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

Dr. Esekumemu V. Clark
Indeed, the Willink’s report had demonstrated the concerns of
ethnic minorities such as the lack of development and social
exclusion confronting the Niger Delta which it referred to as the ‘Ijaw
country’. This should be given top priority in development and the
problems addressed accordingly. The report noted that the Niger
Delta is remote from the central government and not to be left behind.
The state should focus on developing it to enable the inhabitants to
benefit from the gains of independence. In any case, successive
Nigerian governments have so far failed to heed and follow up on the
aims of the report. One can argue that one of the weaknesses of the
Willink Commission’s report was that it failed to make a
recommendation for the creation of more regions in the country before
independence, despite the fears expressed by the minority ethnic
groups over human rights and domination in the new formation.
Recent developments have buttressed such concerns as the last two
military regimes, including the present political leadership which
deployed the security forces against the Ijaws and other minorities in
the Niger Delta, leaving many innocent civilians killed because they
questioned the rationale of the injustices of government policies
concerning development and human rights aspects in the Niger Delta.
Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogonis were victims of the Abacha regime
in 1995. On 26 November 1999, President Obasanjo also deployed
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