TOPIC 4

MAJOR POLITICAL CRISES IN NIGERIA

 From colonial to post-colonial times, Nigeria has experienced different kinds of crises. While some of these crises
are political, others are ethnic or religious.
 But even for those conflicts that are ethnic or religious they often have political underpinnings or serve political
ends.
 In colonial Nigeria, major political crises were caused by economic exploitation and mainly by unpopular colonial
policies such as imposition of taxation and the creation of warrant chiefs as well as the high-handedness used in
the enforcement of colonial policies.
 In post-colonial Nigeria, much of the political crises have resulted from the weaponisation of ethnicity, region,
religion and population/census figures for selfish interest/electoral gains and the resultant unhealthy inter-ethnic
political rivalries (especially between the majority ethnic groups – Hausa-Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba) and military
coups and counter-coup. In some cases nonetheless, political conflicts were induced by intra-ethnic “ideological”
differences and political disagreement between competing ethnic elite.
 More recently, political crises in Nigeria have been driven by the intensification of some of the aforementioned
factors and also by other variables such as electoral manipulation/election rigging/disagreement over electoral
outcomes as was the case in the 2011 post-election violence; economic marginalisation and the quest for economic
inclusion and resource control as was the case of militancy in the Niger Delta; climate change and the struggle over
access/right to the fast diminishing resources, especially land as is the case in the Farmers-Herders Conflict; and
religious extremism as is the case of Boko Haram terrorism.

Uche Nwali (Unilag School of Foundation Studies )

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Aba Women Riot of 1929
 It was a two-month popular uprising by women in colonial Nigeria which occurred in 1929. It started in Aba and
Umuahia areas in the then Owerri Province and later spread to other parts of Igboland and contiguous neighbours
such as Calabar Province.
Principal Actors: Igbo women, Warrant Chiefs and Colonial masters/authority.
Causes:
 The new tax regime of the colonial administration that proposed taxation of women as well as
classification/enumeration of children and livestock (e.g. goat, etc.) as taxable possessions.
What this meant was that women would be taxed and every family would also pay tax on the number of children,
and goat, cow, etc. they had. The women saw the taxation as alien to Igbo culture and asking women to pay tax
was not only repugnant to their culture but also a burden and a colonial policy taken too far. So they resisted by
refusing to pay tax and by not allowing the warrant chiefs access to enumerate their children and livestock for
taxation purposes.
 High-handedness of the Warrant chiefs in enforcing colonial policies, including the proposed taxation.
 Corruption and abuses being perpetrated by the Native Courts which impaired administration of justice.

Uche Nwali (Unilag School of Foundation Studies)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Aba Women Riot of 1929
Method:
 The women mobilised in groups
 Procession and dancing
 sit-ins
 Refusing the warrant chiefs access to count children and livestock for purpose of taxation.
 Widespread attack on the warrant chiefs and colonial masters, including destruction of symbols of colonial
authority such as administrative buildings and stores of foreign trading companies.
Consequences:
 Several women rioters (over 50 of them) were killed and many others injured.
 The riot compelled the colonial authority to drop the proposed taxation of women and their livestock.
 Reform of the Warrant Chief System and Native Courts in which the use of warrant chiefs was later
stopped/replaced with popular elders/opinion leaders in Igbo communities, coupled with inclusion of women for
the first time, in the Native Courts and colonial administration of justice

