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Piracy, Armed Robbery in Gulf of Guinea Has Reduced- Touray
Piracy, Armed Robbery in Gulf of Guinea Has Reduced- Touray
By: Michael Mike
The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray has said that the Gulf of Guinea has continued to witness a downward trend in piracy and armed robbery attacks over the year.
He noted that this was achieved through the efforts of the Inter-regional Coordination Centre, ICC, insisting that its achievements in maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is quite commendable.
Touray made this known at the 4th Annual Meeting of the Heads of Institution (HOI) of the ICC, at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday.
ICC was created in September 2014 by ECOWAS, the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) with the mission of serving as the Coordination Centre on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea following the 2013 Yaoundé Summit of ECOWAS, ECCAS and GGC Heads of State and Government.
Touray in his address on Thursday, said: “Since the Political Declaration of our Heads of State, substantial progress has been made in our maritime community.
”This included the adoption of National Maritime Strategies and the deployment of critical maritime infrastructure that has improved maritime situational awareness.
“With regards to our MoU, some progress has been achieved by the governing body on inter-institutional coordination.
”The Coordination Centre receives funding, and its annual Work Plan and Budget are approved, including the operations of Maritime Operational Centres.”
Touray added that the importance ICC for global maritime security and safety cannot be wished away, noting that it attracted the interest of many development partners.
He listed them to include the G77++ Friends of the Gulf of Guinea, the European Union, the German Federal Government and the Chinese Government for their different support and assistance.
He said: “Their assistance has contributed to our success in establishing the ECOWAS Regional Maritime Security Centre (CRESMAO) in Abidjan, with three Multinational Maritime Coordination Centres (MMCC) in Cotonou (Zone E), in Accra (Zone F), and in Praia (Zone G).
“Similarly, the ECCAS Maritime Security Architecture established a Regional Centre for Maritime Security in Central Africa (CRESMAC) in Pointe Noire, as well as Multinational Maritime Coordination Centres in Douala (Zone D) and in Luanda (Zone A).
“The establishment of maritime information sharing networks between ECOWAS and ECCAS have improved information sharing and situational awareness.”
Touray while noting that the Gulf of Guinea has continued to witness a downward trend in piracy and armed robbery attacks, added that: “According to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), actual and attempted piracy and sea robbery incidents saw a downturn trend from 31 in 2015, 18 in 2021 to 15 in 2022.
“Incidences of piracy and armed robbery further declined to 6 attacks in the first quarter of 2024 in the Gulf of Guinea. This is thanks to our institutional actions and collective responses.”
Touray, however, stated that in spite of such laudable progress, the ICC had serious challenges, which included non-recruitment of key staff, irregular funding, and breakdown of essential services.
He said that there was still a need for regular review of the progress and challenges on the level of implementation of the Declaration, stressing that it was important to take concrete steps to address the challenges.
“The Code of Conduct on the Prevention and Suppression of Acts of Piracy, Armed Robbery Against Ships and Illicit Maritime Activities in West and Central Africa was supposed to be turned into a legally binding Agreement three years after its adoption in Yaoundé in 2013.
“Thus far, we have not achieved this after the 10th Year Anniversary of the Yaoundé process. It is therefore important that we critically appraise our institutional responses on the Code of Conduct,” he said.
Touray urged the ICC governing body, which comprises the Presidents of the Commissions of ECOWAS and ECCAS, and the Executive Secretary of the GGC, to review a new EU project, ‘Safe Seas’ for the region and the Yaoundé Architecture Regional Information Sharing (YARIS) tool.
He also called on member states to streamline development corporations and partnerships to ensure that ICC provided the necessary oversight to guide the Coordination Centre.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Gulf of Guinea Commission, Jose Abeso, said the region was still facing the challenges of maritime insecurity, stressing that the objective was to eliminate all forms of criminality in the domain.
He said that the law on criminal activities in the maritime sector in the Gulf of Guinea should be harmonized to act as effective detriments against committing such crimes.
“Our maritime domain is the next destination for the sustainable economic development of our countries.
”Our governments cannot or should not leave the running of institutions meant to patrol this area, to ensure that security and safety of activities is not left to third parties,” Abeso said.
Participants at the event included the President of the Commission of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), Gilberto Verissimo.
Others were the representative of the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS) and that of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA).
Piracy, Armed Robbery in Gulf of Guinea Has Reduced- Touray
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
By: Michael Mike
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned that 2026 will be an extremely difficult year for human traffickers operating in the country, as the agency intensifies its crackdown on trafficking networks across Nigeria.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Binta Bello made this known in Abuja while reviewing the agency’s activities in 2025 and outlining its operational plans for 2026.
