Boko Haram insurgency and the challenges of counter terrorism policy in Nigeria

• Main Author: Oniwide, Oyetola
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: U Military Science (General)
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/12916/1/7.pdf; http://repo.uum.edu.my/12916/; http://www.umicg2014.com/

This study discussed the inherent weaknesses in the Government’s counter offensive policy to the threat posed by the Boko Haram insurgents to the Nigerian state.Available evidence shows that the counter-terrorist policy of the government is defective.The study highlighted the measures the government should undertake to curb the menace of the insurgents such as policing its borders in the North Eastern region effectively, collaborating with countries that it shares borders with, equipping her security organizations and enlisting the support of her citizens in the fight against the insurgents, amongst others.Using library research and interview methods, the findings of the study indicated that: (i) Government should not follow the path of using the same methods it used to combat the Niger Delta militants to address the Boko Haram insurgents.(ii) Peace negotiation is most unlikely to succeed with insurgents like those of Boko Haram with vile ideologies, whose core demands undermine democracy and good governance.Rather, it is more likely to succeed with insurgent groups pursuing legitimate political or economic based grievances that are capable of deepening democracy and good governance, that is, if Government accepts their core demands.(iii) Peace negotiation is most unlikely to succeed with Boko Haram insurgents, since they do not have the capacity to lead a provincial government, after disavowing terrorism. This study, therefore, strongly recommended that to checkmate the threat posed by Boko Haram insurgents, Government should treat them like terrorists rather than freedom fighters.The paper finally suggested that since the issue of bad governance has been identified as one of the factors responsible the emergence of Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria, the government (at the Federal, State and Local levels) should engage in people-oriented policies to create job opportunities for the youths.