Tag: kidnapping

The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill imposing jail terms of at least 15 years for paying a ransom to free someone who has been kidnapped, and made the crime of abduction punishable by death in cases where victims die.

Mr. Michael Howlett, Director, International Maritime Bureau, ICC Commercial Crime Services, outlines the key challenges with regards to maritime piracy, highlighting that crew kidnapping in GoG remains the biggest area of concern. Furthermore, considering that available resources to deal with maritime crime are limited, incident reporting remains critical.

Maritime piracy and armed robbery attacks reached the lowest recorded level since 1994, the annual piracy report of the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), reveals.

Reporting by Dryad Global indicates that a Chinese fishing vessel has come under attack whilst operating offshore Equatorial Guinea Mbini Area.

Reporting by Dryad Global indicates that a containership has been attacked 48nm SW off Luba, and in fact 6 crew members have been kidnapped.

Reporting indicates that the OSV TAMPEN was boarded resulting in the disappearance of one crew member presumed kidnapped, as Dryad Global informed.

Five persons were abducted in the early hours of Tuesday, August 10, 2021 along the Bonny River close to the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne.

IMB received reports of 68 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships globally in the first half of 2021, down from 98 incidents during the same period last year and the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of any year since 1994.

Following subsequent piracy attacks, Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG) has assessed a heightened risk of piracy within Zones D, E & F in the region.

Reporting indicates that the fishing vessel Iris S was attacked 108nm South Cotonou, on May 31, resulting in the kidnap of 5 crew.