Pirates attack 88 vessels as navy, agency move against menace
No fewer than 88 vessels were attacked in the Niger Delta between 2017 and 2018, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has disclosed. The Executive Secretary,
“We have received a lot of complaints from the shipping companies which have been forced to provide own security to escort their vessels to the ports. In spite of this, they recorded about 88 attacks between 2017 and 2018 in the Niger Delta region. ”He observed that oftentimes, the cost of providing security is passed on to the consignee, resulting ultimately in the high cost of
The NSC boss said increased security would boost competitiveness, trade and the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He posited that the peculiar nature of maritime security threats required concerted measures from coastal, landlocked, flag states as well as international organisations and relevant stakeholders.
To effectively tackle the challenge, the ES sought the support of the navy in the passage of
According to him, the navy has a tripartite approach to maritime security, namely surveillance, response and enforcement. He said the surveillance capability was being enhanced daily with more ships for effective patrol as
The naval chief revealed that 40 vessels embarking on illegal operations were confiscated and 150 persons arrested and handed over to relevant agencies for prosecution in 2018. Also, 130 facilities were seized for maritime-related infractions.
Source: https://guardian.ng/news/nigeria/pirates-attack-88-vessels-as-navy-agency-move-against-menace/