DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIE

The declaration of a state of emergency is a constitutional mechanism activated by
sovereign states in response to extraordinary disruptions that pose serious threats to public safety, political stability, or the effective functioning of government institutions. It serves as a legal and political framework through which the state temporarily assumes expanded powers that would normally be deemed excessive under regular conditions. These powers may include the restriction of civil liberties such as freedom of movement, assembly, and expression, the detention of individuals without trial, the deployment of military forces for internal security, and the centralization of executive authority. States of emergency are not intended to function as routine tools of governance, but as last-resort measures to restore order during critical periods of upheaval.

This study examines the impact of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in combating women trafficking in Edo State between 2003 and 2019. Edo State has long been identified as a major hub for human trafficking in Nigeria, particularly involving the exploitation of women and girls for forced labor and sexual exploitation abroad. The research explores the extent to which NAPTIP’s interventions—through prevention, prosecution, protection, and partnership strategies—have addressed this challenge over the specified period.

Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, the study analyzes policy frameworks, case records, public awareness campaigns, and collaboration with local and international stakeholders. Findings indicate that NAPTIP has made significant progress in raising awareness, rescuing victims, and prosecuting traffickers. However, persistent socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, cultural practices, and weak community-level enforcement continue to undermine these efforts.

The study concludes that while NAPTIP has played a crucial role in reducing trafficking activities in Edo State, more sustained efforts are needed, particularly in grassroots sensitization, economic empowerment programs, and stronger inter-agency collaboration. It recommends policy strengthening and increased funding to enhance the agency’s effectiveness in the ongoing fight against women trafficking

This study examines the relationship between cultism and national insecurity in Nigeria, with a specific focus on Benin City, Edo State. Cultism, which has evolved from secret confraternities in higher institutions to violent, organized groups, has become a significant contributor to insecurity, manifesting in armed clashes, assassinations, kidnapping, and other criminal activities. The research investigates the causes, patterns, and impacts of cult-related violence on the socio-economic and political stability of the area.
Using a case study approach, the study draws on both primary and secondary data, including interviews, questionnaires, and existing literature. Findings reveal that factors such as unemployment, peer pressure, political manipulation, poverty, and weak law enforcement systems contribute significantly to the proliferation of cult groups. The study further establishes that cultism exacerbates national insecurity by undermining public safety, discouraging investment, and eroding trust in government institutions.
The paper concludes that cultism poses a serious threat to sustainable development and national cohesion. It recommends a multi-dimensional strategy involving government agencies, community leaders, and educational institutions to address the root causes. Measures such as youth empowerment, stricter law enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and policy reforms are suggested as essential steps toward curbing cultism and enhancing security in Benin City and Nigeria at large.

A newspaper is a form of printed publication where information about the latest news, such as current events and local activity is written. They consist of large stacks of folded paper so that readers can have an easy time flipping through the pages. A Newspaper is simply, a printed unbound paper that contains news about currentpolitical, economic, socio-cultural, educational, environmental, scientific-cum-technological and sundry affairs as well as other relevant sales information. A typical newspaper should therefore contain a blend of editorial contents news, features/news commentaries, articles, letters-to-the editors etc. Advertorial; advertisements, supplements and other paid commercial contents and pictorials pictures and illustrations that complement the news contents
.1 A newspaper is a publication containing news and information and advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. It may be of general or special interest, most often published daily or weekly. The first printed newspaper was published in 1605, and the form has thrived even in the face of competition from technologies such as radio, television, and the internet. More so, a newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features, editorials, and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as
1 newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a day. The worldwide recession of 2008, combined with the rapid growth of web- based alternatives, caused a serious decline in advertising and circulation, as many papers closed or sharply retrenched operations.2

The study examines the emergence, organization, and operations of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa and their links with other international terrorist organizations. The objectives of the study were to examine the emergence of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa in north-east Nigeria; examine the organization and operations of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa as violent groups opposed to the state; establish the links between Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa and their connections with other international terror groups such as Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab, Taliban and ISIS; and assess the efforts of the Multinational Joint Task Force in combating them. The study used data collected from publications of governmental and international governmental organizations and unstructured oral interviews with serving and retired military personnel. The publications were subjected to textual analysis, while the oral interviews were stored and later transcribed and analyzed. The study found that Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa emerged in the north-east of Nigeria with its main ideology of the establishment of a pure Islamic State (theocratic state) that is based on strict implementation of Sharia law in Nigeria and the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. The terrorist groups’ attacks on the Nigerian state and the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon comprising the military, para-military and civilians’ targets led to wanton destruction of lives and properties. Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa had links with other international terrorism networks such as Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Islamic State, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb AQIM and Al-Shabaab in aspects of ideology which centered on establishing an Islamic Caliphate that will address problems faced by Muslims worldwide. Other area of collaboration include training, funding, arms supply and logistic supports which facilitated their operations, expansions and attacks; and military and non military approaches adopted by the federal government of Nigeria led to the degrading of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa fighters. This thesis contends that the functionality of Boko Haram
and the Islamic State of West Africa thrived in their collaboration due to the international support they received from other terrorist organizations

