The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, has destroyed several illegal refining sites and disrupted oil theft activities in air raids in Rivers. This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, in Abuja. Gabkwet said the air strikes against economic saboteurs and oil thieves had continued unabated in South-south. He said that NAF aircraft had, destroyed two Cotonou boats sighted at Arugbana near Okrika as well as an active Illegal Refining Site (IRS) with equipment and reservoirs loaded with illegal products at Yellow Island near Bonny Island all in Rivers.
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Mr. Arsenio Antonio Dominguez Velasco has been confirmed as the next Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The IMO Assembly, unanimously approved the decision of the Council at its 129th session (C129) to appoint him to the role. Mr. Dominguez Velasco will take up the office of Secretary-General on 1 January 2024 for an initial term of four years, ending on 31 December 2027. He becomes the Organization’s 10th elected Secretary-General. The outgoing Secretary-General, Mr. Kitack Lim, congratulated his successor on his appointment. Mr. Lim said: “I am confident that the Membership as a whole has made a wise decision, and that Mr. Dominguez Velasco will ably lead the Secretariat in promoting the mandate of the Organization and in the delivery of its objectives.”
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The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has signed a €2 million agreement with Germany to boost implementation of the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (YCC), under which countries in West and Central Africa have committed to tackle piracy, armed robbery against ships, and illicit maritime activity in the region. The IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim met with H.E. Mr. Miguel Berger, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Germany to the IMO to mark the signing of the agreement and highlight the importance of supporting countries in the Gulf of Guinea region to tackle illicit maritime activity. The agreement was signed on 20 November by IMO and the Germany Federal Foreign Office (GFFO). The allocation of funds for this two-year project aims to bolster implementation of the Code and enhance maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
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EU Naval Force Operation (EUNAVFOR) ATALANTA recently intervened in an alleged piracy-related incident involving the Iranian-flagged fishing boat AL-MERAJ 1 off the coast of Somalia. The incident took place on November 22 when the Commander of the Somali Coast Guard alerted the EUNAVFOR Joint Operations Centre about the abduction of an Iranian-flagged fishing dhow near Eyl, Puntland, Somalia.
Operation ATALANTA closely monitored the dhow for more than 230 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, providing information to maritime traffic to prevent any potential threat from the alleged pirates. The operation also involved the deployment of an unarmed drone. After losing its two towed skiffs due to adverse weather conditions, the AL-MERAJ 1 changed its course and headed towards the Puntland coast.
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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola; Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello Koko and the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh were among dignitaries that received MV Great Lagos – the largest container-RORO ship to visit Nigeria and the West African sub-region. MV Great Lagos, which is on its maiden call to Nigeria’s largest multipurpose roll-on-roll-off (RORO) terminal, the Port Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML) at the Tin Can Island Port Complex, Lagos, is owned by the Grimaldi Group.
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The Nigeria Immigration Service, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos Command has received nine Nigerians who attempted to stowaway to Europe through The Gambia. The stowaways were brought back to Nigeria onboard a flight via Lome, Togo, December 5, 2023. The stowaways, within the age range of 21 and 30, claimed they were lured into the voyage by some of their friends who were lucky to make it to Europe on the same path. It was gathered that the young Nigerians attempted to travel to Europe through The Gambia Sea, but they were spotted by the ship captain who immediately alerted the security agencies of the neighbouring country. In a bid to escape arrest, the stowaways jumped into the high sea with two of them struggling to swim. They were eventually rescued from drowning and taken to the Nigeria High Commission in The Gambia.
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The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has expressed concerns over the spate of increased piracy and maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea as the steady reduction in the menace experienced between 2021 and 2022 has been overlapped by recent developments.
A reported upward push of about 50 per cent in piracy and maritime crimes has been recorded from the first nine months of 2023 vis à vis the corresponding period in 2022. Sixty five incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships were recorded in the first half of 2023 representing an increase from 58 incidents for the same period in 2022. Of the 65 incidents reported, 57 vessels were boarded, four had attempted attacks, two were hijacked and two were fired upon. The UNDP said anti piracy and other maritime crimes has been a source of concern to not only Nigeria, but also international business actors who move their goods and services to other countries like Nigeria through the sea.
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