Nigerian pirates behind kidnappings in Cameroon, Gabon waters-Dryad Global

 

Foremost maritime security consultant, Dryad Global, has attributed the incessant insecurity and kidnappings in Cameroonian, Gabonese, Equatorial Guinea waters and the entire Gulf of Guinea to pirates from within Nigeria. This is even as the firm revealed that 10 seafarers were recently released after their companies made payments to effect their release.

“Three crew members from the Roll-On Roll-Off vessel Elobey VI and a further seven crew members from the MSC operated Talia F were released from captivity after pirates had taken them hostage off the West African coast on 21 March and 22 March 2020 respectively.

“The crew had been released on either the 1st or 2nd of May 2020. The release was however two days prior to the attacks on the Amerger II and Amerger VII off Gabon. This would indicate with a realistic probability that it was the same pirate action group operating from within Nigeria and specifically targeting the waters off Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and potentially out as far as the Sao Tome – Nigeria Joint Development Zone.

“It is unclear whether MSC and the Elobey VI’s registered owner Somagec, which is registered in Morocco, paid a ransom for the crew’s release, though sources close to the ship operators said it was likely that a ransom had been paid. The sources added that the crew had been held in near Calabar, Cross River State in Nigeria.

“On the 19th of April, 2020, a Portuguese registered, German-owned container ship Tommi Ritscher was attacked and eight crew members taken hostage. There is currently no word regarding these seafarers who apparently remain in captivity.

“Also, six crew were taken hostage from the Amerger II and Amerger VII fish trawlers on the 3rd of May, 2020 at 20 nautical miles off the coast of Libreville, Gabon. Three crew members from each vessels are being held, and they are understood to be three Indonesians, two Senegalese and one South Korean, “Dryad Global stated in one of its advisory note to clients.

 

 

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