The Office of Naval Intelligence has issued its Piracy Analysis and Warning Weekly Report for 15-22 September 2016. According to the report, pirate and maritime crime activity in African waters is at a moderate level as there was one reported attack on oil infrastructure, one kidnapping event and one boarding at the Gulf of Guinea during this past week.
Horn of Africa – Piracy Events Over The Past Week
Details:
- Vessels Hijacked: No incidents to report.
- Vessels Boarded: No incidents to report.
- Vessels Fired Upon/Attempted Boardings: No incidents to report.
- Other Activity: No incidents to report
Gulf of Guinea – Piracy Events Over The Past Week
Details
- Vessels Hijacked: No incidents to report.
- Kidnapping:
1. NIGERIA: On 17 September, four individuals were kidnapped by militants in Isheri, Nigeria. The militants, reportedly wearing military camouflage uniforms, stormed a neighborhood creek by boat and fired upon Lekki Gardens Estate Road. They abducted three landlords and their aerobics instructor who were on a run at the time. The militants demanded ransom for their return. - Vessels Boarded: No incidents to report.
- Vessels Fired Upon/Attempted Boarding/Attack:
1. NIGERIA: On 18 September at approximately 11:30pm, a militant group used dynamite to attack an oil pipeline in Ughelli, Nigeria. Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) has taken credit for the attack. No injuries were reported.
2. NIGERIA: On 16 September at approximately 2:50 AM, suspected sea robbers attempted to board Marine Tanker HANZE KOCHI 50 nautical miles off Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Due to naval personnel engagement, the sea robbers were not able to board the ship. - Other Activity: No incidents to report.
Further details may be found by reading ONI PAWW Report:
Also read ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping (WTS) report which provides info on piracy threats to, and criminal action against, merchant vessels worldwide in the last 30 days (period 23 August – 21 September 2016)
- PHILIPPINES: On 21 September, a 60-year old Chinese trader, was rescued after two days of captivity.
- GUINEA: On 21 September, armed robbers fired upon and boarded a container ship in Conakry Anchorage.
- BANGLADESH: On 20 September, 47 fishermen were abducted and 25 trawlers were looted by forest robbers in the Sundarbans.
- MALAYSIA: On 18 September, Abu Sayyaf gunmen freed three Indonesian nationals taken from a Malaysian fishing vessel near the east coast Lahad Datu district of Sabah more than a month ago.
- NIGERIA: On 18 September, a militant group used dynamite to attack an oil pipeline in Ughelli, Nigeria.
- NIGERIA: On 17 September, four individuals were kidnapped by militants in Isheri, Nigeria. The militants demanded ransom for their return.
- PHILIPPINES: On 17 September, a Norwegian hostage was released after a year in captivity and handed over to authorities.
- BANGLADESH: On 18 September, 15 fishermen from 15 different trawlers were kidnapped by pirate gangs in a river near Bhola, Bangladesh.
- BRAZIL: On 18 September, authorities found 322 kilograms of cocaine within a shipping container in the port of Santos
- NIGERIA: On 16 September, suspected sea robbers attempted to board a tanker off Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Due to naval personnel engagement, the sea robbers were not able to board the ship.
- INDONESIA: On 16 September, an unknown number of robbers boarded an anchored merchant vessel anchored near Galang, Batam.
- NIGERIA: on 14 September, a vessel was arrested at Shell Slot Jetty in Bonny for alleged involvement in illegal bunkering activities.
- BANGLADESH: On 14 September, a duty crewman on a bulk carrier at anchorage in Chittagong, noticed a store room broken into. The robbers were apprehended and disembarked onto the lightering barge. All stolen property recovered. Agent informed.
- MALAYSIA: Between 12 and 14 September, customs officials conducted a series of inspections in the port of Sepanggar, seizing 62 shipping containers holding a variety of smuggled goods.
Further details may be found by reading ONI WTS Report:
Source & Image credit: ONI