How armed militancy transformed power relations in the oil communities of Nigeria’s Niger Delta

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article analyses the dynamics of conflicts in local communities in the Niger Delta. The article argues that militants associated with armed groups gained significant power in communities due to their dominant roles in the persistent violent conflicts that have plagued the Niger Delta over the last two decades. This is evident in how those associated with armed militant groups influence and control community governance institutions in the region. However, people who are not aligned with militia groups are beginning to challenge the hegemony of those associated with militia groups. This process defines the prevailing dynamics of power relations in the area.