Conflict Bulletin: Cross River State - November 2013
Published November 6, 2013 | By Nate Haken*
To the southeast of Nigeria, the coastal state of Cross River is home to approximately 2.9 million people (2006 census), predominantly of Efik, Ejagham and Bekwarra background. One of the fastest growing states in Nigeria, Cross River is endowed with vast mineral resources, plentiful arable land, and a growing number of tourist attractions. Liyel Imoke, of the People’s Democratic Party, was elected governor of Cross River in August 2008 after his first electoral victory of April 2007 was annulled by an Election Appeal Tribunal. He was re-elected in February 2012. For years, Cross River was the stage to a heated territorial dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon over the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula. After a controversial UN-backed ICJ verdict in 2002 and a comprehensive resolution between the two nations in 2006, Abuja began to transfer authority of the peninsula to Yaoundé, and Cameroon eventually took full sovereignty of Bakassi in August 2013.
Plateau state stretches along Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. Its estimated population of 3.2 million is diverse with over 40 ethno-linguistic groups. The dominant occupations are subsistence farming and pastoral grazing, although mining is also carried out in the tin rich state. Historically, Plateau has been a tourist and retreat destination due to the pleasant weather and scenic vistas. However, inter-communal violence has escalated in recent years. In 2008, local government election violence led to the deaths of hundreds. In 2010, hundreds more were killed after ethnic riots broke out in the capital city of Jos. Much of the violence in Plateau is between those considered to be indigene (many of whom are Christian farmers) and those considered settlers (many of whom are Muslim pastoralists).
Akwa Ibom has a population of around 3.9 million people according to the 2006 census. Predominantly inhabited and governed by the Ibibio people, the state is also home to Annang, Oron, Obolo and Eket communities. Endowed with large deposits of crude oil, condensate and gas, Akwa Ibom is among the largest petroleum producers in Nigeria. Agriculture also constitutes an important income-generating activity in the state, particularly the farming of palm produce, rubber, cocoa, rice, cassava, yam, plantain, banana, maize, and timber.
Abia State has an estimated population of 2.4 million, who are predominantly of Igbo origin. It is one of Nigeria’s less violent states (notwithstanding a sharp uptick in violence in 2010). Abia produces about 27% of Nigeria’s crude oil and a significant amount of its natural gas. It is also rich in yam, maize, rice, potatoes, and cashews.
Ondo has a population of around 3.44 million people according to the most recent census (2006). The majority are of Yoruba descent, with a sizable minority of those from Ijaw subgroups, particularly along the coast. Ondo derives most of its revenue from the production of cocoa, palm oil, rubber, lumber, and cassava. Approximately 65% of the labor force is employed in the agrarian sector. The state is also rich in oil and minerals. 
With 1.7 million people, Bayelsa is one of the smallest states in the country, by population. Most are of Ijaw descent. Bayelsa produces between 30-40% of Nigeria’s oil and gas. In addition to the petroleum sector, the state also has an extensive commercial fishing industry and produces oil palm, raffia palm, rubber, and coconut. In February 2012, Henry Dickson (PDP) was elected as governor after a period of uncertainty in the wake of Governor Timipre Sylva’s termination in January 2012. 
Delta is the second most populous state in the Niger Delta, with an estimated 4.1 million people. It has also been the most violent Niger Delta state over the last 3 1/2 years. It is well over the regional average in terms of incidents of violence per capita, although it has been improving slightly (notwithstanding an uptick in violence in the first half of 2013). 
Rivers, among the largest of the oil-producing Nigerian states, had been at the heart of the Niger Delta militancy until 2009. Now it is beset with a different array of issues as former combatants have turned to criminality, and uneven economic development continues to pose a challenge to sustainable peace and human security. This conflict bulletin takes a closer look at the patterns of conflict risk at the local level in Rivers state, using the