Conflict Obscuring Criminality in Nigeria
This study seeks to understand how crime and conflict intersect, focusing on Boko Haram and militant groups in the Niger Delta
Abstract
This paper is part of the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research’s Crime-Conflict Nexus Series
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 2 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 is based on research and fieldwork conducted in Nigeria in November 2016. There is also a blog and a video interview with the author.
This research was funded under the Department for International Development’s Policy Research Fund
Citation
Sasha Jesperson. Conflict Obscuring Criminality in Nigeria. United Nations University Centre for Policy Research Crime-Conflict Nexus Series: No 4, April 2017, 14p