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ABSTRACT
The right to self-determination as touching secession has been a subject of great controversy over the years. The international community has for a very long time witnessed situations where certain groups in a State, united by a distinctive characteristic feature such as race, ethnicity language etc. and occupying certain parts of such State’s territory assert a right to create their own State and form their own separate government. While it may be true that some secession movements have achieved secession in a peaceful manner, it is also true that this desire by groups to create a sovereign State has in most cases met strong resistance by States. Also in self-determination conflicts, groups usually resort to belligerence thereby causing a disruption of peace and security and a lot of lives and properties are lost in the process. This research work to that effect examines the scope as well as the extent of the applicability of the international law concept of self-determination with particular reference to Nigeria, taking into account the prevalent secessionist agitations which have flooded the atmosphere in recent years. It also takes into consideration the existing legal framework on the subject matter, examines the status of secessionist groups in Nigeria, State practice as touching the subject matter and proffers useful recommendations towards the pacific settlement of secession struggles in Nigeria.
