Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea sign maritime security agreement

Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea signed an agreement to establish combined patrols to bolster security in the Gulf of Guinea, which has been plagued by piracy in the last few years, Euronews quoted a spokesman for Nigeria’s president as saying on Wednesday.

Garba Shehu said the agreement, which comes amid the backdrop of a rise in pipeline attacks in the oil-producing Niger Delta region of Africa’s biggest crude producer, was signed late on Tuesday by Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

Pirate attacks in West Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, a significant source of oil, cocoa and metals for world markets, pose a threat to shipping companies. Pirates target oil tankers, usually wanting hostages for ransom and to sell stolen fuel