The niger delta is home to about 140 different ethnic groups in the nine states included in a. The oilrich niger delta region of nigeria is currently mired in a major insurgency by. Understanding the armed groups of the niger delta final. Causes of conflicts in the niger delta region of nigeria. The struggle against boko haram in southeastern niger is increasingly sharpening local conflicts over access to resources.
Mend and the new threats of insurgency in the niger delta. Hoping to quell a violent insurgency aimed at the nigerian government and the oil industry in the niger delta, the nigerian presidency implemented an unconditional amnesty in 2009, offering a. Obi and rustads collection charts the descent from ken sarowiwas nonviolent mobilization of the ogoni in the 1980s and 1990s to the insurgency of the present. Pipeline attacks had become common during the insurgency in the niger delta, but ended after the government on june 26, 2009, announced that it would grant amnesty and an unconditional pardon to militants in the niger delta which would last for 60 days beginning on. Managing the complex politics of petro violence africa now paperback february 10, 2011 by cyril obi editor, siri aas rustad editor 1. Therefore the focus of this study was to determine the cause of conflicts in the niger delta region of nigeria as expressed by the youth in delta state. The situation in the delta remains fragile and will likely return either to intermittent conflict or fullblown insurgency within six to eighteen months if a. They have issued challenges to the nigerian government, international oil companies, and the military. This pdf is made available under a creative commons. Oil and insurgency in the niger delta by cyril obi. Mend militants attacking oil multinationals, oil installations and government. The rise of insurgency by history, literatures and observation was an outburst of deep groanings and bitter pains by the victims of oil exploitation in the niger delta region. Tarila marclint ebiede instability in nigerias niger delta.
True, foreign companies are attacked, but these attacks are also an affront to the nigerian governments promise of security in the region. The nigerian government and international oil corporations must change direction if they are to reduce the risk of violent meltdown in the niger delta. Insurgency and militia groups in the niger delta ethnic militia groups has been described as youth based groups formed with the aim of promoting and protecting parochial interest with activities involving the use of violence8. Insurgency and national security challenges in nigeria. Pdf the niger delta militancy and boko haram insurgency pose the greatest security threat to nigeria since the end of the civil war in 1970. There is no military solution to this insurgency, and the authorities should instead put the emphasis on demobilising militants, solving local conflicts, reinvigorating the economy and restoring public services. Elias courson movement for the emancipation of the niger delta mend 5 foreword this discussion paper explores the emergence of the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta mend in the context of a fullblown insurgency linked to local resistance and violence in nigerias oilrich niger delta. The nature of an insurgency einternational relations. Approaching the issue from a number of perspectives, the book offers the most uptodate and comprehensive analysis available of the varied dimensions of the conflict. The niger delta militancy and boko haram insurgency pose the greatest security. The same scenario could replay itself in nigeria albeit it isnt the niger delta insurgents who would be in charge given the historical political configuration of the country.
The report, the niger delta annual conflict report pdf, shows that there were 416 violent incidents resulting in over one thousand recorded deaths in 2019. Movement for the emancipation of the niger delta mend. Today this unrest has grown into a major insurgency, but one made complex by a mixture of protest, greed, crime, and political collu sion. Request pdf modeling the niger delta insurgency nigerias oil guarantees its role in the global economy. The niger delta is the center of oil and gas production in nigeria, accounting for about 80% of total government revenue, 95% of foreign exchange and over 80% of national wealth tell, february 18, 2008. It is therefore no surprise that the nigerian economy was thrown into a deep recession by the 20152016 slump in the oil prices in the international spot market. Among these groups were ateke toms group and alhaji mujaheed asari dokubos niger delta peoples volunteer force. Niger, and cameroon in order to regroup, train, and recruit new members. Militant insurgency and oil exploitation in the niger delta table of content title page approval page dedication acknowledgment abstract table of content chapter one introduction 1. Michael watts, university of california, berkeley this book will quickly become required reading for both scholars and practitioners interested in untangling these complex threads in order to promote peace, democracy, and development in the niger delta, and in similar resourcedriven conflicts as well. More likely, an outcome akin to the biafra fiasco may reoccur in which a part of the country tries to secede with the rest of the country banding together to defeat it. Managing the complex politics of petroviolence zed books, 2011, pp. It is typically considered to be located within nine coastal southern nigerian states, which include. Press the nigerian government to institute resourcecontrol reforms and negotiate in good faith with.
