Crackdowns on piracy in the Bight of Biafra – the stretch of ocean from Nigeria to Gabon – have pushed pirates to switch tactics, according to a report by ENACT, Institute for Security Studies (ISS).
Its Senior Researcher,, Raoul Sumo Tayo, said: “With hijackings declining since 2021, armed groups now focus on kidnapping for ransom, feeding a growing criminal economy”.
The region’s proximity to Nigeria’s Niger Delta, where law enforcement is weak, makes it an ideal base. The UN and Cameroonian forces have confirmed multiple Nigerian pirate camps near the Bakassi Peninsula, with some groups operating hundreds of fighters under organised command structures.
These gangs kidnap both locals and high-value targets. While villagers, women, and children are seized opportunistically, officials and wealthy individuals are abducted through planned night raids. Hostages are hidden in remote mangroves or fisheries, making rescues difficult.
Between July 2022 and June 2023, ransoms paid in Nigeria alone reached $400,000. Profits are divided among leaders, sponsors, fighters, negotiators, and onshore supporters.
The threat has forced civil servants and security personnel to abandon posts for fear of abduction, crippling local governance and services. Meanwhile, overstretched and under-equipped security units on both sides of the Nigeria-Cameroon border struggle to act, and practical cross-border cooperation remains weak despite regional agreements.
A total lockdown imposed in Bakassi last year by Cameroonian authorities only worsened tensions and left locals unable to work. Adding to the instability is the Biafra Nations League, a secessionist group expanding operations in the area.
While Nigeria has outlawed ransom payments, families still pay in secret, fostering resentment and a sense of abandonment among locals.
To curb kidnappings, he said affected states must push existing regional security pacts beyond high-level promises. Real-time cross-border operations, better local capacity, and regional maritime task forces are urgently needed to prevent the Bight of Biafra from becoming an unchecked kidnapping hotspot.
