ConflictBarometer_2015

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
recurring attacks by Fulani militants and reprisals by the military
killed six soldiers and more than 50 civilians, militants,
and Tarok cattle rustlers in several villages in Plateau and
Taraba. Another 29 were killed in raids by herdsmen in Guma
LGA, Benue.
Recurring violence occurred frequently in Logo LGA. At least
96 were killed by pastoralists attacking five villages armed
with guns and machetes between May 20 and 25. In Barkin
Ladi, Kanam, and Riyom LGAs, Plateau, violence increased
over the course of May and June, resulting in the deaths
of more than 160 people. In Bat, Foron, and Zakupang
villages, Barkin Ladi LGA, 34 were killed in Fulani attacks and
subsequent clashes with Christian farmers erupted from May
2 to 5. About 50 cattle rustlers attacked Cigama, Zamfara
State, looting cattle, burning houses, and killing at least 37
villagers on July 4.
As in years before, conflict intensity decreased in the second
half of the year due to climatic conditions. While more than
1,000 were killed from January to July, violence between
pastoralists and farmers led to the deaths of approx. 250
since August. Approx. 5,000 fled following an attack in Mangu
LGA, Plateau, on September 16, when Berom youths invaded
Kadunung village in an alleged reprisal attack, shooting
indiscriminately at fleeing residents, killing 23 people and
destroying 295 houses. In a similar attack on Shiroro LGA,
Niger State, six days later, Fulani militants killed more than
35, shooting with automatic rifles on fleeing villagers. On
October 10, Berom youths engaged cattle rustlers in Foron,
Barkin Ladi LGA, in a gunfight, killing twelve pastoralists.
In November, another wave of violence affected the states
of Delta, Edo, Enugu, Gombe, Kogi, and Taraba. In the most
violent incident, nine communities came under attack by
pastoralists in Dekina LGA, on November 12. A total of 22
were killed and thousands displaced when militants entered
the villages, shooting sporadically. In a reprisal attack for two
Fulani herdsmen ambushed and killed by Berom villagers,
herdsmen killed 16 on the outskirts of Jos, Plateau, on December
13. Over the course of the year, the conflict claimed
more than 1,400 lives and displaced approx. 300,000 people.
seb
NIGERIA (MASSOB / BIAFRA)
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 1967
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
MASSOB vs. government
secession
The conflict over secession between the Movement for the
Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and
the government escalated to a violent crisis. Throughout
the year, MASSOB members staged several demonstrations,
reiterating their demand for establishing an independent
state named Biafra consisting of the south-eastern states of
Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Cross River, Ebonyi,
Enugu, Delta, Imo, and Rivers. The government continued to
prescribe membership in the organization as illegal.
During a burial ceremony of a MASSOB member in Imo state
on January 23, police forces used tear gas and shot at MAS-
SOB members. While MASSOB claimed that three people
died and five were injured, the police denied this. On March
4, police forces raided a MASSOB office in Awka North Local
Government Area (LGA), Anambra state, confiscating documents
of the group.
MASSOB organized protests in the states of Abia, Anambra,
Enugue, Ebonyi, and Imo on March 13, demanding the removal
of the Independent National Electoral Commission's
chairman Attahiru Jega. They accused him of favoring the All
Progressives Congress's presidential candidate Muhammadu
Buhari [→ Nigeria (northerners southerners)]. On April 9,
the police claimed to have uncovered a MASSOB-run bomb
factory in Umuokirika village, Aboh Mbaise LGA, Imo, seizing
IED components and arresting two members of the group. In
mid-April, MASSOB issued a statement demanding the UN recognize
Biafra as a sovereign state. A MASSOB demonstration
turned violent in Owerri, Imo, on May 30 when security forces
tried to disperse the crowd of more than 500 people with
tear gas. Protesters subsequently threw stones at the police.
In the course of the actions, the police arrested 68 MASSOB
members and charged 62 with conspiracy and belonging to
an illegal organization. Reportedly, Biafran uniforms, ID cards,
and flags were confiscated from the detainees. On August
22, two individuals allegedly carrying MASSOB insignia were
shot dead by police officers in Onitsha, Anambra.
Beginning in late August, MASSOB staged several large-scale
protests in the south-east. On November 13, thousands
of protesters, belonging to the Indigenous People of Biafra
(IPOB) and MASSOB, protested in Owerri, demanding
the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, director of the
London-based Radio Biafra. Reportedly, the police had arrested
Kanu in mid-October. On November 30, MASSOB
expelled its leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike from the organization,
accusing him of only pursuing his own interest. He
subsequently founded a new organization, the Biafra Independent
Movement. On December 1, thousands of protesters
blocked Onitsha's Niger Bridge linking the states of Anambra
and Delta. They demanded Kanu's release. Eight protesters
and two police officers were killed in confrontations during
the demonstrations. Reportedly, 137 demonstrators were
arrested. Five days later, MASSOB ended the protests in
the south-east, declaring their willingness to negotiate over
Kanu's release. dbi
NIGERIA (NORTHERNERS SOUTHERNERS)
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 1960
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
northerners vs. southerners
system/ideology, national power
The conflict over national power and the orientation of the political
system between northerners and southerners remained
violent due to ongoing rivalries between the People's Democratic
Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC),
accompanying the general elections.
Due to security concerns regarding heavy Boko Haram violence,
the elections were postponed from February 14 to
March 28 [→ Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger (Boko Haram)].
The origin of the presidential candidates underlined regional
disparities as PDP's candidate and then-president Goodluck
Jonathan from the Niger Delta was widely supported by
Christian southerners, while APC's candidate Muhammadu
Buhari from Katsina State was said to represent the mostly
Muslim inhabited north. APC and the influential Northern
Elders Forum (NEF) strictly denied Jonathan's entitlement to
run for another presidency, claiming a third term would have
contravened the PDP's unwritten zoning agreement according
to which presidency should alternate between a northern
candidate and a southern candidate.
The NEF and its southern counterparts, former Niger Delta
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