Armed gunmen on 2 November kidnapped two foreign oil workers from a ship off the coast of Bayelsa state in the Niger delta region.
The incident underlines an increase in militancy in the region since the start of 2006, and the enhanced capacity of militant and other armed groups to launch successful attacks against vessels offshore. Control Risks believes that over the next few weeks militants will seek to attack more oil facilities in the hope of further disrupting oil production. Control Risks continues to advise against non-essential travel to the Niger delta, where security and travel risks are rated as HIGH. Companies are advised to implement maximum security measures, including reviewing and updating evacuation procedures in Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states.
The gunmen reportedly arrived in a speedboat to attack the ship, which was apparently surveying potential oil fields. A growing trend in the Niger delta is the involvement of large numbers of attackers; 40 gunmen recently attacked a vessel using three canoes. Armed groups are acquiring more high-speed vessels and attacks are likely to extend further offshore as their incentives grow. Despite increasing international interest in the region, and some likely international support for a coast-guarding initiative, the policing response is unlikely to develop at the same speed. There is likely to be an increase in offshore attacks in the run-up to, and aftermath of, the crucial general elections scheduled for April 2007. However, such attacks must be considered in the context of onshore militant risks, community disputes and other local dynamics in states such as Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta.
Planned attack
The US Consulate in late October warned that a militant group might have concluded plans for a unified attack against oil facilities in the Niger delta region. The attack would reportedly be carried out during the first week of November, and would include between ten and 20 simultaneous bombings of land-based targets and a series of separate attacks on oil installations, in which expatriate workers would be taken hostage. No details are available regarding specific targets, but Control Risks continues to advise extreme caution and vigilance on the part of foreign companies, business travellers and personnel on essential travel.
Piracy
Local militant groups have been employing pirate-style tactics to fight government forces, and attack ships for their valuables and cargo. Oil tankers and supply barges are the most popular targets. Many ships that fall prey to piracy are targets of opportunity, though in a growing number of cases it is clear that ships belonging to specific companies have been deliberately targeted. In some cases pirates are reported to have received insider assistance from the affected company. There have also been hijacks and incidents of crew being kidnapped. The Eastern Command of the Nigerian Navy, the force responsible for patrolling the waters around the Niger delta, does not have adequate resources; in addition, monitoring is complicated by the numerous creeks in the delta, which make it easier for pirates to hide. The navy has recently boosted its counter-piracy operations by acquiring new boats to enable naval personnel to track down the hideouts of criminal gangs, but improvements have yet to be seen.