The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin:

Patterns and Trends, 2012-2014

Over the last four years, incidents of insecurity in Bayelsa have included cult LGA Level Summary violence, piracy, abductions, and attacks on energy infrastructure. Conflict factors were mainly reported around the capital of (Bayelsa Central Senatorial District) Yenagoa.

In 2012, there were two bombings This Conflict Bulletin provides a brief suspected to be linked to political tensions snapshot of the trends and patterns of around the gubernatorial elections. conflict risk factors at the State and Local Multiple incidents of cultist violence were Government Area (LGA) levels, drawing on reported, some targeting politicians or the data available on the P4P Digital candidates. Ex-militants reportedly attacked Platform for Multi-Stakeholder Engagement cluster oil wells several times throughout (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org). It represents a the year, claiming that their actions were in compilation of the data from sources listed protest against their exclusion from the ith 2 million people, Bayelsa is one below, not necessarily opinions of FFP or federal amnesty program. In June, women of the smallest states in the any other organization that collaborated on reportedly barricaded an oil facility, country, by population. Most are of the production of this bulletin. protesting that the company had failed to Ijaw descent. Bayelsa produces meet community obligations while causing between 30-40% of ’s oil and gas. In The screenshot of the heat map on this environmental and social degradation. addition to the sector, the state page shows the geographic distribution of has an extensive commercial fishing incidents from 2012-2014. The trend-line on In November 2012, hundreds reportedly industry and produces oil palm, raffia palm, the next page shows the number of protested over the non-payment of rubber, and coconut. incidents and fatalities over time. The bar expected allowances from the amnesty chart shows the trend of incidents of program over a six-month time period. Also In February 2012, Henry Dickson (PDP) was insecurity by LGA per capita. The summaries in November, hundreds of flood victims elected as governor after a period of draw on data collected by FFP’s UNLocK, the reportedly protested against government uncertainty in the wake of Governor Timipre Council on Foreign Relations’ NST, WANEP action to remove them from relief camps. Sylva’s termination in January 2012. Nigeria, CSS/ETH Zurich, Nigeria Watch, There were multiple reports of police NEEWS/TMG, and ACLED integrated on the clashes with suspected armed robbers and In the first half of 2013, Bayelsa fell below P4P platform. They also draw on data and kidnappers. the regional average in reported information from “Violence in Nigeria: incidents of insecurity per capita for the first Patterns and Trends,” by Patricia Taft and In February, 2013 it was reported that up to time since 2010. On June 15, 2013, Nate Haken (Springer Press, April 2015). 200 former militants rioted and destroyed thousands of cult group members met with property when they learned that they would political leaders as part of Gov. Dickson’s not be included in the third phase of the Restoration Agenda, to renounce criminality amnesty program. In August, Vanguard and work towards peace. news reported that 12 suspected pirates

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)*

60

Incidents 50 2012 H1 2012 H2 2013 H1 Fatalities Worse 2013 H2 2014 H1 2014 H2 40

30

20

10

0 Venagoa Southern Kolokuma Brass Ekremor 2010 JanJan--Jun2010 Jul Jul--Dec2011 Jan Jan--Jun 2011Jul- Jul-Dec 2012Jan -Jan-Jun 2012Jul-Dec Jul- Jan2013-Jun Jan- Jul2013-Dec Jul- Jan2014-Jun Jan- Jul2014-Dec Jul- Jun Dec Jun Dec Jun Dec Jun Dec Jun Dec Better Ijaw Opokuma 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014

