Nigeria Overview Nations ( // Africa ( Region=Africa)

Home , Nigerian Armed Forces, Niger Delta Avengers, Niger Delta Vigilante, Sambo Dasuki

(/)

Weapons (/weapons) Armed Forces (/armed-forces)

Terrorist Organizations (/terrorist-organizations)

News & Reports (/news-reports)

Overview (/armedforces/africa/nigeria/overview)

Air Force (/armedforces/africa/nigeria/air-force) Army (/armedforces/africa/nigeria/army)

Navy (/armedforces/africa/nigeria/navy)

Nigeria Overview Nations (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/armed-forces) // Africa (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/armed-forces? region=africa)

Armed Forces Structure

OVERVIEW Nigeria is one of the largest military powers in sub-Saharan Africa, bordered to the west by Benin, to the north by Niger, to the northeast by Chad, to the east by Cameroon and to the south by the Gulf of Guinea. After years of military rule, there is a civilian and Armed Forces Structure elected government in Nigeria. Since Paramilitary Forces independence, the Opposition Forces country's leadership has alternated between inept Deployment civilians and brutal military Budget dictators. Much of the country's oil wealth was Issues and Notes lost, and the gross Plans and Programs domestic product per capita took a major hit for at least two decades. Due to economic reforms beginning in 2000, Nigeria's non-oil markets have grown steadily. The country's GDP per capita rose significantly as well. However, violence remains a problem -- most recently with attacks on oil facilities and Islamic terrorism led by the Boko Haram group. The militant group, which seeks to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, has thrown development into a tailspin. A top U.S. diplomat in August 2013 rightly noted that Boko Haram had increased tensions between largely Christian and Muslim communities and scared both investors and Nigeria's neighbors. The growing influence of Boko Haram, which has taken over large areas of the country's northeast, added suspense to the elections in mid-February 2015. The inefficacy of the military against the Islamist group was featured by retired general Muamammadu Buhari in his campaign against incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. Buhari is a Muslim from the north; Jonathan is a Christian from the south. Buhari, a former military dictator (1983- 1985), was defeated by Jonathan in 2011. Buhari won the election in March 2015, pledging to fight Boko Haram and combat corruption throughout the government. After taking office, Buhari fired or investigated dozens of officials part of the Goodluck administration and ordered audits of key government agencies. In December 2015, former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki and four others were charged with 19 counts of money laundering and criminal breach of trust. Sambo was the first former official to be charged with graft; he was also accused of fraud involving US$68 million in defense spending. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said in May 2016 that about US$15 billion had been lost under the previous government through fraudulent arms deals. Nigeria has stationed large peacekeeping forces in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Sudan. Many Nigerian peacekeepers were withdrawn from Sudan's Darfur region in 2013 to beef up security at home. Officials announced the withdrawal of its peacekeepers from Mali in 2014. By January 2015, Nigeria had also significantly reduced its forces in South Sudan. Nigeria has been caught up in territorial disputes with Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea over oil-rich areas. In 2006, Nigeria formally ceded control of the long-disputed Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. The handover began in August 2008 and was declared completed in August 2013 after a transition period. Local militia still oppose being governed by Cameroon. In early January 2015, Nigerian energy company Taleveras agreed to build a major oil storage hub in Equatorial Guinea.