Uche Nwali (Unilag School of Foundation Studies)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Kano Riot of 1953
It was a three day political violence in the colonial Nigeria which occurred in 1953 in Kano.
Principal Actors: Northern political leaders/Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) on the one hand and Southern political leaders/National Council of
Nigeria and Cameroun (NCNC)/Action Group (AG)/AG’s Reconciliation Delegation to the North led by S. L. Akintola on the other hand.
Causes:
Motion for Self Government and its Defeat: In 1953, an AG member of the parliament, Chief Anthony Enahoro moved a motion for self
government in Nigeria in 1956. While Southern members of the Parliament overwhelmingly supported the motion, the Norther members totally
rejected it on the ground that the North would not be ripe and ready for independence by 1956.
Accordingly, they suggested that the phrase “in 1956” in the self government motion should be replaced with independence “as soon as practicable”.
Given they were the majority in the Parliament, the Northern members were able to defeat the motion when it was put to vote. Angered by the defeat
of the Motion, the Southern members of the Parliament staged a walk-out.
Booing/jeering of Northern political leaders in Lagos: When Lagosians, many of whom were supporters of AG and NCNC, heard that the North
has stopped the motion for Nigeria to be granted political independence, they mobilised and jeered/booed Northern political leaders as they came out
from Sitting after the adjournment of the House/Parliament.
This infuriated Northern political leaders who felt insulted and humiliated by the South. Consequently, on getting home, they prepared an Eight Point
Agenda/Programme in which, among other things, the North resolved to severe relations with the South and to pursue the abrogation of central
legislature (House of Representatives) and central Executive Council as well as the regionalisation of all central government agencies.
AG Delegation to the North: Southern political leaders viewed this move by the North as an attempt to secede from Nigeria. So, AG decided to send
a reconciliatory delegation to tour the North in order to pacify their leaders and also to campaign for support of the motion for political independence.

Uche Nwali (Unilag School of Foundation Studies)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Kano Riot of 1953
Method:
The riot broke out when AG Delegation arrived Kano on May 16th, 1953. Northern leaders saw the AG
Delegation and campaign for independence in the North as an invasion of their territory.
Through the Native Authority, Northern leaders mobilised the local police, and also thugs to attack the AG
Delegation.
Violence was unleashed on the Delegation members and Southerners living in Kano. The riot lasted till 19th
May.
Consequences:
The Kano Riot resulted in destruction of lives and property. It was estimated that about 36 people lost their
lives and over 240 people were wounded.
It put more strain on the political relations between Southern and Northern leaders, furthering the North-
South divide and laying the foundation ethnic based violence in Nigeria.
It also delayed Nigeria’s political independence. If the motion for self government had passed and the Kano
riot was avoided, perhaps Nigeria would have achieved independence in 1956, three years earlier than 1960.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Action Group Crisis of 1962
Principal Actors in the Crisis: The Action Group (AG) crisis happened in 1962 in the then Western Region. The principal actors were
Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief S. L. Akintola, Rotimi Williams, Alhaji D. S. Adegbenro, Sir Adesoji Aderemi – the then Governor of
Western Region
Causes: The crisis started when Awolowo relinquished his position as the Premier of the Western Region to his deputy, S. L. Akintola
and went to the central legislature and became the Leader of the Opposition.
1. Personality Conflict between Obafemi Awolowo and S. L. Akintola: Awolowo had thought and desired that as the National Leader of
AG and the major political force in the Western Region, he should be consulted by the Premier on maters affecting the Region. He
accused Akintola of running the Western Region unilaterally.
Akintola felt otherwise and viewed Awolowo’s desire as an attempt to usurp his authority as the premier of Western Region. He accused
Awolowo of trying to run and rule the Western Region from Lagos which he, Akintola resisted as the man on seat.
2. Ideological differences – democratic socialism vs free market: Obafemi Awolowo was a democratic socialist, which was why he
initiated and implemented compulsory free education in the Western Region when he was the Premier. He had wanted his successor, S.
L. Akintola to continue with socialist policies and programmes.
However, Akintola was more inclined to free market ideology thus wanted to replace some of the socialist policies he inherited from
Awolowo’s administration. And this was partly why he introduced school fees during his premiership of the Western region.
3. AG Decision not to join the National Government: Awolowo did not want AG to form a coalition with NPC thus piloted the party to
be the official opposition party at the centre. However, Akintola wanted AG to form a coalition government with NPC at the centre.
4. Intra-ethnic struggle for power between competing ethnic elite: The power tussle between Awolowo and Akintola over the control of
Western Region politics.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Action Group Crisis of 1962
Causes:
5. Akintola’s dismissal from the AG and removal as Premier of Western Region on May 19, 1962 in the Jos Convention of AG. This
fragmented AG as Akintola refused to relinquish power but instead formed and cross-carpeted to UPP with his supporters inthe Western
House of Assembly.
Method:
Political intrigues and maneuvering: Each of the political gladiators, Awolowo and Akintola tried to politically arm-twist one another and
to appropriate the Action Group. Akintola ws suspended from AG and this factionalised the party.
Attack on opponent/rival’s camp and supporters: Both leaders mobilised their supporters against each other, leading to violent clash
between their supporters and the resultant destruction of lives and property in the Western Region.
Consequences:
•Violence and breakdown of law and order in the Western Region.
•Declaration of State of Emergency in the Western Region by Federal Government and appointment of an administrator, Senator M. A.
Majekodunmi to govern the Region.
•Carving out Mid-West from the Western Region in August 23, 1963. The atomisation of Western Region by the creation of Mid-Western
Region was believed to have been a ploy by the main rival parties – NPC and NCNC in order to weaken AG’s power base/political
stronghold and Awolowo’s political influence.
•The arrest, trial and imprisonment of Chief Awolowo in 1963 by Federal Government who accused him of sedition/treason.
•The crisis laid the foundation of a series of violence that culminated in the Western Regional Election crisis of 1965.
•It contributed to the disorder and tensions that led to the 1st Military coup in 1966, which eventually triggered Nigeria’s civil war in 1967.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Census Crisis of 1962/63
Reasons Why Census Figures are Inflated and a Source of Crisis in Nigeria: Since independence, census in Nigeria has been
fraught with a lot of controversies. For instance, in the First Republic, there were attempts by each of the Federating Regions to inflate
its census figures. Today, each ethnic group wants its census figures to be higher than the others.
 Many factors account for why census figures are manipulated/inflated in Nigeria. These include:
 Population size determines political representation: To this end, allocation of electoral constituencies and political seats is a function
of population size. The more the population size of an ethnic group/region, the more seats it would have in the national parliament.
 Population size is a major criteria for Revenue Allocation: The population a region/state has, the more revenue it gets from the
federation account/sharing of proceeds of national resources.
 Population has implication for election: The more the population of a region/ethnic group, the more number of voters it would
have. This then increases its chances of casting more votes in national elections, thus producing the winner in a presidential election

