Conflict Bulletin: Bayelsa State
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The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Bayelsa State July 2014 Platform for Multi-Stakeholder Engagement government action to remove them from (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org). The screenshot relief camps. There were multiple reports of of the heat map above shows the relative police clashes with suspected armed distribution of incidents from one LGA to robbers and kidnappers. In February 2013, the next from 2012-2013. The trend-line on it was reported that up to 200 former the next page shows the number of militants rioted and destroyed property incidents and fatalities over time. The bar when they learned that they would not be chart shows the trend of incidents of included in the third phase of the amnesty insecurity by LGA per capita. The summaries program. In August, Vanguard news draw on data collected by FFP’s UNLocK, the reported that 12 suspected pirates killed by Council on Foreign Relations’ NST, WANEP the Nigerian Navy were actually members of Nigeria, CSS/ETH Zurich, Nigeria Watch, and a defunct militant group refusing to turn ACLED integrated on the P4P platform. over arms or join the amnesty program. November of 2013 was characterized by violence reportedly stemming from ith 1.7 million people , Bayelsa is LGA Level Summary continued political tensions surrounding the one of the smallest states in the Ijaw National Congress Elections in October. country, by population. Most Yenagoa Incidents included the reported targeting residents are of Ijaw descent. and kidnapping of youth group members Bayelsa produces between 30-40% of In 2012, there were two bombings and political allies supportive of each Nigeria’s oil and gas. In addition to the suspected to be linked to political tensions candidate. Later in November, up to five petroleum sector, the state has an extensive around the gubernatorial elections. Multiple people were reportedly killed in clashes commercial fishing industry and produces incidents of cultist violence were reported, between two communities over farmland. In oil palm, raffia palm, rubber, and coconut. some targeting politicians or candidates. Ex- early 2014, unidentified gunmen killed the In February 2012, Henry Dickson (PDP) was militants reportedly attacked cluster oil former Chairman of Peremabiri Community elected as governor after a period of wells several times throughout the year, Development Committee (CDC) in his uncertainty in the wake of Governor Timipre claiming that their actions were in protest residence in Akenpai. His attackers Sylva’s termination in January 2012. Since against their exclusion from the federal reportedly took nothing from the victim’s then the number of fatalities has reduced, amnesty program. In June, women home, suggesting motives other than but has fluctuated with periodic instances of reportedly barricaded an oil facility, robbery. Other 2014 incidents included a cult violence, abductions, and attacks on protesting that the company had failed to women’s peaceful protest over the killing of energy infrastructure. meet community obligations while causing a youth from the area and the stabbing of a environmental and social degradation. In girl by a friend during an argument. This Conflict Bulletin provides a brief November 2012, hundreds reportedly snapshot of the trends and patterns of protested over the non-payment of Southern Ijaw conflict risk factors at the State and Local expected allowances from the amnesty Government Area (LGA) levels, drawing on program. Also in November, hundreds of Reported incidents of insecurity included the data available on the P4P Digital flood victims reportedly protested against attacks on energy infrastructure, politically The graphic above is a Heat Map (screenshot) of Conflict Risk in Bayelsa State 2012-2014 — www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. Conflict Bulletin: Bayelsa State Conflict Risk Factors in Bayelsa Reported Insecurity Per Capita in Bayelsa (by LGA) 50 45 Incidents Jan -Jun 2012 40 Fatalities Jul -Dec 2012 35 Jan -Jun 2013 30 Jul-Dec 2013 25 Jan -Jun 2014 20 15 10 5 0 Better Worse Jan -Jun Jul -Dec Jan -Jun Jul -Dec Jan -Jun Jul -Dec Jan -Jun Jul -Dec Jan -Jun Yenagoa Southern Ijaw Nembe Sagbama 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 * Using Nigeria Watch data (www.nigeriawatch.org) formatted to the P4P Web Map platform (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org) motivated violence, and cult attacks on groups at the Niger Delta University Sagbama university students. In January 2012, resulted in several fatalities. Also in 2014, unidentified gunmen reportedly attacked unidentified gunmen ambushed a group of In October 2012, massive flooding hit the home of an ex-militant leader and killed twenty police escorting an ex-MEND leader Sagbama causing food scarcity and a policeman and young ex-militant. A fight along the creeks of the Niger Delta in epidemics, as Nigeria experienced the most broke out at a political rally