West African piracy problem without solution

West Africa piracy can be divided into 4 types
 
Oceanus live
Original source: Soefartens Ledere (Danish Maritime Officers)

As the pirates' declining success in the waters off the Horn of Africa, the focus is increasingly on the often very violent piracy in the West African Gulf of Guinea. The West African piracy differs in many ways from what we know from Somalia, and can be roughly divided into 4 types. 

By Jakob Wandel | 29 89 00 98 | jw@soefartens.org 

According to Thomas Horn Hansen, London-based analyst at the maritime security firm Risk Intelligence and expert in West African piracy, the piracy in the Gulf of Guinea divides into four types:

1) Simple robbery / theft,
 
where armed pirates sneaking on board the ships, typically at night and steal what they can get their hands on and get away from the ship. If the pirates are discovered, they react typically by running away. This form of piracy is widespread in ports and anchorages throughout the region.

2) Armed robbery,
 
where well-armed groups go on board the ships and steal from the ship and its crew all the valueables they can get, whether it is possible to take away from the ship: cash, laptops, cell phones, etc. These pirates are known for a very high level of violence, and they will not run away if they are discovered. This form of piracy is concentrated out of Nigeria and partly Benin and Togo.

3) Kidnappings with ransom demands,
 
where well-armed pirates board and kidnap crew or part of the crew, typically the captain and chief engineer. These attacks are concentrated on the Niger Delta and up to 2012 seen at up to 45 nautical miles from the coast. In 2013, however, there has been a single attack carried out as far as 97 nautical miles from the coast.
This type of violence are committed by former militia groups, which now supports Nigerian incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan.
The activity in this type of piracy comes in stages, depending on how active different criminal groups in the area. There is evidence that one or more groups in Bayelsa has been active since December 2012 and it is expected that the number of attempted kidnappings will increase in the Niger Delta in 2013.
This is due to several militia leaders, at lower levels, moving into organized crime in the region, and is expected to plunge into this type of piracy.
A relatively new development is that Nigerian pirates have recently used a hijacked tug to carry out new attacks on other ships, and thus has expanded its area of ??operations. It is not yet clear whether this approach will be a trend amongst these groups.
For pirates, this method carries a greater risk of being caught because in the longer-term it is harder to hide.
For companies it implies a significantly higher risk of crews whose local naval forces attempting to free those ships and captured crews with power. Read also: Nigerian presidential elections in 2015 could escalate piracy.

4) Tanker hijacking

where product tankers hijacked cargo, or parts of cargo are stolen and transferred to another vessel. This type of piracy carried out by well-organized, Nigeria-based, criminal groups. Tanker hijackings requires good organization and good relations, ensuring that on loading can be done at peace from any naval forces intervention.
Previously, these hijackings concentrated out of Nigeria, but to some extent has moved to the waters off Benin, Togo and Ivory Coast, as a result of such changed patrols.
Hijacking of product tankers rose sharply in 2011 and has had a continued high level in 2012, which is expected to continue in 2013.
Frequently, there is theft of diesel or petrol, on the way to Nigeria, Togo or Benin. Typically, 2000-3000 tons of cargo is stolen and ships released after an average of 5 days.
Profit levels from tanker  hijackings is on average 2 million USD, which makes these hijackings very profitable for the pirates in relation to the short time hijackings items. Read also: Concern over West African piracy
 
West African piracy problem without solution

Oceanus live  (2013)
Original source: Soefartens Ledere (Danish Maritime Officers)

Pirate situation in the Gulf of Guinea is becoming very serious, and even though the international community has become aware of the problems, it remains without a coordinated solution. Meanwhile, the threat from the West African pirates goes up costing both the region and shipowners - and gives the seafarers' legitimate concerns. 

