Increasing Violence in Nigeria

            Last Thursday, the Human Rights Watch released a report detailing the ever-increasing violence in northern Nigeria. Since 2009, members of the Boko Haram: an armed Islamic extremist group, have been responsible for the deaths of 1,500 people in northern and central Nigeria. The group seeks to end the corrupt and abusive government through the institution of “religious purity”. The Boko Haram claim responsibility for numerous crimes against both the Nigerian government and Nigerian people. They have used armed gun raids and bombings on police stations, military facilities, churches, schools, media outlets, and even the UN building in the capital of Abuja. There have also been many reports of forced conversions of people from Christianity to Islam, under the threat of death and physical torture. The UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, Navi Pillay, has deemed these acts of ethnic or religious “cleansing”.

            In response to the Boko Haram, the Nigerian government has established the Joint Military Task Force (JTF). This organization has killed hundreds of Boko Haram’s members in their efforts to subdue the Islamic group. They have been accused of using excessive force and illegal imprisonments. The Human Rights Watch details the JTF’s use of secret detentions, extortion, house burning, stealing, and extrajudicial killings of suspects. Collectively, both groups are responsible for the deaths of 2,800 people since 2009.

            This issue caught my attention after our study of the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda.  Although these issues are very different, it is very important for the international community to bring attention to human rights abuses based on the idea of “cleansing” any ethnic or religious group. According to our previous studies of this type of internal conflict, there are several possible outcomes. In the last six-months, the Boko Haram has killed more people than in 2010 and 2011 combined. If the violence continues to increase, the international community could be faced with a situation resembling the genocides of Sudan and Rwanda.

            The increase in Boko Haram’s aggression can be tied to the 2011 election. In 1999, Nigeria agreed that each President elected would alternate between north and south origins. However, the former northern President died before his term was up and was succeeded by a southerner. The Boko Haram argues that a northern President should still be in power.

            In order to reduce the violent attacks of the Boko Haram, the current regime should give more government power and positions to representatives from the north. This may be the only way to reduce violence by the Boko Haram. However, I see the state sponsored violence of the JTF continuing until there are formal sanctions against the Nigerian government by UN and other international actors.  Sanctions will pressure Nigeria to make changes that promote peace, equality, and rule of law. This will reduce the level of violence by both the JTF and the Boko Haram.

 Sources:

Human Rights Watch - http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/10/11/spiraling-violence-0

Freedom House - http://www.freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/2012/nigeria