Nigeria in West Africa Peacekeeping Operations A Study of the Sierra Leone Crisis, 1997-2002

Abstract

This study examined the concept of peacekeeping as an activity aimed at resolving, preventing and halting military action, with a view to uphold law and order in a conflict zone. Peacekeeping is seen as a global conflict management system, which aims at
employing a non-violent, rather than enforcement ethic. This study traced the roots of the civil war in Sierra Leone to the excesses of a corrupt elite, political misrule, and the deteriorating economic condition and collapse of the country's diamond revenues. The study adopted the conflict resolution theory as the framework of analysis. Based on the data, the study found that the challenges of regional peace and security, and national interest, accounted for Nigeria's intervention and peacekeeping roles in Sierra Leone. The success recorded by the Nigeria-led ECOMOG in Sierra Leone testified to NIgeria's
dominant position in West Africa, and a reflection of the capacity of her army to requite itself creditably as a reliable African peace enforcement military body. The Nigerian military will continue to play essential roles in the sub-region so long as armed conflicts that require intervention are emerging. Nonetheless, Nigerian leaders should not merely be satisfied with the ability of the Nigerian armed forces to pursue peacekeeping operations. Part of our recommendations is that it is important to embark on preventive measures that can break the cycles of violence in the region, in order to immunize the loss of resources that might arise from avoidable conflicts.