Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 10/2009

Understanding the Armed Groups of the Niger Delta

Judith Burdin Asuni

September 2009

Council on Foreign Relations

Abstract

Nigeria's underdeveloped but oil-rich Niger Delta region currently is the site of a crippling insurgency. Fueled by a complex mixture of protest, crime, and political corruption, the network of armed groups that create this instability pose serious problems both for Abuja and for oil-importing countries across the globe. This Working Paper provides insights into these militias' origins, characteristics, and interactions with one another.