Pirates kidnap 9, attack ship in GoG

Abiodun OBA |

Pirates over the weekend, attacked and kidnapped nine crew members of the Norwegian owned vessel MV Bonita while the ship was anchored off the coast of Benin Republic.

The ship owner J.J. Ugland, announced the incident in a statement on Sunday.
Ugland said the remaining crew on the vessel notified local authorities, and the vessel docked at the port city of Cotonou later on Saturday.

“The Ugland Emergency Response Team are handling this situation as per contingency plans, and they are in contact with relevant authorities. … The families of the crew members have been contacted and will be kept informed by Ugland,” it said in a statement.

“Further updates will be given as and when new confirmed information is available and releasable.”
Only recently, there was an international security conference at the instance of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) aimed at finding a lasting solution to the criminal activities in the GoG region.