 It serves as the basis for allocating quotas for recruitment into the armed forces and federal agencies.
Principal Actors in the 1962/63 Census Crisis: Northern Region, Western Region, Eastern Region, Mid-West, Federal Government.
Causes:
1. Manipulation/inflation of census figures by each of the competing three Regions – North, West and East.
 The census exercise was conducted between May 5 and May 21, 1962. The census figures returned showed that the figures from the
various Regions were highly inflated. Each Region had increased its population figures to more than double of the last census
figures in 1952. The Census Commissioner, Mr. T. Warren criticised the census figures as unrealistic.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Census Crisis of 1962/63
Causes:
2. Rejection of each other’s census figures/population claims by the Regions. The East and West accused the North of inflating its
figures, thus rejected the census result. This compelled the Commissioner for Economic Development, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, to cancel
the census.
 Consequently, another census was conducted in 1963. The figures returned showed that each Region again inflated its population
figures, with Northern Region having the largest population. North accepted the census figures but they were rejected by the West,
East & Mid-West
3. Federal government acceptance of the second census figures which favoured the Northern Region.
Method:
 Accusation and counter accusation: The West and Eastern Regions accused the North of inflating its census figures and vice versa.
 Official rejection of the census figures by the premier of each of the Federating Regions.
 Opposing Federal government acceptance of the second census figures
Consequences:
• Cancellation of the 1962 census figures and scheduling another census for 1963.
• Delay of national economic planning since the rejected first census figures could not be deployed for economic purposes
• Widening of the North-South political divide and mutual suspicion between the ethnic majorities – Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo
• Strain in the NPC/NCNC coalition government since the two parties differed on the census figures
• Heightened ethnic & political tensions, thus contributed to the coup d’etat of 1966 & the resultant military intervention in
Nigerian politics.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Nigeria-Biafra Civil War, 1967-1970
 The Nigeria-Biafra war was a civil war in Nigeria which started in 1967 and lasted for 30 months. It started when the then
Eastern Region which was predominantly Igbo attempted to secede from Nigeria. Federal Military Government headed by
Gen. Yakubu Gowon declared war on the Eastern Region in an attempt to stop the secession.
Principal Actors in the War: Yakubu Gowon, Odumegwu Ojukwu, Eastern Region (Biafra) and Federal Side (Nigerian
Government)
Immediate Causes:
1. The January 15, 1966 coup resulted in the killing of prominent military and political leaders mainly from the North and
West. Premier of Northern Region – Sir Ahmad Bello and the Prime Minister – Abubakar Tafawa Balewa also from the North
were killed. The Premier of the Western Region, Chief S. L. Akintola was also killed. No major Igbo political leader was
killed, thus the coup was perceived as Igbo coup.
2. Perception of the coup as sectional: The January coup was seen as Igbo coup because the plotters were mainly military
officers of Igbo ethnic extraction.
3. The was not completely successful as the group that took over power was different from the original coup plotters. Gen.
J.T.U. Aguiyi-Ironsi, an Igbo who emerged Nigerian Military Head of State after the coup was not part of the Five Majors led
by Kaduna Chukwuma Nzeogwu who plotted the coup. 4.The counter-coup of July 29, 1966 by Northern military officers
which resulted in the killing of military officers of Eastern origin, including the Military Head of State, Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi and
the emergence of Col. Yakubu Gown as Head of State.
5. Rejection of Col. Yakubu Gowon by Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu on the basis that Gowon was not the most senior officer.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Nigeria-Biafra Civil War, 1967-1970
Immediate Causes:
6. The subsequent pogrom against the Igbo, especially those living in the Northern Region. This forced Odumegwu Ojukwu,
the then Military Administrator of Eastern Region to call on Igbo living outside the Eastern Region to return home so as to
avoid being killed.
7. On May 27, Gowon declared state of emergency in the whole country and created 12 states out of the four regions. This was
geared towards dividing the Eastern Region in order to weaken the sense of unity between the Igbo and minorities in the
Region thus prevent them from attempting to separate.
8. On May 30, 1967, Odumegwu Ojukwu, then Military Administrator of Eastern Region declared the Independence of Biafra.
 Fighting broke out on July 6, 1967 and lasted for 30 months with Biafra surrendering in January 1970 after Ojukwu had
fled the country into exile.
Remote Causes
 Politicisation and factionalisation of the military: The politicians of the First republic had used favouritism in recruitment
and promotion to politicise the Army for their selfish political ends. This led to division within the army along ethnic lines
 Absence of professionalism within the army which was also caused by its politicisation.
 Lack of unity and the consequent mutual suspicion among the ethnic majorities in Nigeria.
 Lopsided nature of the federation: North was bigger than the rest of East and West put together. This led to fear of ethnic
domination.
 Ethnicity/ethnic politics: Ethnicisation of political parties and use of identity fault lines to seek/gain power also contributed.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Nigeria-Biafra Civil War, 1967-1970
Method:
 Military offensive/attack using guns, bombs, airstrikes: Both sides of the conflict attacked each other’s troops and in some
cases, civilian population as was the case in the Eastern Region where air raid on civilians by Federal troops was common
 Propaganda: Both sides twisted information/facts on the war in order to gain international sympathy and/or support.
 Food blockade and starvation: The Federal Side (Federal Government) blocked food supply to the Biafran side, which was
the major factor that forced the Biafran Side to surrender after millions of Igbo, mostly children died of starvation.
Consequences:
 Heavy loss of lives estimated that over 3 million people. There were also cases of rape and other war crimes by the troops.
 It took Nigeria to the precipice of disintegration. The war almost caused a breakup of Nigeria.
 Heightened ethnic suspicion/distrust and division between the ethnic groups, especially the ethnic majorities after the war
 Destruction of infrastructure and property: Bridges, roads, houses, cars , etc., were destroyed during the war.
 Huge negative impact on national/regional economies and agricultural activities: Low economic activities and farming
 Proliferation of arms and increased cases of armed robbery during and after the war.
 Hunger and increased unemployment rate during and after the war.
• Disruption of education, particularly in the Eastern Region: Students in the East had to stop schooling because of the war.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

 Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
June 12, 1993 Electoral Crisis
 June 12 was a major electoral crisis that happened in Nigeria following the annulment of 1993 Presidential Election.
Principal Gladiators: M. K. O. Abiola of SDP, Alhaji Bashir Tofa of NRC, and Gen. Babangida’s Military Government
The Causes:
1. Annulment of the 1993 Presidential Election: The Presidential Election was held in June 12. The election was considered
the most free and fair since Nigerian independence and was conducted by National Electoral Commission (NEC) headed
by Prof. Humphrey Nwosu. It was a keenly contested election between Chief M.K.O. Abiloa of Social Democratic Party
(SDP) andAlhaji Bashir Tofa of National Republican Convention (NRC)
 The transition from a decade (10 years) of military rule to civilian rule that would have ushered in the Third Republic had
began earlier in 1989 with the conduct of elections for local government seats, governorship and State Houses of Assembly
seats and National Assembly seats (Senate and House of Representatives).
 The Presidential Election was the last in the political transition programme. Leaked unofficial results and evidence from the
polling stations nation-wide showed that the candidate of SDP, Chief Abiola was leading in the election, having allegedly
won in majority of the states, including Kano, the home state of his opponent, Alhaji Tofa.
 However, before the Presidential Election results could be announced, the military junta of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida
annulled the Election citing irregularities and pending High Court Order
2. The Military refusal to handover power to a democratically elected winner cum public anger over the annulment of a
presidential election considered to be the most free and fair in Nigeria’s election history.
 On June 12, 1994, Abiola declared himself President and went into hiding. He was later arrested and jailed by the Military