* Using Nigeria Watch data (www.nigeriawatch.org) formatted to the P4P Web Map platform (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org) killed by the were actually Representatives primaries in the state. took place. In September, an explosive went members of a defunct militant group off in a neighborhood, causing panic among refusing to turn over arms or join the Other major instances of insecurity in residents even though no fatalities were amnesty program. November of 2013 was Yenagoa involved gun violence. In reported. Two incidents of cult violence characterized by violence reportedly September 2014, police opened fire and occurred, leading to the reported deaths of stemming from continued political tensions allegedly killed two vigilantes as they four people, two civilians and two cultists, surrounding the Ijaw National Congress attempted to lynch a group of suspected following a clash between rival gangs. Elections in October. Incidents included the armed robbers. A shooting occurred in reported targeting and kidnapping of youth November at the hands of pirates as they group members and political allies carried out several attacks on passenger supportive of each candidate. Later in boats. Later in November, gunmen (Bayelsa Central Senatorial District) November, up to five people were reportedly killed a policeman and fled the reportedly killed in clashes between two scene with his rifle. Gunmen also killed a Reported incidents of insecurity included communities over farmland. riot police corporal and one civilian in attacks on energy infrastructure, politically another incident during that month. In motivated violence, and cult attacks on In early 2014, unidentified gunmen killed December, an armed robber was shot dead university students. In January 2012, the former Chairman of Peremabiri by policemen during a gun duel. unidentified gunmen reportedly attacked Community Development Committee (CDC) the home of an ex-militant leader and killed in his residence in Akenpai. His attackers The number of reported oil-related events a policeman and young ex-militant. A fight reportedly took nothing from the victim’s remained steady in the latter half of 2014. In broke out at a political rally in February home, suggesting motives other than early August, youths shut down five oil wells 2012, resulting in at least one death. In robbery. in Idu Oil Field operated by the Nigerian March and April 2012, there were reported Agip Oil Company. The protesting youths attacks on oil pipelines, the first such There were over two dozen instances of carried out the action following the alleged reports in over a year. In July, gunmen insecurity in the second half of 2014. Of refusal by Agip to provide a generator set reportedly attacked a boat belonging to an those, three incidents were believed to be for them one year after the oil company had oil company, killing at least three and mainly related to the upcoming elections. promised to do so. A second protest of a injuring others. Throughout 2012 cultists One such event occurred in November similar nature took place just days later reportedly killed Niger Delta University when unidentified gunmen shot and killed after promised demands were not met by students in several incidents. Flooding was the Secretary of Bayelsa State Independent the company. Finally, in December, a problem in October 2012. Electoral Commission (BYSIEC). Later in members of an oil union protested in December, suspected political thugs raided several locations, preventing all workers In 2013, there were reported clashes the Bayelsa State Secretariat of the People’s from entering oil installations. between members of the Joint Task Force Democratic Party (PDP) to hijack materials (JTF) and militants in the Azuzuama area, for the conduct of the Federal House of Various other incidents of insecurity also killing several and displacing local residents. The Movement for the Emancipation of the

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Niger Delta (MEND) also claimed to have Nembe Ogbia killed 15 officers in a boat attack. In early (Bayelsa East Senatorial District) (Bayelsa East Senatorial District) May 2013, a shooting by suspected renegade militants left five ex-militants Incidents reported in Nembe included an dead. In the second half of 2013, reports of Reported issues in Ogbia included sexual alleged attack by MEND on marine police action leading to the deaths of violence and child abuse. As in Sagbama, policemen in 2012. Data from CSS/ETH suspected pirates, as well as police deaths, some individuals connected to the former Zurich and the Council on Foreign relations were reported in May, July and October, governor’s administration were aggrieved reported an April 2013 attack by MEND on although the estimated numbers of following the election of Governor Dickson an oil well which was said to have caused a individuals killed varied. Other incidents although these issues largely appeared to spill and created an environmental reported in 2013 included deaths related to have subsided by the end of 2012. Flooding emergency. In the later half of 2013, there oil bunkering as well as a few instances of reportedly submerged communities in was an escalation in reported attacks by kidnapping of local oil dredgers. October 2012 and led to displacement and pirates on passenger boats as well as some food scarcity issues. In January 2013, military police and Navy formations. It was In early 2014, a clash between cult groups at gunmen reportedly invaded the country reported that as of late 2013, up to twenty the Niger Delta University resulted in home of the Local Council Chairman and civilians had been killed by pirate activity or several fatalities. Also, in the first half of the abducted his parents for ransom. It was from being caught in the crossfire between year, unidentified gunmen ambushed a reported that they were released a week police and suspected pirates. This number group of twenty police escorting an ex- later. In early 2014, gunmen invaded the could not be independently verified MEND leader along the creeks of the Niger hometown of President Jonathan and although multiple news sources did Delta. No casualties were reported in the abducted the 70-year-old foster father of corroborate the rise in violent deaths and incident. In August, gunmen abducted the the President. It was not clear whether the general insecurity surrounding suspected younger brother to the Speaker of Bayelsa kidnapping was politically motivated. pirate activity and police counter-actions. House of Assembly. The abduction came at Gunmen later kidnapped four civilians on a Sporadic pirate attacks continued a time when the House Speaker was passenger boat as well as three expatriates throughout 2014. In several cases, multiple enduring possible impeachment in two separate incidents in October and policemen and soldiers were killed. In two proceedings. November. In December, members of an oil instances of reported piracy, it was noted union protested in several locations, that the attackers also attempted to abduct Eleven instances of insecurity occurred in preventing all workers from entering oil the victims. In December, sea pirates the latter half of 2014 in Southern Ijaw. In installations. attacked and allegedly murdered three July, a team of policemen repelled an attack soldiers attached to the Joint Military Task on an oil installation and reportedly killed Brass Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo five pirates in the process. The pirates were Shield. (Bayelsa East Senatorial District) said to have attacked an oil rig belonging to an foreign drilling company when they With its extensive shoreline, Brass opened fire on the policemen on duty. Boat Kolokuma/Opokuma experiences frequent attacks on nearby drivers under the Maritime Workers Union (Bayelsa Central Senatorial District) vessels, many of which are associated with later protested against perceived increased the oil industry. Data from CSS/ETH Zurich pirate activity in the region. In October, two Incidents reported in Kolokuma/Opokuma points to over a dozen such incidents murders allegedly occurred. One victim was in 2012 mainly related to the devastation occurring during 2012-2013, some of which a businessman and the other was a woman caused by flooding. In March 2012, it was resulted in kidnappings as well as the loss of who was killed for having an abortion. reported that a “general” from a local militia property and lives. In June 2012, a JTF/Navy During the same month, two officers of the had attacked an oil flow station in protest of patrol reportedly killed six pirates on a Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps the lack of development in the Niger Delta. vessel transporting stolen crude. Three (NSCDC) were arrested over their In mid- to late-2013, violence related to naval officers were also killed in the fight involvement in the killing of a boat owner. domestic disputes were the main reported which later became a source of tension in Sea pirate attacks were once again reported incidents of insecurity although early in the the community as the Independent in January. A separate incident during the year problems associated with the flooding newspaper reported that the suspected month involved a security guard at a cargo still lingered. In October of 2014, pirates were actually indigenes returning airport who was shot dead by armed men. unidentified gunmen kidnapped the brother from a funeral. A community petition was of the monarch of the of Kolokuma then reported to have been circulated and Kingdom. Their demands were not known. sent to the Chief Army Staff protesting the killing and requesting an inquiry into such

