Gulf of Guinea: High threat of piracy likely to persist in Gulf of Guinea into at least the middle of 2021 /update 2

Event

Piracy, particularly in the form of hijacking and criminal boarding of anchored vessels, will likely persist in the Gulf of Guinea through mid 2021. The highest threat of attack will continue to be in Nigeria’s Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ); however, the general threat to vessels underway and at port exists from Guinea to Angola’s northern coastline. Attacks could occur well offshore. Incidents will continue to be perpetrated by well-organized pirate action groups (PAGs) and opportunistic criminals. While all vessels operating in the region face an elevated threat from piracy, commercial vessels are persistently targeted by Niger Delta-based PAGs in hijacking attempts.

Context

The threat of piracy is elevated in the Gulf of Guinea with anchored and underway vessels being susceptible to attack. The International Chamber of Commerce International Maritime Bureau’s (ICC-IMB) reporting center has indicated that the number of kidnappings in the Gulf of Guinea in the first nine months of 2020 showed a 40 percent increase compared to the same period in 2019. Naval forces, particularly those outside of Nigeria, are poorly resourced and unable to effectively deal with the issue. Incidents have also occurred far offshore, likely with the aid of larger supporting pirate vessels known as "mother ships." Several notable attacks and kidnappings have already been reported in early 2021. The primary motivation remains financial with kidnappers demanding a ransom for the release of the captured crew. There is an elevated potential for violence associated with maritime kidnappings in the region, particularly during rescue operations when kidnappers may exchange fire with security personnel, posing a threat to the safety of the abductees.

Resources

International Maritime Organization
Maritime Domain Awareness Trade - Gulf of Guinea
IMB Piracy & Armed Robbery Map 2020