Akwa Ibom State

Home , Akwa Ibom State, Delta State, Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno, Ibesikpo Asutan

The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Akwa Ibom State

Patterns and Trends, 2012-2014

second half of 2013, violence trended 2014. The bar chart shows the relative upward, with incidents reported around the violence from one Niger Delta state to the capital city of Uyo, the town of Ikot Ekpene, next. The trend-line on the next page shows and the coastal Local Government Areas the number of incidents and fatalities over (LGAs) to the south, including issues of land time. The second bar chart shows the trend conflict, political tensions, protests, and of incidents of insecurity by Niger Delta abductions. Overall, between 2012-2014, states per capita. The summaries draw on Akwa Ibom was the least violent state in the data collected by FFP’s UNLocK, the Council Niger Delta region as measured by reported on Foreign Relations’ NST, WANEP Nigeria, incidents per capita. In early 2014, major CSS/ETH Zurich, NEEWS/TMG, Nigeria incidents included the abduction of the Vice- Watch, and ACLED integrated on the P4P Chancellor of University of Uyo by militants platform. They also draw on data and in May, and an inter-communal clash information from “Violence in Nigeria: leading to the beheadings of three people in Patterns and Trends,” by Patricia Taft and January. Incidents and fatalities decreased Nate Haken (Springer Press, April 2015). kwa Ibom has a population of about in the second half of 2014, representing a 3.9 million people according to the significant shift from the high levels of pre- 2006 census. Predominantly election violence seen in 2011. Udom Reported Violence inhabited by the Ibibio people, the Emmanuel (PDP) won the gubernatorial state is also home to Annang, Oron, Obolo election in April 2015. Incidents per million people, 2012 - 2014* and Eket communities. Endowed with large deposits of crude oil, condensate and gas, This Conflict Bulletin provides a brief

Akwa Ibom is among the largest petroleum snapshot of the trends and patterns of Worse producers in Nigeria. Agriculture also conflict risk factors at the State and LGA constitutes an important income-generating levels, drawing on the data available on the activity in the state, particularly the farming P4P Digital Platform for Multi-Stakeholder of palm produce, rubber, cocoa, rice, Engagement (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org). It cassava, yam, plantain, banana, maize, and represents a compilation of the data from timber. sources listed below, not necessarily opinions of FFP or any other organization

Violence in the state was elevated during that collaborated on the production of this

Edo

Better

Imo

Abia

Delta Ondo

the gubernatorial elections of 2011. bulletin. Rivers

Bayelsa Cross River Cross

Following the re-election of Governor Ibom Akwa Godswill Obot Akpabio (People’s Democratic The screenshot of the heat map on this Party), however, the per capita level of page shows the relative geographic *Using Nigeria Watch data (www.nigeriawatch.org) formatted to the P4P Web Map platform (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org) violence dropped significantly. In the distribution of incidents between 2012 and

The graphic above is a Heat Map (screenshot) of Conflict Risk in Akwa Ibom State 2012-2014 — www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. Conflict Bulletin: Akwa Ibom State

Conflict Risk Factors in Akwa Ibom* Reported Insecurity Per Capita in Akwa Ibom*

70 60 2014 H2 2014 H1 Incidents Worse 2013 H2 2013 H1 50 Fatalities 2012 H2 2012 H1 40 30 20 10

0 Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Mbo Oron Uyo Ibesikpo Eket 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 Better Asutan

* Using Nigeria Watch data (www.nigeriawatch.org) formatted to the P4P Web Map platform (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org)

2012, four people died in a rivalry between turned violent, destroying school property LGA Level Summary the Black Axe and Vikings cult groups. and killing several students. Also affecting Separately, at least one former official was UNIUYO, in May 2014, the residence of the Mbo reportedly killed for political reasons in University’s Vice-Chancellor was reportedly (Akwa Ibom South Sen. District) 2012. In August 2013, there was a gun battle attacked by gunmen. Similar clashes also between the navy and a group of pirates, broke out during a student protest on the

