Nigeria is blessed with abundant marine resources, summed up in the vast internal water reserves and the territorial sea. This huge marine resource base provides support for the bustling maritime industry, transportation, recreation, and the source of other aqua-resources and sea food. It is incontrovertible that among the littoral countries along the gulf of Guinea, that Nigeria is the most endowed in term her obvious great marine resources. This is more evident in the prime place her maritime industry occupies and the crucial role she plays in the West Africa sub region and beyond.

Sadly today, marine activities and the entire maritime industry suffer from one of the greatest problems of the Nigerian State –Insecurity. Every part of the nation as it is, has its own share of the problem of insecurity. This extends to the coastal states that host over 90% of marine activities and even worse. The innumerable benefits harvested from marine activities are being constantly challenged, if not dwarfed by insecurity. As insecurity gradually shepherds the marine/ oil and gas industry to a comatose state through the steady depletion of the gains of operations, if things remain the same and measures are not taken to stem this hydra headed dragon, we may be left with a nose diving sector that is apparently chaotic.

The problems of insecurity are well documented both within our internal water ways and the territorial waters. Within the Niger Delta alone, which covers an area of about 70,000 square kilometer and holds an enormous marine capacity, criminality along the waterways seems to have been domesticated. There are countless cases of the kidnapping and hostage taking of expatriates, workers in the marine /oil and gas industry, and even local people and indigenes. There are many ‘War Lords’ who have made what looks like a prosperous careers out of criminality. These have built economic fortresses and now maintain a phalanx of ardent foot soldiers who now enforce lawlessness along our water ways. Close to this is the issue of piracy which has become a menace not just within our internal water ways but across the length and breadth of territorial waters. The situation of things now is taking a frightening dimension. Most of those who perpetrate crimes along the creeks and water ways now hobnob with state actors who help to back up their illegal activities with some form of legitimacy. There is also a mechanism which allows the state actors reap from the proceeds of crime, either in cash or in kind.

In coastal communities, especially those of the Niger Delta, the geographical space has been inundated with illegal artisan refineries. These are run by the criminal “Lords of the Creeks”. Apart from the huge environmental risk and degradation that these refining activities constitute to the immediate environment, there is also a great degree of pillage and drain of crucial national resources. These centres provide a “vocation” and source of funding for criminal activities.

The more insecurity and criminality thrive along our water ways, the more a healthy development of all marine / oil and gas related industry is hampered. It therefore behooves the government and all her agencies charged with security to make concerted efforts geared towards making our water ways safe. There should be punitive legislations and very stringent penalties for those caught perpetrating any form of crime along the water way. There should also be a closure of the criminal camps in the creeks that house these criminals. Efforts should be made to increase the presence of security personnel like Navy, Marine Police etc. to effectively secure our water ways.

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Security never dey land, na water e won dey?