Nigeria�s coastal waters are proving increasingly perilous for mariners. Some 42 attacks on ships were reported in 2007 compared with 28 in 2004, according to the International Maritime Bureau. But the attacks are increasing by the day so much so that trawlers owners have abandoned their fishing trade.
PiratesWhile government may be battling with rising food prices, another crisis is in the offing, that of fish which is the major source of protein for the poor. Oku eko, as they are popularly called, may be priced out of the reach of the ordinary Nigerian as pirates have taken over the nation�s costal waters. It is not just in Nigeria but along the coasts of African continent.
Pirates operating around African countries are more likely to use weapons than in the past; a Spanish fishing vessel was attacked at the weekend using grenade launchers. It is now considered so risky that recently, France and the US announced a draft UN Security Council resolution allowing foreign governments to pursue and arrest pirates in territorial waters.
Nigeria�s oil wealth is also attracting more brigands to its seas. Ships navigating through traditional piracy hot-spots such as the Malacca Strait and the vast coastal waters of Indonesia have suffered fewer attacks since 2004 than in Nigeria.
Data made available by International Maritime Bureau show that pirates have shifted their base to Africa and Nigeria in particular. While in 2004, Indonesia had the highest pirates attack of 94, it dropped to 43 in 2007. Similarly, Malacca Strait which had 38 attacks in 2004, dropped considerably to just 7 attacks in 2007. Bangladesh which in 2004 experienced 17 attacks on its high sea, fell marginally to 15.
According to the International Maritime Bureau, Nigeria in 2004 had 28 pirate attacks. This rose to 42 in 2007 and it is still rising. Somalia which experienced two attacks in 2004 witnessed 31 attacks in 2007. While the total pirate attacks on ships globally was 329 in 2004, it dropped to 263 in 2007, the major part of the attack being in Africa.
Joshua Adegbola is the CEO of a thriving shrimp merchandise company, Aday Investment Limited located in Lagos. His company represents one of the strongest buyers of Nigerian shrimps. Aday, thus ensures the quality and quantity of shrimps for SEADCO, a Belgium-based buyer of Nigerian shrimps for up to 60 per cent of European and American consumers.
Before the upsurge of piracy about two years ago, Joshua and his company were doing 10 containers of shrimps of the total 30 official containerised shrimps which find their way to the international market every month. But this production figure has declined. The single largest earner of the annual US$11million is the Tiger shrimp sold US$16 per kilo. It is described as the newest phenomenon that has increased Nigeria�s earnings from shrimping in the last five years.
Nigeria is not the only country that exports shrimps. China is the highest. However, Nigeria�s fishing industry has great potentials for expansion. But the market is bogged down by high cost of production and incessant piracy attacks that has left many sailors dead and the Nigerian waters one of the most feared both by local and international seamen.
For instance, when viewed against other shrimps that arrive the international market, the Nigerian shrimp cost a lot more due to increasing cost of fuel, a major item in the fishing business. Nigerian shrimps are uncompetitive, Joshua says, but hinted that still there is such a good demand for the country�s shrimps, particularly, the Tiger shrimps with its unique taste that compels international buyers to buy it at a premium above others from different parts of the world.
But the killing of sailors by pirates and the subsequent stoppage of fishing operations for four months, has affected the industry significantly.
Today, the fishing industry is comatose. However, fishing is just one aspect of the whole problems of sailing in Nigerian waters. Major vessel operators have reviewed their rates on Nigeria-bound ships. However, piracy and other attacks on vessels by persons suspected to be militants is not a major issue for world�s marine business. It�s a peculiarity of the Nigerian market both for marine insurers and shippers and appropriate response mechanism is increase in rates for haul and cargo.
And this has been effected. It also includes higher rates for personal accident insurance or what is generally covered obtainable in terrorism covers. Most expatriates come with the insurance. It is the degree of the effect of the Nigerian problem to the entire international marine operations that would compel the world to look in our direction. This has not been significant.
But players in the Maritime sector are watching events globally. For instance, 2006 underwriting year showed increase in the number and severity of major claims. The claims arose from grounding and capsizing. They expect continuing trends towards higher attritional claims amounts.
Since 2002, there has been stability in premium results although International Union of Marine Insurers say that exposures in values are increasing �significantly but not reflected in premium development.�
Generally, insurers, as major players in the Maritime sector, would always protect themselves through upward review of rates and or outright refusal of cover for definite risks if there are major and consistent incidents that threaten them.
Total premium for 2006 for the world marine insurance market was over US$20 billion while losses for the same period was less than US$1billion.
As a result of the growing concern over the activities of pirates in Africa and Nigeria in particular, an international conference was held in Abuja, the National Security Adviser to the President, Major General Multa Sariki (rtd) said that despite assurance by Navy authorities that they would adequately police the nation�s waterways for safe operations by fishing trawlers operators, pirate attacks have continued unabated.
