The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Delta State Patterns and Trends, 2012-2014 unrest with results deemed inconclusive the number of incidents and fatalities over and needing to be rescheduled. PDP’s time. The second bar chart shows the trend Ifeanyi Okowa won the 2015 gubernatorial of incidents of insecurity by Niger Delta election to replace incumbent PDP governor states per capita. The summaries draw on Emmanuel Uduaghan. data collected by FFP’s UNLocK, the Council on Foreign Relations’ NST, WANEP Nigeria, During the period of 2012-2014 reported CSS/ETH Zurich, NEEWS/TMG, Nigeria incidents included gang violence, criminality, Watch, and ACLED integrated on the P4P and vigilante/mob justice. There were a platform. They also draw on data and number of abductions, some targeting information from “Violence in Nigeria: political figures, their family members, or oil Patterns and Trends,” by Patricia Taft and workers. There were several reports of Nate Haken (Springer Press, April 2015). alleged abuses by public security forces, which sometimes provoked mob violence and protest. The data also suggests that in LGA Level Summary elta is the second most populous 2014 communal tensions and violence state in the Niger Delta, with an appeared to be increasing in the state as Aniocha North/South estimated 4.1 million people. The compared to previous years. (Delta North Senatorial District) state produces about 35% of Nigeria’s crude oil and a considerable This Conflict Bulletin provides a brief As in other parts of Delta State, much of the amount of its natural gas. It is also rich in snapshot of the trends and patterns of violence in the reported time period in root and tuber crops, such as potatoes, conflict risk factors at the State and LGA Aniocha North and South was associated yams, cassava, and coco yams. Delta has a levels, drawing on the data available on the with kidnappings and criminality. In August legacy of ethnic and political tensions which P4P Digital Platform for Multi-Stakeholder 2012, nearly 40 lawyers barricaded the flared in the late 1990s and again in 2003. Engagement (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org). It magistrates’ courts to protest the abduction represents a compilation of the data from of a newly appointed judge. In December The 2009 Amnesty Program was sources listed below, not necessarily 2012, the mother of the Minister of Finance instrumental in reducing violence and opinions of FFP or any other organization was reportedly kidnapped for ransom in fatalities associate with militancy. In 2010, that collaborated on the production of this Aniocha South. Violence around however, there was a spike in insurgency/ bulletin. kidnappings and robberies increased in counter-insurgency activity. In 2011, the 2013, resulting in several reported deaths governor dismissed all elected local The screenshot of the heat map on this throughout the year. In 2013, there were government chairmen and replaced them page shows the relative geographic two reported incidents of bank robberies with caretaker committee chairmen. After distribution of incidents between 2012 and leading to the death of several suspected two years, LGA-level elections were held on 2014. The bar chart shows the relative criminals. In the first half of 2014, dozens October 25, 2014, with the PDP winning violence from one Niger Delta state to the were reportedly killed in clashes between most seats and two LGAs experiencing next. The trend-line on the next page shows rival cult groups. Other incidents involved The graphic above is a Heat Map (screenshot) of Conflict Risk in Delta State 2012-2014 — www.p4p-nigerdelta.org. Conflict Bulletin: Delta State Conflict Risk Factors in Delta State* Reported Insecurity Per Capita in Delta State* 300 Incidents 250 2014 H2 2014 H1 Fatalities Worse 2013 H2 2013 H1 200 2012 H2 2012 H1 150 100 50 0 Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Jan-Jun Jul-Dec Aniocha Warri Uvwie Ika Ethiope Oshimili Ukauani Udu Ughelli 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 N/S N/S/SW S/NE E/W N/S N/S Better * Using Nigeria Watch data (www.nigeriawatch.org) formatted to the P4P Web Map platform (www.p4p-nigerdelta.org) criminality and violence against women and protests, clashes between police and Uvwie included an ongoing leadership girls. In June 2014, about a dozen people armed robbers, piracy, and communal tussles in Ekpan community that resulted in were reportedly killed when armed robbers conflict. In January 2014, an incident of intra clashes in 2012, 2013, and a youth fatality in attacked a bullion van. Since June 2014, -communal conflict was reported to have 2014. Also in 2014 a clash between two there have been several instances of armed led to the deaths of several people. In May, youth groups reportedly killed two people. robbers battling police in gun battles. a clash between two communities occurred, There were multiple protests, murders, and killing