The United States of America,
through its Maritime Administration, has published the latest
Maritime Alert.
In the alert, which was released, Wednesday, it warned ships to be wary when
approaching Nigerian waters.
Ports: 26 ships with petrol, food
items expected According to the US Maritime Administration, the two recent
incidences of pirate attacks in the Niger Delta of Nigeria is a confirmation of
escalating insecurity around and on the waters of Nigeria. It made reference to
the attacks on October 21 and 25, 2017.
“Two incidents have been reported in
the Gulf of Guinea in the past six days. The first reportedly occurred south of
Port Harcourt, Nigeria at 0600 GMT on October 21, 2017. The second reportedly
occurred in the vicinity of 03-35.50N 006-49.20E at 1905 GMT on October 25,
2017; both incidents have been confirmed,” the report recalled.
“The nature of the first incident
was piracy and kidnapping; the nature of the second incident was piracy,” the
report noted. Quoting the latest quarterly report from the International
Maritime Bureau, IMB, the US Maritime Administration stated that “the latest quarterly
report from the International Maritime Bureau notes that a total of 20 reports
of attacks against all vessel types were received from Nigeria, 16 of which
occurred off the coast of Brass, Bonny and Bayelsa.” Recalling more chilling
incidences, the report added that:
“Guns were reportedly used in 18 of
the incidents and vessels were underway in 17 of 20 reports. Furthermore, 39 of
the 49 crew members’ kidnappings globally occurred off Nigerian waters in seven
separate incidents. Other crew kidnappings in 2017 have been reported 60
nautical miles off the coast of Nigeria”. “In general, all waters in and off
Nigeria remain risky, despite intervention in some cases by the Nigerian Navy.
We advise vessels to be vigilant, it concluded.
The US advisory report to ship
masters and owners further warned that ship transiting Nigerian waters to be
cautious and seek further information, even as it stated that the alert
subsists until November 2, 2017.
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