By Fatima Saka
The Joint Senate Committee on Navy, Marine Transport, National Security and Intelligence has moved to investigate the root causes of rising piracy and abductions along the Niger Delta waterways, proposing an extensive oversight exercise and engagement with security agencies and host communities to develop lasting solutions to maritime insecurity.
The committee, chaired by Senator Gbenga Daniel, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Navy, said the investigation would go beyond the rescue of abducted passengers to address the underlying security challenges threatening lives, economic activities and transportation across the region.
The committee’s deliberation followed a Senate resolution arising from a motion moved by Senator Ekong Sampson on Thursday, April 23, 2026, under Orders 41 and 51, drawing attention to the hijacking of a boat and abduction of at least 15 passengers, including reported 2026 JAMB candidates, by sea pirates along the Calabar-Oron waterways on April 17, 2026.
The Senate subsequently mandated the committees to urgently investigate the rising spate of maritime insecurity in the Niger Delta waterways and recommend lasting solutions through Resolution No. S/RES/3/82/26.
Although the President of the Senate announced on April 29, 2026, that all 14 abducted passengers, including students travelling to write the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, had been rescued, members maintained that the incident required a comprehensive investigation into the security situation across the waterways.
During the meeting, members proposed that the committee invite the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), Nigerian Navy, Marine Police, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other relevant institutions to brief it on the security situation, operational challenges and measures being implemented to tackle maritime crimes.
One of the lawmakers suggested that the committee secretariat write formally to the agencies, giving them a timeline to submit detailed reports on the state of security along the waterways, the challenges confronting their operations and the measures adopted to address them.
He further proposed the establishment of a joint action committee comprising representatives of the four Senate committees to study the submissions and undertake investigative visits across the Niger Delta.
The proposed team would engage state governors, selected local government chairmen, councillors and community leaders, while also holding town hall meetings with residents in affected communities to obtain first-hand information about the causes of insecurity.
Another senator cautioned against relying exclusively on reports from security agencies, arguing that such submissions might not always provide sufficient details about the situation on the ground.
He identified three critical areas requiring investigation: the open sea, waterways close to the shoreline and communities on land.
He therefore urged the committee to prioritise intelligence from local communities through their representatives, particularly local government chairmen and councillors, to uncover the underlying factors responsible for insecurity.
Members also advocated a more sustainable security arrangement beyond the existing joint patrol operations involving the Nigerian Navy, Air Force and Army.
They acknowledged that joint patrols had helped improve security in the Gulf of Guinea but argued that the approach might not provide a permanent solution to insecurity in the inland waterways.
The lawmakers noted that frequent redeployment of personnel and the competing primary responsibilities of security agencies could undermine the sustainability of the arrangement.
They also identified private security operators, including Tantita Security Services, as stakeholders whose involvement could be considered in developing a comprehensive security framework for the region.
The committee further stressed the importance of adequate funding and security arrangements for the proposed oversight exercise, warning that members undertaking investigative visits to vulnerable waterways and communities would require sufficient logistical and security support.
It was suggested that a comprehensive budget, including provisions for security, be prepared and submitted to the President of the Senate for approval.
In his concluding remarks, Senator Daniel urged the committee secretariat to consolidate the various recommendations into a well-structured memorandum for presentation to the leadership of the National Assembly.
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He emphasised the need to invite relevant security institutions, engage local communities and secure the cooperation of state governments to ensure that the investigation produces practical recommendations.
The committee maintained that addressing insecurity across the Niger Delta waterways was essential not only to preventing piracy, kidnappings and attacks on passengers but also to protecting economic activities and ensuring the safety of the country’s inland waterways and maritime transportation system.
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