Every state or country is characterised with factors that makes it eligible to be
called a state. These factors include: geographical territory, similar historical background, ethnic diversity and sovereignty (i.e. every state that cannot rule over itself and protect its boundaries is not eligible to be called a state). Nigeria was announced a state by Britain on October 1, 1960 and was given full charge over its governance in 1963 (October 1).
After Nigeria became independent in 1960, the new country sought to combine groups divided by ethnicity and religion –a process that led to tensions that culminated in two military coups from which the leaders of the country’s Northern region emerged triumphant. When the coup resulted in the murder of military and civilians mostly from the east in 1967, they declared their homeland, the eastern region, independent. It was then known as the Republic of Biafra, and Odumegwu Ojukwu was its leader. Despite recognition by some African states and tacit support from countries such as France and Israel, the Nigerian Federal Military Government (FMG) wouldn’t allow the oil-rich East to secede.
In the increasingly vicious war that followed the FMG, with its superior forces, ruthlessly drove back the Biafran fighters. Appalling hardship ensued for the civilian population of Biafra: Massacres were reported as the FMG’s soldiers advanced, and famine took hold after the Nigerian government blockaded Biafra and banned Red Cross aid. As the world sat on its hands and ignored the developing humanitarian disaster, hundreds of thousands died of malnutrition before Biafran resistance was eliminated in 1970. The Republic of Biafra ceased to exist after its officers surrendered in January 1970.
It is estimated that during the Nigerian Civil war more than one million people died in battle, mainly from starvation.
The agitation of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) has lingered even till recent times. The reasons for their agitation ranges from claims of bad governance, poor state arrangement, inviable government to insecurity, among others.
Aside the agitation by IPOB, the Yoruba sect has sprung up with another ideology called “ODUDUWA REPUBLIC”. According to them, the issue of restructuring is not needed but the break out of ethnic nationalities would help curb the corrupt nature of the Nigerian state. Although the agitation of the Oduduwa Republic by the Yoruba sect has not gained much ground as that of the IPOB.
There was conspicuous alarm at the nation’s seat of power, the Presidential Villa, in Abuja when a gang of militants, operating under the streamer of Network for Niger Delta Republic Fighters (NNDRF), threatened to declare a sovereign Niger Delta Republic on June 1, 2019. The threat, coming at the peak of preparations for the May 29 inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari for second term and the implication of its
actualisation, coupled with the Boko-Haram menace, was not lost on the presidency.
Buhari, according to sources, immediately summoned his service chiefs to a meeting where they extensively discussed the threat.
The president, it was learnt, issued a stern directive to the service chiefs to not only prevent the militants or whatever name they called themselves from making such a declaration, but also track them down.
Though there was a suggestion that the militants who issued the treat were not in
the position to actualise it, a top government official said, “Government did not rule out the possibility and the directive was that service chiefs should take all
necessary precautions.”
The group of militants had, in a statement by its ‘director of Information’, Maxwell Dan, stated that the killings, kidnappings and banditry allover the
country were a clear sign that the Muhammadu Buhari administration had failed the nation and incapable of protecting Nigerians.
The group accused Buhari and the presidency of selective maltreatment of leaders
from the region, alleging that, the Federal Government had not inaugurated a single project in the Niger Delta in the last four years, despite the region providing
the revenuethe nation depends on.
“It is quite unfortunate that the story has not changed till today, and we are standing on the declaration; we are standing on the declaration of the sovereign
state of Niger Delta and we will declare the Niger Delta Republic on June 1, 2019”, the statement said. “It is a common fact that Nigeria has completely derailed from
the path of peace, justice and progress as proclaimed by its founding fathers.
“They removed a Niger Delta son, Mr. Matthew Seiyeifa, the most qualified director of DSS without due process.
Not satisfied with their cruel and selective onslaught against the Niger Delta people, they plotted again and removed our
son, Justice Walter Onnoghen, from office on frivolous allegations without due process, neither was he given an opportunity of fair-hearing.
“It is also unfortunate that after four years of this administration, there is no single viable project executed by the Federal Government in the Niger Delta
despite the billions of Naira accruing to the government from the resources of the
Niger Delta as a result of the ceasefire in the region.
“The spilling of the blood of innocent citizens is becoming alarming and it is clear that the government cannot protect the citizens. Instead, they continue to make unguarded statements without recourse to the safety of the people.
“It is a common fact that the country is under siege and we cannot allow it to consume us.”
the statement also linked the militants’ anger to the invasion of the residence of elder satesman and Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark, by the police last year.
Nigeria and Insecurity Since 1999, a number of concerns have been inspiring and driving organised insecurity in the country.
This includes the search for resource control by the Niger Delta, ethno-regional self determination unrest, Boko-Haram terrorism, herders-farmers conflicts and banditry. The Federal Government has put in place many initiatives reflecting an approach to insecurity via “carrots and sticks.” For
example, while appeasing Niger Delta agitators and Boko-Hara fighters, the government outlawed and prohibited some ethno-regional groupings. Despite attempts by state, the latter have become emboldened and deadlier, putting Nigeria’s survival and peace at danger. The essay explains Boko Haram, herdsmen and Bandits attacks, notably along Nigeria’s major ethnic and religious fault lines, in the light of their organisational and operational commonalities. It has already become a triangle of terror that defies incentives
andsticks methods of the national security establishment since insurgent organisations are becoming the focus of Germany. Aware that safety equipment is not integrated in the local community; the essay suggests a community-oriented redesign of Nigeria’s security architecture. This will generate confidence and support effective intelligence gathering to curb organised crime and instability, and serve as an alternative to a plan to oppose and alienate security.
From independence till date, the issues thabthave risen for disintegration, have
mostly been sentimental and selfish reason. For IPOB, they feel they are been cheated in governance.This has been in play right from the first Junta (military coup), and the creation of political parties where the
north and the West took sides. The Yoruba sect on the other hand have not truly put serious effort in creating a new state for themselves, but then, they have given reasons why they need a Republic of their own. Their reasons range from isecurity to poor federal arrangement, the nosedived financial institution (Naira
value), failing governance, lack of infrastructural development, creation of job opportunities for the workable youths, lack of proper educational infrastructures etc. To the Niger Delta youths, there is the cry of deprivation to their regional wealth.
These and many more are responsible for why the Nigeria state and its citizen have experienced unrest over the years, these as also raised clamour forr their independence. I hereby call on monarchs and political bigwigs to come together from the various regions and trace the drawing board of the advent of the Nigerian state from its creation till date. If there be any change on purpose, then let there be what I call a national restitution. We want to plead with the government of the day to be flexible enough to listen the calls for restructuring and also for a better federal arrangement that would allow for an all inclusive successive government. We also want to appeal to different sect of agitators to sheath their swords and bring Nigeria back to her historical routes. We need a nation that is free from ethnic, religious and political conflicts.
LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!!!
DOUBRA JOBEL is the deputy clerk,
Delta State Children Parliament.