Violent Piracy off the Coast of Nigeria: A Theoretical Analysis

Piracy off the Nigerian coast is rife and violent due to its nature: “petro-piracy.” This chapter uses theories to analyze the nexus between piracy and violence in Nigeria. It reveals that Nigerian piracy is coterminous with violence in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Hence, attacks on offshore oil installations, violent elections, transnational organized crimes, and resource control agitations in Niger Delta are some of the chief causes of violent piratical attacks off the Nigerian coast. These violent piratical attacks in the waters of Nigeria require solutions center on the political will by the government of Nigeria to suppress. Thus, good governance, adequate funding, prosecution of pirates and their enablers, funding, training and equipping of the maritime enforcement agencies, and regional cooperation, among others, are measures to curb violent piracy in Nigeria.