Institutionalizing Instability: The Constitutional Roots of Insecurity in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

Authors

  • Hilary Matfess The Johns Hopkins University Nigeria Social Violence Project

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5334/sta.458

Keywords:

conflict, constitution, insurgency, Nigeria, police, Africa, land, vigilante

Abstract

Nigeria’s return to democracy has been a tumultuous era; the Fourth Republic has been characterized by insurgencies and violence throughout the country. Though seemingly disparate movements, the violence of the Fourth Republic has its roots in the country’s constitution. Three aspects of the 1999 Nigerian constitution stand out as particularly problematic: the centralization of the police at the federal level with limited sub-national oversight, the ambiguous concept of indigeneity, and the overlapping, often contradictory land tenure systems endorsed. All of these allude to the precariousness of Nigerian federalism under the current constitution; ultimately, the police centralization primes the country for violence, while the indigeneity rules and land tenure system make it more difficult to negotiate stable post-conflict settlements. The country’s recent experience with Boko Haram will be used to illustrate how these constitutional tenets facilitate instability.

Author Biography

Hilary Matfess, The Johns Hopkins University Nigeria Social Violence Project

Hilary Matfess is a research analyst and editor at the Center for Complex Operations at the National Defense University. Hilary’s work at CCO includes leading the Center’s development and production of a forthcoming book project titled 'Beyond Convergence,' an anthology discussing transnational threats to global security. Her work with CCO includes co-authorship of an article in PRISM's 'Inclusive Security' issue on Boko Haram's use of women and girls, and co-authorship of a chapter in ‘Beyond Convergence’ on the subject of alternative governance models in East Asian and Sub-Saharan African countries. Outside of CCO Hilary is a prolific multi-media commentator on social culture and violence in Africa. She is a contributor to the Nigeria Social Violence Project at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies where she aids the effort to compile maintain and conduct analysis of a database of events of lethal social violence in Nigeria from 1998 to the present. She has provided public commentary regarding this project on a variety of media programs including Public Radio International’s To the Point, CTV News, and Straight Talk with Jerry Agar. She has conducted field work in Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria and Ethiopia to collect and produce statistical and GIS analysis of trends in violence. Her current research focuses on social violence and the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria for which she has produced analysis for The Washington Post Monkey Cage Blog and Al Jazeera America. Before coming to NDU, Hilary’s previous work included work with the World Bank Urban, Rural, and Social Development Practice and USAID’s Office of Assets and Livelihood Transitions.

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Published

2016-09-30

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 1 (2016)

Section

Research Article

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2016 The Author(s)

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