Chapter One: General Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Nigeria as a nation-state is under a sever internal

socio-economic and security threat. As a more general

level the threat has social economic political and

environmental dimensions. Each of these dimensions has

greatly affected the nation‘s stability and can be traced

to the ethnic militia armies ethnic and religious conflicts

poverty terrorism armed robbery corruption economic

sabotage and environmental degradation (Ilufoye 2009).

Boko Haram insurgence becomes the major problem

facing Nigerians in the recent time. These groups have

perpetrated several bombing that have killed millions of

12

innocent citizens of this country Nigeria and also caused

the destruction of both private and public properties

worth of billion of naira. This derives from their bid to

make people in the north east geo-political zone of

Nigeria to embrace their view on Islamic Nigeria code and

western education.

The predominant threat and security challenges in

the area are emendating from un-abating attacks on

Nigerian citizens individuals public and governmental

installations kidnapping and destruction of properties.

All these effect of Boko Haram activities are serious crime

against the Nigeria state which has threatened its

national security and socio-economic activities. This has

posed a great challenges to the ground strategy for

national security of which the primary aim is ―to

strengthen the federal republic of Nigeria to advance her

interest and objectives to contain instability control

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crime quality of life of every citizens improve the well

fare and the eliminate corruption‖ (Damba-zau 2007:51)

Boko Haram activities has destabilized socio-

economic activities. Increased crime and destruction of

both life and property of Nigerian citizens. This can be

attested to by the mass movement of people living in

northern part of the country most especially maiduguri

which is the capital of Borno State. This situation has

made it impossible for the citizens in that part ―Northren‖

of Nigeria to carry on their legitimate businesses. It is

also scaring foreign investors out of the country.

Students have been forced to flee their schools. The

gravity of the crisis has made some government to vow

never to allow Nigerians students from their state to go to

the Northern part of Nigeria for anything. Boko Haram

activities also effected the posting of students of southern

and eastern extradition on national youth service corps

(NYSC) to the north to the extent that parents are

14

strongly resisting the posting of their children as copper

to the north.

Boko Haram itself is a fatal blow to the noble

objective of the scheme as a unifying strategy the unity

of Nigerian is seriously threatened by Boko Haram

fundamentalist sect and therefore considered to be a

major potential terrorist threat affecting Nigerian mostly

on the part of socio-economic activities of the country.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Boko Haram activities was described by us

intelligence agents in November 2011 ―as a local salafist

group attacking Christians and local police stations with

matchet and poison tipped arrows in Nigeria‘s

northeastern Borno state. According to him:

Boko Haram is a way of thinking it

is politically driven they are loosely

organized grassroots insurrection

against not only the Abuja

government but the traditional

15

Muslim establishment as well.

(Campbell 2011).

After nearly a decade of violence Nigeria

government still does not have an effective strategy for

dismantling the group. The terrorist organization preys

on the disillusioned Muslims of the north who are fed up

with corruption. And have few economic opportunities

Nigeria is a heterogeneous country divided by two

religious beliefs aside traditional religion. The northern

half of the country is almost completely Muslim (50 per

cent of the total Nigerians population) and the southern

half is mostly dominated by Christians (40 per cent of the

total Nigerians population). Originating in the Muslim

dominated northern region of the country the movement

other rejected everything deemed western. The activities

of these groups ―Boko Haram‖ grew its ranks by taking

advantages of the widespread anger in the north over the

country‘s gap. In the north 72 percent of the population

16

live below the poverty line compared to only 22 percent

in the southern part Christopher (Bartolta 2011)

The political goal of Boko Haram sect is to create an

Islamic nation in the twelve northern states of Nigerians

eventually spreading to the rest of the country. From its

inception Boko Haram viewed Nigeria as a state or a

country running by non-believers and made the

government its main target ever when the country had a

Muslim president.

Therefore this research work seeks to find the

following:

1. Is poverty inducing the Boko Haram insurgency in

Nigeria?

2. Does the ―Boko Haram‖ insurgence have any socio-

economic implication on Nigerians development?

3. Is dialogue a desideration to the Boko Haram

menace in Nigeria?