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
June 12, 1993 Electoral Crisis
Method:
Riot: Following the announcement of the cancellation of the presidential election, there was violent demonstration by the supporters of
Chief Abiola, mostly in the Yoruba speaking states, particularly Lagos where some people were killed.
Arson: Burning of properties such as cars, shops and houses
Petition to the international community: Some anti-military rule and pro-democracy groups petitioned the international community to
sanction the military regime in Nigeria and compel it to transmit power to a democratically elected govt.
Consequences:
Loss of lives: Some people were killed in the crisis and many were injured.
Destruction of property: Property worth millions of naira were destroyed during the crisis.
The violence, following the annulment caused a breakdown of law that almost brought Nigeria to the edge of total anarchy.
Reinforced identity politics and mutual ethnic suspicion: The election was won by a Yoruba Southerner but cancelled by an Hausa-Fulani
Northerner
Interim National Government (ING): The crisis forced the Military to step outside on August 26, 1993 and hand over power to an Interim
National Government headed by a civilian, Ernest Shonekan. But the ING had both military & civilians as members and were all
appointed by the military. Gen. Sanni Abacha, a member of ING toppled Shonekan on Nov. 17, 1993
The Rise of Anti-military and Pro-democracy Movements such as NADECO – National Democratic Coalition
International isolation and classification of the country as a pariah state.
Imposition of sanctions, including visa and travel ban on the military ruler and his political appointees/supporters
Economic downturn: Economic headwind which resulted from the crisis and the disrupted economic activities cum the imposed sanctions

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
2011 Post-Election Violence
The 2011 Post-Election violence was a mob-led election-related violent riots that occurred in 12 Northern states (Kano, Kaduna,
Sokoto, Bauchi, Jigawa, Gombe, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa) following the 2011 Presidential Election.
Although the violence was not the first electoral crisis in Nigeria as the country had experienced many election-related violence
before, the 2011 post-election violence was a watershed. This is because it not only re-invoked sad memories of violent elections
of the past Republics, but also tainted/diminished Nigeria’s democracy which was barely over a decade old in 2011.
Principal Actors: Gen. Mohammadu Buhari/his supporters and President Goodluck Jonathan
The Causes:

Electoral victory of President Jonathan and the loss of the election by Gen. Buhari. After President Jonathan had completed the
tenure of President Umar Yar’Adua who was elected in 2007 but died in office in 2009, he sought re-election in 2011 presidential
election. Jonathan’s victory did not go down well with the North who felt that the presidency was their turn.