Northern Clashes Northern Nigeria is predominately Muslim, while southerners are largely Christian or practice native religions. This has been a source of friction. Sharia law was implemented alongside the secular law in a dozen predominately Muslim northern states in 2000. In November of 2002, hundreds died in riots sparked by the publication of an article on the Miss World beauty pageant being held in Nigeria and a reference to Muhammad that some Muslims considered blasphemous. Police forces clashed in mid-2009 with an armed Islamic sect in northern Nigeria. The Boko Haram sect rebelled following the arrest of some of its members in July in Maiduguri. Hundreds of sect members were killed in the fighting, including sect leader Malam Mohammed Yusuf. Similar attacks resulted in numerous deaths over the course of 2011 and thereafter. In one incident, a suicide bombing attack on the U.N. headquarters in Abuja killed 23 people. Boko Haram claimed responsibility for that and multiple other bombing and gun assaults, including attacks on military barracks and Christian churches. Additional deaths resulted from retaliatory attacks by targeted Christian groups and security forces. Approximately 90,000 people were displaced by fighting between Nigerian forces and the Islamist sect in December 2011. Human-rights groups accused the military with illegal killings in its efforts against the group. In June 2011, the Nigerian government established a task force to combat Boko Haram. Plans called for the force to be 3,400-strong and based in Borno state -- the operating headquarters of the terrorist group. The group, however, grew stronger. One academic study put the number of deaths associated with fighting Boko Haram, in 2014 alone, at more than 8,300. For more on the terror group, see these special reports: "Boko Haram's Bloody Hands," (Feb. 27, 2012), "Boko Haram Adjusts Its Methods," (April 24, 2014) and "Boko Haram Keeps Gaining Ground" (Jan. 28, 2015.) On March 14, 2012, Boko Haram entered into peace talks with the Nigerian government via the Supreme Council for Sharia, the sect's chosen liaison. Conditions for a cease-fire included the release of all arrested Boko Haram members and safety and security for all group members. Five days later, negotiations broke down. Abu Muhammad, leader of a Boko Haram faction, died in custody in March 2012 as a result of injuries sustained during his arrest two days prior. Intelligence gained during that arrest reportedly led to a failed rescue mission of two European hostages in Zaria that involved British special operations forces. The hostages were killed before Nigerian troops entered the building where they were being held. In March 2012, the U.S. pledged assistance for development and security in Nigeria's north. The U.S. State Dept. said it would install a consulate in the northern state of Kano, the site of many of Boko Haram's attacks at the time. Talks between the Nigerian government and the militants broke down in late 2012 and 2013. In May 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered a state of emergency in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno. Boko Haram second-in-command Muhammed Bama (Momodu Bama) was killed by Nigerian troops in August 2013. Later in August, Nigerian military officials said they believed Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau had recently died of wounds sustained in a firefight on June 30, 2013. Intelligence indicated the Islamists had taken a wounded Shekau to Cameroon, where he died in late July or early August. The death of Shekau has been reported on multiple occasions. In January 2015, a man claiming to be Shekau appeared in a video claiming responsibility for recent attacks and taunting nearby nations. Boko Haram was widely condemned in April 2014 when its members kidnapped 276 female students from a school in Chibok. Various nations sent experts to help the Nigerian government find the girls. The help waned as the hostage situation showed no sight of progress. In August 2016, Boko Haram released a video purportedly showing some of the girls and demanded that they be exchanged for captured Boko Haram fighters. Most of the girls remained missing as of November 2016; many were believed to have been "married" to the Islamist fighters. Throughout early 2015, Boko Haram kept up its assaults against Nigerian towns and cities in the northwest. There were repeated clashes with security forces. For instance, as many as 3,700 homes were destroyed and as many as 2,000 people massacred in the town of Baga on Jan. 3, 2015. Boko Haram also captured military bases, giving the group access to heavy arms. By early 2015, Boko Haram had gained control of around 20 government districts in northeastern Nigeria, an area about the size of Belgium. Around the same time, the group made cross-border attacks in the Lake Chad region, including Chad and Niger. The neighbors began operating jointly against the g roup in Nigerian territory. The Nigerian government announced in March 2015 that it had pushed Boko Haram from all but three of the 20 districts that the terrorists held at the beginning of the year. In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The pledged was quickly accepted by ISIS (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/airshipsaerostats/integrated- sensor-structure-isis) . At least one faction of the group began referring to itself as the Islamic State's West Africa Province. By May 2015, Boko Haram fighters had largely been pushed back to areas around its stronghold in Sambisa Forest, about 37 miles southeast of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. U.S. Gen. David Rodriguez, the head of U.S. Africa Command, pointed out in November 2015 that Boko Haram had been losing territory of late, but still remained a significant threat to the civilian population in the region. The group was modifying its propaganda and tactics to match those of the Isla mic State, he said. Though hurt by the government offensive against them, Boko Haram continued attacks in northern Nigeria. A trademark has been its use of child suicide