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1.3 Objectives of the Study

The broad objectives of the study are to examine the

activities of the Boko Haram and its socio- economic

implication on Nigeria‘s development. Using Boko

Haram terrorism in Nigeria as a case study. To achieve

this specifically this research work is designed to

examine the following:

1. To determine if poverty is inducing the Boko Haram

insurgency in Nigeria

2. To assess the socio-economic implication of Boko

Haram insurgence on the nation.(Nigeria)

3. To determine if dialogue is a desideration to the

Boko Haram menace in Nigeria

1.4 Literature Review

Literature review has to do with what other scholars

and authors have contributed to this study so far. The

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term ―terrorism‖ refers to the systematic use of threat of

violence to communicate to political massage rather than

defeat an opponent military force. Thus the targets of

terrorism are symbolic and the victims of terrorism

represent a wider audience. To achieve a maximum

shock effective terrorist violence is usually dramatic and

provocative.

Typically small number of extremists who otherwise

lack the capacity to challenge those in power resort to

terrorism. A defining characteristics of terrorism is that

its users expects rewards that are of proportionate to

both the resources. They posses and the risk they

assume:

Terrorism is furthermore strategies

that are not restricted to any

particular ideology (smlter and

Beltes 2001).

According to Reich 1998 as a strategy of resistance

to the modem state terrorism emerged some half century

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after the French revolution when the term originated as

a description of the state regime of terror. Russia

revolutionaries and anarchist in French Spain Italy and

German established terrorism as a central mechanism in

attempt to over throw the established regimes most of

which were autocratic in the submission of Lain mclean

terrorism as a pejorative term also applies to the deeds

of government of sovereign state. According to Lain

Mclean an term ―state sponsored terrorism‖ is often

used to described the conduct of various government

indirectly organizing or indirectly assisting perpetration

of violence acts in other state. Lain Mclean argued that in

recent time many countries of divergent ideological

persuasion have engaged in this kind of activities while in

some cases strictly condemning others forms practices

(Lain Mclean 1996). Meanwhile terrorism is a contested

concept that resist precise definition. Since the term is

both elastic and emotionally powerful it lend itself to

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subjective interpretation driven by political rather than

analytical purposes it is also difficult to distinguish

terrorism from other forms of violence. Such as for

example querilla warfare or criminal activities if

terrorism is defined in terms of the intension behind the

action is it possible to know those intension? What is

the relationship between religion and terrorism be non-

combatants for example?. If so are attacks on security

target act of terrorism?

Though there is no official definition of terrorism

agreed on through out the world and definitions tend to

rely heavily on who is doing the definition and for what

purpose. Some definition focus on terrorist tactics to

defined the term while others focus on the actor. Ethnic

separatist violence in the 1930‘s provoked the League of

Nations formed after world war 1 to encourage world

stability and peace to defined terrorism for the first time

as:

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All criminal acts directed against a

state and intended or calculated to

create a state of terror in the mind

of particular persons or group of

persons or the general public.

(League of Nation convection

definition of terrorism 1937).

Therefore bringing to our understanding that Boko

Haram sect is pre-occupied with carrying out various

degree of attacks on civilians usually used by the

powerless against powerful;

International terrorism interludes

terrorists attacking a foreign targets

other than within own country or

abroad (Rurke 2008:316).

This means that September 11 2011 attack was an

international terrorism while one of the attacks by the

Boko Haram sect such as the police stations attacks is a

domestic terrorism. But it becomes complicated if the

Boko Haram sect is still a domestic terrorism group

despites it seeming connection with other international

sect such as Hamas and Alqueda.

22

According to Claver (2002:302) he stated that

terrorism is the use of force to impact fear with a view to

bring about political economic or social change‖

Recently terrorism has been endemic in all parts of the

countries in the world. Cleavert went on to explain that:

It is true as is often repeated that

man‘s terrorist is another is an

extreme example of an essential

contested concept and its preacher‘s

finds to polarize at extent that

renders it extremely difficult to

return to normal politics (Claver

2002:303).

Drawing from the above assertion indicated how

terrorism can lead to socio-economic underdevelopment

of a country though he was not elaborate but it is

worthy to appreciate his view that the practice of

terrorism group makes the society difficult to return to

normal politics. This can be deduced from the activities

of the Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria which has been

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destabilizing socio-economic activities in the northern

part of the country.