two. Also in May, the president of the kidnappings throughout the three year Warri North/South/South West Niger Delta Youth Movement was period. In October 2014 a cult clash (Delta South Senatorial District) murdered. Protests included two in March— reportedly killed 7. one by a women’s group over power outages, and one by youth protesting Ika North/South Around the population center of Warri, alleged misconduct by the ministers of there were a number of incidents of (Delta North Senatorial District) Petroleum and Internal Affairs. In April, criminal violence and mob/vigilante thousands protested for the release of While there very few incidents reported in lynchings reported in 2012. In a former Delta State Governor James Ibori by 2012, violence spiked in 2013 around controversial move, Delta state banned the courts in London, where he was being attempted kidnappings and robberies. In motorcycle taxis in Warri, which raised held on corruption charges. A clash March, an ACN Vice Chairman was abducted concerns over unemployment and limited between suspected pirates and a ship’s and reportedly killed despite the ransom transportation options. In 2013, gunmen security guards reportedly killed several having been paid. In February, protests reportedly killed a lecturer at the Petroleum people in May. broke out in the town of Abavo surrounding Training Institute (PTI). In July, youths armed plans to relocate an oil flow station. In with rocket propelled grenades, Since June 2014, there have been sporadic October, Road Transport Union strikes and submachine guns, and explosives robberies and acts of violence between local protests left several dead. In the first half of reportedly invaded several communities groups and individuals. Notably, in October 2014, two cult clashes, including one and killed 12 people. Some feared this a prominent chief allegedly sent thugs to reportedly involving the a well-known incident would lead to increased ethnic disrupt the inspection of a ballot area, confraternity, led to the deaths of several tension, considering the legacy of ethnic causing multiple injuries and property to be people. The latter half of 2014 included a violence during the Warri Crisis of the late destroyed. Additionally, groups protested continuance of occasional cult clashes and 1990s and early 2000s. However, almost and overran an oil station in December. robberies that resulted in shootings. immediately representatives of the Ijaw and Itsekiri communities acted to deescalate the situation. Since then, however, tensions Uvwie Ethiope East/West between Itsekiri and Ijaw communities have (Delta Central Senatorial District) (Delta Central Senatorial District) once again begun to rise over disagreements related to a large industrial In 2012, youths reportedly attacked a police Most incidents reported in Ethiope East gas hub planned for Warri South West LGA. station to protest police action against an ex involved security forces clashing with Incidents in 2014 included a number of -militant commander. Reported incidents in suspected kidnappers or robbers. In early www.fundforpeace.org 2 The Fund for Peace Conflict Bulletin: Delta State 2012, there was increased inter-communal robberies continued with a few casualties Isoko North/South tension between farmers and pastoralists every few months. In addition, there were (Delta South Senatorial District) after the alleged murder of a woman on her occasional reports of the rape of girls. farm. In the second half of 2013, violence Issues in Isoko North/South during this escalated between security forces and a Ukwuani period related mostly to attempted gang of suspected kidnappers in which (Delta North Senatorial District) kidnappings, along with police activity several were reportedly killed. Kidnappings responding to these crimes. In June 2012, it and killings continued into the first half of Issues reported in Ukwuani mainly related was reported that the son of a high-ranking 2014. In May 2014, local vigilantes to criminality, including multiple reports of local official was abducted for ransom. In reportedly attacked a suspected kidnapper murders and kidnappings between 2013 2013, there were several instances of and were about to lynch him when police and 2014. Clashes between cult groups attempted robberies and abductions that intervened. In June, the Joint Task Force (JTF) were also reported in 2013 resulting in the resulted in the death of at least two killed a kidnapper during a rescue deaths of about 10 people. suspects. Also, in July of the same year, five operation. people were reported killed in a communal Udu clash and attack on a palace of the Uzere Separately, one person was reportedly killed (Delta Central Senatorial District) Kingdom. In January 2014, cultists in a clash between herdsmen and a local reportedly killed several people. A clash community. In November 2014, an Ijaw In early 2012, an alleged thief was between farmers and pastoralists leader was kidnapped.