bombers. That tactic was employed repeatedly on market and mosque attacks in 2015 and 2016. According to a report published by the United Nations Ch ildren's Fund in April 2016, 44 children were used in suicide attacks over the previous year, compared to just four in 2014. Boko Haram has been linked to ISIS (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/airshipsaerostats/integrated- sensor-structure-isis) ; that relationship has varied among various factions. Boko Haram may have sent fighters to join ISIS (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/airshipsaerostats/integrated- sensor-structure-isis) in Libya, U.S. officials said in May 2016. In August 2016, the ISIS (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/airshipsaerostats/integrated- sensor-structure-isis) leadership appointed Sheik Abu Mossab al-Barnawai as group leader. The appointment was disputed by Abubaker Shekau, who had run the group since 2009. Barnawi reportedly did not condone his predecessor's tactics, which included attacks on mosques and markets frequented by Mu slims. Later in the month, as a protest, Shekau released an audio message rejecting the appointment, dismissing Barnawi as an infidel and accusing him of attempting to stage a coup. In August 2016, the Defense Ministry said that at least 8,000 Boko Haram members had voluntarily surrendered during its Operation Safe Corridor in northeastern Nigeria since it began in April. More than 10,000 people held by the terrorist group had also been rescued during military operations, acco rding to the ministry. Shekau was again reported wounded in an airstrike in August 2016. The following month, a man calling himself Shekau reappeared in a video, denying that he had been seriously injured. In October 2016, the military announced that Boko Haram had no known bases within Nigeria other than in Sambisa Forest. The militants had been ousted from Mallam Fatori in late September, said military officials. Southern Unrest Unrest in the southern Delta region took center stage beginning in 2005. Attacks on foreign-owned oil pipelines have limited Nigeria's oil exports for years and had an impact on the world price. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) -- an indigenous rebel group -- has kidnapped and killed foreign oil workers, forcing many foreign oil companies to slow work in the region. Militants from MEND, using small arms and speedboats, have also attacked Nigerian army units. In response, the Nigerian government steadily reinforced its troop presence in the region, establishing multiple task forces and forward operating bases. In December 2010, the Nigerian army deployed thousands of troops across the country in an effort to improve internal security. Troops were deployed in the southeast, the Niger Delta regions and the states of Borno, Bauchi and Plateau. All training was canceled to ensure enough personnel were available. By June 2012, the army said it had modified its training to make internal threats the focus of military preparation. In April 2013, MEND announced it would begin a campaign the next month to kill clerics and bomb mosques. The group said in May that it had suspended those plans. In January 2014, MEND was again publicly threatening the oil industry. In May 2014, MEND declared a cease-fire after President Jonathan offered amnesty to armed groups willing to renounce violence. As of September 2016, the cease-fire with MEND seemed to be holding. Under the amnesty program, around 30,000 former MEND militants were to receive monthly subsidies of abo ut US$326, as well as employment opportunities. The program that dated to 2009 expired at the end of 2015. However, it was expected to run for another year at a reduced capacity. In early 2016, militants restarted activities against oil infrastructure in the Delta after a court in Lagos ordered the arrest of Government Ekpemupolo (also known as Tompolo), a former MEND leader, on charges of theft and money-laundering. Numerous oil pipelines and platforms were blown up. A group calling itself the Niger Delta Avengers began claiming responsibility for the attacks in March 2016. The group sought to establish an independent state and threatened to destroy oil production. The Nigerian government announced in June 2016 that it had negotiated a short truce; that claim was denied by the Niger Delta Avengers. Attacks continued. At the time, continued attacks against oil facilities in the region had dropped Nigeria's oil output from 2.2 million barrels at the beginning o f the year to between 1.5 million and 1.6 million barrels a day. The disruptions had brought the nation's oil production to a 20-year low, allowing Angola to overtake Nigeria the largest oil-producing nation in Africa. In August 2016, the Niger Delta Avengers announced that they would lay down their arms and resume talks with the government. Later that month, the army began military operations against militants in the Niger Delta. Operation Crocodile Smiles was described as a training mission, though clashes were reported between militants and soldiers. In September, the Avengers claimed responsibility for an attack on another pipeline, thus ending the cease-fire. International Relations In May 2014, the government leaders of Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria pledged to work together against Boko Haram. The leaders agreed to joint border patrols and intelligence-sharing. Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger pledged to provide 700 troops each to a regional force, which was supposed to stand up by November 2014. Efforts floundered as Cameroon, Chad and Niger became more concerned with protecting their own territory. In January 2015, the leaders of Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon met again to discuss the formation of a new regional force. By mid-July 2015, the four nations had agreed to expand the Multinational Joint Task Force. The headquarters of the 8,700-strong force was moved to N'Djamena, Chad and a Nigerian commander was appointed. The U.S. said it would provide US$5 million to the support the force. The MNJTF began operation s against Boko Haram in October 2015. In June 2014, the U.S. government donated non-lethal equipment to Nigeria to support the battle against Boko Haram. The donation included vehicles, communication and force- protection equipment. In May 2014, U.S. Army Africa sent soldiers and special operations force to Nigeria to train a newly formed Ranger (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/sensorselectronics/sonobuoys/ssq-947b- ranger) battalion. The original deployment was for 35 days. American forces also began training a small group of Nigerian soldiers to train local forces, with the goal of rotating 7,000 troops through the program by fall 2014. Also in May 2014, the U.S. deployed manned surveillance aircraft and shared satellite imagery with the Nigerian government as part of the effort to find the nearly 300 teenage girls abducted by Boko Haram. Military, law enforcement and development experts were also sent to help. Later that month, the U.S. deployed a Predator (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/rpvsdronesunmanned-aerial- vehicles/mq-1-predator-uav) drone team of 80 military personnel to join the search. The Nigerian government in December 2014 prematurely ended the U.S. effort to train a battalion of troops against Boko Haram. No reason was given. The move followed a U.S. refusal to sell Cobra (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/artilleryguns/mortars/120-mm-cobra- mortar-system) attack helicopters to Nigeria. The decision was said to have been based on Nigeria's inability to use and maintain the helicopters. Nigeria in turn blamed the U.S. refusal to sell certain arms on its own poor showing against Boko Haram. In January 2015, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Nigeria. He linked future aid to non-violent elections in February. U.S. officials said in March 2015 that Washington was limiting its intelligence and military aid to Nigeria due to the country's human-rights records. Following the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in March, the U.S. government said it would offer to help the president track down stolen asset s. Increased U.S. military assistance was also pledged. U.S. officials said they were willing to send military trainers to help Nigeria counter Boko Haram. In February 2016, U.S. diplomats announced that military training to a Nigerian infantry battalion would begin later that month. "We have stepped up information-sharing efforts, we are jointly evaluating new efforts to counter improvised explosive devices, developing better tools to assess harm to civilians and assess the potential for U.S. advisory assistance," said one such diplomat. The United States had already sent 90 combat personnel and committed to deploy 300 soldiers to provide airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assistance to Nigeria and neighboring countries, sh e said. In May 2016, the Obama administration indicated it was willing to sell 12 Super Tucano (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/attack/emb-314-super-tucano- attack-aircraft) light attack aircraft to Nigeria as part of an effort to combat Boko Haram. As of October 2016, the potential sale was still in limbo. The U.S. government announced in August 2016 that it was going to dispatch a Federal Bureau of Investigation team to Nigeria to help combat terrorism. The U.S. has identified three major areas for cooperation, including enhancing the Interior Ministry's emergency response coordination; Defense Mini stry's procurement procedures; and civilian security planning for northeastern Nigeria, where the Boko Haram terrorist group is based. The partnership will involve all of Nigeria's security agencies and not just those of the Interior Ministry in order to develop a holistic security roadmap to deal with terrorism and other crimes. In May 2014, the United Kingdom offered to send a Royal Air Force Sentinel (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft/rpvsdronesunmanned-aerial- vehicles/rq-170-sentinel) R1 surveillance aircraft and military intelligence teams to help find the abducted Chibok girls. France also announced in May 2014 that it would boost intelligence ties with Nigeria and send security service agents to search for the girls. Ten experts from the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE) were deployed. The Israeli government also offered in May to send a team of counter-terrorism experts to assist search-and-rescue operations. In December 2014, the British government said it was planning to deploy troops to Nigeria to provide advice on military organization and technical support. At the time, there a small British training mission of about a dozen. In mid-2015, the U.K. deployed 125 soldiers to Nigeria to provide trainin g in countering IEDs, infantry patrol skills, civil-military cooperation and command and leadership. In December 2015, British Defense Secretary Michael Fallon announced his country would double its deployment of British soldiers to Nigeria. The additional forces began deploying in January 2016. In December 2014, Saudi Arabia denied over-flight permits to the Nigerian military. Nigeria had ordered military equipment from Pakistan following a U.S. decision to block the sale of Cobra (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/artilleryguns/mortars/120-mm- cobra-mortar-system) attack helicopters from Israel. One official said the weapons would likely have to be sent by sea, arriving after the elections and too late to have an impact. DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT Following the return of civilian rule, a large-scale restructuring program was instituted to end the Nigerian armed forces' involvement in politics and to convert it into a modern military optimized for participation in international missions. In the event of war, the president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president appoints various defense officials, including: chief of the defense staff, chief of the army staff, chief of the naval staff, chief of the air staff and a national security adviser.

