The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Imo State Patterns and Trends, 2012-2014 with a transition committee. In a politically distribution of incidents between 2012 and risky move, Okorocha later switched from 2014. The bar chart shows the relative APGA to APC, but nevertheless emerged violence from one Niger Delta state to the victorious in the second round of the 2015 next. The trend-line on the next page shows elections, the first round of which were the number of incidents and fatalities over initially declared inconclusive. time. The second bar chart shows the trend of incidents of insecurity by LGA per capita. Violence per capita in Imo is among the The summaries draw on data collected by lowest in the region, as is the number of FFP’s UNLocK, the Council on Foreign fatalities per capita. Incidences of violence Relations’ NST, WANEP Nigeria, CSS/ETH largely occurred in the LGAs surrounding Zurich, NEEWS/TMG, Nigeria Watch, and the capital city of Owerri. Between January ACLED integrated on the P4P platform. They 2012 and December 2013, incidents also draw on data and information from reported included criminality, abductions “Violence in Nigeria: Patterns and Trends,” and vigilante/mob justice. There were also a by Patricia Taft and Nate Haken (Springer mo state has a population of number of fatalities associated with public Press, April 2015). approximately 3.9 million people, unrest and reports of ritual killings in the according to the 2006 census. The state. The first half of 2014 was the most population is predominantly Igbo violent of the two-year period with a Reported Violence (98%). The capital city of Owerri is the communal clash and a separate cult clash largest in the state. Imo is made up of 27 that reportedly killed dozens. Incidents per million people, 2014 (Jul-Dec) Local Government Areas (LGAs). Natural resources include palm oil, mahogany, This Conflict Bulletin provides a brief crude oil, and natural gas. snapshot of the trends and patterns of conflict risk factors at the State and LGA Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been the levels, drawing on the data available on the Worse governor of Imo since May 2011. In 2011, he P4P Digital Platform for Multi-Stakeholder left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to Engagement (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org). It run for governor with the All Progressives represents a compilation of the data from Grand Alliance (APGA). The Independent sources listed below, not necessarily Better National Electoral Commission (INEC) opinions of FFP or any other organization Edo Imo initially declared the election inconclusive that collaborated on the production of this Abia Delta Ondo Rivers due to reports of irregularities but later bulletin. Bayelsa Cross River Cross confirmed Okorocha’s win. After being Akwa Ibom elected, Governor Okorocha fired all 27 local The screenshot of the heat map on this government chairmen and replaced them page shows the relative geographic Nigeria Watch Tally of Incidents Resulting in Fatalities The graphic above is a Heat Map (screenshot) of Conflict Risk in Imo State 2012-2014 — www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. Conflict Bulletin: Imo State Conflict Risk Factors in Imo State* Reported Insecurity Per Capita in Imo State* 100 90 Incidents Jan-Jun 2012 Jul-Dec 2012 Jan-Jun 2013 80 Fatalities Worse 70 Jul-Dec 2013 Jan-Jun 2014 Jul-Dec 2014 60 50 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 Oweri Ohaji/ Ngor Mbaitoli Oguta 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 Better Mun./N/W Egbema Okpala * Using Nigeria Watch data (www.nigeriawatch.org) formatted to the P4P Web Map platform (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org) protests also increased, particularly in the family escaped after their home was petrol LGA Level Summary initial six months. In early 2013 youth bombed by unknown assailants. In June a staged several protests including one in clash between rival cult gangs reportedly Owerri Municipal/North/West January where a reported 2,000 youths took left about a dozen people dead. to the streets to protest violence in Owerri. Between January 2012 and December 2014, Also, in October, thousands of women In the second half of 2014, an attempted the LGAs around the city of Owerri had the reportedly took part in a peaceful armed robbery in August reportedly led to highest number of reported incidents of demonstration protesting the alleged the death of four robbers by police officers. insecurity per capita in the state. There were intimidation and harassment of state In September, it was reported that an aide lynchings and attempted lynchings of government officials by federal anti- to the Imo State Speaker was found dead, suspected robbers reported along with corruption agencies. Specifically, according following a public session at the House several kidnappings, including the to local newspapers, the women alleged Assembly. No further motive