By Godwin Oritse, with agency reports

Ghana Navy has foiled a pirate attack on a Nigerian cargo vessel, MT Mariam, and captured all eight bandits.

The pirates were armed, but no one, including a nine-member crew aboard MT Mariam, was injured when the Ghana Navy crew aboard GNS BLIKA effected the arrest.

According to the Public Relations Officer of 1 Garrison of Ghana Armed Forces, Lt Maxwell Asola, all eight pirates are Nigerians.

Owners of the hijacked ship alerted the Ghana Navy about the incident and requested for assistance.

MV Mariam is scheduled to dock at the port on Sunday.

Lt Asola told the Daily Graphic that the arrest took place at about 10:30a.m. and that the owner of the vessel, in lodging the complaint, said the pirates told him via telephone that they wanted to use the vessel to carry out an attack and hung up.

This prompted the owner of MV Mariam to approach Ghana Navy for assistance.

Most Nigerian pirates have moved their activities to neighbouring countries because the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has made the nation’s coastal and territorial waters uncomfortable for them.

Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Maritime Matters, Mr. Leke Oyewole, warned that any Nigerian caught in any nefarious activity outside the country will have to face law of that country.

Oyewole, however, commended the collaboration between the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA in their effort to stamp piracy out of Nigeria.

He explained that by the time a sub-regional cooperation amongst the Navies comes into effect, pirates will have no hiding place in the entire West Africa region.

He also said the falling oil price will also checkmate the activities of pirates and smugglers.