The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has revealed that the Nigerian government has identified the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) as a primary route for smuggling arms, drugs, and humans into the country.
This revelation came during a two-day seminar held in Abuja, titled “Climate Change and the Changing Dynamics of Arms Proliferation and Insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea: Nigeria in Perspective.” The event was organized by the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), in partnership with the Global Network for Human Development. Ribadu was represented at the seminar by Ibrahim Babani, Director of External Affairs in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Ribadu noted that the Nigerian government is actively investigating the Gulf of Guinea. The region is known for its abundant natural resources, including an estimated 24 billion barrels of crude oil reserves, contributing about five million barrels per day to the global oil market, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
The Gulf of Guinea covers approximately 6,000 kilometers of coastline and includes 16 countries, with Nigeria being one of them. This vast maritime region serves as a crucial gateway for trade between Africa and other parts of the world.
However, the region’s economic appeal has attracted criminal activities. Ribadu outlined a variety of illegal operations taking place in the Gulf of Guinea, including drug trafficking, human trafficking, oil theft, piracy, and the kidnapping of ship crews. The smuggling of small arms and light weapons (SALW) by international crime syndicates is also a significant concern.
The NSA stressed the importance of investigating the Gulf of Guinea’s role as a major channel for arms trafficking, particularly given the links between climate change, armed violence, and the proliferation of illegal weapons in the region.
He further warned that SALW is both a cause and enabler of insecurity worldwide. The accessibility of these weapons to non-state actors and organized crime syndicates poses a significant threat to the security of affected nations.
Ribadu cited alarming statistics: in 2023 alone, 14 incidents of crew kidnappings were reported in the Gulf of Guinea, with 75 percent of all hostages taken in the region. This underscores the growing danger the area poses to seafarers.
For more updates, join our WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VabITrvEAKW7DSkTfP0JNigeria.