or abduction of a popular actress. Other that the Economic and Financial Crimes investigation was reported. In October, oil murders reported during this time period Commission (EFCC) and the Independent workers from a station in Ohaji gathered in including ritual killings and killings related to Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had Owerri to reportedly protest nearly two cult violence. been unfairly targeting the administration years of unpaid salaries at the Imo State of Governor Rochas Okorocha. House. In November, there was an increase There were also several peaceful protests as in violent incidents, including a reported well as violent riots reported during this Various protests occurred in the first half of attack and reprisal between traders and time period. In April 2012, it was reported 2014. In January, people protested in front pastoralists that reportedly left at least two that indigenes protested a government land of the Government House in Owerri after dead. Also that month, women from the seizure intended for development. A clash the chief of their village was reportedly Irete community gathered to protest a rise of rival cult groups reportedly left several murdered. In February 2014, a women’s in sexual assaults in their community while people dead in December 2012. In 2013, group protested during a PDP meeting. at the end of the month, a businessman there was some political contravercy as the Other protests that have taken place in the from Lagos was reported killed by gunmen local government chairmen who had been first half of 2014 include pensioners assumed to be robbers. fired by the governor in 2011 and their demanding pensions be paid, transport supporters protested peacefully in the workers demanding their salaries, and Ohaji/Egbema streets, claiming that the democratic teachers and women’s groups protesting process had been undermined. Also the abduction of the schoolgirls in Chibok, Conflict risk factors during this period throughout 2013, there were reported Borno State. included several incidents between clashes between police, individuals and herdsmen and farmers over grazing rights, gangs suspected to be kidnappers. Other reported issues included an incident as well as other communal and cult in May 2014, when the former governor of violence. In early 2009, an explosion During the year, the number of student Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, and his reportedly killed ten people who were trying www.fundforpeace.org 2 The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Imo State to gather spilled oil into tankers. In January Mbaitoli reported clash occurred between youths 2010, a reported clash between two ethnic between two communities over access to an groups over the murder of a woman In May 2012, it was reported that two men oil wellhead; no one was reported killed in destroyed homes and left dozens injured, on motorcycles stormed a ceremonial the incident. while in March a dispute over election residence and abducted and killed a local results of a youth association, reportedly monarch. Also in 2012, there were reports Aboh Mbaise left at least three people dead. In July 2011, that a police station was attacked by herdsmen reportedly entered a village to gunmen, killing one police officer. In January In May 2012, a local church leader was graze cattle and destroyed crops, leading to 2013, the deputy governor’s director of reportedly abducted for a ransom of Naira clashes that killed at least two and injured protocol was reportedly murdered and the 500,000 and later killed by his captors, others. Also that year, cult-related violence, body mutilated by gunmen who later despite the family reporting that the foiled kidnapping attempts, and armed claimed the attack was not politically ransom had been paid. In February 2013, robbery reportedly also accounted for at motivated. In August 2013, the leader of an the murder of a local doctor triggered a least a half dozen deaths. In October 2012, armed robbery gang was reportedly killed protest rally by women and youth that flooding caused a spike in food prices and by police during an exchange of gunfire lasted for several hours, blocking the main displaced hundreds. In April of 2013, up to while others were arrested in connection highway. Sexual violence, child abuse, 1000 people reportedly gathered to protest with a variety of robberies and other abductions, and killings were reported in attacks and invasions by pastoralists on criminal activities that had occurred the first half of 2014. There were no village farmlands. In May of 2014, in what throughout the year. In June 2014, a suspect reported incidents of violence in the second appeared to be a weeklong clash between was reportedly killed by police after an half of 2014. two communities that started over a attempted robbery. There were no further disputed market barricade, property was incidents reported in the second half of Ehime-Mbano destroyed and at least seven people 2014.