Pirates Reportedly Hijack Fuel Tanker off Nigeria

Pirates allegedly hijacked a fuel tanker off the Nigerian coast early Saturday morning, AP News reported. The pirates are said to be holding some of the five Nigerian and 12 Pakastani sailors hostage.

Pirate gunmen boarded the MT Matrix I, a Nigerian-flagged, Greek-operated 100-meter tankship, roughly 40 nautical miles off of Nigeria’s Bayelsea state, taking a portion of the crew hostage.

The tanker’s operator, Val Oil Trading Co., is yet to release any information on the attack. The hijacking has not been formally reported to officials.

While Somlalia has seen less piracy in recent months due to foreign intervention, the Nigerian region has been experiencing an increase in pirate activity.

Sources: Associated Press, Staff