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Assessing the national and regional effectiveness of countering maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea

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Abstract

Maritime piracy is a serious worldwide challenge that affects the maritime industry. As a result, in the past years, the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) region has seen a sharp upsurge in pirate attacks. To solve such criminal activities, diverse measures have been undertaken by both the coastal nations and regional organizations of GoG. So, this paper’s purpose is to assess the effectiveness of the regional and national measures undertaken to address maritime piracy in the GoG region. To achieve this aim, the author provides the likely ways of combating maritime piracy in the GoG and presents an analysis of counter-maritime piracy responses that have been employed to tackle the maritime piracy problem in the GoG. Therefore, analysis of this study comprises an assessment of the steps employed by the GoG nations and the effectiveness of the executed tactics to counter the risk posed by maritime piracy in the GoG. Based on this, the author concludes that though the collaborative efforts intended to counter maritime piracy are laudable, nevertheless, it remains essentially insufficient to address the complete magnitude of the problem due to the present dearth of collaboration and coordination among the parties involved.

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Notes

  1. From The News Desk: Is piracy getting worse? Lloyd’s List. Retrieved 10 August, 2021 from https://lloydslist maritime intelligence.informa.com/LL1135480/From-The-News-Desk-Is-piracy-getting-worse.

  2. See International Management Organization & Management Knowledge Center of International Shipping Facts And Figures – Information Resources On Trade, Safety, Security, Environment 2.1 (2012), retrieved 22 May, 2022 from http://www.imo.org/KnowledgeCentre/ShipsAndShippingFactsAndFigures/TheRoleandImportanceofInternationalShipping/Documents/International%20Shipping%20-%20Facts%20and%20Figures.pdf (explaininghow shipping has been integral to global economic growth, and “if the trade growth trend of the last 150 years continues... by 2060 the 8 billion tonnes of cargo will have grown to 23 billion tonnes).

  3. Robert Haywood and Roberta Spivak, Maritime Piracy (Routledge, 2012).

  4. IMO Resolution A. 1025 (26). Retrieved 18 August, 2022 from https://www.imorules.com/IMORES_A1025.26html..

  5. UN, UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas), 1982. Retrieved 22 September 2022 from https://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf

  6. IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, ICC, Retrieved 11 October, 2022 from https://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php/piracy-reporting-centre.

  7. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) (1982), Retrieved 18th October, 2022 from https://www.un.org/Depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/unclos_e.pdf.

  8. IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, ICC, Retrieved 22 October, 2022 from https://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php/piracy-reportingcentre.

  9. IMO, “Code of Practice for the Investigation of Crimes of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships,” Resolution A. 1025(26) (2010), Retrieved 21 October, 2022 from http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Security/PiracyArmed.Robbery/Guidance/Documents/A.1025.pdf

  10. In this paper, the Gulf of Guinea is defined broadly to include 19 coastal states in West and Central Africa, namely Angola, Benin, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, São Tomé and Príncipe, The Gambia, and Togo.

  11. Council of the European Union and EEAS, “EU Strategy on the Gulf of Guinea,” Foreign Affairs Council meeting 2014, https://eeas.europa.eu/sites/eeas/files/eu_strategy_on_the_gulf_of_guinea_7.pdf.

  12. Who will help solve Africa's piracy problem in the Gulf of Guinea? DW. Retrieved 7 July, 2021 from https://www.dw.com/en/who-will-help-solve-africas-piracy-problem-in-the-gulf-of-guinea/a-52367209.

  13. Willet, Dr. Lee. “More than Just Piracy…Maritime Security Risks (and Responses) Off West Africa.” Jane’s Navy International, 24 February 2014. Retrieved 26 March, 2021 from https://janes-ihscom.aufric.idm.oclc.org/custompages/janes/displaypage.aspx?doctype = news&ItemId=+++1,702,590&pubabbrev=JNI./

  14. Ki-moon, Ban, Secretary General, United Nations. To President, United Nations Security Council. Letter. Subject: Report of the United Nations Assessment Mission on Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea (7 to 24 November 2011), 18 January 2012. 11.

