Oil Compensation and Intra-Communal Conflict in the Niger Delta

Abstract

Conflict is a recurrent phenomenon in the Niger Delta area. Many of the conflicts are due to poverty, unemployment, chieftaincy tussle and mistrust of the traditional institution. The aftermath of many of these conflicts are always immeasurable in financial terms, but usually include loss of lives and properties. The current crisis in Ogoni particularly in Kpor and Bomu communities of Gokana is one of such conflicts, arising from dispute over sharing of oil compensation money. This study, however, was conducted in Kpor community relied on key informant interview of community leaders and focus group discussion, and found that the crisis in Kpor was as a result of distrust of community leaders, especially the chiefs over oil compensation money supposedly paid through the chiefs. We, therefore, recommended the provision of employment for youths and channeling of oil compensation money towards community development projects rather than sharing among community members.