Tensed political campaign which heightened ethnic tension: The political campaign had a tinge of ethnic polarisation and North-
South political divide

Perceived rigging of the election: Although the election was adjudged to be free and fair by both local and international election
observers, Buhari cried foul, insisting that votes did not count, thus the results of the election did not reflect the wishes of the
voters.

Rejection of the election results by Buhari: Buhari’s refusal to accept defeat when the announced results showed that he lost did
contribute to the violence that erupted as his supporters were emboldened by that act

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
2011 Post-Election Violence
Method:
Mob violent attack: Sporadic mob-led violent riots by Buhari’s supporters in some parts of the North targeting and
killing Southerners and Christians in the North.
Inter-party violence: Other parties, particularly the PDP were targeted and attacked by members/supporters of
Buhari’s party – Congress for Progressive Change (CPC).
Targeted Violence on INEC officials: Some officials of the electoral umpire, INEC including ad-hoc workers –
mainly serving NYSC members (corpers) in the North, who were deployed as polling agents/officials were killed
by the protesters.
Consequences:
Destruction of lives and property: It is estimated that over 800 people were killed in the 2011 post-election
violence.
Reinforced identity politics and further widened ethnic distrust cum the North-South divide in Nigeria.
Religious polarisation: The post-election violence, just like the presidential election polarised Nigeria along
religious lines since the protesting Buhari supporters were mainly Muslims like Buhari and they targeted mostly
Christians who they felt must have voted for Jonathan who is a Christian too.
It tainted Nigeria’s election and impaired efforts towards democratisation (deepening democracy) in Nigeria.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Niger Delta Crisis
Niger Delta Crisis was an armed conflict in the oil rich South-South Geo-Political Zone between militant groups and foreign oil
companies cum Federal Government over oil exploration and the exploitation (both real and imagined) of oil producing
communities.
Its origin dates back to early 1990s’ but its scope and intensity have increased over the years, especially between 2000 and 2009
when it assumed violent trajectory with devastating effects on oil production and national economy
Principal Actors: Niger Delta militants, International Oil Companies (IOCs), Federal Government and security forces
Causes
Oil exploration/production & environmental degradation: Oil exploration in the Niger Delta and associated activities such as gas flaring
have caused environmental pollution, threatening the means of livelihood such as fishing and farming in the oil producing communities,
thus putting the people against the IOCs
Exploitation and Neglect by the government and IOCs: Decades of oil exploitation and neglect of oil producing communities by oil
companies and government led to deficit of basic amenities/infrastructure.
Underdevelopment of the Niger Delta/oil producing communities: Both environmental pollution and lack/poor infrastructure caused
underdevelopment of the region.
Limited economic opportunities and high unemployment: The underdevelopment of the region created an army of unemployed youth,
who resorted to militancy in order to survive
Politicisation of militancy: Some Niger Delta politicians capitalised on the prevailing unemployment and rising militancy to c-opt the
militants to rig elections for them, and also encouraged militancy in the region as a means of exploiting money from federal government
and oil companies who, in some cases relied on the political class to tackle the militancy problem.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Niger Delta Crisis
Method:
Formation of militant groups: The youths of the Niger Delta, particularly the oil producing communities
formed militant movements with which they engaged in the struggle to end environmental degradation and the
neglect and economic underdevelopment of the region due to oil exploration and govt. neglect
The earliest of such groups was Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) led by Ken Saro-
Wiwa, an environmental activist, who along other 8 Ogoni people, were arrested, tried and put to death by
hanging in 2005 by the then Military Government led by Gen. Sanni Abacha over their alleged killing of
Ogoni Chiefs that were pro-Government and pro-IOCs.
In the 2000s’ when the Niger Delta assumed violent dimension, an example of prominent militant groups
operating in the region is Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria Delta (MEND). Members of MEND and
some other militant groups in the region include: Charlese Okah, Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Boyloaf, & many
others.
Sabotage of oil installations: Attacking oil rigs and flow stations and breaking of oil pipelines.
Oil Bunkering: The militants also engage in oil theft which also has negative impact on oil production.
Kidnapping oil workers in the Niger Delta, particularly expatriates who were being abducted for ransom.
Armed confrontation with the Nigerian security forces (e.g. the military, police) securing oil facilities.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Niger Delta Crisis
Consequences:
Destruction of lives: The attack on and kidnapping of oil workers sometimes led to loss of lives, including those of
expatriates working for oil companies operating in the region.
Environmental degradation: Oil spillage which happens when the militants rupture oil pipelines aggravated the ruin on the
environment.
Decrease in oil production and Federal government foreign exchange earnings: The attacks on oil facilities cause significant
drop in oil producing from over 2 million barrels per day to less than 800,000 barrels per day. This had negative impact on
foreign exchange earnings of Nigeria since oil is the country’s major export and source of dollar revenue.
Introduction of 13% derivation for oil producing states as a reward for being the host of the resources and assuage their
anger against government and IOCs
Introduction of Amnesty in 2009: To address the rising threats to stability and oil production cum national economy posed
by the Niger Delta crisis, President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2009 granted Amnesty to the Niger Delta militants who agreed to
lay down their arms and embrace peace.
Under the Amnesty programme, Niger Delta militants were offered cash rewards, and scholarship to further their education
as well as local and oversea trainings on any choosing career.
The Amnesty did relatively and significantly de-escalated the crisis as many militant laid down their arms and stopped
incessant attacks on oil facilities. However, challenges remain: Since the Amnesty, there are still a few cases militancy and
oil bunkering as well as attacks on oil platforms in the Niger Delta.

