Terrorism in Nigeria - Revisiting Nigeria's Socio-Political Approach to Counterterrorism and Counterinsurgency

Abstract

Boko Haram, is a terrorist organization in Nigeria, with its stronghold in the northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa (Nigeria). The group has conducted series of attacks that has resulted in a high level of insecurity in the country, deaths and a high number of refugees in the affected region. In addition, the menace of terrorism has negatively impacted the socio-economic and political equilibrium of Nigeria, making it the current thorn in the nation's flesh. This research tries to highlight the need for a socio-political approach in Nigeria's counterterrorism and counterinsurgency strategy in order to make it more effective. Methodologically, it relies on both primary and secondary sources of data. It argues that a combination of politico-economic competition, illiteracy, poverty, extremist religious ideology and the obnoxious military extra-judicial killings are the core drivers of this sudden change. It concludes with a range of recommendations on how Nigeria can successfully address the security threat posed by Boko Haram.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 12, 2015
Accession Number
ADA623904

Entities

People

  • Andrew P. Wuyep

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Counterterrorism
  • Employment
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Families (Human)
  • Foreign Relations
  • Governments
  • Health Services
  • International Organizations
  • International Relations
  • Medical Personnel
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Political Systems
  • Social Welfare
  • Societies
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists

Readers

  • International Relations, focusing on Korea-Africa and North Korea-South Korea relations, and Nigeria-Latin American Relations.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Systems Analysis and Design