Niger Delta Weekly Conflict Update for March 14-20, 2021

This edition of the weekly update spotlights violent criminality in the Niger Delta with a focus on sea robbery and kidnapping for ransom in Bayelsa State. Recent incidents indicate a rise in incidents of sea robbery and kidnapping for ransom in the State. Accordingtodata (see map below), over 80 incidents of sea robbery and kidnapping were reported in the State between January 2019 and January 2021. Data shows that Kidnapping is becoming increasingly intense and geographically dispersed in the State, occurring both on land and in the waterways. In Febru-ary 2021, for example, seven travelers including a traditional leader were reportedly abducted in two simultaneous attacks bygunmen suspect-ed to be sea robbers along the Okpoma/Odioma and the Nembe/Brass waterways in Brass LGA. Separately, in February, a young girl was re-portedly abducted by kidnappers in Biogbolo community, Yenagoa LGA. Recently, on February 26, 2021, a female civil servant was reportedly abducted by a gang of kidnappers who disguised as members of a government task force along Imgbi Road in Yenagoa, the state capital.