By Jakob Wandel | 29 89 00 98 | jw@soefartens.org

On 9 September 2012, at approximately 18:35 Danish time, the Danish-flagged tanker, Torm Gertrud, was attacked by pirates off Lagos, Nigeria. Heavily armed pirates pursued the ship and fired their weapons to force it to stop. Captain of the tanker sounded the alarm, sped up, made evasive manoeuvres and sent all non-essential crew to safety in the ship's citadel. Pirates tried repeatedly to get on board, but had, as a result of the Captain's manoeuvres, eventually abandoned the hijacking attempt. No crew members were injured during the attack, but the ship bore clear marks from pirates' bullets. This violent attack on Torm Gertrud was just one of many pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea in 2012, and, so far, all crews have managed to escape the heavily armed criminals.
In entirety, 63 tugs, supply vessels, cargo ships, tankers and container ships were, according to research firm Risk Intelligence, in 2012 attacked by pirates or criminals in West Africa with success. In addition, an unknown number of local trawlers and boats, of which attacks are rarely reported.

Largely unknown 

Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea has been a known problem since the 1970s, but the problem has developed since the turn of the millennium, where smaller vessels servicing the offshore industry in Nigeria, have had to live with this serious threat. With time, the pirates have become more aggressive and better armed and in 2011 there were 74 attacks on large merchant ships in the area from Senegal to Congo. Many attacks are not reported to the international authorities, which is why the volume is supposedly much larger. Tankers hijacked primarily for the pirates to steal the cargo and other property on board, while kidnappings of crew members from smaller vessels is primarily a problem in the Niger Delta. Hijacked tanker diverted from Nigeria, Togo, Benin and Ivory Coast and subsequently robbed of diesel or petrol reloaded to smaller, local tankers in an area explored Nigeria.

Cost to both the region and maritime is expensive 

Piracy in West Africa has a very negative effect on legitimate maritime traffic in the region, including Togo, Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria. It is reported, for example, that activities in Benin's main port city and the de facto capital, Cotonou, in 2012 was more than halved compared to the previous, as a result of piracy threat in the Gulf of Guinea. The cost of piracy is also expensive for shipping. It is assessed that the stolen cargo, insurance and security measures, including the use of armed guards, annually cost carriers in the region of $ 2 billion USD.

Budding international focus 

The increasing number of reported pirate attacks in West Africa have finally got the issue on the international agenda. In November 2011 the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, set up a working group with the aim to investigate the problem. As a result, it was recognized that there is a need for comprehensive efforts across national borders, to combat piracy in the region, and that it will need additional, technical and logistical assistance from the international community. This realization has not yet resulted in any real, coordinated, international effort.

AFRIKA MAGHARIBI: Hatua za Pamoja Dhidi ya Uharamia

Picha hapa : No country for Pirates

Noël Kokou Tadégnon  

Tayari kuna zaidi ya mashambulizi matatu ya meli yaliyofanywa na maharamia katika Pwani ya Afrika Magharibi mwaka huu. Serikali za kikanda zitakutana mjini Cotonou, Benin mwezi Oktoba kujadili jitihada za pamoja za kutokomeza uharamia.

LOME, Oct 10 (IPS) - Takwimu za mashambulizi zinatokana na matukio yaliyoripotiwa na waongoza meli kwa Kituo cha Kimataifa cha Kutoa Taarifa za Uharamia Baharini na zinaonyesha tishio linalozidi kuongezeka la usafiri wa meli katika ukanda wenye utajiri wa mafuta.

Mashambulizi ya karibuni zaidi ni yale ya Sep. 15 dhidi ya meli ya mafuta ya Mattheos I ikiwa na wafanyakazi wake 23 katika pwani ya Togo. Siku kumi baadaye, wamiliki wa meli kutoka Hispania waliviambia vyombo vya habari kuwa meli hiyo na wafanyakazi wake wameshaachiliwa huru; bila kulipwa kwa fedha zozote zile zilizodaiwa na watekaji lakini baadhi ya mafuta ya dizeli yaliibwa katika meli hiyo.

Serikali katika mwambao wa Afrika Magharibi zimeonyesha wasiwasi wao kuhusu kuongezeka kwa idadi ya mashambulizi dhidi ya meli za mizigo, na zinataka kukusanya rasilimali chache walizonazo kuendesha hatua za pamoja, kama vile kushika doria katika Ghuba ya Guinea.

