Examining the Effects of Internal Armed Conflict on the Nigerian Environment and the Response of Government

Abstract

The incidences of armed conflicts in the North-East of Nigeria and the Niger Delta have left a lot of devastation on the environment and the livelihood of civilians. The paper notes that the Niger Delta conflict resulted in bombing of pipelines and oil facilities that led to discharges into freshwater sources and the farmlands causing a devastation to the environment and threatening human lives due to excessive amounts of toxic materials being discharged. Constant gas flaring affects wildlife and human life negatively. Badly constructed canals and causeways for the purpose of mining activities have adversely affected the hydrology of the region, causing floods in some areas and water scarcity in others. These artificial waterways allow saline water leakage into the sources of freshwater, resulting in scarcity of drinking water and the mortality of many aquatic plants and animals. When petroleum is discharged into the soil, the soil becomes acidic, which disrupts photosynthesis and respiration of tree roots. The paper, therefore, recommends that the government must address the root causes of conflict and undertake environmental clean-up seriously.