Browsing by Author "Mbombo, J.M.K."

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
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    Interrogating the Commoditization of Force in the Sahel region: A case Study of Mali
    (Published by Saint Petersburg University. Scopus indexed. (Q2)., 2023) Mbombo, J.M.K.; Raji S.A.
    Intra-state conflicts are on the rise in many parts of Africa where armed non-state actors strive to take over political power from legitimate authority. In an attempt to overcome such armed confrontations and restore peace, weak nations would seek external assistance and sometimes make secret deals with private military companies that specialize in intelligence gathering, training of fighters, and supply of state-of-the-art weaponry. Using Mali as a case study, this desk study relies on secondary data available online and in print. It attempts to address the question as to how the French-led multinational forces in the Sahel region of Africa has be come an endless conflict since 2013. In the light of the Game Theory, the study has found that the commoditization of force that transforms well-equipped fighters into profit-making con tractors is instrumental to the trending nature of war against Islamism. The military takeover in Mali translates the determination of the commander-in-chief to occupy the driver’ seat but no one knows when the fighting will end, given that both multinational forces and insurgents are rational players in the game. The paper recommends a strict adherence to the Geneva anti mercenary legislation to curtail the influence of private military companies in conflict zones. Keywords: Jihadism, contractors, Mali, takeover, commoditization, France.
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    No Peace without Forgiveness, Scanning 'Operation Safe Corridor' in Northeast Nigeria
    (Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, 2020) Mbombo, J.M.K.
    In the last two decades, Nigeria has held regular elections and witnessed relatively peaceful transfers of power between the ruling party and opposition, giving the impression that democracy has come to stay in the world's most populous Black nation. At the same time, activists have continued to challenge the elected leaders on many fronts (social justice, human rights and freedoms) under different labels. This paper takes a critical look at #EndSARS as a Twitter-based mobilization of young people to expose human rights abuses perpetrated by a section of the Nigeria Police Force. In the light of the consent theory of power, the paper reviewed the literature on the century-old practice of nonviolent direction in an attempt to address the question as to whether yesterday’s mobilization and training of activists under a recognized leadership has yielded to Internet-based campaigns of faceless protesters for good. Findings suggest that online activism attracts a great deal of poorly committed protesters alongside criminals with no one to take responsibility for violent outcomes. Government’s regulation of social media to fight the proliferation of fake news and terrorist attacks is likely to witness a revival of offline mobilization of nonviolent activists.
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    Peaceful Protest and Democracy in Nigeria: The #EndSARS Experience
    (Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, 2020) Mbombo, J.M.K.
    Since 2009, the Nigerian troops have been fighting the war against an insurgent group called Boko Haram in the northeast. Even though the use of force has technically reduced the power base of the jihadists, it is far from defeating them on the battlefield alone. This paper critically appraised the merits of ‘Operation Safe Corridor’ (OSC) which the Buhari-led administration launched in 2016 to receive voluntary defectors, de-radicalise and eventually re-insert them into the society. Based on secondary data, the paper adopted the content analysis method of inquiry in addressing the central question as to whether OSC responded to the popular demand for peace in the conflict zone or it was a way of buying in criminals with cheap amnesty. In the light of the theory of Restorative Justice, the study found that the success of OSC was undermined by the top-down and military-dominated approach to peace that not only alienated a lot of victims of violence but also kept liberated communities broken and insecure. To foster reparation and reconciliation between offenders and victims, the offer of forgiveness by the victims of Boko Haram must complement military efforts to rehabilitate ex-fighters with the involvement of community leaders while government and non-governmental organisations play the motivational role in the background.
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