ARMED FORCES For information on the individual armed services, see entries under this nation for: (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/ships/auxiliary/tenryu-ats-4203-class)

(https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/ships/auxiliary/tenryu-ats-4203-class) Army Air Force Navy/Marines

CONSCRIPTION Nigeria staffs its armed forces with volunteers only. No reserve units currently exist; there are plans to create a reserve component in the future.

PERSONNEL STRENGTH Nigeria has about 80,000 personnel on active military service.

Paramilitary Forces

The Nigeria Police Force, which reorganized along more decentralized lines in 1988, has around 371,500 officers. This is the largest police force in Africa. The inspector general of police exercises operational control of the force and reports directly to the president. The police are equipped with assault rifles, armored personnel carriers and anti-riot gear. The 80,000-man Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) falls under the authority of the Interior Ministry. NSCDC personnel are generally unarmed, though the government allowed a small armed NSCDC unit to be formed in 2008. The NSCDC is equipped with the following: (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/ships/auxiliary/tenryu-ats-4203-class) (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/ships/auxiliary/tenryu-ats-4203-class) APR12 SEP13 FEB15 NOV16 GROUND COMBAT VEHICLES Armored Personnel Carriers 70 70 70+ 70+ Saxon (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/grou nd-combat-vehicles/armored-personnel-carriers/saxon-4-x-4-armored-personnel-car rier) (4x4)(Britain) # # # # UR416 (4x4)(Germany) 4 BTR-3U (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/ground-co mbat-vehicles/armored-personnel-carriers/btr-3u)

AIRCRAFT Fixed-Wing 2 2 2 2 Piper PA-31 Navajo (U.S.) 1 1 1 1 PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain (U.S.) 1 1 1 1 Cessna 500 Citation (U.S.)

Helicopters 2 2 2 2 Bell 212 (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons/aircraft /helicopters/uh-1n-iroquois-utility-helicopter) (U.S.) 2 2 2 2 Bell 222 (U.S.)

The 2,000-member Port Security Police force is responsible for the defense of the Niger River and Lake Chad. It is equipped with approximately five dozen small watercraft.

