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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon
Time: 9:09 pm
Time: 9:09 pm
Results for cattle rustling
1 results foundAuthor: Jesperson, Sasha Title: Conflict Obscuring Criminality: The Crime-Conflict Nexus in Nigeria Summary: Both conflict and organised crime are deeply entrenched in Nigeria. In 2015, the Global Terrorism Index listed Boko Haram as the deadliest terrorist group, with Fulani militants in the Middle Belt of Nigeria responsible for the 4th most fatalities globally. Although there has been a reduction in fatalities in 2016, new militant groups emerged in the Niger Delta region, making Nigeria home to three active conflicts. Conflict in all three regions is connected to economic and political grievances, which suggests that armed groups are strategic in nature, responding to the needs of civilians in their area of operation. Increasing literature on the strategic nature of criminal organisations and warring parties highlights a variety of criminal and political motives that evolve over time, adapting to changing situations in order to maximise opportunities. While armed groups in all three regions may engage in criminality to sustain their activities, there is no evidence that they are filling governance roles or supporting civilians in their regions. In parallel, the World Bank identified conflict and fragility as creating conducive conditions for organised crime. While in some countries, such as Afghanistan and Colombia, illicit and criminal economies are closely linked to insurgency and conflict, this is not the case for Nigeria. Despite several conflict-affected regions and a high concentration of organised crime entities, for the most part crime and conflict remain separate. The prevalence of corrupt officials and the entrenchment of organised crime means that conflict is not required as a cover to move illicit goods. The banking and transport infrastructure of major cities is more important and useful, whereas the three conflicts underway in Nigeria are in rural areas. But criminal activity continues to influence local conflict dynamics in all three regions. Despite claims of a linkage by Boko Haram's leadership, organised crime entities have little to do with the group aside from supplying illicit goods. But Boko Haram has created a profitable protection economy in northeastern Nigeria that is exploited by many other groups and individuals. Organised crime activities in the Niger Delta are largely driven by politicians who use militant groups to assist and provide plausible deniability. Militants in the Middle Belt continue to engage in cattle rustling in order to target their opponents. Aside from the Delta region, criminality is not linked to global illicit flows, but in all three regions criminal activities are fuelling conflict. Given this complexity, this case study seeks to understand how crime and conflict intersect in Nigeria, focusing on the insurgency of Boko Haram and the emergence of new militant groups in the Niger Delta. The aim is to assess the impact of global illicit flows on local conflict dynamics, while also considering how international actors can respond. The paper first engages with the nature of conflict in Nigeria and how it has evolved alongside, but separate from 'organised' crime. The forms and function of criminal activity in the two conflict-affected regions is then discussed, followed by an analysis of the impact of criminality on conflict and some recommendations on how international actors can respond. The analysis presented in this case study is based on extensive desk-based research and fieldwork conducted in Nigeria in November 2016. Local researchers conducted fieldwork in Maiduguri, Kano and Yobe, interviewing government representatives, NGOs, and community members. In Lagos and Abuja, interviews were conducted with journalists, researchers, security analysts, government representatives, NGOs, UN agencies and embassy officials. Although fieldwork was not conducted in the Niger Delta region, NGOs and experts were consulted either in Lagos or Abuja or via Skype. Details: Tokyo: University Nations University, 2017. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Crime-Conflict Nexus Series: No 4: Accessed June 20, 2017 at: https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2455/Conflict-Obscuring-Criminality-The-Crime-Conflict-Nexus-in-Nigeria.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Nigeria URL: https://i.unu.edu/media/cpr.unu.edu/attachment/2455/Conflict-Obscuring-Criminality-The-Crime-Conflict-Nexus-in-Nigeria.pdf Shelf Number: 146323 Keywords: Cattle RustlingCrime-Conflict NexusIllicit GoodsOrganized Crime |