NIGERIA | A Collapsing Country?

Nigeria faces an unprecedented range of security challenges. In addition to the ongoing Biafran independence movement in the southeast, an insurgency continues in the Delta region. To the northeast, the country faces a brutal Islamist terrorist campaign by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Meanwhile, violent Muslim Fulani herders from the northwest are increasingly pushing into the central and southern parts of the country. On top of this, there are now signs that the southwest, which has tended to be more peaceful, is also facing growing security threats. This has led many to ask whether Nigeria should now be thought of as a failed state. Indeed, is it a collapsing country?

Hello and welcome! My name is James Ker-Lindsay. Here I take an informed look at International Relations with a focus on territorial conflicts, secession, independence movements and new countries. If you like what you see, please do subscribe. If you want more, including exclusive content and benefits, consider becoming a channel member. Many thanks!

Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960. However, since then it has faced a bewildering array of security challenges. As well as a brutal civil war in the 1960s - the Biafran War - it has endured conflicts over oil and land resources as well as religious extremism. It is also mired in banditry, gang violence, vigilantism and many more localised ethno-national conflicts. And a major attack on a Catholic Church in the southwest suggests a dangerous new direction could be emerging. Worryingly, there is little sign that the situation is getting better. The security forces seem unable to handle the range of security threats the country faces. Looking ahead, there is little room for optimism as the government fails to address the huge structural problems the country faces. This includes endemic corruption, high youth unemployment, the growing effects of climate change and small arms proliferation. All of which contribute to the bleak security situation Nigeria faces.

CHAPTERS
0:00 Introduction and Titles
0:46 Nigeria's Security Challenges
1:56 Nigeria: Geography and Demography
3:10 Nigeria: British Colonial Rule
4:00 Independence and the Biafran War
4:42 The Delta Conflict and Biafran Separatism
6:16 Islamist Insurgency and the Herder Conflict
8:03 Insecurity in Southwest Nigeria
9:17 Nigerian Police and Army Responses
10:54 Structural Insecurity in Nigeria
10:56 Is Nigeria Collapsing?

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FURTHER READING & USEFUL SOURCES

National Security Strategy 2019
This Place Used to Be Green (Niger Delta Conflict)

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MY PROFILES & SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS

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EQUIPMENT& TOOL USED TO MAKE THIS VIDEO

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KEYWORDS

#Nigeria #Security #Terrorism
#InternationalPolitics #CurrentAffairs #InternationalRelations
#Secession #Statehood #Independence
#BokoHaram #ISWAP #HerderConflict #DeltaConflict

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[JamesKerLindsay]

Nigeria faces an unprecedented range of security challenges. And things seem to be getting worse. Where do you see Nigeria going? Which of the problems can it tackle and how? If not, will it even survive? Looking forward to reading your thoughts and comments below.

[chirotn]

I wonder how my country Ghana would have been if we had been lumped together with Burkina Faso and maybe Togo and Benin. The country would have been in total chaos. Totally different ethnic groups with different cultures, religions, and mindsets. It makes me understand the case for Nigeria.

[grzzz]

I lived in Nigeria for almost 10 years. There is only one reason for Nigeria's woes - corruption. It's pandemic, from the old lady selling bread to the president. In Nigeria, no one seeks public office to serve the people, they do it to serve their bank balance.

[harrisonbillions]

Point of correction. The Northern Nigeria are not the largest population in Nigeria. It's a political idea by the British government to grab power.

[Lisbonese]

In my opinion I don’t think North and South Nigeria should’ve ever been united into one country. They are too different. They should’ve remained two separate nations. I think they would be much more successful.

[cokertimilehin]

As a Yorùbá man unfortunate enough to also be Nigerian, it's imperative that I let the international audience here understand that Nigeria is a failed British project. Many problems beyond the British cobbling these different peoples together exist but not a single one of them can be fixed without breaking the entity up. It's a tragic tragic place

[businesshubs]

I am from northeast of Nigeria, we are been marginalized by the Fulani and the Muslims, they want to turn us to sleeves in our own state we demand justice to the killings that is going on everyday in Nigeria since the coming of president Buhari to power.

[kennyifezue]

As a Nigerian this is one of the best summaries of the numerous issues which plaque my country. Well done Proffessor.

[wisdomspeaks]

Thank God someone with a conscience has spoken up. The world is silent to the atrocities taking place in what can be described as a Failed State.

[nuhalao]

I am still living in Nigeria. We suffer from corruption and lack of good honest, non tribalistic government. We have never giving unity a try in this nation. We are not one.

