NIMASA investigates piracy incident in Gulf of Guinea

Barbara Bako, Abuja.

Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) reports its preliminary investigations on a piracy incident that took place in the Gulf of Guinea on Friday 30th May 2025.

According to a statement signed by Osagie Edward, Head, Public Relations of NIMASA on Tuesday, the incident did not occur in Nigeria waters.

The statement reads: “The piracy incident that took place in the Gulf of Guinea on Friday 30th May 2025 occurred at coordinates 2°37’35”N, 6°46’47”E, approximately 75 nautical miles northwest of Santo Antonio Port, São Tomé and Príncipe approximately 420 nautical miles away from southeast, Nigeria.

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“On May 30, 2025, at approximately 1614 UTC, the C4i Operational Centre of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) received a distress alert via the Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG), reporting a suspected pirate attack on a commercial vessel.”

“Preliminary investigations have confirmed the affected vessel to be the MV ORAGE FROST, a general cargo ship bearing IMO Number 9797656, and flying the flag of Curaçao. The incident occurred at coordinates 2°37’35”N, 6°46’47”E, approximately 75 nautical miles northwest of Santo Antonio Port, São Tomé and Príncipe, approximately 420 nautical miles away from southeast Nigeria.”

The statement further stated that at the time of the incident, MV ORAGE FROST had recently completed loading operations in Douala, Cameroon, and was en route to Matadi, Congo, having regularly operated between ports in Cameroon, Togo, Ghana, and Benin.

NIMASA said, it is actively coordinating with the Nigerian Navy and other regional maritime security agencies to ensure the safety of the vessel’s crew and to support ongoing investigations into the incident.

“We remain committed to regional maritime security cooperation to enhance safety and deter criminal activity in Nigerian waters and indeed the Gulf of Guinea, leveraging on the Deep Blue Project,” it added.