This study interrogates the discourses and issues of terrorism and counterterrorism in Nigeria. That terrorism has plagued Nigeria for over a decade (2009-2020) makes it imperative to subject the purpose, conduct, scope, and outcomes of Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts to a critical analysis. This work adopted qualitative research methods (primary and secondary data collection), and used discourse analysis strategy to analyse the collected data. Using critical terrorism studies framework, the central argument of this study is that Nigeria lacks national consensus on the problem of terrorism, which has impacted negatively on the efforts to counter the scourge. The country lacks the needed unity of purpose to combat terrorism due to vested interests and politicisation of the terrorism issues. Consequently, the menace has lingered in ways that have made the country very fragile. This study concluded that for Nigeria to get out of the woods, both the leaders and the citizens would have to unanimously face the reality that terrorism is a common enemy that should be confronted in unison and with a whole-of-society approach. To continue doing otherwise is to allow the country to dissolve into “socio-political Armageddon.”

Notwithstanding decades-long strains and stresses in their relations, Nigeria is one of the foremost African partners of the United States and a major recipient of American aid in Africa. Both countries have traditionally maintained very robust bilateral relations since the former’s political independence in 1960, especially given their economic ties. Until recently, their economic ties have been very robust, thanks to Nigeria’s sweet crude that the United States largely needed for decades. However, this study examines how the generally cordial bilateral relations between the two countries have not necessarily translated to effective security and anti-terrorism cooperation. Nigeria has consistently focused on the United States for anti-terrorism support, albeit with limited responses from the latter. In this regard, the study utilised both primary and secondary sources to investigate the puzzling inconsistencies in the anti-terrorism cooperation between these supposed allies. Thus, the study revealed that since both countries have a common interest in combating terrorism, a conventional realist approach can help us put in the proper perspective some understandable strategic reasons for their somewhat difficult anti-terrorism cooperation. The study concludes that as much as Nigeria desires American support, the dynamics of their anti-terrorism cooperation will not likely change for as long as the United States does not consider combating terrorism in Nigeria to be strategic to its Homeland Security.