[goldsteinist]

Prayers for Nigerians 🙏I have a friend from there. She is the purest woman I ever met. Proudly call her my sister. ♥️

[chituga]

As a Nigerian, I can for a fact attest to every point made in this video.
It’s the wish of the southern region to be as one (Southwest, south east and south south). The northern merger is the worst thing that happened to us as today they’re doing everything possible to Islamize the nation. The current President Buhari is the #1 man driving this Islamization agenda quietly by not persecuting perpetrators of terrorism. The north imports foreigners from the North eastern borders during elections to vote and also make under aged kids vote to rig elections in their favor. This is how they claim to be of larger population of the south and deprive the south of everything good.

The north also is afraid of allowing a south easterner get into the presidency because they know that all their evil will be exposed when that happens. 2023 general election is coming and a south easterner by name of Peter Obi is the presidential flag bearer of the Labor Party that today has a huge support from the youth who have been rendered unemployed, forced out of school due to academic strikes and every well meaning Nigerian that has been greatly affected by bad leadership all over the country.

The ruling party seeing this chose to secure a Muslim-Muslim ticket to try so hard not to make Peter Obi win in 2023, mainly because they plan on using the northern Islamic population against the south. If this Islamic ticket wins the 2023 election, Nigeria will be completely doomed.
It is our prayer that our efforts to save our nation in 2023 election comes to reality so that we can heal and move our country from consumption to production, which has been the drive of the Labor party headed by a known business man( trader) and one time Governor of a south eastern state called Anambra. Peter Obi is known for his good economic policies and development of human capacity index as his past records clearly show.
God bless Nigeria.

[Uloaku-Banks]

I’m a Biafran forced Nigerian. Nigeria must collapse. A British contraption and with a false foundation. We the Biafrans will never back down on our quest for independence. Sooner the agitation will turn very bloody and Nigeria will have no option but to conduct an independent Referendum

[anekelawrence]

Since Nigeria grant's freedom to arrested Boko Haram terrorists, gives them scholarships and recruitments into the army
The Country has failed

[oduduotong]

You always have a balanced opinion towards Nigeria and I love it.
One day Southern Nigeria will pull out of the relationship with Northern Nigeria.

[HananyaNaftali]

Long live Biafra. Nigeria is a failing country because of the corrupt Buhari.

[obinnaigboeli]

Nigeria: A collapsed Country
Nigeria: A Failed Country.

Security: Our govt is largely out of sight and that's why these criminals keep striking
Education: Our teachers are not paid, as we speak, public universities are on strike. Our public schools are dilapidated
Poverty: There's a direct link between our absolute poverty with the wealth of our rich elites. Nigeria is world's poverty capital
Agriculture: We don't produce as much as we should.
Mineral resources: They are not put to good use. And even what we make of them, our elites steal them.
Electricity: Nigerians are in darkness
Roads/ social amenities: They are very poor.
Terrorism: alive and well
Unemployment: The situation is threatening
Pensioners : nothing for them at the end of the month
Human Development: Our govt has no time for that
Governance: We have thieves as leaders
Health Care: The country is on its knees.

[Idcanymore]

As a 'Nigerian' from the Southwest, we deeply desire for Nigeria to collapse. Nigeria is an artificial colonial construction that unites distinct and often historically antagonistic peoples into one 'nation'. It is a nation built without the consent of its constituent population. We in the South can no longer live in harmony with the kleptocratic North with its religious intolerance and undemocratic belief that they have an ordained hold on power. It's our belief that the Northern dominated government is deeply involved in the chaos and the violence that is ravaging the country. The old 'divide and rule' strategy at play. The majority of Yoruba, my people, want to separate from Nigeria and are in increasing harmony with the Igbo in this desire, as is the formerly northern-oriented Middle-Belt which has been amongst the hardest-hit regions of the Fulani incursion. The best that can happen to Nigeria is for it to break up into ethnically cohesive states, where each is allowed to forge its own path in conjunction or separately from the other regions.

[salakasto]

I think one of the most important developments in Nigeria that you missed was the formation of Amotekun. Amotekun is a security force composed entirely of Yoruba states, and works more effectively than national police. That sort of idea was previously relegated to Biafran nationalism but now even the Yoruba are doing it. And since then, the idea of an "Oduduwa Republic" of Yoruba has rapidly gained popularity.

[davidnorman]

Thank you for this most enlightening overview of the current state of the country of Nigeria, Professor Ker-Lindsay. It is common knowledge that all is not well there, but your presentation of the major troubling aspects is eye opening. It seems that things are going to get rather nastier before any improvement becomes possible. I'll recommend your video and listen to more of them.