Fighting Pirates in the Gulf of Guinea


A French frigate is silently patrolling the ocean. In the deep waters off Port Harcourt, the battleship is patrolling a 200 square kilometers area. 

GULF OF GUINEA – In the dark of night, dozens of oil wells are spitting orange flames. They are the only things to be seen on this jet-black sea. This area south of Nigeria is one of the largest offshore oil fields in the world.

There are no lights on the deck of the Latouche-Treville either. The French frigate is silently patrolling the ocean. On this June night, in the deep waters off Port Harcourt, the battleship is patrolling a 200 square kilometers area. The area is rigged with traps: abandoned derricks, secondary platforms, primary platforms and pipelines binding them together like a spider web, over thousands of kilometers. On the navy maps, the wells of French oil company Total look like big coins.

The Latouche-Treville is engaged in “informal conversations” with the French companies in this area but the frigate wants to be able to patrol without having to report to anyone. It doesn’t answer the calls of foreigners asking for identification. “It’s the law of the jungle, here,” says the officer of the watch. The oilrigs are violating international laws by drawing a 20-kilometer (instead of the authorized 500-meter) security perimeter around their platforms, which is guarded by private military companies. “The guards are very nervous. Insecurity is very high,” says the officer.



Source: Worldcrunch.

Photo credit: Marine nationale.

naptu2: Reminds me of this http://www.odin.tc/news/read.asp?articleID=1427

emk4lif:
Naptu2, nairaland's reservoir of knowledge...you seem to know about everything..when I grow up, I want to be like you lol

onye guy: ABEG NO PICTURE? MAKE UNA SHOW US SOME PICS ABEG

spongeback: Tu parle francais?======>yes I do

sheyie2007: What's this one saying

spongeback:
Why is this one saying====> what is this one saying

naptu2: Reminds me of this http://www.odin.tc/news/read.asp?articleID=1427

PortHarcourtBoy: Nigerian Navy: 1..2..Romeo Alpha Charlie...This is NNS Akaso with NNS Okemeni sailing towards you at 14 Nautical Miles per minute...identify yasef before we launch our ogunigwe, sorry torpedo...Over!

French Navy: Charlie Piper Romeo...This is MV Bonssour Hollande...Sorry for sailing on ur waters without permission...we are actually here to load stolen crude, sorry crude oil from Total's Amenam Kpono Platform but decided to stroll around the Soku international waters...

Nigerian Navy: Roger that Chairmo...Anything for the boys?? Even if na 20 litres we go manage am...at all at all na him bad pass...

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PortHarcourtBoy: Nigeria Navy: 1..2..Romeo Alpha Charlie...This is NNS Akaso with battleship, NNS Okemini sailing towards you at 14 Nautical Miles per minute...identify yasef before we launch our ogunigwe, sorry torpedo...Over!

French Navy: Charlie Piper Romeo...This is MV Bonssour Hollande...Sorry for sailing on ur waters without permission...we are actually here to load stolen crude, sorry crude oil from Total's Amenam Kpono Platform but decided to stroll around the Soku international waters before loading...

Nigeria Navy: Roger that Chairmo...Anything for the boys?? Even if na 20 litres we go manage am...at all at all na him bad pass...

PortHarcourtBoy: Nigeria Navy: 1..2..Romeo Alpha Charlie...This is NNS Akaso with battleship, NNS Okemini sailing towards you at 14 Nautical Miles per minute...identify yasef before we launch our ogunigwe, sorry torpedo...Over!

French Navy: Charlie Piper Romeo...This is MV Bonssour Hollande...Sorry for sailing on ur waters without permission...we are actually here to load stolen crude, sorry crude oil from Total's Amenam Kpono Platform but decided to stroll around the Soku international waters before loading...

Nigeria Navy: Roger that Chairmo...Anything for the boys?? Even if na 20 litres we go manage am...at all at all na him bad pass...

solomon111: What is the navy doing about it?
And when did Nigeria became a french colony?