Bello disclosed that in 2025, NAPTIP secured the conviction of 93 human traffickers, describing the achievement as significant given the complexity of prosecuting trafficking cases.
She also stated that the agency intercepted over 2,500 potential victims who had been deceived and recruited for various forms of exploitation within and outside Nigeria, adding that many of them were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.
According to her, the agency’s increased surveillance and coordination among its commands led to a rise in rescues, arrests, and successful prosecutions during the year. She noted that traffickers were effectively disrupted, with several high-profile suspects arrested and convicted.
Among those apprehended were operators of some orphanages and care homes allegedly involved in trafficking and exploitation of children. Bello said over 120 suspected trafficked children were rescued from such facilities.
She further revealed that in collaboration with international partners, NAPTIP rescued more than 370 Nigerian victims from countries including Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Looking ahead to 2026, the NAPTIP boss said the agency would scale up its operations by strengthening partnerships with other security agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners. She also pledged closer collaboration with federal, state, and local governments, including the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), to improve grassroots monitoring and prevention.
Bello emphasized that NAPTIP would work more closely with the legislature and judiciary to ensure stronger legal backing and faster prosecution of traffickers.
She added that within the first weeks of 2026, NAPTIP had already secured three convictions and warned that more traffickers would face jail unless they abandon their criminal activities.
The Director-General reiterated the agency’s commitment to nationwide awareness campaigns, particularly in rural communities, to reduce vulnerability and protect potential victims from traffickers.
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital
By: Michael Mike
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced a two-week Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital in Borno State, following the deployment of advanced eye-care equipment valued at over N3 billion.
The programme, which began on Monday, marks a major step in the Commission’s efforts to improve specialist healthcare delivery and address preventable blindness across the North-East region.
Activities on the first day included the installation, calibration, and coupling of cutting-edge ophthalmic equipment, alongside the start of hands-on technical and clinical training sessions. The exercise is aimed at ensuring the newly supplied equipment is fully operational and optimally configured for effective eye-care services.
The training is being led by Prof. Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, a Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology, with support from Dr. Abuh Sunday, also a Chief Consultant, and a multidisciplinary team of experts in ophthalmology and biomedical engineering.
Participants include consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical engineers from the Maiduguri Eye Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). They will receive intensive practical training on the operation, maintenance, and efficient use of the equipment.
According to the NEDC, the initiative is expected to significantly enhance the hospital’s diagnostic and surgical capacity, particularly in the management of cataract and glaucoma cases. The Commission noted that the intervention aligns with its long-term objective of transforming Maiduguri Eye Hospital into a regional centre of excellence for ophthalmic care.
In addition to the equipment deployment and training, the Commission is undertaking extensive renovation and infrastructure upgrades at the hospital to support modern clinical operations and improve patient experience.
The NEDC is also extending similar ophthalmic interventions across other states in the North-East. Of note is the ongoing construction of an ultra-modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, which commenced last year and is scheduled for accelerated implementation this year.
Officials of the Commission described the intervention as a strategic investment that combines modern medical infrastructure with deliberate human capacity development, noting that the ₦3 billion equipment deployment and training programme will have a lasting impact on access to quality eye-care services in the region.
NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital
NSCDC personnel, 16 others arrested in raid of criminal hideout in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives in Yobe State have raided a notorious criminal hideout in the Saman Tudu area of Pompomari District, Damaturu, arresting a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 16 other suspects.
A reliable source told Zagazola Makama that the raid was carried out on Jan. 18 at about 7:20 p.m. following a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation targeting criminal elements who use the area as a haven.
The source said the enclave served as a convergence point for trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs, as well as planning and execution of various criminal activities within the community.
“During the operation, the team stormed and ransacked the hideout, leading to the arrest of 17 suspects, including one Mohammed B. Kolo, identified as an NSCDC personnel attached to the Yobe State Command,” the source said.
He added that exhibits recovered from the scene included a knife, five bicycles, dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, hemp wrapping papers, a long sack used as a mat and the sum of N8,500 found inside a sack suspected to contain the drugs.
The suspects are currently in custody while investigation is ongoing to determine their level of involvement in criminal activities.
The source said those found culpable would be charged to court for prosecution after the conclusion of investigations.
Residents were urged to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to sustain the fight against crime in the state.
NSCDC personnel, 16 others arrested in raid of criminal hideout in Yobe
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