The kidnapping of sailors has been the trend in West Africa. The West African coastline is a long stretch of water spread from Mauritania to Guinea. These waters are habitats not only to numerous species of fish but whales, dolphins, and seals as well. The coast is also a feeding ground for migrating birds. Various coastline communities are living along the coastline of West Africa. Most of these communities mainly depend on the practice of fishing as a source of income.
Recent sailor attacks
For sailors, however, who dare go out into the sea, they do so hardly knowing the dangers that await them. Pirates kidnap sailors off the West African coastline. This has led to these waters being the most dangerous waters in the world.
Marine time watchdogs on the West African coastline verify that kidnappings of sailors on the West African coastline have escalated up to 50% since last year. This whistle blower’s information, however, has been dismissed. Other reports claim that incidents of piracy have deteriorated worldwide.
The kidnapping of sailors as recorded by IMB
“This region accounts exceptional rise in crew kidnaps,” said Michael Howlett. He is the director of the Kaula Lampur based The International Marine Time (IMB).
The International Marine Time Bureau (IMB) reported that the number of sailors snatched off the West African coastline in 2018 keeps increasing. The previous year was recording 78, while this year, it escalated to 121. Most kidnappings taking place on the Gulf of Guinea. Sailors and their vessels thus remain at risk and face imminent dangers in numerous regions of the West African coastline.
Pirates strategies and Tactics
In other news, some experts reveal that pirates near the Gulf Guinea takeover ships to siphon off crude oil that is destined for the European Union, China, and the United States. Several of the Gulf of Guinea countries have presented suitable geography for pirate operations. Numerous inlets, mangroves, and rivers are available to these hijackers; therefore, it provides easy means to hide commodities that they steal and even boats.
Furthermore, with the present flourishing black markets for fuel in these countries on the Gulf of Guinea, a ready and available market is present for these pirates. These hijackers unload stolen crude oil to criminal accomplices and resell to the local market through government and non-government facilitators. After offloading the oil, the pirates free the sailors. Until the ransom is paid company employees are held in some cases.
Lastly, in West Africa hijackings, armed attacks and even kidnapping of sailors are not new. With the growing demand for crude oil exports by other countries like China, Europe, and the United States, this means the problem of piracy may continue to grow. This problem seen from the above revelations is due to flourishing black markets for stolen crude oil in the Gulf of Guinea. There is poor cooperation, and even corruption by governments of West Africa to combat piracy which contributes to the increasing rate of kidnappings and hijackings at sea. As such, incidents of piracy in the West African coastline may likely continue to increase despite the qualified efforts to reduce it.
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