Onuk Bulus Ojem

Department of Political Science,

Faculty of Social Sciences,

Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria

Aminu Ibrahim, PhD

Department of Political Science,

Faculty of Social Sciences,

Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria

&

Bashir Ahmad Sani, PhD

Department of Political Science,

Faculty of Social Sciences,

Prowess University Delaware-USA

Abstract

The major thrust of this study is to assess the challenges of maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea. The need for this study arose as a result of the perceived increase of the maritime security challenges in Nigeria vis-a-vis its damaging effect on the country’s maritime economic. The main objective of the study is to examine the challenges of securing the Gulf of Guinea in Nigeria. The study adopted Marxian Political Economy theory as theoretical framework. The study vigorously argued that the aforementioned maritime crimes were driven by economic motive. Secondary data were used. Data collected were analyzed through the use of content analysis.Literature review however shows that piracy, sea robbery/ drug trafficking , kidnapping and hostility in the Hydrocarbon zone of the Gulf of Guinea has generated legal and illicit means of livelihood for both domestic and foreign partners,  small arms running in the Gulf of Guinea posed serious and continuous threat to the Nigerian state. In other words, the availability and wide circulation of small arms and light weapons posed the greatest danger to peace and security, especially in our region and finally reviewed that the direct consequences of maritime insecurity such as weak policing, poor border cooperation, oil theft/ illegal refineries and fishing poach, among others, are bane to Nigerian economy and its prospect. It was recommended that the maritime security budget should be even more than that of land and air space security budgets, as well provision of ample surveillance facilities, including platforms in policing EEZ; furthermore, governments of these piracy prone areas should employ more hands to police the vast areas of their territorial waters; the IMO should work out modalities, principles or ways that may provide good order at sea.

Key words:  Maritime Security, Sea power, Piracy, Interest, Gulf of Guinea etc.

Introduction

The end of the Cold War in 1989, the collapse of Communism, and the breakup of the Soviet Union led to remarkable changes, transforming global international relations from bipolar to uni-polar politics. The main actors today are the United States and its allies. At the same time, democratic and economic reforms across the globe create a focal point for international attention. Its emergence as the sole super-power puts the United States, with its focus on globalization and the enthronement of democratic governance worldwide, in a position to dictate major global economic, political, social and security issues (Mark, 2004).

Nevertheless, the world faces widespread threats and uncertainties. The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States brought a new dimension to the war on terror, giving it the center stage in emerging global politics (Thomas, 2006). Meanwhile, ongoing Middle East crises, instability in the Persian Gulf Region, and the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq have exacerbated global energy instability (Anyu, 2007).

 Some analysts ascribe these situations to a stepped up struggle for political control over oil and natural gas. The politics of oil have always been of strategic interest to both producers and consumers. Some major countries have become wary of the reliability and security of their traditional sources of oil and natural gas because of unstable political and security situations in regions where these resources are abundant. Hence, the most industrialized nations, including the United States, Japan, China and many European Union (EU) countries, now seek new, safer and more reliable sources of supply. As a result, the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), with its abundant economic resources, has emerged as one of such areas of interest.

The GoG sub-regional oil fields are increasingly attractive to oil companies because they deliver higher profits per barrel than oil from most other parts of the world (Anyu , 2007). Similarly, the sub-region has proven reserves of 46 billion barrels, and with extensive exploration and exploitation efforts underway, this is expected to hit 100 billion barrels by the year 2010. Oil industry experts predict that by 2030, the industry will have invested more than $50 billion in the sub-region. Furthermore, according to the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate Report, oil supply levels from the sub-region to the United States are expected to grow from the current 23 percent of U.S. oil imports to 32 percent by the year 2023. In addition, the natural gas production potential of the GoG sub-region is another reason for increased interest of the world’s major energy consumers.

External interests in the sub-region have grown as competition for influence in the sub-region has taken on new dimensions. Against the backdrop of ongoing competition for crude oil resources between the United States and European countries, China, India and Japan have swiftly enlarged their interests with both positive and negative results. The presence of these external interests have resulted in huge investments and increased shipping activities. Multinational companies in the energy sector compete for oil exploration licenses and currently spend billions of dollars and euros to erect drilling platforms, pipelines and transport hubs. In addition to bringing positive prospects to the sub-region, these increased activities have created challenging security issues, including increased piracy, poaching, terrorism, militant youth activities, environmental degradation, illegal bunkering, oil pipeline destruction and international conflicts (Kupolokun, 2003). These security issues need to be addressed to make the maritime environment investor-friendly and to safeguard the interests of member-states of this sub-region, particularly Nigeria, which is the focus of this thesis.

Nigeria’s defense policy seeks to ensure stability within the West African sub-region by 1) making the Nigerian Armed Forces one of the most capable and efficient in the continent, 2) becoming a full partner in United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) operations, and 3) becoming an effective partner in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) (Rowland, 2006). Ensuring stability and protection of sub-regional marine resources requires Nigeria to take the initiative in strengthening the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) and ECOWAS. Nigeria needs to partner with member states to develop a strategy to stem growing security threats resulting from the new strategic importance of the sub-region. This study aims to examine or understand the challenges of securing gulf of Guinea using Nigeria as a area of focus.

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