Nigeria's Africa Policy and Regional Security: A Case Study of Nigeria's Contributions to ECOMOG Peace Support Operations in Liberia from 1990 to 1999

The study reviews and assesses Nigeria's contributions to ECOMOG peace support operations in Liberia and finds that the contributions indeed positively impacted on the success of the mission. The study reviews all available evidence and finds that without any doubt Nigeria's contributions to ECOMOG peace support operations in Liberia was so significant that without them, the success of the ECOMOG mission to Liberia would not have been guaranteed. It analyzes various contributions such as political /diplomatic leadership, military leadership, troops, materials, equipment/logistics and financial contributions. The hypothesis is validated.;The study also reviews and analyzes various incidents of brutal massacres as evidence of insecurity in areas out of ECOMOG control. It analyzes the containment of the Liberian conflict as a parameter for sub-regional security and the various steps taken to restore peace in Liberia and finds that the various steps taken helped to restore peace in Liberia. However, non-compliance with all the terms of the peace agreement such as refusing ECOMOG to rebuild its security forces resulted in another civil conflict in 1999. That is, the conflict was successfully contained but insecurity continued. The hypothesis is validated.;Finally, the study analyzes regional destabilization and Nigeria's internal security and finds that the peace that was restored in Liberia following the conclusion of the peace process, regional security and that of Nigeria remained the same but that of Liberia deteriorated in 1999 because President Taylor did not comply with the peace process and his repressive rule drove opposition into exile from where a new conflict started. President Charles Taylor also made it impossible to repatriate Liberian refugees from the other countries in the sub-region. The UN Security Council considers refugee flows as a threat to international peace and security. The hypothesis is validated.