Also terrorism are viewed from a complete different

angel by many authors among also includes Heywood. In

his own view he explained three (3) dimensions of

terrorism. According to him:

The term is highly controversial first

the distinction or warfare is burred

by the fact that the later may also

aim to stake fear in to wider

population secondly as the term is

highly prerogative it stands to be

used selectively (one person‘s

terrorist is another person‘s freedom

fighter) thirdly although terrorism

is usually conceived as an anti-

governmental activities government

can employ terror against their own

or other population as in the case

of terrorism in the state (Heywood

2007:382)

This assertion of Heywood brings to out mind that

interregional terrorism can take different and many forms

whatever means these activities are perpetrated the

contention of this research is that it directly leads to

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underdevelopment. This is especially in the areas of these

states still batting with the problem of development.

Remarkable a very distant variant of terrorism is

that of Mbah (2008:139) stated that:

Terrorism as a deialedt necessity as

well as the product of globalization

and the expression of it and

because this relations is a class

relation the relevant division is an

antagonistic one which creates

contradictory class intersection.

This is a very sharp contribution to the issue of

terrorism. But the fact is still that none of this authors

have been able to point out or suggest that terrorism

either domestic or international direct or indirectly lead

to underdevelopment:

Goldia et al 92005:201) stated that:

Government appeals hind to portray

terrorism simply as criminal

violence assaults on society that can

not be justified as serving a political

cause.

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Terrorism typically it has a political objective that

makes it a pervasive form of political conflict partied by

indefinable modes of political leadership and

participation. The above assertion tries to example the

structures of the Boko Haram insurgence in Nigeria. This

is because if it is believed that the group shuns the

politics of the northern part of Nigeria and agitating for

imposition of sharia law. Hence while this version partly

discuss the common modes of terrorist operation that

occurs in democratic politics we should be aware of the

violence that can occur when democratic system breaks

down

1.5 Significance of the Study

All individual lives in a world prone to crisis. No

nation is free from crisis. Violence is now endemic in

human relations. The global threat of terrorism respect

no boundaries or borders. Nigeria is not free from these

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threat emanating from Boko Haram activities. Therefore

the debating questions are:

1. What is the nature of this threat?

2. Have the security agencies handled the

situation well?

3. What have gone wrong with the strategy

employed

4. How should government respond responding to

these recent terrist bombing?

5. Can militaristic approach without more work

work?

6. Are there lessons to be leant in the ways of

other countries handles such threat‖

This research work will attempt to answer these

questions and build up relevant literatures on Islamist

fundamental and contributes to academic professional

and security at large as it enlightens develops and

inform citizens and government of the reoccurring

27

activities of domestic terrorists and making of possible for

policy makers to strategize measures to handle the

conflict in Nigeria.

Beyond serving as an addition to already existing

literature it will serve as a practical guide for those in

the field of criminal investigation departments anti-

terrorism or counter insurgence.

This study is thereby motivated by strong desire to

contribute to the ranging dissolution its socio-economic

implication on Nigeria‘s development. It is therefore

hoped that this study will be relevant and of benefits to

the students and scholars of political science history

intelligent and security studies and the society at large.

1.6 Theoretical Framework

According to Ohara (2003:63) knowledge does not

exist in a vacuum. In every descriptive there is a body of

theories that provides the explanation for observable

28

phenomena in that field. This section attempt to draw

analogy between established theories and the problem

being investigated where such analogies drawn even

support the importance of the study. The theoretical

requirement of this work is draw from frustration-

aggression theory which I believe provided a detailed

explanation for the emergence of ―Boko Haram‖

insurgence in Nigeria. The theory was propounded and

developed by John Dollard and his research associates

initially developed in 1939 and has been expanded and

modified by school like Leonard Berlowitz (1962) and

Audrey Yales (1962). The theory properly created the

analogy used within this research to explain the

dynamics in Boko Haram terrorism.

