Oil and the Post-Amnesty Programme (PAP): what prospects for sustainable development and peace in the Niger Delta?

Abstract

This article explores the Post-Amnesty Programme (PAP), launched in 2009 following the decision of some insurgent militia leaders in the Niger Delta to ‘drop their weapons in exchange for peace’ with Nigeria's federal government. It addresses the following questions: how has the PAP been shaped by the politics of the Nigerian state, and elite and transnational oil interests? Is the trade-off between peace and justice sustainable when such peace fails to address the roots of the grievances? The article argues that the PAP is an unsustainable state-imposed peacebuilding project to preserve the conditions for oil extraction by local, national and global actors.

Understanding Organised Violence and Crime in Political Settlements: Oil Wars, Petro‐Criminality and Amnesty in the Niger Delta

“…While Abuja certainly was under a great deal of pressure to get oil production up again, it is more likely that the amnesty and PAP represented not an instance of peacebuilding but rather a renegotiation of the prevailing political settlement geared at safeguarding the economic and political interests of federal and regional elites, who now also included a group of powerful former militant leaders. This analysis is echoed by Cyril Obi, who writes,

‘the PAP has been less of a DDR programme and more of a political project by a dominant Nigerian elite coalition (comprising top‐level state executives, members of their political networks, politically connected retired and serving military and security officials, government officials, traditional rulers and top‐level private sector executives) intent on maintaining dominant power relations and preserving the conditions for optimal extraction of oil—the fiscal basis of its power, wealth and hegemony’ (Obi, : 250–51).

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“…‘the PAP has been less of a DDR programme and more of a political project by a dominant Nigerian elite coalition (comprising top‐level state executives, members of their political networks, politically connected retired and serving military and security officials, government officials, traditional rulers and top‐level private sector executives) intent on maintaining dominant power relations and preserving the conditions for optimal extraction of oil—the fiscal basis of its power, wealth and hegemony’ (Obi, : 250–51).…”

From militancy to terrorism: Need for a fresh perspective to Nigeria’s national security

“…Upon the declaration of the Amnesty, militants in the region were expected to lay down their arms, renounce militancy and agree to be part the peace process by signing unto the programme for rehabilitation and reintegration under a new and non-military based policy initiative aimed at bringing peace to that conflict-ravaged region. This was intended as a prerequisite for creating enabling environment to stabilize, consolidate security conditions for building on that peace and moving on while massive economic and social reconstruction was to commence (Obi, 2014;Nwankpa, 2014). In actual sense, the amnesty served as incentive for warlords to abandon power and insurgents to come out of hiding and be part of the civilian society.…”

Human Development and Capability Building in the Niger Delta: Issues and Challenges

“…Due to the natural endowments of the Niger Delta, it is expected that the region experience economic regeneration and prosperity, human development, social stability, and peaceful political atmosphere. The region generates over 95% of Nigeria foreign exchange, 85% of the country annual income and approximately 40% of Gross Domestic product (Babatunde, 2012).This placed Nigeria as the highest oil producing Nation in Africa and 11 th in the world (Okumagba, 2011;Okpo & Eze, 2012;Ojo, 2012;Obi, 2014). Consequently, the presence of multinational oil firms operating within the region ought to bring about considerable social and economic development through corporate social responsibility.…”

“…These initiatives are meant to create a socially, economically, politically, ecologically stable and peaceful environment within the region. However, development in the region is not proportionate with the level of its contribution to national income and does not reflect the enormous financially commitments and efforts made by both federal and state governments of Nigeria (Obi, 2014& Kaur, 2013.…”