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Boko Haram Terrorism
Boko Haram is a Nigerian based Islamic terrorist sect operating mainly in the North-East but with widespread
threats following its violent attacks in other parts of the country, including the South. Such attacks are
increasingly undermining national security, posing existential threat to the Nigerian state.
Its origin is traced to 2009 and to Mohammed Yusuf, an Islamic scholar in Maiduguri who had the objective of
supplanting the existing secular government with an Islamic government
Boko Haram terrorist group rejects western education, modernisation and Western way of life, and wants to
wrest power from the secular Nigerian government and establish an Islamic state that would be ruled based on
Islamic ideology. The Group has pledged allegiance to other global terrorist organisations such as al Qaeda.
The Principal Actors: Boko Haram terrorists (e.g. Mohammed Yusuf, Abubakar Shekau) and Nigerian security
forces
Causes:
Extreme religious ideology
High rate of poverty
Prevalence of illiteracy
Politicisation of insecurity

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Boko Haram Terrorism
Method:
Bomb and gun attacks on churches and mosques:
Raiding of communities and markets
Kidnapping for ransom: of school children
Armed confrontation with State security forces
Consequences:
•Destruction of lives and property: Thousands of Nigerians have been killed by the Boko Haram terrorist and
millions of people displaced from their homes
•National insecurity: The terrorist activities of Boko Haram are causing growing insecurity all over Nigeria,
particularly in the Northern part of the country.
•Low economic activities in the North East and North West and this is gradaully spreading to the entire country
•Disruption of schooling/ school calendar and rise in illiteracy in the North.
•Disruption of farming in the North, and this is causing food insecurity
•Increasing security budget which takes away money that would have been channeled to provide infrastructure
•Bad image of Nigeria in the international community

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
Farmer-Herder Conflict
The Principal Actors: Farmers and Fulani herdsmen

Causes:
 Struggle over land between farmers who need the land for farming and herdsmen who need it for grazing of
cattle
 Grazing on farmers’ crops by the herdsmen cattle
 Killing of herdsmen cattle by farmers when they eat their crops
 Climate change which is diminishing land resource that could be used fro farming and for grazing through
desertification and drought

Method:
Destruction of farm crops
Attack/raiding of farmers’

Consequences:

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)

Major Political Crises in Nigeria Cont’d
How to prevent Political Crisis in Nigeria

Uche Nwali (Unilag SFS)