Comparative Analysis of Violence Spread across West African States using a Data Analytical Approach

Abstract

The spate of violent spread in the West Africa sub region is on the increase for more than a decade now. Violence has continued to assume different dimension with various degree of casualties’ figures ranging from heavy records of fatalities to moderately few events in others. Several factors exist as reasons for violence, but the study focuses on the occurrence of fatalities, which is linked to political events and civilian target events. Descriptive statistics was employed in the study.  The results obtained reveals that Nigeria, Mali and Niger republic posted highest casualty records of both political and civilian target events. Other four countries, Benin, Liberia, Ghana and Togo also reveal that on periodic bases, records of violence-triggered cases resulting from political events and civilian target events also constitute a proportion of violent related cases observed within these countries. The results obtained offer a good recipe for projection towards good governance, cultural growth and peaceful coexistence within the constituents, which make up each county considered in the study through insightful suggestions and recommendations.