Conflict Incident Monthly Tracker

Imo State: August - September 2018 B a ck gro und Ngwa South LGA. The suspects lured a over the detention and disappearance of woman to a location and disposed her of her IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kalu. The women were This monthly tracker is designed to update two children, a 3-year old girl and a 6- later arrested by the police for alleged Peace Agents on patterns and trends in months old baby boy, and sold them. The unlawful assembly. conflict risk and violence, as identified by the suspects also sold their 4-month old baby Others: In August, the headless corpse of a Integrated Peace and Development Unit boy to raise money for the family. young woman was reportedly dumped by (IPDU) early warning system, and to seek Protests: In July, there was a protest at the the roadside in Mgbirichi community, Ohaji/ feedback and input for response to mitigate State House of Assembly complex in , Egbema LGA. The victim is believed to have areas of conflict. the state capital, over political issues in the been killed for ritualistic purposes as one of Patterns and Trends state. Separately, some parishioners of a her breasts was cut off. J une -August 2018 church in LGA reportedly protested over the alleged removal of a priest in the Recent Incidents, According to Peace Map data (see Figure 1), church. In a separate incident, there was a September 2018 incidents reported in the state during this protest by women over the destruction of Incidents during the month related mainly to period included criminality, communal their farms by herders in -Ubi violent criminality and kidnapping. tensions, cult violence, political tensions, and community, Owerri Municipality. In August, Violent Criminality: A police sergeant was protests. there was a protest by some female reportedly killed by gunmen in Owerri Violent Criminality: In June, a 17-year old supporters of the Indigenous People of Municipal LGA. The robbers made away with boy was reportedly beaten to death by his Biafra (IPOB) in Owerri, the state capital, an AK-47 riffle belonging to the police relatives during a disagreement in Oru LGA. The deceased was beaten to death by one of Figure 1: Incidents and Fatalities, his brothers and some cultists in the area. Incidents Fatalities Communal Tensions: In June, a traditional 12 ruler was reportedly assassinated in Orlu Jan-18 3 12 10 LGA. The killing was alleged to be related to Feb-18 3 3 political issues and a dispute over land in the 8Mar-18 3 3 community. Apr-18 1 2 6 Political Tensions: In July, political tension May-18 5 10 was further elevated in the state over the 4Jun-18 7 8 suspension of some members of the Imo Jul-18 5 7 State House of Assembly and the 2Aug-18 5 7 impeachment of the deputy governor of the 0 state by 19 out of the 37 members of the May-18 Jun-18 Jul-18 Aug-18 State House of Assembly. Incidents Fatalities Child Trafficking: In August, a 28-year old man and his 30-year old wife reportedly sold Reported incidents and fatalities from May – August 2018 in Imo state. Sources: ACLED and Watch three babies for six hundred thousand naira formatted on the P4P Peace Map www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. in Umuokai Owerri-Nta community, Isiala NIGER DELTA MONTHLY CONFLICT TRACKER: IMO STATE, AUGUST — SEPTEMBER 2018

Figure 2: Conflict Fatalities by LGA Figure 3: Conflict Fatalities by LGA officer. A passer-by was also hit by a stray bullet fired by the hoodlums. Separately, a (June - August 2018) catholic priest was reportedly killed by 4.5 6 robbers in Orlu LGA. Two male suspects, August4 (May - July 2018)OtherOkigwe Fatalities Isiala MbanoOkigwe aged 33 and 21-years were later arrested by Violent3.5 Criminality Communal/Ethnic4 Violence 1 4 Apr-18 0 0 0 the police in connection with the incident. Gang/Cult3 Violence Political Violence 4 May-18 1 3 1 Kidnapping: Two men were reportedly Communal/Ethnic2.5 ViolenceGang/Cult Violence 2 Jun-18 1 0 0 ViolentCriminality arrested by the police for allegedly stealing a Other2 Fatalities 3 Jul-18 0 4 0 corpse from the mortuary in LGA. 1.5 0 The suspects reportedly demanded a 5- September1 (June-August 2018) May-18Isiala MbanoJun-18OkigweJul-18 OwerriAug-18 North million naira ransom from the manager of ViolentCriminality0.5 4 2 May-18 1 3 1 the mortuary. The manager alerted the Okigwe Gang/Cult0 Violence 1 Jun-18Owerri North 1 Owerri0 Municipal 0 police who eventually arrested the suspects. Political Violence Jul-18Mbaitoli 0 Orlu 4 0 Communal/Ethnic Violence Aug-18Oguta 0 Ohaji 0Egbema 1 Pr o gno s is Other Fatalities Oru West Incidents during the period related mainly to criminality, communal tensions, cult Reported incidents by Local Government Area (LGA) in Imo State shows that Okigwe, followed by Oru West violence, political tension, child trafficking, had the highest level of violent fatalities and conflict risk in the state during the period. Sources (Figure 2): ACLED and Nigeria Watch data formatted for the P4P Peace Map. Source (Figure 3): Nigeria Watch data and protests. Peace Agents must continue to formatted for the P4P Peace Map www.p4p-nigerdelta.org monitor the situation closely and respond appropriately. Figure 4: Heat Map of Incidents and Peace Agents in Imo State

Questions for Peace A g en t s

1. Is there anything significant missing from the tracker in terms of hotspots, trends, or incidents?

2. Which conflict issue suggested by, or missing from, this tracker is a priority for you?

3. What are some likely trigger events in the next 6 months that could escalate this conflict? Heat Map shows concentration of incidents reported from June – August 2018 in Imo State, with green stars representing the registered Peace Agents. Source: All data sources formatted for the P4P Peace Map wwwww.p4p-nigerdelta.org 4. Who are the key stakeholders that have influence on the conflict? Report Incidents: IPDU Early Warning System Please report any verified incident of conflict to the IPDU SMS early warning system: 5. What will you do to help mitigate Text: 080 9936 2222 the conflict in the short, medium, Incident Details: Kindly include the State, LGA, Town, Date, and Brief Incident Description and long term? Inquiries: Afeno Super Odomovo, IPDU Research Coordinator Contact Us Telephone: 08172401595

Email: [email protected]

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