The Involvement of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force in Securing Nigeria's Territorial Waters
5 Pages Posted: 12 Feb 2024
Date Written: September 24, 2023
Abstract
Over the years, Nigeria’s territorial waters have become more porous and have posed significant threats to national security and economic growth. Criminal activities continue to take place unhindered in the country’s territorial waters, including piracy, narcotics, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and oil bunkering. These illegal activities have led to loss of lives, physical and economic damage, and has disrupted Nigerian commerce and the marine environment. Although the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) recorded no piracy incidents in Nigeria in 2022, the body has warned that the Gulf of Guinea is still dangerous and prone to sea robberies and kidnappings. According to the IMB, “while kidnappings at sea dropped 55% in 2021, the Gulf of Guinea continues to account for all kidnapping incidents globally, with 57 crew taken in seven separate incidents.” The security challenge in Nigeria’s waterways is a clear and present danger to the economy and this has necessitated the need to improve the efforts of the Navy and Air Force towards improving maritime security in Nigerian waters. It is against this backdrop that this paper examines the role of the Nigerian Navy and Air Force in securing Nigeria’s territorial waters and proffers recommendations on how maritime security can best be achieved in Nigeria.
Keywords: Nigerian Navy, Air Force, Territorial Waters, Maritime Security, Nigeria
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