  15. de Perouse Montclos M-A (2012) Maritime piracy in Nigeria: old wine in new bottles? Study Confluence Terrorism 35:531–541.

  16. Economist (2019) Crime wave: the Gulf of Guinea is now the World’s Worst Piracy Hotspot. Retrieved 30 March, 2021 from https://wwweconomist.com/international/2019/06/29/the-gulf-of-guinea-is-now-the-worlds-worst-piracy--hotspot.

  17. D. W (2015) Nigerian piracy on the rise in the Gulf of Guinea. Retrieved 29 March, 2021 from https://www.dw.com/en/nigeria-piracy-on-therise-in-the-gulf-of-guinea/a-43375090.

  18. #EndSARS: How Nigeria can tap into its youthful population. The Conversation. Retrieved 11 August 2022 from https://theconversation.com/endsars-how-nigeria-can-tap-into-its-youthful-population-148319

  19. West Africa loses $2.3 billion to Maritime Crime in Three Years as Nigeria, UNODC rally multi-national efforts to thwart Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Retrieved 31 March, 2022 from https://www.unodc.org/nigeria/en/press/west-africa-loses-2-3-billion-to-maritime-crime-in-three-years-as-nigeria--unodc-rally-multi-national-efforts-to-thwart-piracy-in-the-gulf-of-guinea.html.

  20. 7 United Nations Official Website. “Gulf of Guinea Piracy ‘Clear Threat’ to Security, Economic Development of Region; Countries Need United Front in Response, Top UN Official Tells Security Council.” 27 February 2012. Retrieved 28 March, 2021 from http://www.un.org/press/en/2012/sc10558.doc.htm.

  21. The effort to set up a joint regional naval force among the members of the Gulf of Guinea Commission was initiated by the President of Nigeria under the codename ‘Gulf of Guinea Guard Force’. Regrettably, this force is yet to materialize.

  22. Nigeria: Scary! Nigeria's Population Is Exploding as Its Economy Risks Imploding, Vanguard. Retrieved 11 October, 2021 from https://www.vanguardngr.com/2021/07/scary-nigerias-population-is-exploding-as-its-economy-risks-imploding/

  23. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, opened for signature 10 December 1982, 1833 UNTS 397 (entered into force 16 November 1994).

  24. Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Maritime Navigation, opened for signature 10 March 1988, 1678 UNTS 201 (entered into force 1 March 1992) (‘SUA’).

  25. Illicit acts of violence and / or detention and / or pillaging committed, for private purposes, by the crew and / or passengers of a private ship, and directed against a ship and / or people and / or goods on board it, committed beyond 12 nautical miles (territorial sea).

  26. Illicit acts identical to those of piracy, only committed in the territorial sea or in inland waters. The territorial sea consists of a maritime area, under national sovereignty, that goes up to 12 nautical miles, counted from the “coastline” (straight or normal base line) of a State. One nautical mile is 1852 m.

  27. Includes the states of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Edo.

  28. See “Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships,” ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB). Report for the Period 1 January to 31 March 2020, April 2020, p. 20 and “Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships,” ICC/IMB, Report for the Period 1 January – 31 December 2019, January 2020, p.21.

  29. “Pirates Attack Tanker Off Nigeria’s Shore, Kidnap 10 Crew Members – Reports, “Hellenic Shipping New, 21 February 2020. Retrieved 22 March, 2021 from https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/pirates-attack-tanker-off-nigerias-shore-kidnap-10-crew-members-reports. See also Marcus Hand.” Three Seafarers Kidnapped, Four Security Personnel Killed, in Nigerian Pirate Attack,” Seatrade Maritime News, 6 January 2020, Retrieved 22 March 23 2022 from https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ship-operations/three-seafarers-kidnapped-four-security-personnel-killed-nigerian-pirate-attack.

