INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS OVER NATURAL RESOURCES: AN ANALYSIS OF HOST COMMUNITIES RIGHTS IN NIGERIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25041/lajil.v3i2.2402Abstract
This paper examines the escalating crises over natural resources within several states, highlighted by disputes over the rightful authority to govern these resources. Focusing on Nigeria, the study explores the intense struggle to control natural resources, which has sparked militancy and insurgencies against the federal government and multinational corporations. The discourse surrounding the governance and stewardship of Nigeria's natural oil resources is analyzed at three levels: local communities, state governments, and the federal government. Through the lens of international law, this paper investigates the varied claims of these disputes. It employs a doctrinal approach, delving into international human rights documents alongside other legal and non-legal frameworks to derive results and forge compelling conclusions. The findings affirm that while international law endorses the sovereignty of states over their natural resources, it also protects the rights of indigenous peoples and communities to manage resources within their ancestral territories for economic and social progress. Specifically, the indigenous peoples and oil-producing communities of the Niger Delta are recognized as having the right to oversee and engage in the exploitation processes of their natural resources. The study concludes by urging the Nigerian government to accelerate legal and policy reforms concerning the resource rights of indigenous communities hosting natural resources in Nigeria.
Keywords:
Natural Resources, Ownership, International Law, Indigenous PeoplesReferences
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