Maritime Crime in Nigeria and Waters Beyond Analysing the Period 2009 to 2013

Abstract

Incidents of maritime crime in Nigerian waters have become of punctuated interest recently, with maritime criminals finding the water spaces of the country conducive for their activities, and these waters thus becoming some of the most dangerous in the world. This paper considers maritime crime alongside the rise of the oil industry, specifically in the period 2009 to 2013 and present a typology based on the analysis of a dataset for this period, which elucidates the contours of the phenomena and current trends. The modus operandi of criminals are detailed, and the possibility of linkages is drawn between on- and offshore crimes related, in particular, to the theft of oil discussed.