  30. Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN), Nigeria: Conviction of Admirals Confirms Navy Role in Oil Theft, (January 2005) Retrieved 18 May, 2022 from < http://www.irinnews.org/report/52598/nigeria-conviction-of-admirals-confirms-navy-role-in-oil-theft > .

  31. Kenneth Ehigiator, ‘Why Amnesty Ends 2015 – Kuku’ The Vanguard (online), 20 June 2013, retrieved 12 August 2022 from < http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/06/why-amnesty-ends-2015-kuku/ > 

  32. Maritime security: piracy declines in Gulf of Guinea – imb q2, 2021 report, Retrieved 29 August, 2021 from https://nimasa.gov.ng/maritime-security-piracy-declines-in-gulf-of-guinea-imb-q2-2021-report/

  33. Chris Newsom, Conflict in the Niger Delta: More Than a Local Affair (Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2011). Retrieved 15 May, 2021 from https://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/resources/Conflict_Niger_Delta.pdf.

  34. Segun Ayobolu, ‘Boko Haram: The Problem with Amnesty’ The Nation (online), 13 April 2013, Retrieved 18 May, 2021 from http://thenationonlineng.net/new/boko-haram-the-problem-with-amnesty/

  35. Oluwatoyin O Oluwaniyi, Post-Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta: Challenges and Prospects (African Centre for the Construction Resolution of Disputes, 2011).

  36. Fidelis A E Paki, ‘Oil and Development Deficit in Africa: The Failure of Intervention Agencies in Nigeria’s Niger Delta’ (2011) 2 International Journal of Business and Social Science Vol. 2 No. 8.

  37. Emanuel Obuah, ‘Combatting Corruption in Nigeria: The Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC)’ (2012) 12 African Studies Quarterly.

  38. Matteo Crippa, ‘The Oil Spill: Nigeria’s Counter-Piracy Measures and their Effect on Neighboring Countries’ Communis Hostis Omnium (online), 22 October 2011. Retrieved 15 May, 2021 from https://piracy-law.com/2011/10/22/the-oil-spill-nigeria%E2%80%99s-counter-piracy-measures-and-effect-on-neighboring-countries

  39. Zou Keyuan, ‘Crackdown on Piracy in Southeast Asian Seas: Need a More Effective Legal Regime?’ in Shicun Yu and Keyuan Zou (eds), Maritime Security in the South China Sea: Regional Implications and International Cooperation (Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2009) 154.

  40. ECOWAS’ Ministers Urge Commission to Tackle Piracy in Member States’ The Vanguard (online), 23 August 2011. Retrieved 20 May, 2021 from http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/ecowas%e2%80%99-ministers-urge-commission-to-tackle-piracy-in-member-states/ > 

  41. Luanda Declaration on Peace and Security. Retrieved 21 March, 2021 from www.psgg.info/wp content/uploads.

    /2012/11/Luanda Declaration-ENFINAL.pdf.

  42. International Maritime Organization, Code of Conduct Concerning the Repression of Piracy, Armed Robbery Against Ships, and Illicit Maritime Activity in West and Central Africa (Yaoundé: IMO, 2013). Retrieved 19 March, 2021 from

    http://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Security/WestAfrica/Documents/code_of_conductsignedfromECOWASsite.pdf.

  43. Summit of Heads of State and Governments of ECOWAS and ECCAS, Yaoundé, Cameroon, 24–25 June 2013; UN News Center, “Ban Welcomes Anti-piracy Strategy Adopted by Leaders from West, Central Africa,” 29 December 2013, available at www.un.org/idem, “At UN-Backed Meeting,

    African States Seek to Combat Piracy in Gulf of Guinea,” 29 December 2013, Retrieved 17 March, 2021 from www.un.org/.un.org/;

  44. Code of Practice for the Investigation of the Crimes of Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, Res. A.922(22) (22 January 2002).

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  1. Center for Nigerian Studies, Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China

    Michael Mitchell Omoruyi Ehizuelen

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Ehizuelen, M.M.O. Assessing the national and regional effectiveness of countering maritime piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. GeoJournal 88, 3549–3574 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-022-10823-0

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