Sariki who expressed his displeasure at a seminar on Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea, in Abuja, frowned at the inability of the Navy to keep to its promise of securing the nation�s territorial waters. The NSA who was represented by Col. Mohammed Alli, one of his directors, said that members of the fishing trawlers recently petitioned his office and he had to summon all the directors involved; and expressed his dissatisfaction on the development.
He disclosed that plans have been concluded and decisive actions (which he refused to disclose for security reasons) would soon be taken that would put smiles on the faces of the operators, he noted.
In the same breath, however, he attributed the inability of security agencies to effectively combat piracy to lack of requisite equipment and training.
He further pointed out that although the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety and Security (PICOMSS) is presently addressing the issue of equipment, shipowners and other maritime agencies like Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) should �play a pivotal role in this regard.�
He said there were 11 attacks on boats and vessels used by traders, fishermen and oil/allied companies around the Niger-Delta area between late last year and last April, a situation that is frightening operators in the area. Sariki explained that �the development has continued to impact negatively on the economic fortunes of the affected communities and victims as the prices of sea foods as well as transportation by sea, have sky-rocketed.�
However, in its communiqu� at the end of the seminar, participants called on government to accelerate action on the acquisition of necessary operational platforms and equipment for the Navy and other relevant security agencies between now and the fourth quarter of next year to enable them effectively combat piracy.
Amongst the equipment included in the communiqu� are Off-shore patrol vessels (OPVs), Long range Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), Coastal Radars, Inshore Patrol Crafts (IPCs), Flat Bottom Boats, Helicopters, and Marine Police Patrol Boats.
A consultant to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Louis N. Mbanefo (SAN) fingered retired military personnel in pirate attacks along the nation�s territorial waters. He also blamed the increase in rate of piracy in the country to the high level of unemployment facing the nation�s youths presently.
Speaking at a seminar on Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea, organised by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy recently, Mbanefo said the professionalism and expertise displayed by the pirates makes apparent that they are highly trained.
According to him, �armed robbery on land is sometimes perpetrated by undesirable elements within the law enforcement agencies, there is a likelihood that acts of piracy are being committed by bad eggs within the Navy or those who have been dismissed from the Navy.�
Furthermore he said, �The skillful use of sophisticated weaponry and the professionalism of some of the pirates would indicate a measure of training. It behooves the Navy and indeed, the armed forces in general, to look into the possibility and to take appropriate action.� Mbanefo explained that massive retrenchment and unemployment have forced most youths in the country that are unable to be gainfully employed into either 419 or piracy.
In his words, �Can piracy be divorced from the general malaise in the Nigerian economy caused by massive retrenchments everywhere and the unavailability of jobs for school leavers and graduates? It is no longer news that graduates parade the streets for years on end looking for scarce employment.
It is no longer news that many intelligent and enterprising youths spend hours at night at internet cafes sending out the so-called �419� e-mails and faxes round the world in the hope of attracting funds from gullible foreigners.
For those who can swim and are familiar with boats, piracy offers a ready challenge.�
As a way forward, the IMO consultant said: �If we are to eliminate piracy altogether, we must, in addition to other measures, provide gainful employment for our youths. If those with nautical aspirations are sent to the Maritime Academy at Oron and trained to become merchant seamen, a potential source of piracy might have been eliminated,� he concluded.
In an interview with trawlers operators, they said that at the height of the problem, they wrote a letter to President Musa Yar�Adua. Speaking on behalf of the trawlers operators, Mike Bissong said: �Like we did earlier on, at the onset of the piracy attacks we informed him in writing. The first one was minuted to the National Security Adviser and we were invited and the association went there to make the whole thing known to one of the NSA men that attended to us then.
�So, I think from then, a lot of other things started and the Presidency must have directed the ministry in charge of our activity to set up a stakeholders meeting which was followed up accordingly but at the end of it all, we had a Press briefing by the Nigerian Navy and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture where the Federal Government through the Navy, gave us the assurance to go back to sea.
�So based on that, we decided to send one-third of our vessels back to sea and see how safe it was, as we could not send all of our vessels because of the problem of A.G.O. which is now crippling the industry.
�So when we sent the vessels to sea, we were surprised that within the first week, six vessels were attacked just off the Lagos anchorage. So that gave us the indication that the sea is not yet safe for fishing activities in Nigerian territorial waters.
�Right now, while you were coming in, you saw a lot of sailors and sea-going sailors, who are supposed to be on vessels but they are all roaming around because they cannot go to sea when the vessels are not ready and this is a pointer to the fact that sooner or later, they will lose their jobs and that is one remarkable aspect that if this industry is crippled, about 20,000 Nigerians will lose their jobs directly, and indirectly, about 50,000. So in short, about 70,000 people will be jobless.
�And more so this is an industry that apart from the oil sector, it earns foreign exchange for the country in terms of export and the contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which accounts for about $60 million. This issue is coming at a time when Nigeria is seeking to woo investors,� he said.