Maritime

Sea Pirates Attack Vessels, Abduct Three Crew Members In Rivers

Published

11 years ago

April 17, 2015

Despite the Federal
Government’s efforts in deploying 30 gunboats to patrol and police the waterways and creeks in the Niger Delta during the just-concluded elections in the country, armed men suspected to be sea pirates have attacked an offshore vessel near Bonny Island in Rivers State.
A source told The Tide correspondent in Port Harcourt that six armed men stormed the offshore vessel FPSO, and after some sporadic shooting, boarded the vessel and allegedly abducted three crew members of the boat away to an unknown destination.
The source revealed that the fate of the abducted men was still unknown.
However, the source could not ascertain if the gunboats so deployed would be withdrawn after the election as they are originally meant to police oil pipelines vandalisation in the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, another report has it that an attempt by some sea pirates to attack another vessel about 22 nautical miles off the coast of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was foiled by the Nigerian Navy.
A source who told our correspondent in Port Harcourt could not ascertain if there were casualties.
Another source also disclosed that three armed pirates boarded an offshore supply vessel MV Wide beast in the INIM field, off the coast of Akwa-Ibom State.
The source said all the crew members on board were mustered in the ship’s citadel and a distress call was made and MV Augustina quickly responded.
But before the arrival of MV Augustina to repel the attack, the pirates had disembarked from the vessel and sped-off with their boat.
It was not clear as at the time of filing this report whether the sea pirates were able to cart away anything from the vessel.
When contacted in his office in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the Eastern Zonal Co-ordinator of NIMASA, Mr Anthony Ogadi said there was no official report of such incident to his office as gunboats were dispatched every morning at Bonny to patrol and police the area.
Ogadi noted that if such attack actually took place, his office would be the first to know, pointing out that it might be the local crafts that are not registered with NIMASA, and when they are called for a workshop, they felt reluctant that they knew the terrian.

Collins Barasimeye

Maritime

Customs Kaduna Command Generates ?5b Revenue In Oct

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kaduna Area Command, has achieved a new revenue milestone, generating ?5.16 billion in October 2025

The Area Command said the feat was the highest monthly revenue ever recorded.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Ridwan Yusuf, revealed this in a Statement made available to Journalists

The figure, Yusuf said, represent 96 per cent increase above the monthly target and a 196 per cent target performance.

Yusuf said that the command collected ?39.79 billion between January and October 2025, compared with ?24.06 billion generated during the same period in 2024 reflecting a substantial year,on year growth.

the Area Controller, Comptroller Saad Hassan, attributed the record performance to the dedication and professionalism of officers and stakeholders, in line with the modernisation agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi.

He identified improved stakeholders’ engagement, digitalisation of excise operations, and enhanced officers’ motivation as key factors driving the Command’s success.

“The Command’s performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our current operational strategies and our unwavering commitment to national economic stability,” Hassan said.

He assured that the command would continue to sustain the momentum by facilitating legitimate trade and improving revenue collection mechanisms.

The Command also reaffirmed its resolve to uphold professionalism and integrity in line with the service’s overall mission of trade facilitation and economic growth.

By; Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Shipper’s Council Advocates Sensitization Of Staff On NSITF Scheme

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called for proper Sensitization of staff on the proposed insurance scheme by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NSC, Akutah Pius, made the call while playing host to a courtesy visit by NSITF officials to his office, in Lagos.

Represented by Director of Human Resources Management, Alhaji Mustapha Zubairu, Akutah emphasized the Nigeria Shipper’s Council commitment to prioritizing staff insurance and health, citing existing policies with positive impacts on employees’ lives.

He requested NSITF to strengthen its legal framework to enable the NSC to fully benefit from the scheme.

Earlier, the Team Head, NSITF’ Adegbite Oludotun said that the organization provides compensation for insured government employees in case of injury, disability, or death during active service.

While commending the NSC for registering with the scheme, Oludotun assured adequate compensation for employee claims and safety.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Navy Rescues Six Male, Five Female Passengers From Drowning In Rivers

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Nigerian Navy Service NNS has rescued six male and five female passengers from a sinking speedboat along Bonny waterways in Rivers state

This is contained in a Statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Ayiwuyor Adams-Aliu, and made available to newsmen, in Abuja.

Adams-Aliu said the rescue operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, along the Bonny River.

According to the statement, the boat, which departed Nembe Waterside Jetty in Port Harcourt for Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island, developed engine failure midstream and began taking in water near the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne, Rivers State.

He said the swift response of the Naval patrol team under heavy rainfall prevented a major tragedy as all 11 passengers comprising six males and five females, were safely evacuated and taken to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Jetty for medical checks.

“The rescued victims were later handed over to the Marine Police for onward reunification with their families,”

The Naval spokesman said the Navy, in another Operation last wednesday, intensified crackdown on crude oil theft with the deactivation of multiple illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta.

He said personnel of FOB Escravos dismantled two sites at Obodo Omadino Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

“Similarly, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER patrol team uncovered and deactivated another site with cooking ovens, reservoirs, sacks, jerrycans, and dugout pits filled with stolen crude and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil around Bakana and Isaka areas of Rivers.

“Also, personnel of FOB Bonny dismantled a refining site at Eyamba Community in Bonny Local Government Area, while NNS DELTA patrol team deactivated another at Opumani Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta,”

Adams-Aliu said the operations reflect the Navy’s renewed commitment under the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to ensure maritime safety, protect national assets, and promote lawful economic activities.

The statement reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy would sustain the momentum in its fight against crude oil theft and all forms of illegality within the nation’s maritime domain.

By: Chinedu Wosu