There are many theories which have tried to explain the origins of the militancy in the Niger Delta region of Southern Nigeria. What is not in doubt is that this “militancy” had a political origin, not out of popular struggle, but from a power struggle between “leaders” in the region.
With the notoriety that the “militant” tag has gained in the international media, a larger question needs to be asked: is this militancy fuelled by the desire to spur the development of the region or by selfish economic interests?
On a historical note, since oil exploration began in Nigeria in the 1950s, the Niger Delta region has witnessed intense violence, from the Biafran war of succession in the 1960s to the Ogoni uprising in the early 1990s. From 1997, Delta State, primarily in and around the capital Warri, has been the main site of violence in the delta. In late 2003, the center of violence shifted to Rivers State, principally in and around the “oil capital” of Port Harcourt.
The violence across the Niger Delta has taken different forms over the years: in Warri it is seen as a conflict between Ijaw and Itsekeri ethnic gangs or “militias”, in Rivers State as a battle between Ijaw groups etc. In the end, it is essentially a fight for control of oil wealth and government resources. The violence in Port Harcourt has been perpetrated by two rival armed groups and their affiliates who battled to control territory and lucrative oil bunkering routes.
The focus of this piece, however, is on the ability of the Nigerian State to respond to the militancy and the effect of underdevelopment and the weakness of the political class in upholding and/or enforcing International Law – The International Law of The Sea.
In December 1982, The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention and the Law of the Sea Treaty (or LOST by its critics), was opened for signature by member states and entered into force on November 16, 1994. The convention produced a consensus on some major issues like the extension of the territorial waters and seas of a coastal state, and the definition of an Exclusive Economic Zone.
The enlargement of areas of national jurisdiction in the oceans and the evolution of a new ocean order led to the emergence of a number of controversial issues of importance to developing countries. These issues include for example, the enforcement of ocean laws, surveillance, offshore patrolling and the development of naval capabilities to carry out such tasks.
Part two coming soon.
