Nigeria, Others Demand Response To Piracy, Oil Theft In GoG

In a bid to curb piracy, oil thefts, and other forms of vices in the Gulf of Guinea (GOG),  Nigeria and 28 other countries have called for an international response to the rising cases of piracy and crude oil theft in the GOG and Africa.
The call was part of resolutions reached at the end of a two-day International Maritime Conference hosted by the Nigeria Navy at Onne.
Recall that Nigeria on 3rd March, 2022 exited the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) piracy list, as it plays leading role in pushing for a more secured region.
This was contained in  a 36-point communiqué issued and signed by the Chief of Policy and Plans of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Saidu Garba, shortly after the conference in Port Harcourt.
The communiqué stated that 300 delegates and 900 participants from 29 countries, including heads of navies and coastguards in Africa, the European Union (EU), Brazil, South Korea, China and United States, among others, participated in the conference.
The conference had the theme, “Optimising International Collaboration for Maritime Security and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in Africa.
“At the end of the deliberations, 36 draft resolutions were adopted, including (the proposal) that African countries should identify and prosecute sponsors and collaborators in maritime crimes to serve as deterrence.
Also, Heads of GoG Navies are enjoined to “lobby their governments to establish special courts to prosecute cases of piracy, sea robbery and other related offences,” the communiqué said.

Stories by Chinedu Wosu