AFRICA: Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

Cameroon Captain Released

Piracy is on the rise in the waters off the West Coast of Africa. What started out as low-level armed robberies has morphed into hijackings, cargo theft and kidnappings in the Gulf of Guinea.

The latest incident saw the kidnapping of a Cameroonian sea captain by armed pirates off the coast of Nigeria. The captain, Moukoko Lottin, was released Aug. 29 after an undisclosed sum of money was exchanged for his freedom, according to an Associated Press report in the Washington Post.

Gulf of Guinea via Wikipedia

The captain said he was not harmed when the seven pirates boarded his ship Aug. 27.

There has been a dramatic increase in pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea. The countries of Benin and Nigeria have reported more than 20 incidents. That number could increase as more and more oil is shipped from the region.