Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria: Changing the Pattern of Counterinsurgency

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume II, Issue VIII, August 2018 | ISSN 2454–6186

Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria: Changing the Pattern of Counterinsurgency

Modu Lawan Gana^1*, Ku Hasnita Binti Ku Samsu², Mohd Mahadee Bin Ismail³

¹Department of Public Administration, Mai Idris Alooma Polytechnic Geidam, Nigeria
^{2, 3} Department of Nationhood and Civilization Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia
*Corresponding Author

Abstract: This paper is a concept that x-rayed the existing pattern of counterinsurgency methods taken by Nigeria’s government in combating an insurgent Boko Haram in Nigeria. The paper argued that the growth and sustenance of Boko Haram insurgency despite the successive counterinsurgency measures by the Nigeria’s government is rooted from the enemy centric approach of the government that resulted in unquantifiable destruction of human and material goods. The repressive military action characterise by dragnet arrest, indefinite detentions and disappearance, looting and burning of civilian properties raises suspicions on the military that resulted in their detachment from the communities they are policing. This therefore denied the government with vital intelligence about the insurgent movement, their modus operandi and their dens. As consequence, the paper argued it captivated further support for the Boko Haram group from the affected communities. The paper in its contribution recommend that to ensure speedy successes in combating the Boko Haram group, Nigeria’s government is to change its military centric counterinsurgency approach to civilian oriented measures that will incorporate the civilian groups in the affected communities into the counterinsurgency team.

Keywords: Boko Haram, Nigeria, Violence, Insurgency, Counterinsurgency

I. INTRODUCTION

Nigeria since the returned of it democratic governance in 1999 after about 16 years of non-stop military dictatorships, the country once regarded as giant of Africa appeared to a lingering security challenges posted by an insurgent group Boko Haram. Boko Haram, a colloquial literally ‘western education is sin’ is an Islamic fundamentalist whose aim is to establish an Islamic state within the Nigeria sovereign state that should be adjudicate with the spiritual laws of Qur’an and Hadith, the holy books of Islam. In propagation of this objective, the group erupt into violence through fierce confrontation with the institutions of state [police, military and their appendices].

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