The problems of title to maritime territory and resources with special reference to Nigeria under international law

Abstract

This thesis examines the problems of title to maritime territory and its resources. It examines the problems in the context of international law and with special reference to Nigeria. It is significant in that it attempts to explore ways and means of amicably resolving the problems of title to the maritime territory and resources that would otherwise have inevitably resulted in possible disintegration of Nigeria as a nation, if nothing is done to checkmate it. Hitherto, political solutions had been applied to resolve the problems which are legal problems in nature; hence the problems have hardly received authoritative legal analysis. Thus the thesis relies heavily on primary sources in examining and analyzing the problems and in proffering possible solutions. Considering the nature of the issues that are to be examined, significant contributions are made by the application of the principles of international law questions/issues to different areas of the law. These include examination of the legal nature of Nigeria's sovereignty over the territorial sea and its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the exclusive economic zone in the context of the international law principles that have developed over the years and the constitutional and domestic law issues that the problems have generated. It also includes the problems of the international legal status of federating units of a federal State and the question of native title rights and self determination.