Piracy and the Porosity of Cameroon’s Maritime Security Borders in the Gulf of Guinea: Legal Framework, Challenges and Policy Recommendations

Maritime piracy and border crimes pose significant threats to Cameroon’s security and regional stability and this justifies why the Gulf of Guinea has emerged as a focal point of global concern in Africa. This tumultuous maritime environment has weathered ongoing challenges over time, necessitating a meticulous examination of its security landscape. The study argues that the ineffectiveness of Cameroon’s maritime security is largely due to weak legal framework, colonialism, inadequate enforcement mechanisms, corruption and lack of regional cooperation. It further highlights the fact that the country’s piracy laws are often ineffective, and enforcement agencies lack the capacity and resources to combat piracy and related crimes. In addition, Cameroon faces significant maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea, including limited resources for maritime patrols, surveillance, and judicial capacity, inadequate ports and coastal infrastructures, corruption and the involvement of organized criminal networks in maritime crimes and the lack of trust between coastal communities and law enforcement agencies. The study that made use of primary and secondary data, reveals that poverty, unemployment, and lack of economic opportunities in coastal communities are the root causes of maritime insecurity, piracy, armed robbery and oil related crimes in the Gulf of Guinea. To address these threats, Gulf of Guinea countries need to strengthen their legal framework to ensure effective prosecution of maritime criminals and to align its laws with international standards and invest in maritime security capacity building, including training for coast guard personnel, intelligence gathering, and judicial personnel. The study makes necessary policy recommendations and concludes that, for peace to return in the Gulf of Guinea, the evolving nature of challenges necessitates continued efforts to address emerging threats in the dynamic maritime security landscape.