MARITIME SECURITY AND TERRITORIAL DISPUTES IN NIGERIA: THE GULF OF GUINEA CONFLICT

Abstract

The Gulf of Guinea, and especially the maritime zone of the Niger Delta, have remained notorious in terms of security as it experiences piracy, armed robbery in the sea, drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, illegal fishing, and territorial conflicts. Such threats are very dangerous to the stability and development of the regions. The research design presented in this study is a qualitative, descriptive study that were based on secondary data collected in the form of policy documents, scholarly literature, official reports, and news outlets. The paper analyzes the attempts by Nigeria to improve maritime security as a multi-lateral co-operation structure using documentary analysis. The results show that the insecurity at sea in Nigeria is naturally a multidimensional phenomenon that includes criminality, lack of governance, environmental destruction, and the conflicts over sovereignty. The Bakassi Peninsula conflict between Cameroon and Nigeria is one of the illustrations of the geopolitical aspect of maritime insecurity as arguably, competing territorial claims gave rise to long-term diplomatic tensions, which were resolved eventually upon a decision arrived at by international arbitration. In addition, despite the establishment of institutional measures like the Maritime Trade Information Sharing Centre Gulf of Guinea (MTISC-GoG), and other regional cooperation systems, success depends on the lack of implementation, institutional inefficiency and technological constraints. The research concludes that enhancing maritime security in Nigeria to attain sustainability is a complex task that needs a comprehensive approach that integrates enhanced cooperation by the region, latest technologies in maritime domain awareness, harmonization of laws, and governance reform. This is necessary not only to control the maritime space in Nigeria but also to control the stability of the strategic waterways in West Africa.