Judith Asuni

Judith Asuni is a specialist in conflict and development in the Niger Delta, oil-based conflicts and the demobilization and reintegration of armed youth groups. Asuni is investigating the root causes of conflict in the Niger Delta region, particularly from the point of view of members of armed groups who are both victims of marginalization and perpetrators of violence against individuals and organizations with vested interests in the oil industry, as well as innocent bystanders. She examines how similar problems have been managed elsewhere in Africa, particularly in countries rich in resources, such as oil in Nigeria.

Asuni is the founder and Executive Director of Academic Associates PeaceWorks, a nongovernmental organization based in Warri, Delta State, Nigeria. She has extensive experience with projects on conflict analysis and management, peace education and development, and has worked closely with varied stakeholders, from the Nigerian federal and state government offices to international oil companies and donors.  She was the co-founder of the Peace and Security Strategy for the Niger Delta, which addressed twelve of the fundamental issues of the region. Through her work on demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, she came to work closely with the members of the armed groups in the Niger Delta. In 2008, while a visiting scholar Johns Hopkins SAIS, she founded the Niger Delta Working Group.

Dr. Asuni holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Birmingham, a MSc from University of Ibadan and a BSc from Cornell University