1.1
Background to the Study
Insecurity anywhere is a threat to
security everywhere. This illustrates the importance of conflict management
even at the global and continental level.
Conflict management is the process
Reducing the dangers and the
Destruction associated with a conflict while maximizing it’s positive aspect
all (Rahim, 2011). It is the principle
that all conflicts cannot necessarily be resolved, but learning how to manage
conflicts can decrease the odds of nonproductive escalation. Dalung (2013)
asserts that conflict management entails the long term management of conflicts
that are difficult to solve .He further
explained that it is the variety of ways by which people handle grievances
standing up for what they consider to be right and against what they consider
to be wrong. Conflict management therefore involves acquiring skills related to
conflict resolution, self-awareness about conflict modes, conflict
communication skills, and establishing a structure for resolving conflict in
the environment. It is a process that embraces all articulated strategies,
interventions and institutional mechanisms in controlling the escalation of
conflict.
Nigeria as a country is currently plagued
with myriads of conflict challenges and a lot of factors which undermines
conflict management and has an impact on national security. These includes
Ethno religious conflict, the conflict emanating from agitation by separatist
such as the indigenous people of Biafra,
Niger Delta avengers, Bokoharam and farmers herders conflict In
Northeastern, These conflicts are further aggravated by porosity of the
border, arms proliferation etc
These conflicts are caused by alienation, bias
reports by the media, and lack of employment opportunities and the absence of
social amenities by the slow pace of systemic reforms, lack of: jobs, clean
drinking water, schools, poverty, electricity and clinics etc. Consequently,
many youths resort to militancy as a result of frustration from poverty. Most
poverty alleviation programmes do not have direct bearing on the people’s life
in terms of health, job creation. The feeling of alienation experienced by
members of ethnic groups when they believe they have been sidelined from the
main stream of Nigerian politics, given the Nigerian polity practices of ethnic
cum winner takes it all politics is another cause of conflict (Alabi, 2010;
Osuntokun, 2001.). This reason in particular gave birth to OPC militancy in the
1990s. Mazuiri (2001) also argue that the sharia law advocacy in some northern
states was triggered by the resentment to the shifting of political power from
the north to the south without any remarkable transformation in the economy of
the north. Again, the Nigerian political elites with their penchant for cross
carpeting, creating divisions and making provocative statements that cannot be
substantiated have also contributed to conflict generation in the country.
In the Niger Delta region, attacks by
members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), though having the various oil
extracting conglomerates operational in the Niger Delta region and their
workers as their primary targets, have also had indigenous Niger Delta denizens
as their victims. The situation is not
far from similar in the Southeast. In the Southeastern region, the members of
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have perpetrated attacks that have led
to the death and displacement of many Nigerians especially northerners. For
instance, in September 2017, there were reports of attacks lasting for days by
suspected members of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on the
Hausa/Fulani community in Abia State and some attacks in Rivers State.
The Federal Government in bid to resolve
conflicts adopted certain approach which includes Odi invasion
Conflict management approach. The Niger Delta amnesty programme was
adopted because the use of military force failed to deter the militants and
bring normalcy to the region and by extension, Nigeria. The use of force has
variously been employed by the Nigerian government as a strategy to manage the
Niger Delta crises but it has always failed to achieve the desired result:
peace. The federal government had employed military force in Ogoniland,
Gbaramatu, Odioma, Choba, Ikon, Ikenya, Umuechen and Odi all in the Niger Delta
region (Ekumaoko, 2013)
The impact of conflict on national
security can be noticed on the violation of individual dignity and destruction
of communities. Human dignity is violated when one individual deprives another
individual or community of both the means and capacity necessary to live with
dignity and freedom. In Nigeria, the activities of insurgent groups are
hampering on the dignity of individuals and communities. For instance, Boko
Haram through its attacks infringes on individual and community dignity. It
does this through its antipathy towards Western educational norms. Falola (2014)
reported that in 2012, Boko Haram targeted schools regularly, with 47 attacks
that year resulting in 77 fatalitie.
Unmanaged conflict also catapults to threat to national security
destroying sources of lively hood.
The cattle rustling in the northwest,
central, and recently, southeast Nigeria has deprived many farmers of their
farms and farming implements. Clashes between herdsmen and farmers in states
like Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Abia, Imo, etc. where there is insecurity
and crises it leads to a high death till Nigeria, death tolls are ultra-high; a
rapid depletion of the population in the region is evident. According to
Governor KashimShettima of Borno State, insurgency, particularly in the
Northeastern region of Nigeria, has led to the death of almost 100,000 persons
(Tukur, 2017). In the North, violence is intensifying creating more IDPs with
little or nothing left. The number of displaced persons in Nigeria is one of
the highest in the world. According to the International Displacement
Monitoring Centre (IDMC) (2016), it is estimated that there are almost 2,152,000
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria as of 31 December 2015 due to
Boko Haram insurgency. With most of the IDP camps exceeding their maximum
carrying capacity, the survival of the displaced is further jeopardized owing
to inadequate food, water, medical supplies and other humanitarian aids.
