BOKO HARAM TERRORISM AND CRISES MANAGEMENT IN NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The state of insecurity engendered by Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, especially in the North-Eastern part of the country is quiet worrisome, disheartening and alarming. Terrorist attacks of the Boko Haram sect have resulted in the killing of countless number of innocent people and wanton destruction of properties that worth billions of naira through bombings. More worrisome however, is the fact that all the efforts of the Nigerian government to curtail the activities of the sect have not yielded any meaningful positive result. Thus, the Boko Haram scourge remains intractable to the government who appears helpless in curtailing/curbing their activities. The dynamics and sophistication of the Boko Haram operations have raised fundamental questions about national security, governance issue and Nigeria’s corporate existence.

 CHAPTER ONE 

INTRODUCTION

• Background of the Study

Armed conflict before the cold war era was seen as war between sovereign states, but since the end of the cold war, the phenomenon armed conflict has transformed into the rise of non-state actors against their own government (Laqueur, 2004). Insurgency which has been seen as the most common type of armed conflict has posed the greatest threat to global peace and security in the 21th century. Few years ago, insurgency was limited to a few isolated places, such as Northern Ireland, the Basque country in Northern Spain and some areas in the Middle East, but due to the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks as well as the rise of the Arab spring, insurgency has degenerated into a global menace (Awake, 2008). This worldwide manifestations of insurgencies include Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Syrian Islamic liberation front in Syria, Hamas in Palestine, the Taliban’s in Pakistan etc; Africa which has not been left out from these menace, has become a breeding ground for various insurgencies such as the Alshabaab in Somalia, the Lord’s Resistance Army in Central African Republic, the M23 Rebels in Democratic Republic of Congo, the National Movement of Azawad (MNLA), the Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb(AQIM) in Mali to mention a few. Thus, the most devastating effects of these insurgencies all over the world have been the high toll of humanitarian crisis in the form of rise in internally displaced persons(IDP’s), refugee influx, food insecurity, spread of nefarious diseases, gender and sexual based violence (Hughes, 2012). The phenomena of insurgency in Nigeria have been evident since her independence in 1960, ranging from the twelve-day revolution by Adaka Boro (1964), to the civil war (1967-1970), to the various ethnic militias such as the O’odua People’s Congress(OPC), the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta(MEND), the Niger-Delta insurgency and the most recent the ”Ahl al sunnali al alDa’wawa al Jihad”, popularly known as Boko Haram which has been operating in Northern Nigeria since the early 2000, with its origin linked with the wide spread of socio-economic and religious insecurity among certain communities in the North. Whose activities have unleashed terrible humanitarian crises in North East Nigeria (Fwatshak and Larab, 2004; Ikelegbe, 2010). The continued increase in the spread of the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram sect in North East Nigeria since 2009 has created adverse humanitarian consequence to the North East region. Life in the various communities of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, such as Kawuri, Baga, Konduga, Bama, Shuwa, Ajigin, Gamboru, Giwa, Chibok, Gwoza to mention a few, have been characteristically nasty, brutish and most times short (Salkida, 2012). The region has ceased to know civil normalcy as a result in the dire humanitarian situation as evident in human casualties, human right abuses, population displacement, and refugee debacle, loss of means of livelihood, food insecurity, limited medical facilities and other social amenities. The increasing influx of refugees and the spillover of Boko Haram violence to neighboring countries over the years had resulted to serious regional security implications, despites the establishment of a Joint Border Patrol Command to address the increasing security challenges attributed to the insurgency (This day, April 16th 2014).

The trend of domestic terrorism in Nigeria as exemplified by the nefarious activities of the dreaded Islamic sect popularly known as Boko Haram has become a major concern to the Nigerian government in particular and the international communities in general. The activities of the sect especially since 2009 has constituted a major security threat to the nation and make Northern Nigeria particularly the North-East (where their activities are rife), the most dangerous region to live in the country. The dynamics and sophistication of its operations and apparent invincibility of the sect have raised fundamental questions not only about national security, but also on governance issues as well as on Nigeria’s corporate existence. The militant incidents of the sect have been targeted mainly at the government and her institutions and officials, churches, motor parks and sometimes mosques; and countless number of innocent Nigerians has borne the brunt of the Boko Haram acts of devastation.

• STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

‘It is often said that terrorism is business to some’, because any time there is a natural disaster; there is always someone who benefit from it directly or indirectly without considering the chaos cause by the act. Since the advent of Boko Haram in Nigeria since 2009 Nigerian government has loss billions of naira trying to managed the menace caused by the sect ranging from loss of life, properties, infrastructures, investors and the peace and security of the populace. It is on this backdrop that the researcher intends to investigate the management strategy of Boko Haram terrorism and crises in North Eastern Nigeria.

• OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

It is pertinent to say that the objective of the study is to investigate Boko Haram terrorism management and crises in North East Nigeria. But for the successful completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following objectives;

1. To ascertain the effect of Boko Haram crises in North East Nigeria
2. To ascertain techniques adopted by government in managing the crises

• To investigate the effect of terrorism on economic development in Nigeria.

1. To ascertain the effect of Boko Haram in retarding foreign direct investment.
   • RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

For the successful completion of the study the following hypotheses was formulated:

H₀: Boko Haram crises have no significant effect in North East Nigeria.

H₁: Boko Haram crises have a significant effect in North east Nigeria.

H₀: Boko Haram terrorism has no significant impact on the economic development of Nigeria.

H₂: Boko Haram terrorism has a significant impact on the economic development of Nigeria.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of great importance to the federal government and the national emergency management agency in developing appropriate strategy in and curtailing the adverse effect of the activities of the Boko Haram sect.

The study will also be useful to the state government; as the findings will guide them in coming up with strategies on how to carter for the survival of the attack of the Boko Haram sect. the study will also of great importance to researchers who wants to embark on investigation in similar topic as the study will serve as a guide to them. Finally the study will be of great importance to academia, teachers, students, lecturers and the general public.

• SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers Boko Haram terrorism and crises management in North Eastern Nigeria. In the cause of the study, the researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;

• Availability of research material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.
• Time: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
• Finance: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
  • DEFINITION OF TERMS

Boko Haram

Boko Haram means no to western education

NEMA

National emergency management agency

Terrorism

Terrorism is, in its broadest sense, the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence as a means to create terror or fear, in order to achieve a political, religious, or ideological aim. It is classified as fourth-generation warfare and as a violent crime. In modern times, terrorism is considered a major threat to society and therefore illegal under anti-terrorism laws in most jurisdictions. It is also considered a war crime under the laws of war when used to target non-combatants, such as civilians, neutral military personnel, or enemy prisoners of war.

• Organization of the study

This research work is organized in five chapters for easy understanding as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study it’s based thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding.  Chapter five gives summary, conclusion and recommendations made of the study.

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