Pirates are still having a field day at sea, attacking ships and stealing crude oil, despite the government’s resolve to curtail their activities.
The Nation learnt that no fewer than 20 incidents had been recorded since the beginning of the year.
Worse hit, according to the Protection Vessels International report, are foreign merchant vessels in the Southsouth waters.
It said eight pirates, on January 24, attacked a merchant vessel at 35.9 nautical miles (NM) off Brass in Bayelsa State at about 8:33pm. The pirates opened fire on the tanker, whose sailor raised an alarm, mustered the non-essential crew and conducted evasive maneuvers.
About seven gunmen were said to have fired at a merchant also vessel 37 NM South of Brass.
Sources said the merchant vessel applied piracy-specific Best Management Practice (BMP5) safety measures and increased distance from the skiff, thereby taking the vessel and crew to safety.
The continued attacks, which are said to be common and occur between 20 and 150 NM off the coast, explain the pirates’ extensive geographical range of operation. “The pirates are often armed and violent and there is precedent for attackers to persist when under attack from armed security teams until they have been injured or killed,” the report said.
Despite efforts by Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy to curb piracy, the country is rated as having the highest number of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
It also tops the list of countries with unsafe waters in West and Central Africa. For about four years, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a global piracy watchdog under the International Chamber of Commerce, has rated the country as worse hit by the menace.
Contacted on phone, Nigerian Navy spokesperson Commodore Suleiman Dahun, told The Nation that a comprehensive report on its activities in the matter was ready, and awaiting the Chief of Naval Staff’s nod before being made public.
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