Vol 51 No 25 | NIGERIA General John Togo and all his enemies 17th December 2010 The self-styled General of the Niger Delta struggle, warlord John Togo, emerged from the Itsekiri/Ijaw ethnic war of 2003, when rival tribal groups from Delta State spawned death, ...
Vol 51 No 24 | NIGERIA Atiku, Buhari and Ribadu - the great northern hopes 3rd December 2010 Northern politicians have regrouped and are making a determined bid for the presidency in next year's election The postponement of the presidential election until 9 April 2011 means another four months of intensive party politicking and the shelving of plans to reform the oil, gas and el...
Vol 51 No 24 | NIGERIA All the President's militias 3rd December 2010 Jonathan must win the Delta vote and is mustering the violent gangs to ensure his victory The fierce race for the presidency and National Assembly in next year's elections is worsening the violence in the Niger Delta and undermining last year's amnesty deal. Within th...
Vol 51 No 23 | NIGERIA Jonathan’s Delta blues 19th November 2010 Despite the President’s political base in the oil-rich Niger Delta, militant groups are on the march again and abandoning the amnesty deal A new coalition of fighters in the Niger Delta has emerged to oppose President Goodluck Jonathan’s amnesty and has launched a new round of violence. A younger generation – operatin...
Vol 51 No 21 | NIGERIA The gangs of Port Harcourt 22nd October 2010 After the Abuja bombings, the political process turns back to the Niger Delta, where militants are frustrated by the aftermath of the amnesty deal Bomb blasts in Abuja on 1 October killed twelve people. They could foretell more trouble to come and it is still not clear who was responsible, despite an e-mail purporting to come...
Vol 51 No 21 | NIGERIA Ready for change in the Niger Delta 22nd October 2010 If the amnesty fails and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta resumes its armed struggle, figures from the past and future of Delta militancy will take charge. Some...
Vol 51 No 20 | NIGERIA The politics takes over again 8th October 2010 Bold reform plans are put on hold as the battle for Aso Rock intensifies The brief interest shown by President Goodluck Jonathan's government in economic reform seems to be waning in favour of a concentration on short-term tactics that might help his el...
Vol 51 No 20 | NIGERIA The car bomb whodunit 8th October 2010 Whoever was responsible for the car bombs that killed 12 people in Abuja during the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's Independence on 1 October and whatever their motives, they have su...
Vol 51 No 19 | NIGERIA A false start 24th September 2010 Doubts about the election timetable, dissension in the President’s party and some surprise new candidates are changing everyone’s calculations The tight election timetable announced at the beginning of the month is now being questioned again by election officials, civil activists and most of the contesting candidates (AC ...
Vol 51 No 19 | NIGERIA The field gets more crowded 24th September 2010 There is no shortage of candidates or political parties contesting the presidential election due early next year; the exact timetable (AC Vol 51 No 18) is under review after the Ch...