Opposition Forces

Boko Haram Based in northern Nigeria, the Boko Haram seeks to drive out all non-Muslims from Nigeria and establish strict Islamic law. The group's official name is Hama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda' Awati Wal-Jihad (Arabic for "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad"). Boko Haram has been variously translated from the Hausa language as "Western education is a sin" or "Western civilization is forbidden," though there are also experts who dispute that interpretation. The group's first known attack was in December 2003 in Yobe state. It soon fell out of the public eye. The group retreated to northern Yobe state, near the border with Niger, and established training camps modeled after the Afghan Taliban. The group launched a series of attacks in 2007, followed by a major revolt in July 2009. Sect leader Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf was killed in police custody, and Boko Haram seemed to be all but defeated until 2010 under the leadership of Imam Abubakar Muhammad Shekau. The group expanded westward, and began launching more complex attacks. Some reports suggested Boko Haram received training in building improvised explosive devices and launching car bomb attacks from Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Al-Shabaab in Somalia. Boko Haram launched a series of major attacks in Maiduguri in January 2012, killing hundreds. Some estimates at the time placed the number of its supporters at around 280,000 across northern Nigeria, as well as in Niger, Chad and Sudan. The Nigerian government has put group's active members at about 10,000. Boko Haram largely draws recruits from disaffected youths and the unemployed. The Nigerian government was forced to declare a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states in May 2013 following a resurgence of Boko Haram activity in the area. In July 2013, 22 pupils were massacred at a secondary school in Yobe. The military withdrew thousands of peacekeepers from an African Union mission in neighboring Mali to reinforce the anti-Boko Haram efforts. The terror group's number two leader, Momadu Bama, was killed in August 2013, along with some 17 other members in Borno state. He had a bounty of US$155,000 on his head. In January 2015, Boko Haram was continuing its attacks in Nigeria's northwest. The group was repelled from the city of Maiduguri that month, but was able to capture the key town of Monguno, 135 km (85 mi) from Maiduguri. At the time, the group controlled an area of the size of Belgium in northeaste rn Nigeria. In March 2015, some factions of Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group. A renewed effort by the Nigerian military and regional forces pushed Boko Haram back from its holdings in northeastern Nigeria throughout 2015 and 2016. Suicide attacks, many carried out by children, became a hallmark of the group in the region. In September 2016, the military maintained is had iso lated the group in its stronghold of Sambisa Forest in Borno state. Also see these special reports, "Boko Haram's Bloody Hands," dated Feb. 27, 2012; "Boko Haram Adjusts Its Methods," dated April 24, 2014; and "Boko Haram Keeps Gaining Ground," ; Jan. 28, 2015. Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) MEND is a Niger Delta-based insurgent group that has carried out attacks against military forces and foreign oil companies and facilities since 2005. At one point in 2006, the group was blamed with reducing oil output by some 25 percent. The group initially focused on the international oil company Shell. Many more oil firms have since been targeted. Most of the MEND's activities take place in the rivers and creeks of the Delta region, but attacks have also been conducted against oil platforms and even against troops in the regional capital, Port Harcourt. MEND complained that locals do not benefit from the oil extracted by foreign companies. Details about MEND's armaments are sketchy, but the militants are known to have heavy rifles, automatic weapons and speed boats that can ply the numerous delta waterways. MEND pledged in June 2007 to halt attacks on oil installations while new President Yar'Adua worked on plans to address the Niger Delta issues. MEND called off the cease-fire in September 2007 after MEND leader Henry Okah was arrested in Angola on arms-trafficking charges and extradited to Nigeria. Okah was formally charged with treason and gun-running during a secret trial in April 2008. MEND leaders vowed to escalate armed conflict. The government reversed course eventually and granted Okah unconditional amnesty in July 2009. MEND declared a 60-day cease-fire following Okah's release. In February 2010, MEND called off its cease-fire and threatened a new offensive against oil installations. Okah was arrested in October 2010 in Johannesburg for a bombing in Nigeria the month before that killed 12. