The Niger Delta Amnesty Program

Abstract

The armed conflict between militias and government forces in Nigeria's Niger Delta region has spanned for more than two decades, defying all solutions. A disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) program was established in August 2015 in effort to end the violence and has remained in place. It is a radically different approach from past approaches that displayed zero tolerance to all political challenges to oil production or the allocation of oil profits. The approach appeared to be immediately successful in that it forced a ceasefire, engaged militants in planned programs to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into civilian society, and opened up the oil wells (many of which had been shut due to the crisis) with the effect of increasing government revenue, which depends 85% on oil exports. Yet, few studies have attempted to understand the dynamics within the country that are responsible for the design and implementation of this broad policy shift or to understand whether and how the current initiative is able to end the conflict and institute peace beyond the short term. This study, therefore, is important because it provides a critical perspective that anticipates and explains emerging issues with the Niger Delta Amnesty Program, which have implications for DDR adaptation and implementation all over the world. Ultimately, the research demonstrates how the DDR program both transforms the Niger Delta conflict and becomes embroiled in intense contestations not only about the mechanism for transforming the targeted population but also whether and how the program incorporates women who are being deprioritized by the program.

Youth Violence and Human Security in Nigeria

“…While factors fuelling youth violence have been noted, from the government side, effort has been made to address some of these challenges by different regimes. For example, the agitation, rebellion and violence perpetrated by Niger Delta militant was managed by the Amnesty program of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua extablished in August 2015, which also has its success and challenges (Okonofua 2016). Regarding government effort to curbing youth violence, the Nigerian government has an existing Ministry of youth and sport development with the aim in developing and investing in youth so as to avoid or manage future conflict or violence.…”

Peacebuilding and transformational change in Nigeria's oil region

“…Underlying the Niger Delta DDR Program is the state's use of monetary incentives to negotiate peace with the insurgents and to create an environment conducive to oil production (Agbiboa, 2015;Ajayi & Adesote, 2013;Davidheiser & Nyiayaana, 2011;Eke, 2015;Obi, 2014;B. Okonofua, 2016;Schultze-Kraft, 2017;Ushie, 2013).…”

“…Demobilization is, therefore, a significant determinant of successful peace operations (United Nations, 2004) because it moves beyond forcing a ceasefire to engaging exinsurgents in programs designed to facilitate their reintegration (B. Okonofua, 2016). The concern, however, is how the changes brought about by DDR processes help us to understand conflict transformation.…”

Breaking away from inferiority: the strive for legitimacy in postcolonial service encounters

“…The government also conducted a series of censuses deliberately rigged in favour of the North (Omoruyi, 1999). For instance, the first-ever National Census conducted in 1931 was rigged to give the northern part of Nigeria a numerical advantage over the South (Okonofua, 2011). Presently, out of the 774 local councils in the country, the North has 418 seats, and the South has 356.…”

“…With the dominant control of Nigeria been taken by the North after the amalgamation (Okonofua, 2011), the region held a permanent majority in the future federal legislature and consequently, control of power fell to the Hausa-Fulani elite (ibid). Thus, it set the stage for the eventual Hausa-Fulani ethnopolitical hegemony experienced in the country to date.…”