ABUJA (Reuters) - Pirates looted a chemical tanker and injured some of its crew off the coast of Togo this week, its government and a maritime agency said on Thursday, underscoring increasing threats to shipping in West African waters.
Pirate activity has spiked in the Gulf of Guinea region, which includes Nigeria, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast and is a significant source of oil, cocoa and metals for world markets. But unlike along the Horn of Africa, international navies are not actively engaged in counter-piracy missions off West Africa.