SUMMARY

The Forces of Agala was one of several armed youth militia groups that fought against each other to gain favor from the oil companies operating in the oil-rich area of the Niger Delta in Nigeria (for more info, see Forces of Agala - Forces of Edu).

It formed in 2005 and operated in Rumuekpe, an area traditionally governed locally by eight chiefs and opinion leaders drawn from the areas eight different communities. However, Rumuekpe was also one of the main oil producing communities in the Niger Delta.

Members of the Forces of Agala drew from the Ikwerre ethnic group that populated the Rumuekpe area. As a youth group, its members ages ranged generally from their teens to their early forties. However, it was not the only armed youth group drawing from this demographic and others included the Forces of Edu, which had no known ideological distinction to the Forces of Agala.

The group leader was SK Agala, who was a special aide to Emeka Woke, the Local Government Chairman for the Emojua Council. He was reportedly elected as Youth President for the Rumuekpe Youth Council but his predecessor was leader of the Forces of Edu and refused to give up the position, which along with the prospect for control over oil company benefits, sparked localized non-state violence.

To initiate and train recruits, the Forces of Agala collaborated with Prince Farah Ipallibo – previous NDPVF commander and leader of the ethnic Ijaw Niger Delta Strike Force (NDSF) that splintered from the NDPVF.

The Forces of Agala allegedly received financial support from the local government chairperson, Woke. When they became the most powerful group in their Rumuekpe, the Forces of Agala gained financial payments from the Shell Petroleum Development Company.