THE MARITIME CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF STATES OVER MARITIME OFFENCES IN THE GULF OF GUINEA: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION

Abstract

The Gulf of Guinea has become one of the world's most vulnerable maritime regions, facing persistent threats from piracy, armed robbery at sea, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, illicit arms smuggling, and other forms of transnational organized crime. These offences undermine maritime security, disrupt international trade, threaten the sustainable exploitation of marine resources, and impede regional economic integration. Although international legal instruments, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), establish the legal framework governing maritime jurisdiction, the effective exercise of maritime criminal jurisdiction by Gulf of Guinea States remains constrained by fragmented domestic legislation, overlapping jurisdictional claims, limited institutional capacity, weak enforcement mechanisms, and insufficient regional cooperation. This article critically examines the maritime criminal jurisdiction of States over maritime offences in the Gulf of Guinea. Using a doctrinal research methodology complemented by an analysis of relevant international and regional legal instruments, judicial practice, and scholarly literature, the article argues that effective maritime criminal jurisdiction requires harmonised domestic legislation, strengthened judicial cooperation, enhanced maritime law enforcement capacity, and greater political commitment to regional collaboration. It concludes that a coherent and integrated regional approach to maritime criminal jurisdiction is indispensable for combating maritime crime, safeguarding maritime commerce, promoting the rule of law, and advancing peace, security, and sustainable regional integration within the Gulf of Guinea