Presidential Amnesty Programme and Youth Militancy in the Niger-Delta: A Study of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates whether presidential amnesty programme initiated by the federal government of Nigeria has succeeded in reducing the high wave of youth militancy in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria. With the aid of the study objectives, two hypotheses were formulated in the study. A target population of 200 inhabitants of the study area was adopted for the study. The simple random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were variously applied in the study at different stages. The summation of all the responses was presented using frequency distribution tables and simple percentages, while the chi-square statistical tool was employed to test the hypothesis formulated in the study. The test statistics reveals among others that, presidential amnesty programme in the form of educational training accrues to limiting youth piracy in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. The study concludes and recommends among others that, Nigerian government in its magnanimity should uphold and continue to sustain its initiative on presidential amnesty programme in the form of educational training to the militant youths in the Niger-Delta as this would accrue to limiting the chances of the youths in indulging in militant activities such as youth piracy.