It is noticed that conflict is currently
being faced by the different sections of the country, However, the focus or
spotlight of this research is the North East . the in the North Eastern Nigeria
. The North Eastern section of the country is currently undergoing conflict
related to insurgency that are perpetrated by. Bokoharam The crisis in
northeast Nigeria owes its origins mostly to the insurgency of Boko Haram, a
terrorist group responsible for attacks on local communities across Nigeria,
Chad, Cameroon, and Niger (UNHCHR, 2015). The activities of this terrorist
group and the counter-insurgency by the Nigerian state caused the worse
humanitarian crisis in the history of Nigeria (Hamid et al, 2017). The socio-economic
conditions of this region caused by its sensitive climate conditions and
neglect by the central government are suspected to have created a fertile
ground for Boko Haram to prosper (Rizzo, 2015). The strategic location of the
area occupied by Boko Haram’s troops did not only provide them with shelter
away from state security forces, but also available manpower from the desperate
youths that struggled to make a living. Boko Haram recruits its members mainly amongst
disaffected youths, unemployed high school and university graduates, and
destitute children, mostly from but not limited to northern Nigeria (Onuoha,
2014).
1.2 Statement of
the problem
Nigeria in recent times has witnessed an
unprecedented level of insecurity. This has made national security threat to be
a major issue for the government and has prompted huge allocation of the
national budget to security. In order to
ameliorate the incidence of crime, the federal government has embarked on criminalization
of terrorism by passing the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2011, installation of
Computer-based Closed Circuit Television cameras (CCTV) in some parts of the
country, enhancement of surveillance as well as investigation of criminal
related offences, heightening of physical security measures around the country
aimed at deterring or disrupting potential attacks, strengthening of security
agencies through the provision of security facilities and the development and
broadcast of security tips in mass media (Azazi, 2011). Despite these efforts, the
level of insecurity in the North East country is still high.The the region is
currently faced by plethora of issues ranging from farmers herders crisis,
ethno religious crisis, insurgency, the
Boko Haram security threat
This work
foci of the research work is to meticulously examine; the factors that
are responsible for triggering conflict in North Eastern Nigeria and how these factors are Undermining
national security , why is it that the conflict in the North East is still
ongoing despite the huge budget allocated towards resolving the conflict in the
North East especially the fight against Bokoharam , why would the Youths in the
North East allow themselves to be recruited and used as agent of Destruction,
are the money set aside for resolving the Crisis in the North East not properly
used , The crisis in the North East has been an interacted and prolonged
conflict which has caused catastrophe of a high magnitude , there is an
increase in the number of refugees, high death toll, the conscription of youth
. However despite these challenges the Politicians still Conduct election. How
are elections conducted in such hostile environment and why didn't the conflict
prevent the Conduct of election in the North East or have the Political elites
politicized the insecurity in the region for their own selfish interest.
1.2
Research Questions
1. How does the Bokoharam conflict in the
North East undermine economic development in Nigeria?
1.3 Definition of terms
Conflict management is the process of
handling a conflict in order to ensure that it does not escalate or get
aggravate
National
Security: This is the absence and of violence and
threats to violence. NS exists where citizens are free and secured while going
on with their daily business without fear of danger or threats to dangers. NS
exists when citizens feel that their lives and properties are safe Conflict this
is an antagonistic position between two or more parties. Conflict may be
violent or non-violent in nature and most often showcase an opportunity to
change.
Violence:
Any activity that is calculated to cause bodily harm, cause death and
destruction of a life, lives and Properties.
Security
threat: Are situation that undermines the
existing peace, instill fears and prevents people from going about with their
normal business.
1.4 Significance of the study
The study has Theoretical and empirical significance.
Theoretically, the study shall add to
existing literature and also serve as a resource base for further research
especially within the field of Political Science.
While empirically the research shall educate,
sensitize and enlighten students, the academic community, the public offices
holders , aggrieved groups , security agencies, on the need to manage conflict
with wisdom and sagacity including laid down conflict management approach. This
is because conflict doesn't yield benefit to anyone.
Practically the research shall also x-ray
the factors that are fuelling the crisis in the North East and we shall be made
to understand why the conflict is still ongoing despite the huge funds
allocated to addressing the conflict in the Northeast especially the Boko Haram
insurgency. The Recommendations shall also be very useful in addressing the
security challenges in the Northeast
1.5. Objectives of the study
The study has broad and specific Objectives;
The broad objective of this study is to examine
the impact of conflict in the Northeast on national security while the
specific are to determine how the Boko Haram conflict in the Northeast Undermining
Economic Development
1.5
Hypotheses
The
ongoing conflict in the North East does not undermine Economic Development
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