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

Egbadju Obukohwo Abraham
It is fair to understand that the human security issue in the
Niger Delta oil-crisis largely centres on the impact of oil industry
activities on a people whose agro-based livelihoods are dependent on
the environment (Owolabi and Okwechime, 2007). Again, it is the
cardinal duty of the state to strive to promote the socio-economic
development for the well-being of the citizens of the country and to
protect them; wherever they are located within the country. Recent
events in the Niger Delta crisis with regard to the struggle by the irate
youths of the oil-producing communities involving attack by the irate
youth of the Niger Delta on oil installations and hostage-taking and
the sponsored reprisal attack by the Joint Task Force (Nigerian
Government combined Military outfit) provides a platform for
assessing and underscoring the politics and the basic element of
security contradiction in the Nigerian state in relation to the Niger
Delta crisis.
It is a sacred duty of the Nigerian state to protect the Nigerian
citizens and ensure security of their lives and property, even in
emergency situations. It is also incumbent on the Nigerian state to
protect and ensure security of multi-nationals operating in Nigeria.
But the protection of the citizens of Nigeria counts first. Therefore,
conventional wisdom would suggest that where the protection and
security of Nigerian citizens is at crossroads with that of
multinationals, operating in Nigeria, the Nigerian government has a
sacrosanct duty to ensure that the protection and security of the lives
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