A new Nigerian militant group has issued a threat against domestic oil and gas infrastructure at the same time as owners have been warned of an increased piracy risk in the Gulf of Guinea.
The Supreme Egbesu Liberation Fighters (SELF) made a televised statement from a forest in the Niger Delta while toting guns and wearing crude masks.
Threats were made against onshore and offshore facilities, including those around Lagos and Abuja.
The group said the government has failed to deliver on an amnesty programme or provide schools, drinking water, hospitals and roads "for our people to enjoy".
SELF is particularly unhappy about money handed to an Israeli company as part of the government's Deep Blue crackdown on pirates.
Local knowledge
The group believes there are "competent hands with expert knowledge" in Nigeria that could manage the project.
Security company Africa Risk Compliance (ARC) said: "Over the last few years, several similarly named groups have made statements.
"None have claimed responsibility for attacks. However, oil and gas installations should increase security on site."
Piracy threat alert
At the same time, piracy reporting body MDAT-GoG issued an alert warning of a threat of an increase in pirate activity off Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Ghana.
MDAT-GoG said: "We strongly recommend that the seafaring community and ships transiting these areas increase their vigilance and retain an enhanced local surveillance and apply Best Management Practice West Africa procedures.”
ARC said these areas have seen a number of attacks in the past six months.
Last November saw multiple incidents off of Benin and, at the end of January, a bulker drifting deep off Ghana was attacked and boarded by pirates.
ARC said the guidance is especially important for any vessels sailing in and out of Lome in Togo and Cotonou in Benin.
Stay deep offshore
ARC advised that vessels sailing to and from Lagos should avoid the area off Benin and are recommended to either stay close to the coast, for a quicker navy response in the event of an incident, or go deep offshore and approach Lagos from due south with additional security.
"It should be noted however that threat patterns can change quickly and that, currently, there are believed to be more than one pirate group operating in the region," the company said.
TradeWinds reported on Wednesday that a ferry had reportedly been hijacked in Nigeria.
The unidentified vessel left Port Harcourt on Tuesday at 06:00 GMT carrying 11 passengers. It went missing shortly thereafter, security provider Diaplous Marine Services said.