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison in South Africa in March 2013, sparking a violent response from MEND. Into early 2014, MEND kept up its attacks on Chevron and Shell oil pipelines and wells. The group was also hijacked oil vessels and platforms in February and March 2013, leaving one Filipino oil worker dead. Kidnapping was a common tactic. Throughout 2013, MEND kidnapped and subsequently released Sri Lankan, Russian, Ukrainian and Burmese oil workers and sailors. In May 2014, the group announced a cease-fire after President Jonathan offered amnesty to armed groups willing to reconcile with the government. In 2015, MEND endorsed the candidacy of former Gen. Buhari against Jonathan, calling the incumbent corrupt. MEND said in a statement in July 2016 that it had been taking part in back-channel talks with the government. MEND had previously called for a dialogue. The offer came after a series of attacks by a rival group. The Niger Delta Avengers said it would not take part in the talks. Some security source s linked former MEND leaders to the Avengers. Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) Ethnic Igbos from the Biafra region fought against the Nigerian government during 1967- 1970 in a bloody civil war that claimed more than 1 million lives. The secession attempt was put down, but elements of the Igbos, one of the three largest groups in Nigeria, still seek autonomy from Abuja. MASSOB was founded by lawyer Ralph Uwazurike in 2000 as a non-violent resistance group. However, MASSOB activists frequently battled with Nigerian security forces; hundreds of group members were killed. A series of such clashes in July 2006 left dozens dead in the city of Onitsha and several other towns in southeast Anambra state. The president deployed troops to the area. Uwazurike was arrested in late 2005 and released on bail in late 2007. He faced charges of treason. In early 2010, bail was denied to Uwazurike and he remained in prison on kidnapping charges. Other militant groups active or previously active in Nigeria include: • Al Sunna Wal Jamma/Followers of the Prophet: The group was established in 2002; members are largely university students. The group seeks the establishment of an Islamic state in Nigeria. • Ansaru: The group was founded in January 2012 and is one of the newest Islamist militant groups in Nigeria. The group is allegedly linked to Al-Qaida and operates in the north of the country. These militants were responsible for high-profile abductions and murder of foreign tourists and workers in 2012 and 2013. The group is led by Abu Usmatul al-Ansari and is thought to be opposed to Boko Haram. Some commanders were reported to have joined Boko Haram in 2013. • Arewa People's Congress (APC): The group was established in northern Nigeria in 1999 to defend the rights of the Hausa-Fulani tribe and protect against violence originating in southern Nigeria. • Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC): The group was established in 1997 in southeastern Nigeria. At one point it had approximately 3,000 members. FNDIC seeks to protect Ijaw interests and seeks the redistribution of oil revenues. • Grand Alliance of the Niger Delta (GAND): GAND was established in the 2006-2007 timeframe. Its membership level is unknown. GAND threatens energy companies until they employ local youths; the group also demands repeal of the land laws of 1978. • Hisba/Hisbah Group: The group was established in 2001. It backs the full implementation of Islamic sharia law in the northern states where it was adopted alongside secular law. • Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF): NDPVF was established in 2001. It has an unknown force strength and operates in the region of Rivers state around Buguma. The group seeks to increase oil revenues and employment of local youth. • Niger Delta Vigilante (NDV): The NDV was established at some point between 1998 and 2003. The group operates in Rivers state and has redistribution objectives similar to the other Niger Delta groups. • Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF): NDVF was established in the 1980s in the Niger Delta region and at one point claimed thousands of members. The group seeks redistribution of oil profits and employment of local youth. • O'dua People's Congress (OPC): OPC was established in southwest Nigeria in 1994; it has claimed a force of around 4,000. The group favors independence for the Yoruba people. • Zamfara State Vigilante Service (ZSVS): ZSVS was established in 1999 and operates in the Zamfara state. The group operates in six-man teams and demands strict adherence to sharia law.

