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Lake Chad has been a source of economic livelihood for millions of people inhabiting the catchment areas in the four riparian states, namely: Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. However, in the last four decades, the size of the lake including its resources has continued to diminish. The impact of this depletion is being felt by Lake Chad basin population who depend on the lake for their means of livelihood. This paper focuses on the diminishing natural resources of Lake Chad as an empirical referent to analyse the relationship that can develop among natural resource diminution, livelihood and conflicts. Of particular attention is the incidence of conflict between and among fishermen, pastoralists, farmers and sometimes state security agents, and the tendency of the

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The last decade in Nigeria has witnessed the resurgence of several Islamic sects seeking political and religious reforms in the country. These groups include, among others, the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the Boko Haram (Nigerian Taliban), the Kala-Kato , the Darul-islam , the Ahmadiya Movement, the Khadiriyyha, Darika Shi ' a Salafi ya (or Izala), the Tijjaniya , and the Tariqqa group. Of these sects, the activities of the Boko Haram is one that is growing in scale and frequency.This article therefore focuses on the emerging threats posed by the Boko Haram sect. It probes into its historical evolutions, highlights its philosophy and ideologues and analyses its radicalisation into a violent extremist movement. It contends that the sect ' s growing capacity to mount both ' low-scale ' and ' lone ' attacks demands that the Nigerian security forces and perhaps the international community begin to pay more attention to the emerging security challenge posed by this movement, in order to abort its possible transnational terrorist potential. Security Journal (2012) 25, 134 -151.