In
Search of Lasting Calmness: How Sustainable is the Federal Government’s Amnesty
Programme as a Peace Strategy in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria?
Raimi
Lasisi (Ph.D.)
Department of Social Sciences,
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Federal University Otuoke,
Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Nwoke, N. Bieh (Ph.D.)
Department of Social Sciences,
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Federal University Otuoke,
Yenegoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Kidi,
Zorbari (Ph.D.)
Department of General Studies, School of Foundation
Studies
Ken Saro-wiwa Polytechnic Bori, Rivers State, Nigeria
Abstract
The exploitation
of natural resources and the associated marginalization of indigenous occupants
of areas with such endowments continue to act as a major driving force for
conflicts around the world especially in Africa. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta
region, the major triggers of resource-based violent conflicts have been the subject
matter of many academics and policy analysts. The introduction of several peace
strategies especially the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Amnesty programme
notwithstanding, pockets of violent activities generate questions as to the
sustainability of the programme. This study examined the sustainability of the Federal
Government’s Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta region. The main objective was
to provide empirical evaluation of the programme in the light of its strategy
in delivering peace to the region not only in the short-term but also in the
long-term. Using, the
philosophy of the relative deprivation theory, descriptive and Chi-Square (χ2) statistical
tool, the study revealed that the amnesty programme does not address the issues
that underpinned the genesis of violent agitations in the pre-amnesty era. As a result, the amnesty as a peace strategy is not
sustainable. Hence, the inability to address issues such as adverse human
development, inadequate infrastructure, environmental degradation and poverty
among others strongly undermines the Amnesty programme as a viable peace
strategy. Given these findings, the
study suggested among others, a broad-based multi-stakeholder approach that
draws on private sectors resources and competence in order to sustain the gains
of the amnesty programme if it is to bring about lasting peace in the region.
Keywords: Violent
agitation, Federal Government of Nigeria, amnesty programme, sustainable peace
strategy, Niger Delta region
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