The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) is one of the largest armed groups in the

Niger Delta The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitical ...

region of

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

and is composed primarily of members of the region's largest ethnic group—the

Ijaw people The Izon people or Izon Otu, otherwise known as the Ijaw people due to the historic mispronunciation of the name ''Izon'', are an ethnic group majorly found in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with significant population clusters in Bayelsa, in Delta, ...

. The group was founded in 2004 in an attempt to gain more control over the region's vast

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...

resources, particularly in Delta State. The NDPVF has frequently demanded a greater share of the oil wealth from both the state and federal government and has occasionally supported independence for the Delta region. Until 2005 the group was spearheaded by Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who is viewed by many Delta residents as a

folk hero A folk hero or national hero is a type of hero – real, fictional or mythological – with their name, personality and deeds embedded in the popular consciousness of a people, mentioned frequently in folk songs, folk tales and other folklore; an ...

History

The Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force was organised in late 2003 after the 2003 Nigerian presidential election by

Asari Dokubo Asari-Dokubo (born 1964), formerly Melford Dokubo Goodhead Jr. and typically referred to simply as Asari, is a major political figure of the Ijaw ethnic group in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He was president of the Ijaw Youth Council for a ...

and British Columbos Epibade. The idea was conceived by Dokubo after he exited as the president of the

Ijaw Youth Council Ijaw Youth Council (also indefinite as "Ijaw youths") is a civil rights organization in Nigeria, founded in 1998, which supports the interests of the Ijaw ethnic group of the Niger Delta. At the point of the establishment of the IYC, leadership o ...

. The inspiration for a militia was gotten from

Isaac Boro Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro (10 September 1938 – 9 May 1968), fondly called "Boro", was a Nigerian nationalist, Ijaw, and soldier. He was one of the pioneers of minority rights activism in Nigeria. He was many parts and different things t ...

, who in 1965, declared the

Niger Delta Republic This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Africa. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism. What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three ...

NDPVF in the Niger Delta conflicts

References

{{Nigerian militant groups Niger River Delta Rebel groups in Nigeria

History

NDPVF in the Niger Delta conflicts

See also

References