BACKGROUND
The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean which spans through the West African coast: – from Cape Lopez in Gabon to Cape Palmas in Liberia. Its longitudinal frontiers extend, in no particular order, through about 17 countries such as, Gabon, Nigeria, Republic of Benin, Togo, Ghana, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, Angola, Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sao Tome & Principe.
It covers a coastline of about 2.3 Million Square Kilometers and 5,700 Kilometers with vast economic wealth such as hydrocarbon, mineral and fisheries resources representing about 25% of African shipping traffic and about 20 commercial seaports thus making the area an attractive international maritime zone.
Unfortunately, the Gulf of Guinea, has over the years, been the bane of piracy attacks and other related offences against FPSOs and sea-going vessels and crew members plying this coast.