The Nation Newspaper

Tag: pirates

  • Three killed in pirates’ attack

    •Trader’s N1.5m stolen

    Sea pirates attacked two passenger boats on the waterways of the Niger Delta yesterday.

    Three passengers were reportedly killed in one of the attacks that occurred in a community close to Bayelsa and Rivers states.

    It was learnt that members of the gang launched their offensive at another commercial boat close to Nembe Town in Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    They were said to have attacked the boat and stole valuables, including N1.5million belonging to one of the traders.

    The hoodlums also removed the boat’s outboard engine.

    The boat that was attacked near Rivers State was said to be travelling from Nembe in Bayelsa State to Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Sources said the bandits shot at the boat, injuring some passengers.

    Three of the victims were said to have died on the spot.

    The incident occurred at an area popularly called Kilometre 46.

    Residents of Nembe raised the alarm on frequent pirate attacks on the waterways.

    A senior official of the council appealed to security operatives to live up to their responsibilities.

    He said:“The waterways are not safe for legitimate business to thrive.

    “We have had many cases of pirate attacks and security operatives should come to our aid.”

    Police spokesman Alex Akhigbe said the incident occurred outside the state.

    Akhigbe, however, said two passengers were killed in the attack at Kilometre 46.

  • Pirates release seized Pakistani ship crew

    Pirates have released five Pakistani crew kidnapped from an oil tanker off the Nigerian coast two weeks ago, security sources told Reuters on Thursday.

    Increasing piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region, which includes Africa’s No. 1 oil producer Nigeria and is a significant source of cocoa and metals for world markets, is jacking up costs for shipping firms operating there.

    Armed pirates attacked the Nigerian-flagged MT Matrix and abducted the five crew members on May 25 about 40 nautical miles off the coast of the oil-producing Bayelsa State, a stretch of water frequently plagued by armed gangs.

    The two security sources said the men, who worked for an oil servicing company, were released unharmed.

    There were two attacks in the Gulf of Guinea in April in which foreigners were kidnapped and released a few weeks later. Security sources believe ransoms were paid – an increasingly lucrative business for criminal gangs who used to take more interest in simply stealing the oil on board the tankers.

     

  • Pirates kidnap oil tanker crew

    Armed pirates attacked an oil tanker and abducted an unknown number of crew, security sources said yesterday.

    Increasing piracy in the Gulf of Guinea region, which includes Nigeria, is increasing costs for shipping firms.

    The MT Matrix was boarded by gunmen on Saturday about 40 nautical miles off the coast of oil-producing Bayelsa State, two security sources said.

    There were 12 Pakistani and five Nigerian crew aboard the vessel when it was attacked, a source said.

    A spokesman for ship operator, Val Oil Trading, confirmed there had been an “incident”, without giving further details.

    Andrew Varney, of British-based security firm Port 2 Port Maritime, said the Matrix’s low freeboard – the distance between a ship’s railings and the water – and slower speed made it vulnerable to attack.

    “This latest incident further highlights the ability of these criminals to attack vessels underway and the increasing migration from cargo theft to risk of kidnap for ransom,” Varney said.

    “The risk of offshore kidnap for ransom remains high in Bayelsa and Rivers states,” security firm AKE said.

    International navies have not launched counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Guinea, leaving the many vessels that anchor off Nigeria vulnerable to attack.

     

  • Rivers police parade suspected sea pirates

    Rivers State Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu yesterday paraded four suspected sea pirates, including a woman. Also paraded was a robbery suspect.

    Over N7 million was allegedly recovered from the suspected pirates. The gang leader, he said, is at large.

    Mbu said: “On May 8, men of metro patrol attached to C4i, stopped a commercial taxi with seven passengers.

    “Immediately the vehicle stopped, two passengers fled.  They were pursued and re-arrested.

    “A search revealed the followings: three laptops, 11 handsets, N7.87million, $1,900 and charms.

    “They were recovered from Alaye Adams David and Andas James, both from Nembe area of Bayelsa State.

    “The suspects were interrogated by men of Swift Operations Squad.

    “They confessed that the money and items were proceeds from robbery and sea piracy operations carried out at Bonny high sea, where a ship was robbed.

    “They said they stole N30 million on board the ship. “They made use of six AK-47 rifles and ammunition supplied by the suspected kingpin of the group, Jackson Lucky.

    “Lucky is the owner of Jack Bar on 42, Aba Road, Port Harcourt, who is now at large.

    “Following a tip-off, on May 19 at about 8 pm, operatives from C4i arrested two unidentified persons on Kaduna Street fly-over area, with a General Multi-Purpose Gun (GMPG).

    “On interrogation, they said they were to deliver 50 AK-47 at Igbo-Etche at Chokoko, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt.

    “Unfortunately, men of the Swift Operation Squad were ambushed by their gang members by opening fire on the police.

    “In the ensuing gun battle, the two unidentified suspects were killed.

    “On May 26, at about 2.40 pm, a distress call was received by Diobu Division, that a Peugeot 406 was reported stolen from Silverbird Cinema.

    “Immediately, officers were mobilised and all other police formations were contacted.

    “Shortly, the stolen vehicle was sighted at Leventis Park area, Aba Road, Port Harcourt.

    “When the patrol team was racing to the scene of crime, they had an accident which led to the death of the team’s commander, Sgt. John Adiele.

    “The stolen vehicle was intercepted, the driver was arrested and the vehicle impounded.”

