Analysis of Security Challenges along Commercial Water Routes of Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the security challenges along the commercial water routes of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A total of 320 copies of
a questionnaire on the operators and passengers in the study area to elicit information from the operators and passengers in the
eight selected Bayelsa waterfronts. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the data analysis. Findings showed that the Nembe-Brass route, Oporoma-Yenagoa route, Yenagoa-Brass route and Ogbia-Brass route are commercially viable routes making them enticing routes both for transportation and pirates and robbers attacks. Furthermore, Also, piracy/sea
robbery, cultism, smuggling, kidnapping and illegal oil bunkering were identified as the major types of security challenges that
are common in the Bayelsa waterways. However, evening and night periods experience more attacks than all other periods of the
day. Unemployment, underdevelopment, illiteracy, lack of adequate security and poverty, cost and availability of fuel, lack of
navigation aid, decrease in water level, multi-designated Nembe-Brass route, Oporoma-Yenagoa route, Yenagoa-Brass route and
Ogbia-Brass route are commercially viable routes making them enticing routes both for transportation and pirates and robbers
attacks authorities were the main causes of insecurity on Bayelsa waterways. It is recommended among others that the commercial water transport routes in Bayelsa State should be constantly dredged intermittently by State government to enable
bigger ships to ply the routes thereby enabling more commercial activities; both Federal, State, Local governments and Inland
waterways transport regulatory bodies should make available navigational aid and adequate security along the routes to avert
any variety of security challenges.