A court in Lagos sentenced 10 pirates to 12 years in prison for kidnapping the crew of a Chinese-flagged merchant vessel in 2020.
According to Reuters, Federal high court Justice Ayokunle Faji, who also fined each man 250,000 naira ($608) for each of the three counts for which they were charged, said their actions in kidnapping 18 crew from the FV HAILUFENG II in May 2020, were “an embarrassment to the nation that has impacted the economy negatively”.
However, the defence counsel said the men would appeal.
The hijacking ended when the navy said it had rescued the vessel’s crew members and arrested the pirates.
In the Gulf of Guinea last year pirates kidnapped a record 130 seafarers in 22 separate incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
What is more, earlier this month, nine pirates who attempted to hijack a ship in Togolese waters back in May 2019 have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 12 to 20 years during a trial at a Lome court.
