Contending Issues in the Niger Delta Crisis of Nigeria - Journal of ...

Dr. William Ehwarieme
element in the series of kidnappings that have rocked the region since
2005.
From the foregoing, it is clear that militancy and violence were
introduced into the Niger Delta struggles as a result of the violent
reaction of the oil MNCs and the Nigerian state to peaceful protests
and demands for environmental justice and development
commensurate with the resources extracted from the region as well as
the political use of unemployed youths as thugs during elections. This
is borne out by the targets, reasons and demands attached to the
kidnap cases as shown in the following table culled from the Police
Crime Diary of the Bayelsa State Police Command.
Table 1: Police Records on Some Cases of Kidnapping/Hostage-
Taking/Sea Piracy in Niger Delta
S/n Nature of
Date
Location
Militants
Hostages/Victims
Date
Case
Reported
of
Involved
& Their Origin
Released
Cases
1. Kidnapping 03/03/04 Biseni
32 Militants 13 hostages 08/03/04
Bayelsa
(BYS)
113