Selective forgiveness and the politics of amnesties in Nigeria

On whether governments should grant state forgiveness to insurgents amid the popularity of amnesty, justice advocates have cautioned that amnesties could be instrumentalised muddle accountability. This paper demonstrates how domestic peace processes mimic existing power inequalities, thereby including some groups and excluding others from forgiveness. By examining differential treatment insurgent in Nigeria, this unpacks ethnic politics resource dependence led for Boko Haram Niger Delta militants, absence oil political connections leave Biafra agitators with nothing exchange amnesty.