in February Peremabiri Community. No casualties were severe rainy season in decades. That same 2012, resulting in at least one death. In reported in the incident. month, the LGA council chairman was March and April 2012, there were reported removed for alleged impropriety. In attacks on oil pipelines, the first such Nembe November 2012, there was a reported reports in over a year. In July, gunmen incident of intra-communal conflict which reportedly attacked a boat belonging to an Incidents reported in Nembe included an resulted in the death of about a dozen oil company, killing at least three and alleged attack by MEND on marine people after a traditional ruler was removed injuring others. Throughout 2012 cultists policemen in 2012. Data from CSS/ETH by the Sylva administration. In February reportedly killed Niger Delta University Zurich and the Council on Foreign relations 2013, an incident of piracy was reported in students in several incidents. Flooding was a reported an April 2013 attack by MEND on which gunmen allegedly killed several problem in October 2012, during the most an oil well which was said to have caused a soldiers who were escorting an oil vessel in severe rainy season in decades. In 2013, spill and created an environmental the creeks. In December, there was a report there were reported clashes between emergency. In the later half of 2013, there of possible inter-communal tension when members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and was an escalation in reported attacks by two men were killed after a feud with militants in the Azuzuama area, killing pirates on passenger boats as well as herdsmen over cattle blocking a main several and displacing local residents. The military police and Navy formations. It was roadway although it appeared to be an Movement for the Emancipation of the reported that as of late 2013, up to twenty isolated incident. Tension within the Ijaw Niger Delta (MEND) also claimed to have civilians had been killed by pirate activity or Youth Council was also reported at killed 15 officers in a boat attack. In early from being caught in the crossfire between intermittent times throughout the year. May 2013, a shooting by suspected police and suspected pirates. This number renegade militants left five ex-militants could not be independently verified dead. Reports of police action leading to the although multiple news sources did Other LGAs deaths of suspected pirates, as well as corroborate the rise in violent deaths and police deaths, were reported in May, July general insecurity surrounding suspected Ogbia and October, although the estimated pirate activity and police counter-actions. numbers of individuals killed varied. Other Pirate attacks continued into the first half of Reported issues in Ogbia included sexual incidents reported in 2013 included deaths 2014. A captain and engineer were said to violence and child abuse. As in Sagbama, related to illegal oil bunkering as well as a be abducted from a tug boat owned by an some individuals connected to the former few instances of kidnapping of local oil oil company. governor’s administration were aggrieved dredgers. In 2014, a clash between cult www. fund for peace .org 2 The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Bayelsa State following the election of Governor Dickson the lack of development in the Niger Delta. In actually indigenes returning from a funeral. A although these issues largely appeared to mid- to late-2013, violence related to community petition was then reported to have subsided by the end of 2012. Flooding domestic disputes were the main reported have been circulated and sent to the Chief reportedly submerged communities in incidents of insecurity although early in the Army Staff protesting the killing and October 2012 and led to displacement and year problems associated with the flooding requesting an inquiry into such violence some food scarcity issues. In January 2013, still lingered. undertaken by patrols. In November of 2013, gunmen reportedly invaded the country it was reported that a group of seven gunmen home of the Local Council Chairman and Brass kidnapped the father of Bayelsa State abducted his parents for ransom. It was Commissioner for Tourism. Other reported reported that they were released a week With its extensive shoreline, Brass issues during this time period included the later. In early 2014, gunmen invaded the experiences frequent attacks on nearby October 2012 removal of five LGA chairmen hometown of President Jonathan and vessels, many of which are associated with for financial recklessness shortly after the abducted the 70-year-old foster father of the the oil industry. Data from CSS/ETH Zurich election of Governor Dixon. They denied the President. It was not clear whether the points to over a dozen such incidents charges of impropriety and accused Dickson kidnapping was politically motivated. occurring during 2012-2013, some of which of targeting certain individuals in order to resulted in kidnappings as well as the loss of marginalize them from politics.