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

Dr. Esekumemu V. Clark
the Nigerian civil war. General Gowon who had emerged as the new
military leader after General Ironsi was overthrown in a military coup
on July 29, 1966. Indeed, one can argue that the military hijacked
Boro’s revolt. What should have happened if the late Major Kaduna
C. Nzeogu had headed the military regime after the January 1966
coup he led Will he have chartered a new course for the country’s
history Will he really have made concessions over issues of human
rights, sustainable development and the creation of the Riverine State
to Boro However, these would be an interesting basis for further
investigation into the country’s evolving political history.
Meanwhile, in the 1990s the demands on the last three military
leaders, General Babangida, General Abacha and General Abubakar
to redress the injustices reached a high point. The failure of these
leaders to recognise the seriousness of the situation and to take steps
to mitigate the problem of unemployment among the youths, for
example, was not a top priority. Such inaction by the leadership
rekindled the 1966 Ijaw Youth’s revolt. The Ijaw youths occupation of
oil installations and fields prevented oil corporations from doing their
work in order to draw the attention of the military leadership and the
Nigerian public to the conditions of impoverishment in the Niger
Delta. Such action by the youth led to a reduction of oil production
and exports, consequently causing a loss of millions of dollars of
foreign exchange earnings. The military leadership response was to
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