The recent report by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) that Nigeria is one of the countries affected by global pirates’ attacks on vessels is worrisome. The report which covered the first quarter of last year revealed that out of 45 attacks, Nigeria had 22, Indonesia 9, Venezuela 5, Bangladesh 4 and Republic of Benin 5.
According to the report, “a total of 156 incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were reported to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) in the first nine months of 2018 compared to 121 in the same period in 2017.” Out of the 107 vessels that boarded, there were 32 attempted attacks, 13 vehicles fired at, and 4 vessels hijacked.
During the period, the number of crew held hostage (112), increased in comparison to the same period in 2016 (110), and 2017 (80). Similarly, the number of crew kidnappings reduced from 49 in 2017 to 39 in 2018. Also, 37 of the 39 crew kidnapped for ransom globally occurred in the Gulf of Guinea region in seven separate incidents while 29 crew were kidnapped in four separate incidents off Nigeria, including 12 crew kidnapped from a bulk carrier in Bonny Island, Nigeria in September 2018.
However, other related reports revealed that the waters off the Nigerian coast recorded the highest number of piracy last year with the actual and attempted attacks in the country put at 48, against 33 recorded the previous year.
The damning statistics are, indeed, troubling. We urge the Federal Government and concerned agencies to rise to the challenge without further delay. The Nigerian Navy and other relevant security agencies must do something urgently to check such attacks. While we welcome the efforts of the Nigerian Navy in checking the pirates’ attacks, we urge them to do more.
The recent report that the Nigerian Navy foiled 25 out of 34 pirates’ attacks on the nation’s waters in 2018 is encouraging. Nigeria also lost no fewer than 277,040 barrels of crude oil to illegal refining in 2018. Not less than 23.1 million litres of Automated Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel, 212,610 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and 1.2 million litres of Domestic Producing Kerosene (DPK) were also lost.
With these distressing statistics, there is urgent need for the Nigerian Navy to acquire more equipment to enhance its capability in tackling the piracy challenge. It is advisable that more vessels should be added to the Navy’s fleet to enable it respond more effectively to any security threat by sea pirates.
The burden of providing security in the maritime area should not be borne by the Navy alone. The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) should also be involved in ensuring security of our waterways. The NIMASA Act places the responsibility of maritime security on it.
It was probably based on this that the agency in 2017 awarded a surveillance contract to check rising cases of piracy and other vices in Nigerian waters. Regrettably, the dream was abandoned midway. There is urgent need for the intervention of all stakeholders in the maritime sector totackle the menace.
This is even more so when viewed against the backdrop of a staggering 65 per cent of cargo heading to the region ending up in Nigeria. There is urgent need for the involvement of all stakeholders, including neighbouring countries to tackle the maritime security problem.
To ensure security in the Gulf of Guinea and ward off threats of sea pirates, there is need for collaboration by governments in the region. Any attempt to abdicate this role will ultimately escalate the nefarious activities of sea pirates. All the same, Nigeria must do all it can to ensure the security of its territorial waters.
