Latest news about crime and security in Nigeria. Information about the black market in Nigeria is collected from international organizations, intelligence reports, national security agencies and news articles.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Nigeria reported that the prevalence rate of counterfeit drugs in the country was at 6 percent in 2013. The rate was down from16.7 percent over the previous five years.
Officials in Nigeria state that most of the fake drugs originate from China.
Source: Francis Kokutse, “Unlike India, China not helping Nigeria stop fake drugs’,” New York Daily News, May 15, 2013.
Oil company Royal Dutch Shell said that over 90 percent of oil spills from pipelines and other operations in Nigeria during 2012 were due to acts of sabotage. In its annual sustainability report, the company reported that around 26,000 barrels of oil were spilled in Nigeria.
During 2009 to 2012, Shell estimates that 85 percent oil spills in Nigeria was due to theft and attempted theft.
Source: Richard Blackden, “Shell demands Nigeria do more to stop rising oil theft,” Telegraph, April 12, 2013.
In the first three months of 2013, there were 66 reported attacks by sea pirates around the world. The number of attacks in the first quarter of 2013 was down 35 percent from the 102 attacks during the first quarter of 2012.
Between January to March 2013, there were 5 attacks in Somalia, down from 36 cases in 2012.
In the Gulf Region, there were a reported 15 pirate attacks and 3 hijackings during the first quarter of 2013.
In Nigeria, there were 11 pirate attacks in the first three months of 2013.
Source: Associated Press, “World Sea Piracy Down 35 Percent in First Quarter,” ABC News, April 15, 2013.
Italian oil company Eni reported in March 2013 that it was suspending operations in Southern Nigeria due to rampant oil theft and sabotage.
The company was producing up between 35,000 and 40,000 barrels of oil per day in its oil fields in Bayelsa. Bunkering activities were causing losses of up to 60 percent of the oil production.
Source: AFP, “Italy’s ENI curbs activities in Nigeria due to oil theft,” Google News, March 23, 2013.
Between the years of 2000 to 2012, security officials in Norway arrested 1,585 Nigerians for drug trafficking crimes. In 2012 alone, there were 432 Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking in the country.
Source: Eguene Agha, “Nigeria: 1,585 Nigerians Arrested in Norway Over Drug Trafficking,” AllAfrica, March 20, 2013.
The Country Manager for Microsoft Nigeria stated to the media that companies were losing up to 80 percent of their profits due to software piracy in the country. In addition to the lost profit, companies and consumers were force to spend additional time and money in addressing the security problems raised from pirated, unlicensed software.
Officials from Microsoft calculate that consumers in Nigeria would spend 1.5 billion hours dealing with pirated software in 2013. They will also spend up to $22 Billion repairing issues arising from malware that is able to infect computers from unlicensed software.
Source: Adeyemi Adepetun and Gbenga Salau, “‘Firms lose 80 per cent of profits to piracy, others’,” Guardian (Nigeria), March 10, 2013.
The Government of Nigeria estimates that it is losing up to $6 Billion a year to oil theft and oil smuggling on the black market. The Nigerian Government wants international help in cracking down on the money laundering of stolen proceeds.
Oil industry companies such as Shell state that thieves are also sabotaging pipelines to steal oil.
Source: AFP, “Nigeria wants world’s help to slow massive oil theft,” Google News, February 19, 2013.
In December 2012, South Korean company Hyundai Heavy Industries reportedly paid $192,100 in ransom to release six workers who had been kidnapped and held hostage.
The leader of the kidnapping gang told the police that he used his share of the ransom to purchase electronic devices such as DVD players.
Kidnapping for ransom is a highly profitable activity for criminal gangs in the Niger Delta.
Source: Isaac Abrak, “Nigerian police say Hyundai paid some $190,000 for hostages,” Reuters, January 4, 2013.
In 2012, the average ransom demand by militants in Nigeria for kidnapping hostages was $490,000, based on reported accounts. The average amount of ransom eventually paid to the kidnappers after negotiations was brought down to $50,000.
Source: Associated Press, “Kidnapping of Nigeria finance minister’s mother sign of increasing ransom abductions in nation,” Washington Post, December 10, 2012.
The Nigerian Ambassador to Mali stated in November 2012 that between 20 to 30 girls from Nigeria are being trafficked to Mali everyday. The Ambassador stated that some of the victims of human trafficking from Nigeria were between the ages of 10 to 15.
Between August 2012 and November 2012, the Nigerian embassy assisted at least 30 girls who were victims of human trafficking return to Nigeria.
(See prices of human trafficking victims.)
Source: “Trafficking Of Nigerians Worries Ambassador,” PM News, November 12, 2012.
