Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administrative and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has condemned the killing of an Azerbaijani sailor during last Saturday’s kidnap attack by suspected pirates off Nigeria’s coast in the Gulf of Guinea.
The incident which led to the death of the sailor also resulted in the abduction of 15 Turkish crew members aboard the ill-fated ship by the gunmen whose nationalities are yet to be ascertained.
It was gathered that the incident which was described as a brazen and violent attack that was farther from shore than usual, was carried out by a sophisticated and well-orchestrated gang who boarded the ship and breached its protective citadel, possibly with explosives.
Mourning the death of the sailor, Dr. Jamoh in a statement on his Twitter handle @Jamohbashir, condemned the attack.
He said: “I mourn the recent loss of an Azerbaijani sailor on #MVMozart & condemn the kidnap of 15 Turkish crew by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea.
“NIMASA is monitoring the sad development & coordinating with stakeholders for a safe return of the seafarers.”