In late February 2021, the Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Navy issued a press release, accusing security consultants Dryad Global of sensationalism and misreporting in its coverage of ongoing commercial-scale maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. The release was intended to discredit Dryad in the public space and intimidate them into less rigorous coverage.
Dryad chief executive officer Philip Diacon said at the time that “for the military of a sovereign state to mount a public attack on a private company is unprecedented.” Even if there are other examples, the intent was clear: to limit unbiased, agenda-free factual reporting that the Nigerian Navy found embarrassing.
The consultant has denied all accusations against it, noting that its reporting is consistent with International Maritime Organization (IMO) statistics regarding piracy in the region, as well as those offered by other regional monitoring organizations. Like all responsible information providers, Dryad balances the need to deliver its information in a timely manner with ensuring its accuracy. It applies what it describes as rigorous verification processes and issues updates or amendments when required.
Friend of the people
Perhaps most importantly, Dryad stands as an independent source of information against actors that should be held to account, be they the pirates themselves or state agencies such as the Nigerian Navy.
In 2020, 136 seafarers were abducted in 27 separate incidents in West Africa according to Dryad, with guns used more than 80% of the time. The International Maritime Bureau, meanwhile, reported 135 maritime kidnappings worldwide, with 130 of them taking place in the Gulf of Guinea. These figures, largely flat from 2019, make the Gulf of Guinea the most dangerous commercial marine environment in the world. In addition to the kidnappings there were 31 robberies.
Dryad also reported that attackers were successful in 67% of incidents in the region. “The prevalence of successful attacks is indicative of impotent regional counterpiracy initiatives and a worrying lack of mitigation” measures for commercial operators, the consultant said in its 2021 Annual Report.
Dryad has built an ongoing business pointing out things like this and supplying the details behind them. In so doing it will occasionally ruffle some feathers.
Whether in Nigeria, the US, or any other place on which an independent media decides to focus, however, by doing so it holds those in power accountable. In forcing this accountability, it is the defender of the rest of our freedoms.
Also, like any other market, the market for information is self-correcting. If you publish things that simply aren’t true (or are obviously motivated by self-interest) frequently enough, your audience—and with it your revenue—will disappear.
An international coalition proved effective in addressing piracy of the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean, but West African countries have so far been reluctant to turn over maritime security to outside forces. “The international community needs to provide the requisite leadership and assistance to the Gulf of Guinea states and to respond with programs of support that pay attention to the onshore crises that underpin piracy as well as the offshore piracy problem,” said Dryad.
For its part, IMO intends to convene a security working group focusing on the Gulf of Guinea at the next session of its Maritime Safety Committee, scheduled to take place May 2021. The organization says the meeting will provide an opportunity for member states and international organizations to discuss further collaboration and possible action to address existing problems.
Dryad’s work is important. But it will be for naught if the international community doesn’t take implementation of appropriate security measures seriously.
Christopher E. Smith | Editor in Chief
Chris brings 32 years of experience in a variety of oil and gas industry analysis and reporting roles to his work as Editor-in-Chief, specializing for the last 20 of them in midstream and transportation sectors.