Resurgence of Militancy in the : Update on the Niger Delta Avengers

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The agitation for resource control in the installations that has reduced the country’s Drivers of the Militant Niger Delta developed a violent dimension oil and gas production, with a devastating R es urgenc e between 2006 and 2009, when militant effect on the country’s economy. The federal groups took over the struggle from the government has responded to the renewed The resurgence of militancy in the Niger political elites and resorted to violence to restiveness with mass deployments of Delta can be contextualized amidst the express their grievances. The militants security forces, including gunboats, warships political tensions generated by the outcome resorted to armed struggle with government and fighter jets in the region. The spate of of the 2015 presidential elections. The - pre security forces and triggered a reduction in bombings by militants and the deployment amnesty militants were placated through oil production through kidnapping and of government security forces have monthly stipends and pipeline surveillance hostage taking of expatriate and national oil heightened insecurity in the Niger Delta. contracts during the administration of workers, illegal oil bunkering, and vandalism Allegations of heavy-handed response by the President Goodluck Jonathan. However, of oil installations, until the Nigerian military has caused apprehension among since President came to government secured a ceasefire through the residents of the affected communities. This power in 2015, these pipeline surveillance Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) in 2009. brief analyses the context of the renewed contracts were cancelled. Further inflaming The PAP ended the insurgency and entitled militancy, its implications for security and tensions was the prominent ex-militant some militant leaders to lucrative the economy, and provides leader, Tompolo’s indictment as part of the government security contracts to guide oil recommendations for stakeholders. Presidents’ anti-corruption campaign over installations and monthly stipends, while Heat Map: Concentration of reported Niger Delta militancy incidents others were provided with scholarships. But barely seven years after many of the militants accepted the PAP and dropped their arms, there has been a resurgence of militancy and violence in the region.

In February 2016, a new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) was launched with the self-stated agenda of crippling the country’s crude production. The group carried out its first attack on a gas line on February 10th, 2016. This was followed by other coordinated attacks on oil and gas Reported incidents related to militancy in Niger Delat States January 2015—April 2016. All Sources: P4P Peace Map www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. UPDATE ON MILITANCY IN THE NIGER DELTA—JUNE 2016

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA)

Timeline of Recent Militant Attacks the sale and purchase of a landed property Emergence of the NDA where a Maritime University was built in February 2016 The announcement of the formation of a . The ongoing saga between  Feb 10: NDA blew up Bonny Soku Gas Export new militant group, the NDA in February Line. Tompolo and the federal government,  Feb 13: NDA attacked SPDC underwater 48- 2016, heralded the return of full-scale inch crude oil export pipeline at Forcados including his evasion of an arrest warrant Export Terminal in Delta state. militancy in the Niger Delta region. Since its and prosecution, has coincided with the  Feb 19: NDA bombed the Clough Creek emergence, the group had carried out a Tebidaba Agip pipeline manifold in Bayelsa emergence of the new militant groups. The State. string of coordinated attacked on strategic groups have called for the de-freezing of May 2016 oil and gas installations in the region. The Tompolo’s bank accounts as one of their  May 4: NDA attacks a Chevron Valve activities of the group have led to a Platform at Abiteye in Delta State. conditions of a ceasefire and dialogue with  May 5: NDA launches a coordinated attack resurgence of unrest in the region, while on Chevron’s Well D25 in Abiteye and blew the government. up major pipelines in Delta state. other groups with similar interests have  May 13: NDA blew up Chevron pipeline and surfaced with their own demands and oil well near a military location in Makaraba The recent resurgence of militancy may also in Delta state. attacks on oil facilities. The other militant  May 17: The Red Egbesu Water Lions blew be linked to the arrest and detention of up the -Tuomo gas line belonging groups that have emerged include Isoko to Agip Oil Company in Nnamdi Kalu, a popular pro-Biafra activist. in . Liberation Movement, Red Egbesu Water One of the militant groups has demanded  May 20: NDA blew up NNPC’s Escravos Gas Lions, Suicide Squad, Egbesu Mightier Pipeline in Delta state. the immediate release of Nnamdi Kalu as  May 22: A militant group attacked a crude Confraternity, Joint Niger Delta Liberation oil pipeline belonging to Agip oil Company one of its conditions for ceasefire. Although along the Azuzuama axis of the Tebidaba- Force (JNDLF), and the Ultimate Warriors of Brass pipeline in Bayelsa state. the Niger Delta Avengers are calling for their  May 25: NDA attacked a Chevron gas pipe- Niger Delta (UWND). Although these groups line that provides electricity to the Escravos own sovereign Niger Delta Republic, they appear to be amorphous, they all claim to Tank Farm at Ciera creek in Delta. also appear to be sympathetic to the  May 26: NDA blew up NNPC gas and crude fight for environmental protection and the trunk line in , Delta state. agitation for the sovereign state of Biafra.  May 27: NDA destroys the 1, 2 and 3 economic and political liberation of the Brass to Bonny trunk lines belonging to Agip The Niger Delta militants and the various pro Oil Company and SPDC in Bayelsa state. region. According to the NDA their “Struggle -Biafra groups seem to be leveraging the is focused on the liberation of the People of June 2016 goodwill and relationships that were Niger Delta from decades of divisive rule and  Jun 1: NDA carried two coordinated attacks established between the people of the South on Chevron’s Wells RMP 23 and RMP 24 at exclusion”, which they post in statements Dibi in Delta state. -South and the South-East during the  June 2: NDA bombed the Ogboinbiri to over their website and popular social media Tebidaba and the Clough Creek to Tebidaba Goodluck Jonathan presidency. The militants crude oil pipelines in Bayelsa state. sites such as Twitter and the pro-Biafra groups have accused the  June 2: Militants attacked a boat belonging to NNPC and killed six people comprising Buhari Administration of systematic four civilians and two soldiers in Warri, Delta Like the pre-amnesty Movement for the state. economic and political marginalization and  June 3: NDA blew up SPDC Forcados 48-inch Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the export pipeline in Delta because the compa- repression of the people of the South-East ny went ahead with repairs against warnings NDA appears as a revolutionary umbrella for by the militants. and the South-South. Any revolutionary  June 3: NDA blew up Brass to Tebidaba the other new militant groups in the region. crude oil lines operated by SPDC and Italy’s collaboration between the militants and the The NDA are more sophisticated than other in Bayelsa state. pro-Biafra groups could be dangerous for the  June 8: NDA attacked Chevron operated emergent groups both in terms of their RMP 20 well at Egbema in Delta state. federal government and increase insecurity  June 9: Militants bombed an oil manifold coordination and articulation of their owned by SPDC along Chanomi creek in in the region, as the militants could leverage mission. The group has used its online and Ogidigben, Delta state. on the internal popularity of Biafra, and the  June 10: NDA bombed the Obi Obi oil trunk social media presence to articulate the basis line owned by Agip ENI in Bayelsa state. pro-Biafra agitators could capitalize on new of their vengeance. In one of its public strategic locations within the Niger Delta.

