Harvest of violence: the neglect of basic rights and theBoko Haraminsurgency in Nigeria

Abstract

Drawing on the core commitments of Critical Terrorism Studies, and mostly, the ethic of emancipation, this article focuses on the Boko Haram insurgency to investigate recurring violent conflict in Nigeria. It identifies a governance gap not adverted to in the official narrative which has led to gross discontent at the lower levels of the society. The governance gap has created fertile breeding grounds for the recruitment of disillusioned youths who are easily mobilised to violence and lately, insurgency. There are normative and pragmatic reasons to adopt and prioritise social welfare through the implementation of economic, social and cultural obligations and due-process rights as a viable approach to at least reducing the spate of violence in the country. The discussion has relevance for resolving situations of violence and conflict in sub-Sahara Africa in particular and elsewhere in the developing world.

The geopolitics of Boko Haram and Nigeria's ‘war on terror’

“…What form this might take is not clear. Most responses to violence are combinations of ‘three broad forms, namely, militarizing, criminalizing and the liberal approach’ (Yusuf , 377; following Jarvis , 12). Having tried the first two, with little success, the third is again being reconsidered with dialogue going on through intermediaries (Lam ; Oyeniyi ).…”

“…As Le Billon (, 24) noted, ‘over the past 30 years, more than $350bn worth of oil has come out of the Nigerian ground, but the percentage of Nigerians surviving on less than $1 a day has risen from 36% to 70%’. For a country that has per capita income of $2700 and 7% growth in GDP (Johnson ), this is a staggering figure, and unrest unsurprising (see Agbiboa ; Yusuf ).…”

Making the Sky Relevant to Battle Strategy: Counterinsurgency and the Prospects of Air Power in Nigeria

“…The motivations and opportunities of the organization have flourished with widespread poverty, unemployment, weak state capacity, political corruption, and underdevelopment in the region. 25 Boko Haram emerged as a non-conformist Sect under Sheik Yusuf Muhammed in Maiduguri, Nigeria, in 2002. The Sect survived the heavy military crackdown against its members in the Kanama insurrection of [2003][2004].…”

The Role of ECOWAS on Economic Governance, Peace and Security Perspectives in West Africa

“…Lindberg (2001) argued that, trade can be seen as a main function of states which can be conducted by the private sector in negotiation with the state; it is then expected of the state to provide the needed strategies that would enhance economic governance towards services that can be provided to the people as well as public governance leading to the security of the people. Issues such as unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, as well as poor governance are the main challenges that may lead to youth's engagement in activities such as militancy and insurgency against the government of a given state like in the case of Nigeria, Mali, Niger, and Liberia (Dike, 2014;Olaiaya, 2014;Yusuf, 2013;Aghedo, 2012;Salaam, 2012;Jackson, 2007).…”