12 causes of ethnic conflict in Nigeria – #2, #6 and #8 has led to death of millions of people

6) Marginalization of Some Ethnic Groups in the Country

Marginalization of some ethnic groups that make up the country is one of the causes of ethnic conflict in Nigeria. People fighting for ethnic groups have emerged in the recent time such as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). This group is fighting for the state of Biafra which many Nigerians see as an ideal which can never happen. Marginalizing the eastern part of the country in the Nigerian project, which was part of the cause of the civil war in 1967-1970, has yet to receive full reparation and attention of successive governments.

Till date, reconciliation, rehabilitation, and restoration of the economy and the people in the east is still ongoing and the wounds of the war has not healed totally after over five decades. Now, this same issue of marginalization of the IGBO ethnic group is threatening to undermine the peace of the southeast geopolitical zone, as IPOB is demanding for a separate state of Biafra. The present government is doing its best to find solution to the inequitable distribution of government appointments and projects to the eastern part of the country. It should go further to stamp out marginalization of ethnic groups and start constitutional reforms to stop IPOB’s separatist agenda.