Gulf of Guinea Focus: Week 19
- Agwe Global
- May 8
- 4 min read
In what could have been a major maritime disaster, personnel of the Nigerian Navy have rescued 99 passengers from a sinking market boat following a collision with a barge along the Bukuma River in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. The ill-fated boat, known as ‘Blood of Jesus’, was conveying traders and goods worth millions of Naira from Port Harcourt to Akuku-Toru LGA when it collided head-on with a barge named Adam (Damen Buba), around the Tuma axis—just 300 metres from Naval Security Station, NSS 035. Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Nnabuchi Aniaku, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by the Base Information Officer, Lieutenant Commander Bridget Bebia. According to Aniaku, the Navy’s swift and coordinated response ensured all 99 passengers onboard were rescued unharmed, and most of their goods were also recovered.
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Gunmen have kidnapped four women along the waterways of Foropa in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The women were abducted when the gunmen attacked a local boat conveying traders . PUNCH Metro gathered that 12 women were in the boat, which had departed from the jetty at the Swali Ultra-Modern Market. All of them were dispossessed of their money and other valuables. However, four of the women were taken to an undisclosed location, sparking concern among traders who regularly use boats to travel between Yenagoa and markets in the hinterland. The incident drew a sharp reaction from a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 4, Selekaye Victor-Ben, who called for urgent action to address the rising insecurity in the area.
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The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Ibaka, Akwa Ibom State, has arrested two suspects trafficking 500 kilos of pangolin scales worth N25 million from Cameroon to Nigeria. The Commanding Officer, Aliyu Abdullah, stated this while handing over the suspects and the items to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Ibaka. Mr Abdullahi said that the suspects were arrested on routine patrol around Tom Shot Island. “The arrest was made during routine-stop-and-search of boats transiting from Cameroon to Nigeria,” he said. He stated that pangolins are a critically endangered species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Mr Abdullahi noted that smuggling of products derived from endangered animals, such as pangolin scales, across International maritime borders constituted a serious violation of both International and domestic legal frameworks. “They play a vital role in their ecosystem. However, their population has been decimated due to high demand for scales and meat, particularly in black markets across Asia and Africa,”
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The war risk insurance is a type of insurance that covers damage due to acts of war, including invasion, insurrection, rebellion and hijacking. It has two components: war risk liability, which covers people and items inside the craft and is calculated based on the indemnity amount, and war risk hull, which covers the craft itself and is calculated based on the value of the craft. The premium varies based on the expected stability of the countries to which the vessel will travel. The war risk phenomenon, which was only known to countries with high rate of piracy such as Somalia, however found its way into Nigeria during the massive involvement of youths of the Niger Delta in militant activities. Since its introduction, Nigeria has been paying the contentious premium, even when attacks on ships have evidently dropped or out rightly stopped.
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The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has expressed strong optimism that the newly approved National Marine and Blue Economy policy will lay the foundation for sustainable prosperity for the country. The policy, which is the country’s first was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and represents a bold step towards unlocking the full potential of the nation’s marine and coastal resources. Describing the policy as a visionary framework for national development, Oyetola hailed the FEC’s decision as timely and transformative. He stated that the new policy will serve as a strategic guide for the development of the marine and blue economy sector over the next ten years, helping Nigeria harness the full value of its oceans, seas, rivers, and inland waterways. According to the Minister, the document provides not just policy direction, but a long-term implementation plan that aligns environmental protection with inclusive economic growth. “This is a defining moment for our nation,” Oyetola said shortly after the policy’s approval.
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The Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) has commended Tantita Security Services (TSS) for showcasing Nigeria’s growing maritime security capabilities on the global stage at the ongoing Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2025 in Houston, Texas, USA. In a statement signed by MASPAN President, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, he noted that the presence of Tantita at the prestigious global event marks a bold step for indigenous security firms aiming to compete internationally. Maiguwa described Tantita’s strategy and display in Houston as a “statement that Nigeria is ready to play big” and urged other local security companies to follow suit. “Nigerian security companies are not typically known as international players.
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