     

  • Pirates release seized ship crew

    Pirates have released five Polish and Russian crew members they kidnapped from a cargo ship off the coast of Nigeria last month, the vessel’s management company said.

    Piracy is increasing in the West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, an important exporting region for oil, cocoa and metals, and insecurity is driving up shipping costs, Reuters says.

    The hostages were taken when the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged MV City of Xiamen container ship was attacked late on April 25 about 100 miles off Nigeria’s coast.

    “Despite difficult conditions while in captivity, they are in good health. They already returned to their own countries and reunited with their families,” Sunship Schiffahrtskontor KG, the ship’s German operator, said in a statement.

    The firm did not say if a ransom was paid but this has been the case in the past.

    The International Maritime Bureau had said 14 heavily armed pirates attacked the container ship, breaching its citadel – a strong room designed to protect the crew from attack.

    Naval patrols and the presence of armed guards aboard merchant vessels have helped reduce piracy off Somalia on Africa’s eastern coast but international navies are not engaged in counter-piracy missions off Nigeria.

     

  • Pirates kidnap ship crew in Bayelsa

    Pirates have kidnapped five crew members from a cargo ship off Nigeria, a piracy watchdog and a security source said on Monday, part of a growing trend of attacks that are pushing up maritime insurance costs in the Gulf of Guinea, Reuters reports.

    The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged MV City of Xiamen container ship was attacked late on April 25 off the coast of oil-producing Bayelsa state, a security source said.

    The crew members were mostly Sri Lankans but included one member from Russia and another from Myanmar, the source said.

    The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said 14 heavily armed pirates attacked the container ship, breached its citadel – a strong room designed to protect the crew from attack.

    The pirates took five crew captive before escaping with cash taken from the ship and the crew, the IMB said in a piracy report.

     

  • Pirates kidnap three in Niger Delta

    Pirates attacked an oil industry supply vessel in Nigerian waters this week and kidnapped three crew members, security sources told Reuters on Thursday.

    This is the latest attack off the coast of Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer.

    The captain, chief engineer and second engineer were abducted on Monday when gunmen boarded the Malaysia-flagged Armada Tuah 22 around 50 nautical miles off the coast of the Brass region in the Niger Delta, three security sources said.

    One of the sailors kidnapped was Indonesian, the sources said.

    The vessel is a tugboat contracted to supply an offshore oil platform.

    Nigeria’s navy spokesman gave no comment.

    A fishing vessel, Orange 7, was attacked on March 2 in a similar position and one of the crew was killed, sources told Reuters.

  • Navy in manhunt for pirates

    Police in Bayelsa State have confirmed the abduction of four expatriate oil workers off the coast of the state on Sunday.

    Spokesman, Mr. Fidelis Odonna, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa yesterday that the police had received information about the abduction of the expatriates.

    He said the identities and nationality of the oil workers had not been ascertained, adding that no group had claimed responsibility for the abduction and that no demand for ransom had been made.

    “We have received report on the abduction of the four expatriate oil workers off the coast of the state in the early hours of Sunday.

    “As we speak, details of the incident are still sketchy. However, the command has commenced investigation as we have sent out a team to get to the root of the matter,’’ he said.

    The Navy said yesterday it was hunting for pirates who kidnapped four crew from the ship.

    The ship, named by the Navy as the MV Asso Ventuno, was boarded on Sunday, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

    There were no injuries to other crew members and the pirates released the ship, which continued to a safe port, IMB said.

    A spokesman for the Navy confirmed the incident: “Five vessels have been deployed for patrol duties off Brass Area.

    “The Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with other agencies, has intensified search and rescue efforts of the four kidnapped crew members of MV Asso Ventuno.”

     

  • Pirates abduct four sailors in Bayelsa

    Pirates attacked a supply vessel and kidnapped four sailors off the Niger Delta coast, the International Maritime Bureau said Monday.

    “Pirates armed with guns attacked, boarded an offshore supply vessel … and kidnapped four crew members,” the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre said of the Sunday attack.

    There were “no injuries to crew members and (the) vessel continued passage to a safe port,” it said.

    The attack occurred some 40 nautical miles off of Nigeria’s Bayelsa state, the IMB said. It provided no further details on the nationality of the crew or the ship.

    AFP news agency says such kidnappings occur regularly off Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region, with hostages typically released after payment of a ransom.

    A 2009 amnesty deal led to a sharp drop in unrest in the region, but criminality remains widespread.

    On December 17, four workers from South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries and a Nigerian were abducted by armed men while working at a construction site in Bayelsa.

    The five were freed unharmed on Friday night.

    On the same day, well armed pirates stormed and ransacked an oil tanker off the Niger Delta and kidnapped five Indian crew members.

     

  • Nigerian pirates free foreign hostages

     

    Pirates have released seven sailors – six Russians and an Estonian – seized after an attack on a ship operated by French firm Bourbon SA off the coast of Nigeria, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

    A ministry statement said the freed hostages, kidnapped on October 15, were “feeling well” and would soon be flown home, but gave no details on how the sailors’ release was secured.

    After the abduction of the sailors from the vessel, the Liberty Bourbon 249, another nine crew members remained onboard and maintained course toward the Nigerian port of Onne, Reuters reports.

    The Bourbon is an anchor-handling vessel of the kind used to help supply oil rigs and tow them to a drilling site. The French firm supplies vessels in Nigeria’s offshore oil industry.

    Pirate attacks are on the rise in Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, which is second only to the waters around Somalia for piracy.