of Guinea in particular.
NIMASA’s Head, Public Relations; Mr Philip Kyanet, said that NIMASA had begun a massive security upgrade project.
He said the official inauguration would hold before the end of May.
He said the project had an intense focus on the security of the Gulf of Guinea.
GoG is the region located within the West and Central African coastlines, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.
The countries on the shores of the Gulf of Guinea are Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo and Angola.
The IMB report said, “The Gulf of Guinea accounted for nearly half (43 per cent) of all reported piracy incidents in the first three months of 2021.
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