Tag: Nigeria

The first incident took place around 50nm of Bonny Island, Nigeria. Around eight armed pirates in a speed boat chased a container vessel. The second incident happened 40nm SSW off Bonny, Nigeria. About 10 pirates in a speed boat, armed with automatic weapons, chased and fired upon a reefer vessel.

Armed robbers boarded a fishing vessel, kidnapped three crew members and escaped in West African waters, on Friday 9th of February, according to IMB Piracy Reporting Centre. The men, armed with AK47 assault rifles, boarded the vessel while underway around 10 nautical miles South West of Idenao, Cameroon.

Total’s massive Egina FPSO vessel arrived at Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base on January 25. The Egine FPSO arrived at the Port of Lagos, following a ninety-day journey from Korea. Egina FPSO will be the biggest ship in West Africa, and one of the world’s biggest.

The Nigerian Senate decided to launch an investigation regarding Brass LNG and its banking records. According to the Senate, Brass LNG’s bank account was supposed to be held by the Central Bank of Nigeria, however some records showed that it is currently with Keystone Bank. Nigeria will also examine whether the necessary processes was followed

The hijacking of a small Iranian fishing vessel off Somalia, was the latest incident in a series of hijackings in the so-called High Risk Area (HRA) off Somalia. Although the region had seen piracy incidents decreasing, in recent times they have been revived.

INTERCARGO expressed its concern over the latest piracy incident off Nigeria, where a 57k dwt bulk carrier was attacked by pirates 35 miles south of Brass, kidnapping 10 crewmembers. The Association noted that this incident is a vivid reminder that piracy as an organised criminal activity remains a significant threat to international shipping, trade, and the people who serve it. 

The ship was heading to Port Harcourt from Lagos when it was attacked, with the pirates being in control of the ship for about an hour. According to sources, among the crewmembers kidnapped are the master of 'Skylight' and senior officers. The crew members that remained on the vessel managed to guide the ship to Port Harcourt.

The vessel, the name of which is not yet identified, was boarded by six pirates from a small boat, while underway, around 32 nautical miles South of Brass, Nigeria, on 14 December, according to data provided by IMB Piracy Reporting Centre.

Prevention of piracy, armed robbery against ships and illicit maritime activity in west and central Africa was on the agenda at a meeting of the G7 Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea in Lagos, Nigeria, on 11-12 December.