One of the patrol vessels under Nigeria’s new security initiative, the Deep Blue Project.

The International Maritime Bureau IMB has reported a drastic reduction of over 81 per cent in the number of piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea for the second quarter of 2021, which ended June 30. It has also reported an 80 per cent reduction in the number of cases of kidnap within the review period.

The latest report of the Malaysia-based bureau shows that while 33 incidents of piracy were reported in the last quater of 2020, only six cases were reported in the second quarter of 2021, which ended June 30, which indicates a reduction by 27, representing an 81.8 per cent decline.

The IMB report also noted that the number of kidnapped crew in the region also declined from 50 in the  last quater of 2020 to 10 in the second quarter of 2021, which represents an 80 per cent decline.

This report gives credence to Nigeria’s efforts at combating piracy and other forms of maritime crimes not only in the country but also within the Gulf of Guinea region, especially the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure also called the Deep Blue Project on which the Federal Government has invested over $175million.

This report was contained in its recently released comprehensive second quarter report for 2021, which also shows a 27-year low global reduction of piracy in 27 years in Nigeria, including the Gulf of Guinea region.

The report notes that “the number of kidnapping in the Gulf of Guinea in the second quarter of 2021 is the lowest since the second quarter of 2019.

While IMB welcomes reduced piracy and armed robbery activity in the Gulf of Guinea, a Director at IMB, Michael Howlett has commended the efforts by the Federal Government of Nigeria to tackle the challenge of piracy in the region , adding that reporting all incidents to the Regional Authorities and IMB PRC will ensure seafarers maintain pressure against pirates.

“Bringing together maritime response authorities through initiatives like Nigeria’s Deep Blue Project and Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum, will continue and strengthen knowledge sharing channels and reduce risk to seafarers in the region.” He said.

Reacting to the report the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA Dr. Bashir Jamoh described the IMB report as a welcome development and also gave the assurance that the agency would not rest on its oars in ensuring zero tolerance for piracy on Nigeria’s waters and the Gulf of Guinea.

While ascribing the feat to the concerted efforts put in place by the GoG countries, the NIMASA DG called for a more holistic approach in quelling the incidences of piracy in the region.

“Matters concerning maritime security are everybody’s business as no country has immunity against insecurity and piracy related offences. Crime is usually a step ahead of every organized society, hence the need to step up our game through continuous synergy and enhanced information sharing in the West and Central Africa sub-region”, Jamoh said.

He further observed that with consistent reduction of criminal cases in the region, Nigeria will be engaging the international maritime community in the near future with the intention of removing the War Risk Premium charged on vessels calling Nigerian ports.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had on June 10, 2021, inaugurated the Deep Blue Assets geared towards fighting all forms of illegalities within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ, especially and on the Gulf of Guinea. This is in addition to the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences SPOMO Act, which he signed into law on June 24, 2019 to prosecute suspects.