"Lakini hatutaki kuishia tu kwenye doria za pamoja kati ya Benin na Nigeria; hivi karibuni tutaenea na kuhusisha majeshi ya Togo na Ghana," Kamanda Maxime Ahoyo, mkuu wa Jeshi la Majini la Benin, aliiambia IPS.

"Kama tutakabiliana na matatizo ya uharamia katika maji ya Benin lakini, kwa mfano, tutaacha kuchukua tahadhari za kiusalama katika maji ya Togo, na kama hatutaungana na wenzetu wa Togo na nchi nyingine, hali hii – ambayo ina mtandao mpana – itazidi kuenea."

Madhara ya kiuchumi

Rais wa Jumuiya ya Kiuchumi ya Mataifa ya Afrika Magharibi, James Victor Gbeho, ametoa wito wa kuchukuliwa kwa hatua dhidi ya uharamia na kupanuliwa na kuingiza mataifa yote katika pwani.

"Majeshi ya majini katika mataifa yetu yote ya ukanda wa pwani yanapaswa kuunganisha nguvu zao siku zote," Gbeho aliiambia IPS, huku akisitiza imani yake kuwa tatizo la uharamia lazima kupatiwa ufumbuzi kamilifu. "Hali hiyo inazidi kutisha na inaweza kuwa na madhara makubwa ya kiuchumi kwa nchi zetu. Hii ndiyo sababu tutachukua hatua dhidi yake."

Uharamia tayari umeshasababisha makampuni ya bima ya vyombo vya baharini mjini London kuiingiza Benin katika orodha ya kuwepo katika ukanda wa hatari kubwa ya usafiri wa meli. Makampuni ya bima ya vyombo vya baharini yanayowakilishwa na chama cha ‘Lloyd's Market Association’ yanadai ada kubwa kulipia meli zinazopita katika ukanda huo.

Kulingana na Bénetti Gagalo, Katibu Mkuu Msaidizi wa Chama cha Walaji cha Togo, hali hiyo ni wazi itakuwa na madhara katika kipato cha bandari za ukanda huo ikiwa ni pamoja na gharama za bidhaa za walaji.

Msaada kutoka nje

Dharula ya hali hiyo imesababisha serikali za kikanda kuomba msaada kutoka Ufaransa na Marekani, ambao wameshapeleka vifaa vya majini katika eneo hilo.

Manuwari ya Kifaransa ya Germinal, tayari inafanya doria katika pwani ya Benin, Togo na Ghana kujaribu na kupunguza uharamia, ikiwa ni pamoja na kutoa mafunzo kwa askari wa majini kutoka nchi zote tatu.

"Tumewapatia mafunzo askari hawa wa majini, na wameshiriki katika mazoezi yote ya kiusalama na kufanya doria ambayo tumeyafanya kuzuia uharamia. Na wametusaidia na maarifa yao waliyonayo katika eneo hili la oparesheni," Sébastien Chatelin, nahodha wa manuwari hiyo ya Kifaransa, aliiambia IPS.

Manuwari ya Kimarekani, HSV Swift, pia imefika katika Ghuba ya Guinea, ikisaidia kupambana na uharamaia huku ikitoa mafunzo kwa askari wa majini wa Benin, Togo na Ghana kama sehemu ya mpango wa kijeshi wa Marekani ujulikanao kama "Africa Partnership Station".

"Lengo letu ni kujaribu na kutoa mafunzo kwa washirika wa Afrika juu ya usalama," alisema nahodha wa chombo hicho cha Marekani, Rhett S. Mann.

"Mpango wa APS utaturuhusu kufanya kazi pamoja kukabiliana na matatizo ambayo yanaathiri maji ya pwani yetu," aliongeza Sam Nkruma, ofisa kutoka jeshi la majini la Ghana.

