Programs: Science and Policy
http://shr.aaas.org//geotech/communal_conflict.shtml
AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program
Overview
Forced Evictions
Conflict in the Niger Delta
>Communal Conflict
Industrial Gas Flaring
Petrochemical Spills
Conclusion
Eyes on Nigeria:
Technical Report
Communal Conflict
I. Introduction
Plateau State, in central Nigeria, has been the site of communal conflict for the past decade. In January 2010, violence flared in the city of Jos (Figure 3.1) between Muslims and Christians, lasting four days and resulting in several hundred deaths, burned homes, and other destroyed structures, according to human rights groups. At the request of AI-USA, AAAS sought to assess the extent of damage in the region by analyzing two satellite images of the area, the first from June 12, 2007 and the second from January 27, 2010, just five days after the conflict.
Figure 3.1: Map of Nigeria
II. Results
AAAS obtained two high-resolution satellite images of Jos to enable the analysis. The baseline image was collected on June 12, 2007 by DigitalGlobe, Inc.'s QuickBird satellite, while the image used for the damage assessment was collected on January 27, 2010 by its WorldView-2 satellite. Damage was spread over a roughly one square kilometer area and generally covered multiple city blocks (Figure 3.2). Figure 3.3 depicts five locations where damage to building structures was visible. In each area, several clusters of structures that appear intact in the earlier image do not have roofs in the later image. When coupled with media reports, the images suggest that fire likely contributed to the collapsed roofs. Figures 3.4 to 3.8 provide the "before" and "after" images of several areas of the city where damage was observed.
Figure 3.2: Areas of Observed Damage
to Structures, January 2010
Figure 3.3: Figure Locations, January
2010
Image © 2010 DigitalGlobe, Inc.
Figure 3.4.1: Subset of Jos
Pre-Conflict
Figure 3.4.2: Subset of Jos
Post-Conflict
Figure 3.5.1: Subset of Jos
Pre-Conflict
Figure 3.5.2: Subset of Jos
Post-Conflict
Figure 3.6.1: Subset of Jos
Pre-Conflict
Figure 3.6.2: Subset of Jos
Post-Conflict
Figure 3.7.1: Subset of Jos
Pre-Conflict
Figure 3.7.2: Subset of Jos
Post-Conflict
Figure 3.7.1 (Zoomed): Subset of Jos
Pre-Conflict
Figure 3.7.2 (Zoomed): Subset of Jos
Post-Conflict
Figure 3.8.1: Subset of Jos
Pre-Conflict
Figure 3.8.2: Subset of Jos
Post-Conflict
III. Conclusion
High-resolution imagery analysis of Jos, Nigeria revealed widespread damage to buildings across the city. Figures 3.4 to 3.8 depict portions of the city that appear affected by the January 2010 conflict. Damaged structures were without roofs in the post-conflict images, which may have been the result of fire. Analysis of the January 2010 conflict concludes that nearly an entire square kilometer of the city spread across 16 locations was damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Violence in and around Jos has continued since this analysis. AI-USA and AAAS will continue to monitor the region.
A PDF of Eyes on Nigeria: Technical Report is available here.
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