The current conflict in the Niger Delta arose in the early 1990s over tensions between the foreign oil corporations and a number of the Niger Delta's minority ethnic groups who felt they were being exploited, particularly the Ogoni and the Ijaw. Ethnic and political unrest has continued throughout the 1990s and persists as of 2007 despite the conversion to democracy and the election of the Obasanjo government in 1999. Competition for oil wealth has fueled violence between many ethnic groups, causing the militarization of nearly the entire region by ethnic militia groups as well as Nigerian military and police forces (notably the Nigerian Mobile Police). Victims of crimes are fearful of seeking justice for crimes committed against them because of growing "impunity from prosecution for individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses, has created a devastating cycle of increasing conflict and violence". The regional and ethnic conflicts are so numerous that fully detailing each is impossible and impractical. However, there have been a number of major confrontations that deserve elaboration.
Read more about Conflict In The Niger Delta: Background, The Case of Ogoniland (1992-1995), Ijaw Unrest (1998-1999), The Creation of The Niger Delta Development Commission (2000), The Emergence of Armed Groups in The Delta Region (2003-2004), The Nigerian Oil Crisis, 2008 Crackdown, 2009 Government Offensive, Granting of Amnesty, Royal Dutch Shell Controversy
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