The Senate on Wednesday suspended consideration of the Nigerian Coast Guard Bill over concerns that the proposed agency could duplicate the responsibilities of the Nigerian Navy and the Marine Police. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the withdrawal after a majority of senators backed the decision in a voice vote during plenary.
Sponsored by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun, the bill seeks to establish a Nigerian Coast Guard to strengthen maritime security, combat illegal fishing and curb unauthorised activities along the country’s coastline.
The proposed agency would operate as a specialised maritime security outfit under the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. The bill had already undergone a public hearing and was scheduled for third reading after passing second reading on 15 October 2024.
It was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Marine Transport for further legislative work. However, shortly after Eshinlokun moved the bill for third reading, Akpabio said several senators had privately expressed concerns that the proposed Coast Guard would duplicate the functions of existing maritime security agencies.
He said the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy were already underfunded, warning that the creation of another security agency could worsen coordination challenges. “Some senators have observed that their functions will conflict with the functions of the Navy and will also conflict with the functions of the Marine Police.
The Marine Police is yet to be well funded. They need to be well armed; they need to approach international waters. Right now, they are only running around shallow waters, and what is needed in that area is funding to enable the Marine Police to do its job,” Akpabio said.
He added that establishing another maritime security outfit without clearly defining its responsibilities could create further confusion. He said the presence of the Nigerian Navy and other existing agencies meant that creating another security outfit could lead to overlapping responsibilities, particularly when the government was struggling to adequately fund the agencies already in existence.
“I think we should withdraw this for further consultations before bringing it to the Senate. We’re not going to kill the bill; we’re only withdrawing it for further consultations,” Akpabio said.