Piracy and armed robbery : a Somali and Nigerian perspective

Abstract

The scope of this dissertation is to identify and contrast the phenomenon of maritime piracy and armed robbery between the western and eastern Africa. This paper uses statistics and reports from international maritime bodies, web sources, and academic journal publications to analyse the main characteristics of piracy occurring in Nigerian and Somali territories and high seas. The results of the comparative analysis are divided into two main categories: similarities and differences between West and East Africa. Although maritime piracy and armed robbery at sea occur worldwide, the Somali and Nigerian contexts display some discernible differences in the motivation behind piracy, how pirates operate and their strategies, the impact of piracy, and the characteristics of the Nigerian and Somali states. Additionally, the research explores similarities observed in both contexts, such as the root causes of piracy, weapons used, and the corruption present within law enforcement and other actors involved in piracy. The research results show notable differences between piracy on the East and West coasts of Africa. The dissertation concludes with an overview of future predictions in both areas and recommendations to suppress the phenomenon of piracy.