American Security Expert Says Ransom Payout Will Prompt More West African Piracy Attacks

Claims by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) that a $2m ransom was paid to release two US crew last week will only encourage other groups to kidnap for ransom, C-Level Maritime Risks founder Michael Frodl has warned.
The master and the chief engineer were seized from C-Retriever, an Edison Chouest-owned offshore supply vessel off Brass, on October 23.
On November 12 the US Department of State confirmed that the two men had been released but refused to divulge details, refusing to say whether a ransom was paid.
However, MEND said in a statement that a $2m ransom was paid for the men’s release.

MEND also claimed that most of the ransom was paid by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
But the security expert; Mr Frodl says, the hostage-takers have made more money in less than a month than almost any other such group previously.
According to him, the average ransom for Nigerian pirates and hostage-takers was previously was between US$50,000 and US$100,000.   He added that it was however possible that previous payouts topped $1m, but such sums had not been made public.
“Now that [the ransom payment amount is] out, we think that other groups will be incentivised to go get a couple of American hostages for themselves,” he said.
“While these two Americans are now lucky, other Americans operating in the area are now at higher risk of being kidnapped because kidnappers can make more money for them, all other things being equal”, he warned.
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