In the Niger Delta, not less than 271 security operatives have lost their lives as a result of gun violence and criminal activities between January and April 2023, according to the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, (PIND).
The Abuja based non-profit organization revealed this in a recent publication of its weekly crisis update.
PIND, a Nigerian non-profit organization working to promote peace and equitable economic growth in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region also noted that the victims include officers of the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, amongst others.
According to the foundation, criminal gangs were responsible for the killings of the victims. The report showed that these gangs, domiciled in the Niger Delta region, carry out their activities with government security personnel as their main target inorder to pave way for them to carryout their activities.
Consequently, the spate of criminality in the region have not experienced a decline as successive attacks have been recorded within the past few months.
On Friday, 10 February, 2023, some unknown gunmen ambushed the advanced security team of the former Delta State Governor and Vice Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP at the 2023 general elections, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa killing three police officers at about 1:30 p.m.
Also, in April, 2023, militants reportedly ambushed a police boat in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, killing 12 police officers.
Close up shot of an armed militant
Amidst several other cases, successive governments have made efforts towards reducing the spate of criminality in the region.
During his tenure, former President Goodluck Jonathan who is from the same Ijaw ethnic group as most of the militants, had helped to negotiate amnesty but his efforts were constrained as his administration’s security forces were already stretched by an Islamist insurgency in the north as at that time.
Meanwhile, PINDs recent data for January to April, 2023 shows that as the leading states with death cases, Imo state has recorded 89 deaths while Cross River has recorded 60 deaths.
It also tells that while Rivers State has recorded 43 death cases, Bayelsa has 35; Edo, 24, Ondo, 15 and Abia, 5 death cases.
Relatedly, data sourced from the P4P Peace Map also revealed that recent incidents indicate a resurgence of targeted killings of security personnel in the Niger Delta region, noting that the current wave of targeted killings of security personnel could escalate in ways that could adversely affect the dynamics of conflict and insecurity in the region.
“Stakeholders should collaborate with the relevant security agencies to devise strategies to enhance the safety of security personnel and facilities.
“Peace and security actors should also work with the relevant national, regional, and state government agencies to develop long-term developmental, political, and institutional measures to address the security situation.
“The current wave of targeted killing of security personnel could affect the dynamics of lethal violence and insecurity in the Niger Delta. It could cause a general breakdown of law and order which could result in unrest, hooliganism, extra-judicial killings, and the deployment of repressive countermeasures by government security forces.
“The situation could also increase arms proliferation and organized criminal violence. This could cause socio-economic and political disruptions,” it added.
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