BY NATE HAKEN AND MARCELA AGUIRRE

In partnership with PIND, The Fund for Peace collects data from a range of sources to cross-validate trends and track patterns of conflict risk at the state and local levels, which is then displayed on the P4P Peace Map.

Screenshot of Peace Building Map–Niger Delta 2009-2014

Every six months, a series of conflict bulletins is updated and distributed to local partners and stakeholders for a deeper, qualitative assessment of the root causes of conflict in each location and how practically to reduce and prevent violence. With the approach of an important election in early 2015, the next six months will be critical to watch. As of June 2014, evidence suggests that some states are showing an increase in tension over the last year, most notably Rivers State, which has seen an increase in political tensions and cult violence, and Delta State, where there has been an increase in piracy, cultism, and communal violence. Edo has also had a worsening of criminal and communal violence in the last year. Cross River has had periodic spikes of communal violence over the last several years but recently has been relatively peaceful. In Bayelsa, the number of reported fatalities has come down since its peak in the run-up to the 2012 gubernatorial election, but cultism and piracy continue to be problems. In the other four Niger Delta states (Abia, Akwa Ibom, Imo, and Ondo) levels of violence have been relatively low. The state chapters of the Partners for Peace Network (P4P), however, continue to be proactive in those states in order to address chieftaincy tussles and land disputes that do exist in order to prevent the escalation of violence.

For details on the specific issues at the Local Government Area level in each state, please visit the P4P website by checking out this link: www.p4p-nigerdelta.org/conflict-bulletins.