Rethinking The Concept of Economic Rehabilitation of Niger Delta Youths Through The Amnesty Programme: Towards A Literature Review

Veronica  Eke; Maccarthy Maccrobert  Ebi-Ikpolada

doi:10.31149/ijefsd.v7i2.5395

Veronica Eke Department Of Social Work, School Of Socialwork, Rivers State College Of Health Science Management Technology, Rumueme Port Harcourt
Maccarthy Maccrobert Ebi-Ikpolada Department Of Socialogy, Faculty Of Social Sciences, Ignatius Aguru University, Rumuolumeni Port Harcourt

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31149/ijefsd.v7i2.5395

Keywords: Amnesty Programme, Normalization, Rehabilitation, Niger Delta Region, Nigeria

Abstract

Using literature review approach, the study focused on rethinking the concept of rehabilitation of Niger Delta youths through the amnesty programme. Relying extensively on secondary sources, the paper conceptualised the penal and medical dimensions of rehabilitation, discussed types of rehabilitation for offenders or inmates, conceptualised rehabilitation as a goal or an ideology of punishment of offenders, explained criticisms against rehabilitation, and appraised Norway’s principle of normalization and rehabilitation. It also assessed the nexus between amnesty programme and human capital development in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, and the future of rehabilitation programmes. Implicit in the literature review is the fact that the amnesty programme has failed to adequately promote human capital development and empowerment of Niger Delta youths.

References

O. I. Aina, “The Gender Equality/Women Empowerment Agenda and the Nigerian Development,” in International Sociological Association International Laboratory for PhD Students in Sociology, Maiduguri, Nigeria, 2007.

A. A. Akinwale, “Amnesty and Human Capital Development Agenda for the Niger Delta,” J. Afr. Stud. Dev., vol. 2, no. 8, pp. 201–2007, Nov. 2010.

A. Alschuler, “The changing purposes of criminal punishment: A retrospective on the past century and some thoughts about the next,” Univ. Chic. Law Rev., vol. 70, no. 1, pp. 1–22, 2003.

D. A. Andrews, I. Zinger, R. D. Hoge, J. Bonta, P. Gendreau, and F. T. Cullen, “Does correctional treatment work? A clinically relevant and psychologically informed meta-analysis,” Criminology, vol. 28, pp. 369–404, 1990.

Z. Slimi and B. V. Carballido, “Systematic review: AI’s impact on higher education-learning, teaching, and career opportunities,” TEM J., vol. 12, no. 3, p. 1627, 2023.

J. Tobor, “Culture and the amnesty program in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria,” Eur. J. Res. Soc. Sci., vol. 4, no. 3, 2016. [Online]. Available: http://www.idpublications.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Full-Paper-CULTURE-AND-THE-AMNESTY-PROGRAM-IN-THE-NIGER-DELTA-REGION-OF-NIGERIA.pdf. [Accessed: Mar. 17, 2025].

B. A. Okonofua, “The Niger Delta Amnesty Program: The Challenges of Transitioning From Peace Settlements to Long-Term Peace,” Sage Open, vol. 6, no. 2, p. 2158244016654522, Apr. 2016, doi: 10.1177/2158244016654522.

O. P. Adesanya, V. Jatula, and R. O. Opeyeooluwa, “Beyond amnesty: Rethinking government’s stabilisation efforts in Nigeria’s Niger delta region,” Cogent Arts Humanit., vol. 10, no. 1, p. 2163544, Dec. 2023, doi: 10.1080/23311983.2022.2163544.

P. C. Agwu, C. Nwangwu, and U. O. Okoye, “Post-amnesty peacebuilding and restiveness in the Niger Delta: what do grassroots narratives suggest?,” Secur. J., vol. 35, no. 3, pp. 754–776, Sep. 2022, doi: 10.1057/s41284-021-00298-y.

N. H. Brown, “Research report on the impact of amnesty on violence and sustainable peacebuilding in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria: Case study of Rivers State,” 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.academia.edu/download/114426513/RESEARCH_REPORT_ON_THE_IMPACT_OF_AMNESTY_ON_VIOLENCE_AND_SUSTAINABLE_PEACEBUILDING.pdf. [Accessed: Mar. 17, 2025].

S. Vurasi Serebe and O. S. Amadi, “Beyond Rhetoric: Amnesty Programme and Peace Building in Post Conflict Niger Delta,” Discovery, vol. 56, no. 296, pp. 417–432, 2020. [Online]. Available: http://www.discoveryjournals.org/discovery/current_issue/v56/n296/A2.pdf. [Accessed: Mar. 17, 2025].

P. U. Ugor, “Survival strategies and citizenship claims: youth and the underground oil economy in post-amnesty Niger Delta,” Africa, vol. 83, no. 2, pp. 270–292, 2013.

H. Onapajo and A.-W. Babatunde Moshood, “The civilianisation of ex-combatants of the Niger Delta: Progress and challenges in reintegration,” Afr. J. Confl. Resolut., vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 35–59, 2016.

T. Marclint Ebiede, “Reintegrating Ex-Combatants or Dividing Communities? Analysing Power Inequalities in Nigeria’s Amnesty Programme,” 2024. [Online]. Available: https://digital.sandiego.edu/ipj-research/107/. [Accessed: Mar. 17, 2025].

S. Joab-Peterside, D. Porter, and M. Watts, “Rethinking conflict in the Niger Delta: Understanding conflict dynamics, justice and security,” U. S. Inst. Peace, pp. 1–33, 2012.

F. Butterfield, “Inmate rehabilitation returns as prison goal,” New York Times Online, 2001.

D. Carter, Rehabilitation, Open Oregon Educational Resources, 2019.

Connectnetwork.com, “5 Rewarding Types of Rehabilitation for Inmates,” 2016.