ABSTRACT
As a means of safeguarding regional identities and personal freedoms, Federalism envisions a state structure in which power is delegated to subnational bodies through voluntary agreements. Federalism’s proponents say that the political-cum-constitutional structure makes it an ideal framework for addressing problems arising from cultural and ethnic diversity. This is because Federalism brings people of different ethnicities, cultures, geographic locations, and even religions together. Therefore, after a government has been established, it is vital that it strives to allocate authorities, functions, and resources evenly among these various groups. Based on the aforementioned this study examined federalism, national integration and secessionist threats in Nigeria: a case study of Ipob. This was achieved using four research objectives; to examine the causes and consequences of secessionist threats in Nigeria; to identify the motivations for secession threat by the Pro-Biafra group in South-Eastern Nigeria; to identify efforts made by the government of Nigeria in addressing the issue of federalism and secessionist threats in Nigeria; to make policy suggestions towards a complete eradication of all forms of secessionist activities and disintegration in Nigeria. The study adopted the survey methodology in generating data for the study. Major findings of the study revealed that the idea of formation of parties along ethnic lines has continually encouraged ethnic politics and contestations in Nigeria. The largeness and diversity of the country is not a major factor for ethnic contestations. Ethnic politics and proBiafra protests have greatly disrupted economic activities in the South Eastern Nigeria and also a major cause of decline in investments and declining economy in the region. The pro-Biafran separatist agitation also has consequences for regional and national security, regional and national economic underdevelopment and has a negative implication for political stability and democratic consolidation across the country. Also the study discovered that the federal government has not taken the agitation of IPOB seriously, so it is not doing enough or anything serious to address their demands, rather, the government has resorted to the use of harassment, force and intimidation; excessive military brutality, unprovoked shootings of unarmed and peaceful protesters and has refused to negotiate or dialogue with them, and uses arrests, intimidation and killing of members of IPOB. The study recommended that the Nigerian government should establish an independent commission of inquiry to conduct a transparent, comprehensive, and impartial investigation into alleged unlawful killings, arrests and other human right abuses of Biafra supporters. The commission should include, among others, representatives of the Pro Biafran groups such as MASSOB and IPOB, International and National human rights groups, and the UN Special Rapporteur on extra judicial killings.