Askari mwenzake wa Benin, Christian Oussa, alikaribisha mafunzo waliyopata wakiwa katika meli mbili za jeshi la majini. "Hii itaturuhusu kukabiliana na uharamia na wafanyabiashara haramu katika bahari. Tumejifunza jinsi ya kupanda meli zinazotiliwa mashaka na kuzikagua; mafunzo ni mazuri mno," aliiambia IPS. (END/2011)

‘Nchi za Afrika ziungane kudhibiti uharamia’

Ili kukabiliana na vitendo vya uharamia kwenye wa Bahari ya Hindi, nchi za Afrika zimetakiwa

Mwananchi

Dar es Salaam. Ili kukabiliana na vitendo vya uharamia kwenye wa Bahari ya Hindi, nchi za Afrika zimetakiwa kuweka nguvu katika ushirikiano, kwa kuwa si rahisi nchi moja kudhitibi uhalifu huo unaofanya na watu wanaodaiwa kuwa ni raia wa Somalia.

Hayo yalisemwa jana na mkurugenzi wa Mashtaka Tanzania (DPP), Biswalo Mganga wakati akifungua mkutano wa waendesha mashtaka na wapelelezi wa kesi za uharamia kwa nchi zilizopo ukanda wa Afrika Mashariki.

Alisema kuna baadhi ya meli zinakwepa kupita pwani ya Somalia kwa hofu ya maharamia na kulazimika kuzunguka umbali mrefu.

“Matokeo yake, bei za bidhaa zinazoingizwa na meli hizo zinakuwa juu kutokana na kufidia gharama za usafirishaji zinazotokana na meli kutumia njia ndefu,” alisema Mganga.

DPP alisema meli zinazopita pwani ya Somalia zimekuwa zikitozwa kiasi kikubwa cha bima na kwamba gharama hizo zimekuwa zikifidiwa na watumiaji wa bidhaa zinazoletwa na meli hizo.

“Wakati maharamia wanaungana kufanya uhalifu, nasi kama mataifa tunaoathirika na matukio haya tunatakiwa kuungana ili kupambana nao,” alisema.

Aliwataka waendesha mashtaka na wapelelezi wa masuala ya uharamia kubadilishana uzoefu na mbinu za kushughulikia wahalifu hao ili waweze kuadhibiwa.

Naye, balozi wa Umoja wa Ulaya (EU) nchini, Filiberto Sebregondi alisema umoja huo umekuwa ukitoa rasilimali fedha kwa ajili ya kupambana na uharamia kwenye Bahari ya Hindi.

“Tunataka waendesha mashtaka wa makosa ya uharamia katika nchi zilizoko katika pwani ya Bahari ya Hindi, kubadilishana uzoefu kwa lengo la kuwadhibiti maharamia hawa,” alisema.

Sebregondi alisema maharamia hawana mipaka na kwamba nchi mbalimbali zinatakiwa kuweka mtandao wa ushirikiano ili kuwakamata.

“Ni jambo muhimu kwa nchi husika kuliangalia kwa ukubwa zaidi suala hili, kwa kuwa kinyume chake ni kuruhusu uharamia kuendelea,” alisema.

Mkutano huo unashirikisha waendesha mashtaka kutoka nchi za Tanzania, Somalia, Djibouti Shelisheli, Mauritius, Yemen na Kenya.

Ona pia

Uharamia Afrika Magharibi

Uharamia biashara katika Pembe ya Afrika (2008)

Uharamia Afrika Magharibi

dw.com

Tunapozungumza kuhusu uharamia barani Afrika hii leo, fikra ya kila mmoja huelekea Somalia. 

Cotonou, mji mkuu wa Benin

Lakini pwani ya Afrika magharibi imegeuka kuwa eneo la pili hatari kwa maharamia wanaolenga hususan mafuta na meli za kemikali wakitumia silaha za kutegeshwa na miripuko ya roketi.´
Uharamia katika pwani ya Afrika magharibi unaongezeka katika kiwango cha kushtusha na unatatiza vibaya mpangilio wa biashara ya kimataifa. Pwani ya Afrika magharibi imeshuhudia zaidi ya mashambulio 20 dhidi ya meli za kemikali na za mafuta katika nusu ya kwanza ya mwaka huu [2011].
Nchi ya Benin peke yake imeripoti visa 15. Vyombo sita vya baharini vimetekwa nyara. Maharamia waliwalazimisha manahodha wa meli kuzielekeza meli zao katika maeneo yasiyojulikana, ambapo mizigo kwenye meli hizo yaliibiwa, huku mabaharia kadhaa wakijeruhiwa.

