Leading as Fugitives: the Case of Militant Groups in Nigeria’s Oil Producing Communities

Abstract

The activities of militia leaders made the region the hot spot of resource based violence in Nigeria and Africa. It has been observed that militant groups and their leaders in Nigeria's oil producing states have gained prominence in recent times as there is hardly any week that their affairs are not discussed or reported in the polity. With emphasis on the context and objectives of militancy, the paper identifies the modus operandi of militia leaders in the Niger Delta. The article made use of secondary sources relevant to the topic and media reports on the situation in oil producing communities. The article maintains that the main reason militia leaders live like fugitives are to protect their goals from being endangered and also to evade possible arrest by the federal government. It would do the country more good to discover the sources of militancy, why people wake up and form militia groups.