killing six suspected pirates. In early 2014 Oyo campus of the Akwa Ibom State Mbo LGA was affected by intra- and inter- there were no reports of insecurity, Polytechnic in September 2014, with several communal tensions in 2012-2013. In May however incidents spiked in the second half people injured. In October, it was reported 2012, Ebughu and Effiat communities of 2014 due to youth protests over the that a clash between PDP supporters over a clashed, reportedly killing one. In January state government, piracy, and motorcycle list of delegates left one dead while in 2013, seven reportedly died in a separate bans. In September, piracy attacks December there were reports of protests clash over farming land. In March 2013, reportedly accounted for the deaths of at following the announcement of results of there was a reported clash in Unyenge least two naval officers. In December 2014 the primary elections. community. In November 2013, two women youths staged a peaceful protest march in were killed in a renewed clash among Effiat opposition to the selection process for the communities. Mbo LGA has also been Ibesikpo Asutan gubernatorial PDP candidate. affected by piracy including reported (Akwa Ibom North East Sen. District) incidents in February 2012 and August 2013, leading the government to increase its naval Uyo Issues in Ibesikpo Asuntan mainly related to presence in the coastal waters. In July and (Akwa Ibom North East Sen. District) domestic violence, sexual violence, and child September 2013, it was reported that there abuse. In April 2014, a man reportedly were violent protests over the lack of Within and around the capital city of Uyo, beheaded two of his cousins with a amenities and compensation by companies there was a series of killings reported in machete. operating in the area. During 2014 only one 2012-2013, including that of a former Mbo incident was reported, when a man government official in October 2012. A Eket was killed in September for his alleged violent clash among three rival cult groups involvement in wizardry. was also reported in October 2013, killing (Akwa Ibom South Sen. District) seven. Additionally, in 2013 there were Oron multiple violent protests, including one in The second largest city in the state, Eket’s main sources of conflict are derived from (Akwa Ibom South Sen. District) April against a company’s employment policies. Student protests over management localized criminal activity, unrest from

decisions to not allow student unions on extractives operations in the area, and cult Among LGAs in Akwa Ibom, Oron reportedly campus also led to violent clashes in 2014. violence. In October 2013, there was a has a relatively high concentration of cult The University of Uyo (UNIUYO) was forced protest against a company operating in the groups and cultist activities. In October to briefly shut down in June after a protest area over the alleged non-payment of

www.fundforpeace.org 2 The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Akwa Ibom State

expected compensation. In June 2014, a Ini Ibeno cult clash led to the deaths of two people, (Akwa Ibom North West Sen. District) (Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District) who were found in a gutter with machete wounds. In July 2014, protesting youths Three brothers were reportedly killed by blocked access to a mine facility in protest In April 2013, a violent land dispute between gunmen in March 2012 after a clash over to an oil spill that had occurred while n an Ibeno community and another in the construction of a dam in their village. October, a retired army office reportedly neighboring Eket LGA led to the deaths of Three people were also reportedly killed killed his son with a machete. No motive five people and the destruction of dozens of during the local government elections in was reported. homes, displacing several families.. In June 2012. The only incident reported March 2014, road workers staged a protest during 2014 related to intercommunal Ikot Ekpene against the de-unionization of their violence between the Nkari people in company. (Akwa Ibom North West Sen. District) Akwa Ibom and the Arochukuni people in Avia, resulting in displacement of Apart from some alleged irregularities people and an unknown number of Esit-Eket reported during the April 2012 PDP fatalities.. (Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District) primaries, Ikot Epkene LGA had few reported deadly incidents. In the second In January 2012, there was reportedly a land half of 2013, there was reported to be a Abak dispute between two communities, which failed rescue operation of an abducted (Akwa Ibom North West Sen. District) led to the death of one person. Separately, politician in October and a clash over land in March 2013, a group, called the "Niger claiming one life in December. There was Two people were reportedly killed during Delta Subterranean Force," allegedly also a cultist clash at Akwa Poly, leaving two the LGA PDP primaries in April 2012. threatened to attack an oil and gas people dead in March 2014. Consistent with According to news reports, several other company unless the company agreed to the unrest on student campuses in Uyo, LGAs also experienced political violence give them contracts to protect the pipeline. violent protests over student unions were during this period. During 2014, the only A traditional ruler in Esit-Eket was abducted also reported in the Ikot Ekpene campus of incident reported was the killing of a in late October 2013. Protests over oil spills the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic in prominent politician in March. affecting the Nkpana community reportedly September 2014. occurred in June 2014.

Disclaimer The content of this report represents a summary of the incidents reported in the data, not the opinions of the organizations that collaborated on the compilation of this information.

FFP is committed to promoting sustainable One of the data sources The data used in this analysis was pulled human security around the world, and is utilized in the summary was from the integrated digital platform for the International Coordinating Partner on P4P, an initiative derived from the UNLocK network in NIgeria, a partnership multistakeholder engagement developed for Partners for Peace supported by PIND. FFP has been working with local civil society between The Fund for Peace and the Institute of Human Rights (P4P) by PIND. For a deeper understanding of the conflict risk in Nigeria to develop the UNLocK network since 2010. and Humanitatian Law (IHRHL). factors, visit www.p4p-nigerdelta.org.