Investigation Of The Effect Of Ipob Conflict On Lives And Properties In Nigeria

Investigation Of The Effect Of Ipob Conflict On Lives And Properties In Nigeria

Chapiter 1

Introduction

1.1 The study’s context

Since its inception, the Nigerian state has struggled with the problem of how to reconcile the diverse ethnic groups that make up the nation. The difficulty of fostering national identity and unity among the various ethnic nationalities has always been made more difficult by the failure of the various governments to address the issues of citizenship, religion, ethnicity, inequality, resource distribution, native-settler dichotomy, and development in a direct manner. The negative effects of the situation have not only led to a lack of trust and dissension among Nigerians, but they have also led to the nationalities that have remained in Nigeria to display resentment towards the Nigerian state. To this aim, separatist agitations, which have been a common occurrence in Nigerian politics, continue to serve as a platform for calling for proper political accommodation and a real tool for expressing unhappiness with the Nigerian state. With the benefit of hindsight, it is impossible to completely explain these separatist agitations, which stretch back to the British colonial era, without mentioning inadequate leadership and the absence of a widely accepted ideology (Tamuno, 1970). The continuous existence of the Nigerian state has consistently been endangered by the interaction of power and forces between various ethnic groups who engage in separatist agitations. Unfortunately, the dominant political elites are still without a workable answer to this problem. The emergence of a democracy that is based on the rule of law in 1999 gave rise to expectations that the tremendous problems facing the Nigerian state, such as separatist agitations, would be effectively resolved. It was anticipated that democratic practice, with its principles of equality, freedom, justice, and participation, could offer a framework for compromise that could address the problem. However, since then, it has been clear that the problem is getting worse rather than better. Because to the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election, which was widely thought to have been won by late MKO Abiola, a Yoruba from the Southwest, the Odua People’s Congress was the dominant party calling for secession by 1999. The country’s six geographical zones are currently home to a diversity of separatist organizations and social movements with a variety of goals and objectives. The country’s division into six geopolitical zones, which the government has used as a platform for political accommodation even though it is not constitutionally recognized, appears to have made the emergence of separatist groups worse because it has made ethnic mobilization somewhat simpler for the particular ethnic groups that inhabit the various geopolitical zones. We may put separatist agitations among the Igbo ethnic group in Southeast Nigeria within the aforementioned backdrop. The emergence of separatist movements like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM), and the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) all attest to the perceived sense of marginalization and discrimination of the Igbos. These negative attitudes, which were a component of the problems that sparked the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War between 1967 and 1970, are still present today. It has not helped that Nigerian politics have a post-war nature in which the Igbo ethnic group appears to have been permanently denied the top political position. Ironically, despite the Igbos’ complaints about marginalization, these separatist movements’ ideologies and methods of operation have always been at odds with those of the Igbo political elite and leadership. As a result, they frequently seem to be speaking in different melodies. Meanwhile, through demonstrations and other kinds of popular mobilization, IPOB has recently intensified its fight for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra. The protests have caused unrest, increased unease, and losses in both lives and property. security forces used excessive force to put an end to the protests.

1.2 Description of the research problem

There has been a stir across the nation, but especially in the South-Eastern region, as a result of the IPOB members’ recent resurgence of self-rule agitation. The IBOB’s renewed self-rule movement gradually transformed into a violent confrontation that resulted in the loss of lives and property. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine how the IPOB war has affected both people and property in Nigeria.

1.3 The study’s objectives

This study’s primary goal is to look into the following topics:

1. To research the origins and consequences of these conflicts in Nigeria

2. To look into whether the IPOB violence has caused any deaths or property damage in Nigeria.

3. To propose potential means of resolving these conflicts

1.4 Research inquiries

1. What are the root causes and consequences of the IPOB dispute in Nigeria?

2. How has the conflict contributed to the destruction of lives and property?

What are the possible means of resolving these conflicts?

1.5 Importance of the research

The following justifications make this study important:

It will provide greater information about how the IPOB conflict has affected lives and property in Nigeria.

The results of this study will serve as a standard for academia, government organizations, individuals, and UN peace groups.

It will also act as a manual for future scholars because it provides a foundation for further research on the impact of the IPOB conflict on lives and property in Nigeria.

1.6 The study’s scope

This study aims to look into how the IPOB war has affected people’s lives and property in Nigeria. As a result, the scope of this study is limited to Imo state in southern Nigeria.

1.7 Limitations of the research

Challenges that were faced over the course of this investigation included those of:

The researcher encountered financial limitations when procuring pertinent resources, printing surveys, and compiling them.

Time is a factor that also poses limitations because the researcher must juggle writing the research and doing other academic work, which is uncomfortable.

1.9 Definitions of terminology used operationally

Conflict: this is described as a struggle or clash of forces during a battle.

Property is anything that a person or organization has legal control over.