200034 Piracy in West Africa

Piracy in West Africa
Report No. 200034

I have been working in the coastal waters of the Niger Delta for long enough to realise that boardings and attacks are too commonplace to be considered worthy of official report. Several oil platforms have been captured by armed raiders and one was overrun twice, evacuated and occupied by local tribesmen. A helicopter was also "hi-jacked" and held for ransom. A Master and Chief Engineer of a vessel had been captured and held for two weeks in the bush. They were released after a ransom had been paid. The ship had been stripped of cash and all attractive items. The boat used in the raid bore the legend "A GIFT FORM THE EEC".

A vessel was stopped in a crowded tidal anchorage area by a gang of belligerent youths who demanded payment of several hundred dollars "local government river toll". I paid the money to get rid of them as a fight between my crew and the youths had broken out. Recently a ship at anchor was boarded by several pirates armed with automatic rifles and hand guns. They ordered the Master to take the ship into a creek but he managed to persuade them that the draught was too deep to comply with their orders. The crew were then tied up and made to face downwards on the weather deck sheathing. One of the pirates discharged his gun close across the Master's face before leaving with as much cash and valuables as they could carry.