Motor Vessel Dubai Valour - Essay Example

Case Study: Motor Vessel Dubai Valour Problem: What should be done in order to ensure the release of the four officers being held hostages by Chief Humphrey Idusu What actions should be taken so that this situation will not happen again in the futureBackground: The MV Dubai Valour sailed from India with a deck cargo of used oil drilling equipment to Nigeria. However, on its way to Nigeria the equipment was damaged due to bad weather. The Chief Humphrey Idusu was asking for a $5 to $17 million to compensate for the losses though an insurance company estimated that the damage only amounts to $170,000.

The refusal of the Nigerian government to comply with the demands of the Idusu made things worse as he has taken four officers as hostages. The four officers are reported to be gravely ill and are losing their morale and hope. With all these, the Nigerian government remains passive while the Chief defied its legal territory. Malta, as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations tried to help and intervene in the situation by asking help from the International Court of Justice.Alternatives:1. Await the decision of the International Court and then decide what to do as a follow-up step.2. Pursue economic steps such as getting other nations place sanction on Nigeria or to provide financial incentives for cooperation.3. Pursue diplomatic avenues, using tact and sensitivity to win over Nigerian compliance.4. Raise money to hire armed mercenary paramilitary forces to extricate the hostage by force.

Recommendations: The case features two problems to be solved-one which should be remedied in the short term while the other can be for the long run. The hostages should be freed immediately for their health and safety. Next is the establishment of a policy to ensure that this occurrence will not be encountered in the future. It should also be noted that in order to do this, there should be cooperation from Nigeria. It is recommended that the appeal to the International Court of Justice be pursued.

However, it should be noted that the course of the processing the appeal will not be immediate. Thus, the International Court of Justice cannot solve the problem at hand which is the freedom of the four officers. The response of the International Court of Justice will be to find a remedy so that this situation will not happen again in the future. The United Nations should establish a definite policy on how to handle this kind of situation. It is strongly recommended that diplomatic means should be utilized in order to win Nigeria's cooperation and compliance.

It should be ensured that force will not be used to gain Nigeria's support as it will only lead to the demise of more lives and properties. Knowing that Nigeria is a poor country, financial aid and assistance can be offered. After the negotiations have been drawn, it should be ensured that the country will have a definite policy in solving these circumstances. Nigeria should be made to promise its compliance in the promotion of justice.