Author
Cletus C.N. Nwadiogbu, PhD
Commissioner of Police/Deputy Commandant
The Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil Kano
cletusnwadiogbu@gmail.com +2348036014140
Abstract
The Wukari Local Government Area Tiv-Jukun conflict is one
of the longest and deadliest cases of ethno-communal violence
in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region. The cycle recurs with deadly
regularity, and it has repeatedly drawn in State and Federal
interventions for more than sixty years. The case presented in
this paper identifies injustice in its distributive, procedural,
historical and restorative dimensions as both the cause of
violence and the main vehicle enabling and perpetuating cycles
of conflict. Using a conceptual and secondary-analysis
framework based on relative deprivation theory, horizontal
inequalities theory, procedural justice theory and transitional
justice scholarship to explore how labour rights achievement
(in terms of the existence of informal or formal foundations for
collective bargaining; fair wages; conditions; hours etc.) are
linked to getting these into most appropriate disputes bottomup both formally through industrial/labour right reforms as well
top-downs via less recognised legal channels (judicial reviews on regional/state laws) at both system levels. The analysis
demonstrates that none of the peace interventions in the time
since independence have substantially delivered on addressing
the justice deficit at the heart of their conflict. The final section
of the paper provides recommendations on how to establish a
Wukari Conflict Justice Commission and reform land
adjudication, as well as suggesting ways in which transitional
justice mechanisms can be integrated into future peace
processes.
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