The Middle Belt of Nigeria has increasingly become a focal point of conflict and insecurity, primarily due to the alarming rise of banditry. This region, known for its rich cultural diversity and complex socio-political landscape, has faced a significant escalation in violent attacks, kidnappings, and other forms of criminality. Banditry is not merely a law enforcement challenge; it intertwines with historical grievances, economic disparities, and social dynamics that have developed over decades. The consequences of this violence are profound, leading to loss of life, displacement, and a pervasive atmosphere of fear that affects everyday life in the region Historically, banditry in Nigeria has evolved from a combination of socio-economic stressors, including poverty, unemployment, and competition for resources 2 In the Middle Belt, issues such as land disputes and struggles over access to grazing routes have intensified tensions among different ethnic groups. These historical conflicts, often exacerbated by a lack of effective governance and security, have created an environment where armed groups can thrive 3 Communities are left vulnerable, often relying on traditional forms of conflict resolution that may no longer be effective in the face of modern criminal tactics.

Nigeria's national security landscape has undergone significant transformations since independence in 1960. The country's security challenges have shifted from traditional state-based threats to non-state actors, asymmetric warfare, and transnational crimes.1 This study examines the changing nature of national security threats in Nigeria from 2009 to 2022, exploring historical roots, contemporary challenges, and government responses. Nigeria's national security trajectory is deeply rooted in its colonial legacy. The British colonial administration's divide-and- rule policy created ethnic and regional tensions that persist today. Post-independence, Nigeria's national security concerns shifted from internal stability to regional and global issues, including the Nigerian Civil War and the Cold War. The post-Cold War era saw the emergence of non- state actors, terrorism, and insurgency.2

This research work seeks to examine the international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa with reference to the Nigeria containment of Ebola Virus. The largest Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in history exploded across West Africa.1 The World Health Organization reported a total of 21,296 Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases, including 13,427 laboratory confirmed EVD cases reported from the three most affected countries Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone in 2014. Nigeria’s first case of EVD was officially announced in July, 2014. In an effort to tackle the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, the Federal Government, drawing on the experience of the Emergency Operation Centre’s work with polio, declared Ebola a public health emergency and mobilized human, financial and material resources to contain the epidemic. Nigeria was officially declared Ebola free on 20th October 2014.2 However, the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had spread internationally from the DRC into neighbouring Uganda and it ranks as the second deadliest outbreak in history. This ongoing epidemic hereby calls for intensified disease monitoring at the Nigerian border posts, health centers and communities, and a prompt review of preparedness activities in the country to prevent another outbreak.3 It is against this backdrop, that this chapter seeks to examine the international response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa with reference to the Nigeria containment of Ebola Virus. 8 Ebola virus disease (EVD) was one of the emerging viral diseases listed in the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulation. It was an epidemic and pandemic prone disease. The virus often consumes the population. Ebola virus causes severe disease in humans and in non-human primates in the form of viral hemorrhagic fever.4 This viral hemorrhagic fever was one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind. Close contact with blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals allows the introduction of EVD into the human population. After an incubation period of about a week, victims rapidly develop high fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, respiratory disorders and haemorrhage. Death ensues within a few days.5 According to World Health Organization, the Ebola virus disease came into Lagos Nigeria on the 20th of July, 2014 through an infected Liberian diplomat, Patrick Sawyer. Patrick Sawyer who was the first index case of an acutely ill traveller had travelled from Liberia via Accra, Ghana, to Lomé, Togo and arrived at the Lagos International Airport on the 20th of July, 2014. Patrick Sawyer was on his way to Calabar, Cross River State, for a conference of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).6 In the departure hall of the Liberian International Airport, Patrick Sawyer was visibly ill, lying on the floor of the departure lounge while awaiting the flight. He vomited during the flight, on arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos and again in the private car that drove him to a private hospital. The Liberian was a 40 year old Diplomat of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), his status allowed air