Private Security Out-sourcing and State Sovereignty: Assessing Corporate Accountability in Extractives Zones

Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies | Vol. 7, No. 10, October 2016 | pp. 640–648

DOI: 10.46882/2016/GJPCS/000093

Article Type: Original Research Paper

Title: Private Security Out-sourcing and State Sovereignty: Assessing Corporate Accountability in Extractives Zones

Names of Authors: Liam O'Connor¹, Musa Ibrahim²

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹School of Law and Criminology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; ²Department of Political Science, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

Abstract: Abstract: The expanding deployment of private military and security companies (PMSCs) within transitional environments presents a direct challenge to the state monopoly on legitimate violence. This study evaluates the domestic regulatory frameworks and judicial accountability mechanisms governing private security operations in resource-rich transitional societies. Utilizing a comparative institutional analysis across three sub-national mining corridors, we examined corporate registry data, contract performance audits, and community human rights tracking reports. The empirical analysis demonstrates that weak institutional oversight and vague statutory definitions leave host nations unable to adequately monitor corporate contractor operational excesses. Quantitative spatial mapping shows that communities situated near private-policed extractive enclaves reported a significantly higher frequency of friction incidents (Mean = 6.8 events/month) than zones relying on public law enforcement registries (Mean = 2.4 events/month), yielding p < 0.05. The study reveals that a lack of host-nation judicial jurisdiction over foreign corporate forces undermines domestic rule of law and breeds deep community distrust. The paper recommends establishing a binding international registry paired with mandatory domestic licensing standards to enforce strict legal accountability.

Keywords: Private Security, State Sovereignty, Corporate Accountability, Extractive Zones, Institutional Oversight, Rule of Law, Human Rights

Manuscript Timeline: Received: May 12, 2016; Revised: July 20, 2016; Accepted: August 14, 2016; Published: October 05, 2016

Citation: O'Connor, L., & Ibrahim, M. (2016). Private Security Out-sourcing and State Sovereignty: Assessing Corporate Accountability in Extractives Zones. Global Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies, 7(10), 640–648. DOI: 10.46882/2016/GJPCS/000093

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