A product tanker was boarded by pirates this week more than 100 nautical miles south of Nigeria’s coast, marking the first such incident involving a commercial vessel near Nigeria in four years. While the crew followed safety protocols and avoided harm, security experts warn that piracy risks remain high across the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa.
According to a report by Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG), the attack occurred on April 21, when four armed individuals approached the tanker at high speed in a black-hulled boat. The pirates remained onboard for nearly four hours, stealing crew belongings and equipment before fleeing.
Security firm Neptune P2P Group reported that the captain and crew were well-prepared, quickly retreating to the ship’s citadel, which is a secure and safe haven onboard, where they remained until the pirates left. Authorities suggest the attackers may have attempted to breach the citadel or were possibly assessing the vessel for a kidnapping, given the extended time spent onboard.
While the official report did not identify the tanker, Neptune P2P (in an unconfirmed claim) identified it as the Sea Panther, a 13,000 dwt Greek-owned chemical tanker registered in the Marshall Islands. AIS data indicates the vessel departed Lomé, Togo, on April 20 and arrived in Douala, Cameroon, on April 23.
This incident is the fifth reported boarding in the Gulf of Guinea in 2025, with Neptune P2P noting a 30% increase in piracy activity compared to the same period last year. MDAT-GoG data reveals four other incidents in April, including an attempted robbery off Monrovia, Liberia, and boardings near Accra, Ghana, and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Security agencies continue to warn of heightened pirate activity, particularly in the waters between Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé e Príncipe, urging vessels to maintain strict vigilance in the region.
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