ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND THE DILEMMA OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: IMPLICATION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY IN THE NIGER DELTA REGION

¹Jonathan Sagay; ²Zephaniah Osuyi Edo; and ³Lucky Avweromre

Department of Political Science,

Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria

E-mail:  joesagay_ng@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The study takes a critical look at the concept of environmental security in the light of massive environmental degradation and damage in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria where the bulk of the nation’s wealth is derived. It examines the concept of sustainable development and uses it as a yardstick in measuring the activities of operating oil Multinational Corporations in the region. Using historical method of analysis, this study observes that most internal conflicts in the country today have strong environmental root and that the inability of the government to address such environmental problems have had great effects on the security problem currently facing the Nigerian State today. The study therefore recommends that there is the need for government to begin seeing environmental degradation in more conventional terms that is, in conventional political instability as environmental degradation is the basis of many insecurity problems besetting the country today. This will enable it to use the existing security systems to monitor and manage environmental resources thereby reducing tension in the polity

Keywords: Environmental Degradation, Environmental Security, Sustainable Development, Conflicts, Oil Multinational Corporations.