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Crisis in Nigeria
I. The Events of March 2010
II. The Events of 17 – 20 January 2010
III. Regional and International Response
IV. Crisis in Jos and RtoP
I. The Events of March 2010
Political and social rivalries, religious tensions, inequitable resource allocation and increasing poverty have incited extreme and ongoing violence in Nigeria since the end of military rule in 1999. Most recently on 7 March 2010, at least 500, primarily Christian women and children, were killed at the hands of Muslim Fulani gangs in Plateau State, Nigeria according to the International Crisis Group. This is the second outbreak of mass killing in 2010 alone and the fifth in a decade. State troops responded rapidly to the March attacks by deploying to the villages experiencing violence, making almost one hundred arrests. Though the rapid response of the military successfully quelled the violence, the government failed to prevent the attacks despite knowledge, according to the local army commander, of warning text messages sent to Muslim civilians in the attacked villages in advance of the violence. Hate violence was also used for the mass incitement of violence among attackers. Moreover, the military was unable to stop attackers from reaching villages on smaller roads, despite being on duty on major roads around these sites and in Jos.
On 12 March 2010, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called on Nigerian authorities to tackle the underlying causes of repeated outbreaks of deadly ethnic and religious violence near the northern city of Jos. Later, on 16 March, the OSAPG announced that UN Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide Francis Deng would travel to West African nations including Nigeria to discuss how violence can be prevented by national and sub regional bodies. Special Advisor Deng’s visit had to be rescheduled due to the dissolution of the Federal Executive Council in Nigeria by recently appointed acting President Goodluck Jonathan. Mr. Jonathan dissolved the Council to end divisions within the cabinet in the wake of the indefinite absence of Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
II. The Events of 17 – 20 January 2010
The attacks in March occurred after previous mass killings, targeting primarily Muslim groups, which began on 17 January 2010 and lasted four days. The Nigerian government responded by deploying additional military and anti-riot police units to the streets of Jos and imposed a 24-hour curfew in the city. Similarly to the March killings, the AFP reported that mass incitement to violence was made possible by the transmission of hate messages through cell phones. According to aid workers and local leaders, these clashes between Muslims and Christians, as a result of deep political divides, and violent confrontations with Nigerian troops and police left 18,000 people displaced and at least 550 dead. Reports by the Human Rights Watch have also surfaced saying that the Nigerian military and police force responded to the violence with excessive force against civilians.
On 20 January2010, UN SG Ban Ki-moon expressedserious concern about the renewed violence and crimes, and called on all political and religious leaders in Nigeria to work together to address the underlying causes of the recurring sectarian violence in the country. Human Rights Watch called onthe Nigerian government to take concrete steps to end the discriminatory policies that treat certain groups as second-class citizens and lie at the root of much of the inter-communal violence in Nigeria.
III. Regional and International Response
Nigerian civil society groups met in Abuja on 28 January 2010 to consult on the crisis in Jos, receive updates on the situation, and issue a call for action in a joint statement. Thirty-five NGOs endorsed a communiqué, which denounced the crimes and the failure of the government to protect its population, and called for an investigation of the crimes and for humanitarian assistance. The NGO signatories denounced the government for failing to prevent and punish those responsible for hate communication after it was reported that much of January 2010 violence was directed and encouraged via text messages.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), an NGO based in Nigeria petitioned ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo on 29 January 2010, "to investigate allegations of unlawful killing of at least 326 people and perpetration of other crimes under international law during the violence this month in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria; and the reports that the military and police used excessive force against both Christians and Muslims in responding to the violence." The Prosecutor responded on 8 February 2010 that he would consider the petition.
IV. Crisis in Jos and RtoP
This crisis led to questions as to the extent to which these crimes were widespread and systematic, arguably a determining factor for whether the RtoP threshold has been met. As Paragraphs 138-139 of the World Summit Outcome Document outline, states have the responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. Nigeria carries this responsibility to protect its populations and to prevent these crimes from occurring. Not only has the government allowed rivalries to escalate and failed to prevent the violence despite early warning signs, but it also remains to be seen whether the perpetrators of the attacks will be held accountable for their crimes. After reports that excessive force against civilians was employed by the military and police, concerns rose surrounding the government’s control over its military. The Nigerian government cannot continue to simply react to outbreaks of violence. While rapid response is important, it cannot make up for failures to address the root causes of the conflict and prevent the violence. These failures suggest the need for reforms in the security sector so as to prepare the military to respond to early warning signs.
Regional organizations including the African Union and ECOWAS, both of which include Nigeria as a member, have reacted minimally to the violence in Plateau State and the government’s failure to prevent the attacks. In an Economist article, concerns were raised that that this lack of response is a result of ECOWAS’s heavy dependence on the large Nigerian economy. Regardless, regional organizations do have a role to play and must uphold their own responsibility to prevent and halt mass atrocities. Regional organizations are often among the first external parties to recognize early warning signs and sound the alarm to the international community. ECOWAS and the AU are also often instrumental in constructing long-term political and social solutions by facilitating mediation and addressing root causes of conflict. Without preventive action and rapid response from the regional community, the national government is less likely to be held accountable for failing to uphold its responsibility to protect and the ongoing violence will continue.
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