Research Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities Vol. 2(1), pp. 1-11, February 2021 Available online http:// www.scholarly-journals.com/RJSSH ISSN 2734-2026 © 2021 Scholarly-Journals Full Length Research Paper Conflict Management Strategy in Rivers State, A study of ONELGA Security Planning and Adversely Communities (OSPAC) Mackintoch Ugochukwu Chukwuemeka and Dr. Emmanuel O. Davies Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Rivers State University, Nkpolu - Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Received: 12 January, 2021, Accepted: 10 February, 2021, Published: 26 February, 2021 Nigeria has for decades, been known as a country ridden with serious security and conflict management challenges. Though there are segments of government-oriented law enforcement agencies known as the public security agencies in this paper, the problem of insecurity and crises in the various and different parts of the nation has continued to increase hence the need for complementary efforts. The relevance of the private security agencies, especially those with militia orientation, in security and conflict management in Nigeria in general and in ONELGA Rivers State, in particular, cannot be over- emphasized hence the expediency of the topic: the role and impact of private security agencies in combating crises in Rivers State: a case study of OSPAC in ONELGA. 40 respondents were selected for this study and questionnaires were distributed accordingly. The Likert’s four-point scaling was used to analyze the responses from the field questionnaires. The deterrent theory formed the theoretical background for this work This study has been able to identify some notable successes of the private security agencies as against the public security agencies in the activities of OSPAC in ONELGA. The study has also identified some challenges hampering their operations and be able to make recommendations on how they can be overcome. Keywords: Conflict management, security planning, law enforcement, militia. INTRODUCTION Conflict is a situation in which two or more human beings balance and validity of group life. This emphasizes that desire goals which they perceive as being obtainable by conflict is positive and will always be a part of human one or the other but not both. Each party is mobilizing nature. People's attitudes, backgrounds, and the energy to obtain a goal, a desired object, or situation and information they have certainly often dictate the way they each party perceive the other as a barrier or threat to that manage any conflict. goal. What this definition (CASS, 2005), suggest is that If for instance, one accepts the conceptualization of Conflict is an inherent dimension of human relations and conflict by Coser (1979) thus: struggle over values and an undercurrent of social relations (CASS, 2005). claims to status, power, and scarce resources in which As much as other scholars in their conceptualization the aim of the individual or group involved is not only to accept this definition, Simel (1971) sees conflict not obtain the desired value but to terminate, injure or simply as a pathological phenomenon to be prevented or eliminate rivals; such conceptualization will certainly adjust, but rather as an essential ingredient in the always bread crisis. The crisis is a social phenomenon that most often than not results in discrimination, destruction, retarded communication, and reduction in personal or group cohesiveness, resulting in the primacy of fighting among group members. *Corresponding author‟s e-mail: [email protected] Crises world over have heightened the palpable state Machintoch and Davies, 2 of insecurity, especially since the end of the cold war. challenges they face in executing their duties. In a Security for the majority of the state has increased, while nutshell, are there successes they have recorded as security for many of the worlds' people has declined. This against the failure of the public security agencies to curb is due largely to the emergence of new types of security crisis in the area? What are the major challenges that threats such as violent crimes, cybercrimes, and militate against effective conflict management and what terrorisms. Various types of intrastate security threats can be done to overcome these challenges and therefore such as ethnic and communal conflicts, the emergence of make for more effective conflict management? In other warlords, militancy, and cult-related/ gangsters' clashes. words, how can security management be enhanced in These emergent security crises have largely undermined the crisis-rife oil-rich communities of Rivers State and in the traditional role of the state in monopolizing security Nigeria as a whole? and created a gap in security and crisis management in society. Statement of Problem In several areas and countries of the world where natural resources are deposited conflict and crisis are There seems to be no contention as regards the strategic rife. From the diamond dumps in Liberia and Serria-loene relevance of security in the development of any nation, to the rich cobalt deposits in the Congo Democratic conflict, especially when it is not adequately tackled Republic. The vast petroleum deposits in Iraq and Iran. undermines security resulting in insecurity the very Sudan, East Timor/Indonesia all have their mineral opposite of security. To this effect, we can categorically deposits that have been the cause of bloody clashes and state that the security of lives and property in any given rivalry. Nigeria has its share of petroleum-related crisis state or community is paramount and remains vital to the and environmental degradation. As such, Gbadegesin continued socio-economic survival of any people (Hyden, (1997) asserts that "Oil exploration and production in 1995). For this reason, notable efforts have been made south-eastern Nigeria, has adversely affected peasant by governments and stakeholders alike to develop agriculture, the basis of sustenance of millions of rural workable strategies and frameworks for crisis reduction inhabitants through a complex web of the interaction of and security advancement to help mitigate the risks several negative environmental factors." posed by both human and non-human threats to the Eteng (1997) further stated that: "While oil production is wellbeing of their people. easily the nation's most crucial economic life-line and has One of such efforts is the conception of public security been the major contributor to the nation's overall management agencies for instance the Nigeria Police economic development over the decades, the oil-bearing Force and the Nigerian Army; nonetheless, the issue of Niger Delta communities have remained persistently security and conflict management has experienced a shift deprived of the benefits of oil resources". from its traditional notation as an exclusive government The statements presented above aptly describe the function (Hobbes, 1962), to the more modern concept twin plague of natural resource induced crisis/poverty and that encourages participation of private security environmental degradation on the oil-producing State of organizations in security planning and practice. This Rivers, and communities in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local could be attributed to the fact that there are more citizens Government Area (ONELGA) in particular, being some of in any given community than the state security agencies, the oil-rich communities in Rivers State. The situation, therefore culminating into the need to hire more hands to craftily instituted through gross inequitable revenue enhance effective security management and also to the allocation formula that has given birth to systematic fact that these government agencies over time have peasant deprivation for the oil host communities, within failed to achieve the desired effect of maintaining peace untold acute ecological degradation that has deprived the and stability in the crisis-ridden area of Rivers State in communities of their traditional subsistence means particular, and in Nigeria in general. resulting in a scramble for the scarce and inadequate In essence, the origin of private security involvement in compensation packages; degenerating into constant combating conflict in Nigeria can be traced to the conflicts between the communities and the oil systemic failure and inefficiency observed in the public multinationals, and, frequent and intensive inter and intra security sector which exhibits blatant inability on their part communal conflicts. to meet the security needs of the people, especially, with In response to the inadequacies of the Nigerian state to the oil-rich communities of Rivers State. Observably, the security challenges, private security companies have complementary roles being played by private security played a very vital role in complementing government agencies in mitigating security challenges in ONELGA of agencies in crime prevention. A case at hand is the Rivers State in particular for instance, and in Nigeria, in intervention of OSPAC in ONELGA in Rivers State. In general, cannot be overemphasized as it has been seen this study, we are going to look at the role of OSPAC in by many people as a welcome development. conflict management in ONELGA; we will look at the At this point, it is expedient to state the problems as impact of their intervention on the communities and the follows: Res. J. Soc. Sci. and Humanities. 3 . Deficiency of public security organizations has created management and improved security in ONELGA great lapses