ConflictBarometer_2015

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
In September 2014, judicial authorities issued an arrest warrant
for Hama Amadou, the leader of the main opposition
party Nigerien Democratic Movement (MODEN) and a former
parliament speaker, who had fled the country shortly before.
He was charged with alleged involvement in baby trafficking,
but claimed the charges were politically motivated. 2015
was marked by tensions concerning the organization of the
upcoming presidential and local elections in 2016. Furthermore,
violent confrontations between anti-government
protesters and security forces took place especially in the
capital Niamey. Authorities detained several journalists, antigovernment
protesters, and opposition politicians.
Between January 16 and 17, more than 1,000 protesters took
to the streets of Niamey and the city of Zinder, eponymous
region, denouncing Issoufou's participation in the march
against the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris, France, on January
11. Protesters attacked PNDS offices as well as houses of
members of the ruling party and burned and looted, among
others, 45 churches as well as a French cultural center. At
least ten people died and more than 170 were injured during
the protests. Despite a ban on demonstrations, about
300 opposition supporters rallied in Niamey on January 18,
criticizing the government's treatment of opposition parties.
Protesters threw stones, while the police used tear gas and
arrested 90 people. On January 30, the responsible criminal
court withdrew the charges against Amadou without lifting
the arrest warrant.
On July 29, the Independent National Electoral Commission
(CENI) scheduled presidential elections for 02/21/16 and local
elections for 05/09/16. The opposition coalition Alliance
for Reconciliation, Democracy, and the Republic (ARDR) comprising
several opposition parties such as MODEN announced
on August 9 to reject the electoral calendar, denouncing that
there was no consensus on it and demanding the local elections
to be held before the presidential elections. During a
visit in Niamey, on September 9, Ibn Chambas, UN Special
Representative for West Africa and head of UNOWA, called
for calm, inclusive and transparent elections, and offered
UNOWA's support in preparing the elections. Four days later,
MODEN declared Amadou its presidential candidate.
On November 1, thousands of anti-government protesters
rallied in the capital, criticizing alleged irregularities in voter
lists. On November 11, 34 opposition MPs proposed a motion
in parliament demanding Issoufou's prosecution for high treason
due to alleged involvement in a corruption case, but was
rejected by parliament. Three days later, the police arrested
Amadou after he had landed at Niamey's airport, returning
from exile. Security forces installed barricades in order to
block the airport and used tear gas to disperse hundreds of
stone-throwing Amadou supporters who tried to remove the
roadblock. In the course of the actions, four reporters were
arrested. Earlier that day, authorities also arrested more than
a dozen supporters of Amadou planning to welcome him at
the airport.
On December 7, the opposition rejected ECOWAS-appointed
envoy to monitor the election process, Bakary Fofana, accusing
him of being biased. Issoufou claimed on December 17
that the government foiled a coup attempt and had detained
at least four senior military officials two days before, among
them the former military chief of staff and the head of the
air force base in the capital Niamey. Opposition politicians
accused the government of not being able to prove the claim
and of trying to manipulate the political climate ahead of the
elections. low
NIGERIA (FARMERS PASTORALISTS)
Intensity: 5 | Change: | Start: 1960
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
farmers vs. pastoralists
subnational predominance, resources
The conflict over resources and subnational predominance
between farmers and pastoralists remained at war level.
While the main cause of conflict still concerned arable land
and cattle, it was further fueled by differences concerning
political, ethnic, and religious issues between the predominantly
Christian farmers of Berom and Tiv tribes, on the one
hand, and the mainly Muslim Fulani nomads, on the other. As
desertification in the Sahelian Zone reduced fertile grounds,
farmers appealed to their right to use their ancestor's farmland,
while Fulani nomads claimed the areas as grazing areas
for their cattle. Due to increasing violence between farmers
and pastoralists in Nigeria's Middle Belt since 2009, the
government established a Special Task Force (STF) to observe
the situation in Plateau State and intervene if necessary.
Following continuing violence, many communities formed
vigilante groups to defend their farmland or livestock, but
also conducted retaliatory attacks, which exacerbated hostilities.
In their regular way of operation, pastoralists stormed and
raided villages using light weapons. For instance, on January
25 and 26, hundreds of pastoralists armed with AK-47, rifles,
and machetes attacked the villages in Agatu Local Government
area (LGA), Benue state, from different directions,
opening fire on residents, stealing cattle, and burning dozens
of houses and farmlands. In total, 34 people were killed and
more than 500 displaced.
Violence spread to Kogi State when villagers from Agatu
moved on to Odagbo and Okaba on February 11, killing many
herdsmen. In a similar incident, approx. 80 were killed by
gunfire and machetes in Omala, Kogi State, on June 27. Militants
from both sides clashed in Omala, where dozens sought
refuge from previous attacks, following a series of raids and
retaliatory attacks. The killing of one Fulani pastoralist was
followed by severe clashes among Fulani and Tiv militias in
five communities in Logo LGA, Benue, on January 30. A total
of 44 people were reportedly killed and hundreds fled the
area.
Over the course of February, communal violence linked to
the conflict occurred in the states of Benue, Kaduna, Kogi,
Plateau, Oyo, Ogun, Taraba, and, for the first time since the
beginning of the conflict, near the capital Abuja, leaving a
total of 66 dead. The most fatal attack occurred in Agatu LGA
on March 15, when heavily armed herdsmen, suspected to be
Fulani mercenaries commissioned by hostile communities,
stormed Egba village, looting and burning houses as well as
farmland. More than 100 were killed and approx. 20,000 fled
the area. Disputes over a fishing pond between Egba and
Ologba communities in Agatu LGA turned violent on April 6.
Egba villagers attacked a funeral in Ologba and subsequent
clashes claimed the lives of approx. 60. At the end of April,
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