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3 French captured near the coast of Nigeria. To be distinguished from Somalia

(BRUSSELS2) Piracy is endemic not only off Somalia but also in the Gulf of Guinea, off Nigeria. We sometimes tend to forget that. But reality often comes to remind us. Last night, 3 Frenchmen were kidnapped aboard their ship, the Bourbon Alexandre, an "anchor lifter" which operated on the Addax oil field for the French group Bourbon; the 13 other crew members are safe and sound according to the manufacturer (1).

The Gulf of Guinea, second catchment area for piracy

Nigeria has always been one of the most dangerous areas in terms of piracy, just behind the Indian Ocean (Somalia, Ocean, Gulf of Aden), according to statistics regularly updated by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). After having increased in 2007 and 2008 (respectively 42 and 40 attacks against 16 and 12 in 2005 and 2006), the attacks decreased slightly in 2009 (28) and also in 2010 (around ten in the first half of the year).

Even if for convenience we will speak of piracy, this act is more like organized crime, more or less linked to political issues, than piracy. Moreover, in the legal sense of the term, since it generally takes place in territorial waters, or even in ports, it is an "armed robbery".

European experts distinguish, however, between acts committed on one side or the other of Africa.

Very different characteristics

In the Indian Ocean, and the Gulf of Aden, it is a "real industry", as General Buster Howes, commander of the European mission EUNAVFOR Atalanta (2), testifies again, essentially linked to the disintegration of the Somali State, with capture of boats and crews, of all origins, and surrender for ransom. The hostage detention can sometimes last a very long time (several months). The area is very wide and mostly in international waters. Generally during captures, sailors taken hostage are relatively well treated (even if the stay on Somali land or aboard the detained boat is often stressful, due to the heat and lack of food).

In the Gulf of Guinea, in West Africa, it is more a question of armed attacks, concentrated in a fairly limited area, near the coast, often in territorial waters or even in port waters of Nigeria, the Guinea, even Cameroon. They are more aimed at oil company ships - which are often easily affordable (crane ships, dredgers, etc.). The boat is looted but not hijacked, the crew members are taken hostage. Most often only Westerners (whites) are captured, not African sailors. They are then released for a ransom. This release often occurs quite quickly (a few days). On the other hand, the "bandits" are rather violent and the exchanges of fire with the private guards who protect the ships or the Nigerian navy which intervenes are often "fed" and all-out. Thus the two attacks of the first quarter of 2010, one of them ended in hospital for 2 sailors attacked.

British and Nigerians (credit: UK Royal Marine)

The attacks are sometimes claimed by political organizations, such as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which campaigns for a better distribution of the oil windfall between the regions (3). A political qualification disputed by certain specialists who prefer to speak of acts of "classic" banditry. Several attacks were countered either by the private guards of the oil companies or by local forces. The Nigerian navy in particular was thus formed and trained by the US or British navies (see photo).

It should be noted that according to the BMI, this Wednesday, September 22 also, an attack took place off the "Bonny" river (at 3.49 degrees North and 6.54 degrees East). Twenty armed pirates aboard three boats stormed a crane ship. The crew locked themselves in secure accommodation. The pirates were however able to take a crew member hostage. The captain then called on the Nigerian Navy for help. The pirates later released the crew and left the ship.

Read also:
(1) The press release from the Bourbon group
(2) Piracy: “a real industry”. Atalanta expands its area of ​​action to the east
(3) We can also read a testimonial from a French employee having worked in Nigeria

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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