THE IMPACT OF MILITARIZATION OF THE NIGER DELTA REGION OF NIGERIA

Fidelis A.E. Paki

Department of Political Science

Niger Delta University, P.M.B. 071, Wilberforce Island 560001, Nigeria

Email: paki_fae@yahoo.com;

ABSTRACT

The main thrust of this paper discussed the impact of militarization of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The Niger is Delta famous for crude oil production, but it is crises prone which results to the region been highly militarized. The militarization of the Niger Delta have provided the situation whereby there is a high military presence in the region, which leads to occasional confrontation between the armed forces and other para-military units in the Niger Delta with organized militant movements and dissenting element in communities that are also interested in benefiting from the resources in the region. The paper relied on secondary sources of data collection method. The results of findings show that the militarization of the Niger Delta have considerably adverse impacts on national security and economic stability, formation of armed groups, public service delivery, oil companies and the international community. Therefore, the paper recommended that government should adopt measures that encourage peaceful resolution of conflict in order to de-militarize Niger Delta for enhanced economic and socio-political development of the region.

Keywords:Impact; Militarization; Niger Delta Region; Nigeria