Combating Gulf of Guinea’s maritime insecurity

The problem of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea is real. These statistics will paint the picture better: In 2016, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) recorded 53 attacks or attempted attacks in the Gulf of Guinea (28% of worldwide attacks) including 36 for Nigeria.

The Gulf of Guinea accounted for more than 50% of the kidnappings for ransom, with 34 seafarers kidnapped out of a total of 62 worldwide.

It also recorded the maximum of piracy incidents which total 34 and occurred mostly in Nigeria. Angola had 5, Congo had 5, Benin had two, Togo had one and Ghana had only one incident.

Last year, 10 incidents of kidnapping involving 65 crew members in or around Nigerian waters were reported. 36 cases of piracy with no vessels hijacked occurred in the Gulf of Guinea Globally, 16 vessels reported being fired upon last year -including seven in the Gulf of Guinea.

The fact that Nigeria is strategic in solving the maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea is not lost on the authorities.

Being the biggest economy and most populous nation within the region and accounting for 65% of cargo generated within the region bring home the need for Nigeria to take the lead. Other factors, which put Nigeria in the forefront of the fight, include the facts that: 65% of cargo coming into Gulf of Guinea end up in Nigeria; it accounts for 50% - 60% major maritime security incidences that occur in the Gulf of Guinea; it has the highest military contingent and might within the region; it has huge deposit of oil and gas making it a place of interest for international energy dynamics; and Nigeria has one of the largest delta areas of the world characterised by thousands of creeks. For these reasons, therefore, Nigeria is pivotal to the security and stability of the Gulf of Guinea.

We also realise the fact that maritime insecurity has economic, social and environment implications in the GoG Region.

On the economic front, it leads to loss of oil revenue to illegal local/international cartel. There is threat to commerce as 90% of the external trade depends on shipping

The Gulf of Guinea is a shipping transit hub thus remains under threat. This threat also leads to inability to meet the needs of the masses because of the region dependence on imported goods. The fishing industry which supports the GDP of the region is also affected.

The social sides include: arms and drug smuggling and human trafficking. There is a correlation between maritime insecurity, growing unemployment and youth restiveness in the region. Also, we can’t divorce it from intercommunal conflicts and dislocation of communities. There is also agitation by seemingly marginalised subregion within the regions constitute security risks (Niger Delta).

The environment also suffers in terms of destruction and pollution of the marine ecosystem leading to loss of livelihood.

Nigeria has thus come up with multi-dimensional interventions, which include a review of local and international laws concerning maritime crime. This is ongoing. NIMASA is currently pushing for the enactment of the anti-piracy law.

We are also developing the Harmonised Standard Operating Procedure for arrest and detention of vessels involved in illegal activities. There is also a joint initiative by the ministries of transportation and defence to strengthen response capabilities of the military through the deep BLUE PROJECT to be executed by NIMASA

We must not forget the presidential intervention on maritime security through building of regional coalition and corporation.

Other steps taken are: Establishment and implementation of the ISPS Code; effective enforcement of Port and Flag State Control; an MOU with the Nigerian Navy and Air force to increase response capacity; FEC has approved the acquisition of special mission aircrafts, helicopters and vessels with communication equipment; capacity building programme by Ministry of Transportation and NIMASA; and Operation Prosperity by the NIMASA/Nigerian Navy.

We are also acquiring assets to ensure maritime safety. These include C4i (Command, Control, Communication, Computers and Intelligence); FALCON EYE of Nigerian Navy (Over the Horizon Radar System); aircrafts and vessels with communication equipment; two Special Mission Aircrafts; three Special Mission Helicopters; two Special Mission Vessels; four units of UAVs; and 17 Fast Patrol Boats.

The country has also strategically intervened in the GoG region by leading the establishment of ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Security Strategy (EIMS); establishment of InterRegional Coordination Center (ICC) in Younde Cameroon, an initiative of ECOWAS/ ECCAS/GoG Commission; the establishment of African Integrated Maritime Security Strategy (AIMS); leading ZONE E multinational maritime security outfit in Cotonou (4 nations standing maritime security outfit); active in Cote d’ivoire based Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA); coordinating Heads of Navies of the region; and housing one of the five designated Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in Africa (RMRCC).

Other Interventions that have also come into play are ratification and domestication of relevant International Treaties Safety, Security and Marine Environment Management, ratification of thirtyfive IMO Conventions/ Protocols, including the ILO MLC 2006, gazetting of about thirty-four maritime Regulations pursuant to the Merchant Shipping Act 2007 and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act 2007; and domestication of 12 relevant maritime safety conventions of the IMO which are necessary for ensuring regional maritime security and safety.

Significantly, eight relevant conventions and protocols on marine environment have also been domesticated in order to ensure a clean marine environment. Efforts are being made by the Safety Administration through the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the domestication of other ratified Conventions.

For further development, we look forward to having improved profiling capacity and information sharing on maritime criminality and illegality, enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and surface/air patrol capabilities, functional legal framework, skill development of Maritime Law Enforcement Agents (MLEAs), integration of national inter-agency efforts, adoption of a broadened concept of security to harmonise the pursuit of security outcomes, with external players approaching security cooperation transparently and inclusively and employment of good governance as an element of security and an enabler of durable security outcomes.

Peterside is the Director General of NIMASA