FROM “THERE WAS A COUNTRY” TO A “NATION UNDER SIEGE”: EXPLAINING THE OXYGENATION OF INSECURITY IN SOUTH EAST, NIGERIA

Abstract

The South East of Nigeria has been plagued with skirmishes of neo-civil war between the people of the region and the government. The “new war” in the Southeast is softly prosecuted as a “siege” which is meant to achieve two basic objectives: genocide and economic asphyxiation; typical of what was obtained in the civil war era. Rooted in the sheer perceived malignment of the region mostly populated by the Ibos, the activities of the security forces set up to execute the objectives have been met with stiff resistance from the people through various groups including the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) in a struggle for survival. The paper adopts a qualitative approach that draws data from secondary sources such as textbooks, peer-reviewed journal articles, newspapers and internet sources. It is concluded that prolonged injustice and marginalization occasioned separatist movements and fuel insecurity in South East Nigeria. The paper recommends the re-integration of the people into governance to combat alienation and exclusion. Government should also promote the de-sieging of the region and convoke a Sovereign National Conference that will involve critical stakeholders in the country to restore peace, engender social change and promote development in the region.

Keywords

• biafra
• insecurity
• marginalization
• siege
• south east