Unemployed urban youth and ethnic militias are driving an upsurge of armed robbery and political violence in such cities as Lagos and Warri in the south, and Kaduna and Kano in the north. The political/ecological crisis in the oil-producing communities of the Niger River delta threatens to spin out of control as irate youth and impoverished women accuse the oil companies and state officials of despoiling their habitat and taking their oil without giving back much in return.
Sin embargo, las fuerzas que mantienen unido a este país enorme, de más de 120 millones de habitantes, y con gran diversidad social son igual de potentes y tenaces, y aparecen para alejar al país del borde del abismo una y otra vez, mientras los observadores extranjeros más optimistas se preparan para lo peor.