Nigeria's navy says it has rescued a Singapore-owned oil tanker hijacked by pirates on Tuesday night.

Navy spokesman Kabir Aliyu told the BBC the crew was safe, the hijackers had fled and the vessel, the Abu Dhabi Star, was being escorted into the port of Lagos.

Earlier, the navy denied reports that the tanker was seized in the port.

There has been a significant increase in the number of pirate attacks in parts of West Africa.

The BBC's Will Ross in Lagos says instead of seeking a hefty ransom the armed gangs tend to steal the cargo before releasing the crew.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) told the AFP news agency that 23 crew members were on board when the tanker was captured and they had locked themselves in a safe room.

Noel Choong, head of the IMB's Malaysia-based piracy reporting centre, said those behind the attack may be the same criminal syndicate that seized two tankers off Togo last month, siphoned off the oil and later released the crew and ships.

Last year, Nigeria and neighbouring Benin began joint naval patrols in an effort to combat the threat of pirates.

More: http://channelkoos.com/index.php/news/2409-nigerian-navy-rescues-hijacked-singapore-owned-oil-tanker

This our Navy no be like our police force
Well done

thank God

Well done Nigeria Navy....good job but next time pls don't allow this embarrassment to happen.

Thumbs up guys,hw i wish i could get more details lyk was there a shoot out?was the fuel stolen? And many more,thumps up to our navy once again i guess these posses as a wake up call to our navy to step up their game.Well done.

Good Job

Well dem try,that's if d oyel is still intact o

Well dem try,that's if d oyel is still intact o
Broda jonathan is in trouble its nt tompolo dat rescued dem its still our own navy so why why why all d jamboree

Nice one Nigeria Navy, hope others emulate them

Nice one

Someone please clarify which of the Navys. Is it the one that belongs to the Federal Government or Tompolo's own?

kingoflag: Someone please clarify which of the Navys. Is it the one that belongs to the Federal Government or Tompolo's own?

no it is the one that belongs to kingofass

This is the Good news we want to hear and not some Blood-suckers blowing off MTN's mast!

but how did all of them escape without any arrest? this does does sum up somehow and the report said that all the crew were in a safe room. Abi the pirate left the ship and navy claiming rescue

wetin they use rescue them? canoe?

thanks a lot for una efforts but make una talk true how many barrels una sell before the press came in.

na only guys full here today where the ladys at?or una dey fear abeg here no be facebook lolllll nobody go kill una abeg

incraesing piracy in nigerian water! that is what happens when yu contract a greedy thieves to guard yur (oil)farms big yams(tankers) are at dia mercy,hope dey will not tell us d tanker is empty

Well done.

Pls confirm if d barrels are complete.cos even though they try naijas dey para for money ooo.
In fact shey d navy rescue d ship ni abi d pirates abandon d ship.hw com dem no fit catch one pirate

Proof please

topmost12: but how did all of them escape without any arrest? this does does sum up somehow and the report said that all the crew were in a safe room. Abi the pirate left the ship and navy claiming rescue

EXACTLY!! THE NAVY DID NOT RESCUE ANY TANKER!! THE PIRATES LEFT THE SHIP WHEN THEY COULD NOT GET ANY OTHER TANKER VESSEL TO TRANS-SHIP THE FUEL INTO!!!

WHERE WAS THE NAVY WHEN THE VESSEL WAS HIJACKED IN THE FIRST PLACE?

WITH THE MANY ASSAULT PATROL VESSELS THE NAVY HAS IN IT'S FLEET, THE OFFICERS AND MEN Y PREFER THE COMFORT OF THEIR OFFICES AND WEARING WHITE UNIFORMS THAN PATROLING THE OFFSHORE WATERS!!

WAKE UP GUYS!!

Joeadamu86: Well done Nigeria Navy....good job but next time pls don't allow this embarrassment to happen.

My exact thots

kingoflag: Someone please clarify which of the Navys. Is it the one that belongs to the Federal Government or Tompolo's own?

So Tompolo is now an Admiral or is he Rear Admiral?
Tragic comedy of the highest order, only in 9ja

Navy don sell crude and share money come blame pirates.