Nature of Human Rights and Problems Confronting Nigeria on International Maritime Obligations

Abstract

The study examined the nature of human rights and problems confronting Nigeria on international maritime obligations. The study made use of the Neorealism theory as the intellectual framework and adopted the qualitative synthesis of the scientific method as it relies on secondary data collected from documentation through published and unpublished books, journals, articles, and other publications on Human Rights and maritime/Environmental treaties. It was equally revealed that the lack of capacity or laxity on the part of the National Assembly to domesticate the treaties of the law to which Nigeria is a party, has undermined the enforceability of most international treaties. Based on these findings and the conclusion arising thereof, the following recommendations are hereby outlined among others. First, the Treaties Act of 2004 should immediately be amended to make consultation with the relevant committees of the National Assembly a mandatory treaties-making procedure and in the same view capacity building and training should be carried out for the bureaucracy and other relevant agencies to ensure effective implementation of the various international legal instruments that Nigeria is a signatory to.