Nigeria lost $2.8bn to maritime, oil crimes in 2018 ― UN

THE United Nations says Nigeria lost an estimated 2.8 billion dollars in revenues in 2018, mainly due to oil and maritime-related crimes.

This is according to a recent report by the UN Secretary-General on the activities of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS).

The report, which covered from July 1, 2018, to December 31, 2018, said: “Maritime crime and piracy off the coast of West Africa continued to pose a threat to peace, security and development in the region.”

“Oil-related crimes resulted in the loss of nearly 2.8 billion dollars in revenues last year in Nigeria, according to government figures.

“Between January 1 and November 23, there were 82 reported incidents of maritime crime and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea,” the Report stated.

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The report also noted that compared to the situation reflected in the previous report, there was an increase in drug trafficking throughout West Africa and the Sahel.

“In Benin, the Gambia and Nigeria, more than 50 kilogrammes of cocaine were seized between July and October by joint airport interdiction task forces.

“During the same period, joint airport interdiction task forces seized more than six kilogrammes of methamphetamines, eight kilogramme of heroin (double the amount in the first half of 2018) and 2.6 tonnes of cannabis,’’ the report said.