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violence undertaken by patrols. In Sagbama December 2014, members of an oil union November of 2013, it was reported that a (Bayelsa West Senatorial District) protested in all eight LGAs of Bayelsa, group of seven gunmen kidnapped the preventing all workers from entering oil father of Bayelsa State Commissioner for installations. In October 2012, massive flooding hit Tourism. Other reported issues during this Sagbama causing food scarcity and time period included the October 2012 epidemics, as Nigeria experienced the most Ekeremore removal of five LGA chairmen for financial severe rainy season in decades. That same recklessness shortly after the election of (Bayelsa West Senatorial District) month, the LGA council chairman was Governor Dixon. They denied the charges of removed for alleged impropriety. In impropriety and accused Dickson of In 2012 there were reports of piracy and November 2012, there was a reported targeting certain individuals in order to attacks on oil infrastructure, including an incident of intra-communal conflict which marginalize them from politics. These attack on an oil flow station by ex-militants resulted in the death of about a dozen accusations, and other related claims, in May. At least one incident of piracy was people after a traditional ruler was removed continued throughout 2012-2013 although reported in 2013 that resulted in the death by the Sylva administration. In February overall, political tensions seemed to of a middle-aged man. In May 2014, 2013, an incident of piracy was reported in decrease by the end of 2013. gunman reportedly attacked a boat and which gunmen allegedly killed several abducted several people including 3 Dutch soldiers who were escorting an oil vessel in In 2014, abductions and killings by pirates nationals working in development and the creeks. In December, there was a report continued. In March, gunmen reportedly health.. A man was reportedly shot in the of possible inter-communal tension when abducted a husband and wife. Later, in incident. Later in the year, boat drivers two men were killed after a feud with August, a passenger boat driver was shot under the Maritime Workers Union herdsmen over cattle blocking a main dead by pirates. In two separate incidents in protested against perceived increased roadway although it appeared to be an October, sea pirates allegedly killed four pirate activity in the region. isolated incident. Tension within the Ijaw policemen and abducted six civilians while Youth Council was also reported at gunmen attacked a tugboat and abducted intermittent times throughout the year. In the captain.

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 supported by PIND. FFP has been working with local civil society between The Fund for Peace and the Institute of Human Rights for Partners for Peace (P4P) by PIND. For a deeper understanding

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