Deployment As of August 2016, Nigeria was deploying peacekeepers to a number of missions, including: • Democratic Republic of Congo -- MONUSCO (19 military observers); • Mali –- MINUSMA (178 troops, two observers) • Haiti – MINUSTAH (five police) • Liberia -- UNMIL (1,408 troops, 10 military observers, 150 police); • South Sudan -- UNMISS (three military observers, two police); • Sudan's Darfur region -- UNAMID (928 troops, five military observers, 65 police); • Western Sahara -- MINURSO (three observers) • Lebanon -- UNIFIL (one troop). • Abyei –- UNISFA (two troops) • Ivory Coast – UNOCI (three observers) Nigeria also has around 160 peacekeepers deployed to Guinea-Bissau under ECOWAS. Nigeria deployed 1,000 troops to Mali in spring 2013 to support an African-led peacekeeping mission. That mission has been restructured into a U.N. operation. In July 2013, the Nigerian government announced it would withdraw some of its forces to help fight Boko Haram at home.

Budget

Defense Budget for FY15: 375 billion naira (US$1.88 billion) Defense Budget for FY14: 350 billion naira (US$2.23 billion) Defense Budget for FY13: 364 billion naira (US$2.14 billion) Defense Budget for FY12: 326 billion naira (US$2.04 billion) Defense Budget for FY11: 348 billion naira (US$2.23 billion) Defense Budget for FY10: 232 billion naira (US$1.52 billion) Defense Budget for FY09: 27.7 billion naira (US$216 million)

Issues and Notes

In February 2011, the Nigerian Defense Academy opened opportunities for women to join regular combat missions. Previously limited to short-term combat, women were given the opportunity to command major army units, fly fighter jets and lead warships or combat naval vessels. In July 2014, the military investigated and interrogated several prominent Nigerian politicians about their possible ties to Boko Haram. During one raid, troops said they found the politicians’ identity cards and materials from their political parties in a Boko Haram camp. Shi'ite Muslims have occasionally been targeted by Boko Haram. In November 2015, a suicide bomber blew himself up close to a Shi'ite procession in Nigeria's Kano state, killing 21 people. In December 2015, the U.K.-based Amnesty International human-rights group accused the Nigerian army of killing more than 340 Shi'ite Muslims in Zaria in Kaduna state. A judicial inquiry in August 2016 ruled that troops involved should be prosecuted and concluded that the army used excessive force. The army maintained that the Muslims had attempted to assassinate Tukur Buratai, the army chief. There has been a long-running conflict between the Muslim Fulani tribe and Christian farmers in the central Middle Belt region. Since 2001, land disputes in the region have led to the deaths of more than 60,000 people. Members of the semi-nomadic group regularly clash with farmers. The conflict cos t Nigeria's economy an estimated US$14 billion from 2012 to 2015. In recent years, violence has jumped as environmental changes, including advancing desertification, overgrazing and lower rainfall, have driven the herdsmen further south.

Plans and Programs

The Nigerian government announced plans in January 2008 to increase purchases of new military equipment as part of its Vision 2020 program. Buying new equipment direct from the manufacturer is supposed to ensure higher quality and easier access to spare parts. In August 2011, President Jonathan approved a plan to arm the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC). Initially, more than 1,000 officers began training on weapons handling. The president requested a US$ 1 billion loan from foreign lenders in July 2014 to fight Boko Haram. The funds would be added to US$6.1 billion already appropriated by Nigerian lawmakers for security operations in 2014. In a letter to Parliament, Jonathan said the money was needed to upgrade equipme nt and logistics. In December 2014, the Nigerian Defense Ministry ordered 1,000 assault rifles from firearms manufacturer Fabryka Broni Lucznik. The 5.56- mm Beryl rifles were due in January. Company officials said they expected an order for another 5,000 weapons in 2015. In August 2015, President Buhari announced that he had instructed the Defense Ministry to establish "a modest military industrial complex for the local production of weapons to meet some of the requirements of the country's armed forces." The military's overdependence on other nations for military equipment and logistics was "unacceptable," he said. The government announced plans in September 2016 to revamp the Nigerian military so it would be better equipped to take on new security challenges. Despite the emergence of stronger threats and increasing sophistication of non-state actors, Nigeria has still been operating under its 2006 defense po licy. The planned military restructuring will involve extensive and sustainable capacity building of civilian staff in the security sector.

Last Updated: November 2016

(https://www.militaryperiscope.com/)

Databases Weapons (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/weapons) Armed Forces (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/armed-forces) Terrorist Organizations (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/terrorist-organizations) News & Reports (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/news-reports)

Account View A Demo (https://www.ccmi.com/free-demo-registration? utm_source=militaryperiscope.com&utm_medium=web_link&utm_content=view_a_demo) Subscribe (http://www.ccmi.com/subscribe-to-military-periscope) About About Military Periscope (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/about) Contact Us (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/contact-us) FAQ (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/faq) Privacy Policy (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/military-periscope-privacy-policy) Terms and Conditions (https://www.militaryperiscope.com/terms-conditions)

Military Periscope is maintained and distributed by CCMI, a division of Simplify Compliance, LLC. 9737 Washingtonian Boulevard, Suite 502, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. 888-275-2264