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The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) statements termed “Operation Red  Clean up of Ogoniland and other ceasefire and has agreed to dialogue with Economy” the group outlines its grievances, polluted areas, and payment of the Federal Government. There are some its mission and its approach in the struggle compensation to all oil producing who believe strongly that the President communities. against the government. Although it appears should take the lead in these dialogues just  The release of Nnamdi Kanu, the the group has no leadership structure, it has as former Presidents Obasanjo and Ya’adua detained leader of the Indigenous an appointed spokesperson with the stage Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). before him as a way to show concern for the name of Murdoch Agbinibo, and operates in  Continuation and funding of the Niger plight of people of the Niger Delta. a guerrilla manner without a known Delta Presidential Amnesty Program. In the August 2015 report published by the operational base. The NDA also appears to Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the be more sophisticated in their attacks. In one Government Response Niger Delta (PIND) titled ‘Aftermath of reported incident, they blew up an The Nigerian government response to the Presidential Amnesty Programme in Niger underwater flow line, an ambitious deep- recent surge in militant attacks has Delta’ shortly after President Buhari was water assault that requires high-tech predominately focused on a massive sworn in, it called for the urgent equipment and experienced divers. The NDA deployment of public security forces with a development of the Niger Delta by the and other emergent groups have vowed to mandate to seek out members of the Federal Government as a long term solution continue to attack strategic oil and gas militant groups. Initially the military had to the issues of militancy. That infrastructure in the region until their vowed to deploy all available resources recommendation remains all the more demands are met. measures to deal with the militants. Many relevant now as the region faces one of the Demands and Grievances residents deserted their homes because of most violent agitations in many years. military presence and fighter jets were Although there has been widespread The NDA are angered by the federal deployed to the affected communities. condemnation of the actions of the NDA by government’s lack of “Federal Character” in Residents have also complained of the elites and other personalities in the political appointments as enshrined in the harassment and indiscriminate arrests by region, there is still pervasive grievances Nigerian constitution. They are also soldiers who are hunting for militants. Based held by local communities at the decades of aggrieved by alleged targeting of prominent on the allegations of heavy-handed military perceived marginalization and poverty in the personalities from the Niger Delta in the response to militant attacks, the federal region. Buhari Administration’s anti-corruption government has ordered the withdrawal of campaign, as well as the suspension of key Without addressing the underlying drivers of troops from communities. However, soldiers projects in the region. Some of the key these tensions, there is a higher risk of still continue to patrol the waterways. demands of the group included: engendering greater sympathy from The activities of the NDA have had a communities for the causes of the militant  Immediate implementation of the disastrous impact on nation’s economy, groups. report of the 2014 National Conference. which is already struggling with falling global  Change in ownership of oil blocks to community prices. With crude oil production reflect 60% for individuals from oil producing regions and 40% for falling to an all-time low in twenty years, it individuals from non-oil producing has become a necessity for the Federal

regions. Government to take all necessary steps to  Commencement of academic activities enter into dialogue with the armed groups in at the Maritime University in Delta the Niger Delta, particularly now that the state. group has heeded the numerous calls for a

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Recommendations

1. Military deployments 3. Dialogue process

Military deployment to communities of the As the dialogue process is about to region will only make the situation worse. commence, it is important for the military While it is understood that the military and indeed the Federal Government to show needs to do all it can to protect Nigeria’s oil a sign of good faith by withholding its troops installations, it is important to note that from invading communities or discreetly perceived invasions of communities will only searching out members of the avengers and succeed in engendering local support for the other militant groups. militant group agitations. President Buhari should also identify strong 2. Government goodwill personalities to help in the dialogue process. ge sture s Former President Goodluck Jonathan is well respected in the region and could be very The Federal Government should take instrumental to bringing calm to the Niger advantage of some low hanging fruits that Delta. While there may understandably be a could put it in some positive light with the reluctance from the government to leverage people of the region. Some important on Jonathan’s influence in the region, it is actions like re-opening the Nigerian important to note the influence and Maritime University at Okerenkoko may experience he can bring to bear on this serve as important steps. situation.

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