A second insurgency in the niger delta fair observer. Nigerias delta unrest, the new report from the international crisis group, examines the potent cocktail of poverty, crime and corruption. With the niger delta avengers now entering the fray, and with the apparent breakdown of the mend amnesty program, it seems that the acrimonious atmosphere in the delta is only likely to worsen. Oil and insurgency in the niger delta will become the reference point for future debates on the origins and dynamics of conflict and political violence in the nigerian oilfields. The long years of abandoncoupled with the ment, environmental degradation, inconsiderateness of successive governments and exploitation by the oil companies, produced. An oil insurgency the problems of political disorder and insecurity in port harcourt extend far beyond the fraudulent elections of 2007.
Niger delta militants who in spite of the amnesty offered to them by the late president yar adua is still shaky hence the environment still remained threatened day by day. Understanding the armed groups of the niger delta council on. An assessment of the causes, agitation, major challenges for omncs and suggestions for tackling insurgency in the niger delta region of nigeria mercy erhi makpor department of human resources, school of economics and management, university of minho, portugal. Conflict in the niger delta united states institute of peace. Issn 22208488 print, 22210989 online center for promoting ideas, usa. The niger delta is the delta of the niger river sitting directly on the gulf of guinea on the atlantic ocean in nigeria. The niger delta avengers nda are nigerias new niger delta militancy phenomenon.
An amnesty deal by the nigerian government for militants in the niger delta aimed at reducing unrest in the oilrich region came into effect today. Combining empiricallybased and analytic chapters, it attempts to explain. Given the ecology of the delta creeks creating transportation difficulties, it is hard to imagine that the insurgency could be. The niger delta region seems to be on the edge of hostilities again.
Some government officials overly optimistically assert that militancy in the delta could be eliminated by the end of 2009. Nigerias delta unrest crisis group africa report n115, 3 august 2006 page ii development efforts led by the european commission and pronatura international provide models for an approach that could reverse the cycle of poverty and violence but only if their scale is significantly broadened. The evolving insurgency in the niger river delta region of nigeria is and will continue to threaten u. See all 6 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Within a span of less than 3 months they are believed to be primarily responsible for reducing nigerias oil production from a theoretical 2. Under the monoculture national economy, the oil rich communities in the niger delta region became the hob of the nigerian economy and this. This is following the recent attacks on police officers in the bayelsa creeks leaving about 15 police. Insurgency, counter insurgency and human right violation in niger delta doi introduction the niger delta region of nigeria has been a centre of. Their heritage was been utilized for a national good while the inheritors were abandoned to the negative effects of oil exploitation. Niger delta insurgency by indigenous tribes in the south the petroviolence in the south is not concentrated on governments outside nigeria.
Pipeline attacks had become common during the insurgency in the niger delta, but ended after the government on june 26, 2009, announced that it would grant amnesty and an unconditional pardon to militants in the niger delta which would last for 60 days beginning on august 6, 2009, ending october 4, 2009. Pdf since the oil boom, violence in the niger delta has been a growing issue for the nigerian state. A comparative study of niger delta and boko haram uprisings. Insurgency, counter insurgency and human right violation. Crisis in the niger delta 3 or even eliminating the insurgency. The fact is that since the late 1990s, the niger delta generally has been more or less ungovernable. Nigeria begins amnesty for niger delta militants world. In its current form, boko haram is not a popular movement and has very little internal or external support outside of the kanuri ethnic group. Managing the complex politics of petroviolence was first. It sustains itself though criminality, extortion, and limited local and foreign donations. The niger delta has, in effect, become home to a full blown insurgency.
Significant rise of insecurity in the niger delta through 2019. The oil industry in the niger delta is dominated by multinational corporations such as chevron. The niger delta militancy and boko haram insurgency pose the greatest security threat to nigeria since the end of the civil war in 1970. The situation in the delta remains fragile and will likely return either to intermittent conflict or fullblown insurgency within six to eighteen months if a business as usual approach. Since january 2006, fighters from a new group, the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta mend, have fought with government forces, sabotaged oil installations, taken foreign oil workers hostage and carried out two lethal car bombings. A potent cocktail of poverty, crime and corruption is fuelling a militant threat to nigerias reliability as a major oil producer. Militant insurgency and oil exploitation in the niger delta. Cornered from all sides, nigeria is well on its way to becoming anew the sick man of africa and a threat to the interests of its neighbors and the. This article places both rebellions in comparative perspective.
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