International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Studies Volume 4, Issue 10, 2017, PP 16-26 ISSN 2394-6288 (Print) & ISSN 2394-6296 (Online) International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Studies V4● I10● 2017 16 The Niger Delta Avengers: An Assessment of the Causes, Agitation, Major Challenges for OMNCs and Suggestions for Tackling Insurgency in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria Mercy Erhi Makpor Department of Human Resources, School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Portugal. *Corresponding Author: Mercy Erhi Makpor, Department of Human Resources, School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Portugal. INTRODUCTION Current conflicts have placed local communities (both oil-bearing and oil-producing communities) in the ND region in an unwanted chaos. Regardless of the abundance of natural resource in the region, communities are desperately in need of economic and social gratifications in the form of basic amenities, infrastructure and other social services (Ikelegbe, 2005). The lack of socioeconomic infrastructure has led to serious unrest in the region, stemming mostly from ethnic militancy amongst local communities to brazen civil and human rights mishandlings, as well as unstable peace in the region. The most current and uprising group of militancy in the ND region is: “the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA)”. The major claims of the NDA, is tied to the constant complains of the fact that the country‟s wealth is derived from the ND with little or nothing contributing towards the development of local communities socially, economically and environmentally. Consequently, the region has become a “moneymaking machine” (Vanguard News, 2016) for both OMNCs and the government. Thus, while wealth is created for both sides of the divide, the level of neglect in the local communities has constantly taken an upsurge, making local community members suffer from health, social and environmental challenges. Over the past five decades, these challenges have ranged from lack of social and infrastructural development, environmental degradation, displacement, poverty, to kidnapping, seizures of oil pipelines and installations, institutionalizing authorities as well as confrontational attacks (Ikelegbe, 2005). The consequent result of the challenges mentioned above, can thus be linked to conflicts of various sorts in the region. With the different insurgent groups posing as militias with their individual- group demands from both the OMNCs and the government, the level of security and peace in the region is however breached. This paper presents some of the causes of the insurgencies in the ND region and the main challenges for OMNCs operational in the region. It further concludes with suggestions on tackling these challenges and recommends sustainable solutions to reducing the agitations of insurgent groups in the region, for the benefit of both the OMNCs and the ND. ABSTRACT Current disputes in the Niger Delta (ND) region of Nigeria have resulted in Oil Multinationals (OMNCs) halting oil exploration activities and pulling out of the region. These disputes range from the controversial issue of ownership of the nation’s oil domi cile in the region, to a series of heated conflicts between communities and the government. However, the recent rise of a militant group called the ‘Niger Delta Avengers’ (NDA) has spurred the frontiers of these high confrontational disputes and the degree of restlessness in the region. Deducing the root cause of these events (disputes) has proven ultimately challenging. Therefore, the main objective of the study is to evaluate the challenges in the region, through the assessment of activities of the NDA between the period of January and August of 2016. The study also considered implications for OMNCs and suggests ways to tackle agitations and disputes in the region. Keywords: Conflict, Nigeria, Niger Delta, Niger Delta Avengers.