Bandari ya Cotonou, Benin

Maxime Ahoyo ni kamanda wa jeshi la majini la Benin. Anasema serikali nyingi katika eneo hilo zina wasiwasi mkubwa kuhusu mashambulio hayo. Na ndiyo sababu serikali ya Benin imeamua kuliongeza nguvu jeshi lake la majini.

' Tunatarajia ndege mbili za kijeshi zilizo na kamera za kuweza kuona usiku. Ndege hizo ndogo zinapangwa kuwasilishwa mwezi Septemba kutoka Ufaransa. Na Boti tatu za kupiga doria zinatengenezwa Ufaransa. Zitawasili mwezi Februari mwaka 2012'.

Ahoyo anaeleza kuwa punde tu boti hizo zitakapowasili mwezi huu, Benin itaimarisha usalama katika bahari yake. Boti hizo zitaweza kusafiri kwa umbali mkubwa na zitaweza kusafiri haraka katika bahari kubwa ambapo maharamia huzitegesha meli zao ili kuweza kuiba mizigo.
Pottengal Mukundan ni mkurugenzi wa ofisi ya kimataifa ya ubaharia nchini Uingereza na anaeleza kuwa njia ambazo meli zinatekwa nyara Afrika magharibi ni sawa na kama ilivyo Afrika mashariki.

'Wanatumia mbinu sawa za mashambulio, wanajitokeza kwenye viboti vidogo, na silaha za kutegeshwa na miripuko ya roketi na huzilazimisha meli kupunguza kasi au kusimama, na baada ya hapo wanapanda kwenye meli hizo'.

Hata hivyo maharamia katika Afrika ya magharibi, wana malengo tofauti na wenzao wa Somalia. Maharamia wa Somalia huziteka meli na mabaharia waliomo kwenye meli hizo, na baadaye wakadai malipo ya fedha ili wawaachilie. Kwa upande wa maharamia wa Afrika magharibi, maharamia hao huiba mizigo iliyomo kwenye meli hizo, nayo huwa ni mafuta na mitungi ya gesi ambayo huyauza katika soko haramu. Bamidele. A. Ojo, ni mtaalamu wa masuala ya kigaidi katika chuo kikuu cha Dickinson nchini Marekani.

'Unapokuwa na shughuli za kihalifu ambazo zinaathiri usafirishaji mafuta, ina maana kuwa ni lazima uzidishe usalama katika meli, ni lazima uongeze hatua za kiusalama kuziongoza meli hizo wakati zinaposafirisha mafuta ghafi kutoka Afrika magharibi hadi Ulaya, na hilo bila shaka litaongeza thamani ya mafuta na bei itaweza kuwasilishwa kwa watu binafsi katika eneo la Ulaya ya magharibi na Marekani'.

Hata hivyo vyombo vya habari vya kimataifa havijaangazia ongezeko la visa vya uharamia katika pwani hiyo ya Afrika magharibi. Serikali za Afrika magharibi zinafikiria kuwa mpango wa pamoja ni suluhu iliyo bora kukabiliana na mashambulio ya maharamia.
Hata hivyo wataalamu wanasema inahitaji jitihada zaidi, kuliko ununuzi wa boti mpya za kupiga doria kwa jeshi la majini katika eneo hilo. Na wanasema huenda mfumo huo wa pamoja wa ulinzi usiwepo hivi karibuni kwa kuwa nchi katika eneo hilo ni maskini mno kuweza kuugharamia.

Mwandishi: Alice Kiingi/ Maryam Abdalla
Mhariri:Josephat Charo

Ona pia

Eglise orthodoxe du Benin

The Orthodox Church in Nigeria : Archdiocese of Nigeria, Niger, Benin & Togo