By William Tucker
When it comes to piracy those of the Somali brand have been the ones to dominate the headlines. However, piracy is rife in and around the Malacca Straits, and, according to a new report, the west coast of Africa near Nigeria and Benin as well. Both the U.S. Navy and the International Maritime Bureau have issued warnings about the increase in piracy around the region, and yet, actual numbers are proving to be elusive due to suspected under reporting. What is troublesome about this increase is several known terrorist group operate in Nigeria such as MEND and Boko Harem. MEND, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, has been known to target land based energy infrastructure as well as oil tankers just off the coast. Boko Harem on the other hand typically operates only on land, but piracy is a lucrative endeavor for funding should the group ever loose its international donors. In the meantime, we’ll continue to monitor the region and pass along any developments as they happen.
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