According to John Dollard (1939) he explained that

it seems to be that most common explanation for violent

behaviour stemmed from inability to fulfill needs. In

attempts to explain aggression scholars points to the

29

difference between what people feel they want or deserve

to what they actually gets the ―want get-ratio‖

(teocrabends 1969) and difference between ―expected

need satisfaction‖ and actual need satisfaction (Davies

1960). When expectation does not meet attainment the

tendency is for people to confront those hold responsible

for frustrating their ambitions. Therefore frustration

aggression provides that aggression is not just

undertaking as a natural reaction or instinct as realist

and biological theorist assumes but that is the outcome

of frustration and that is in a situation where the desire

of an individual is denied either directly or by the

indirectly consequence of the way the society is

structured the feeling of disappointment may lead such

a person to express his anger through violence that will

be directed those he holds responsible or people who are

directly or indirect related to them (Akwen 2011:52-53).

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As described by John Dollard that most common

explanation for violence behaviour is instability to fulfill

needs. According to Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah

states that ―Boko Haram terrorism is a product of bad

government and corruption and therefore fueled by

politics (Mayor 2011). In Nigeria approximately 76

percent of northern on less than one dollar per day.

School are un- finance and the standard of education is

so poor that graduate are often unfit for employment. The

worst of it all is the Nigerian government poor responses

to the northern desire on economic and security

conditions which has fueled resentment making many

young men vulnerable to Boko Haram recrulters. People

in the north are significantly marginalized and are not

provided the same economic opportunities and benefits

that the rest of the country enjoy (Ibid). The founder and

also the leader of the group Mohammad Yusuf argued

that ―Western education or ―Boko‖ had brought nothing

31

but poverty and suffering to the region and was therefore

―forbidden or Haram‖ in Islam (Reutrs 2012).

This is the central government argument that led

Robert Gurr‘s (1970) relative deprivation these addressed

in saying that:

The greater the discrepancy

however marginal between what is

sought and what seems attainable

the greater will be the chances that

anger and violence will result (Ted

1970).

A part from Nigeria government being corrupt in the

year 1999 the police claimed down on Boko Haram

members who were ignoring a law requiring motorcyclist

to wear helmets. That sparked a furious back lash. Police

stations and government offices in Borno state were

burned to ground hundreds of citizens released in prison

break innocent citizens died on bomb explosion public

and private properties destroyed etc. as the violence

spread across northern Nigeria.

32

The last stroke that broke the camel‘s back was the

government and its army reacting with force the leader

of the Boko Haram group ̳Mohammed Yusuf‖ was

captured and shot dead in police custody. Five days of

fighting left more than 800 people dead (Morgan 2011).

In other words the group remains fiercely anti-

government and anti-authority and resentful of the

decades of corrupt poor government that have improvise

it home region (Ibid).

1.7 Hypotheses

For the purpose of this study this hypotheses were

formulated:

1. Poverty and unemployment seem to be the

driving force of the Boko Haram insurgence

2. Boko Haram insurgence has led to lose of

revenue and seeming disunity in Nigeria

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3. Dialogue appears to be desideration to the Boko

Haram Menace in Nigeria.

1.8 Method of Data Collection

By method of data collection we are referring to the

various means through which appropriate information

needed for this study was sourced for the purpose of this

work. The method used in the gathering of the data

collection is mainly secondary source of data collection

This research is a topical issue the secondary

method of sourcing was adequate this include gathering

materials or information from text books journals

magazines newspapers internet material seminars

debates and seminars publications. Etc.

1.9 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The scope of this research work is quite broad that

it encompasses the investigation ―the effect of Boko

34

Haram insurgence on the socio-economic development of

Nigerian‖.

The limitation of this study various factors

contributed in affecting in researchers

comprehensiveness and totality in carrying out the study.

Among these factors are scarcity of relevant materials on

the issue due to its continuous evolving nature and

virginity experienced its apex in the course of the

research interval.

Despite the financial problem hindrance and

shortcoming the research work will defiantly come to

accomplished.

1.10 Definition of Terms

According to Janct (2004:107) definition of terms

used in a research is operation. Works are defined as

they are used by the researcher. This means that

researcher uses certain words in the way they fit to the

35

study which may be different from the ordinary

dictionary meaning. For an operational understanding of

the term used within this study the definitions are as

follows:

Boko Haram:- The term Boko Haram is a derivation of

Hausa world ―Boko‖ meaning ―Animist‖ western or

otherwise non-Islamic education‖ while Haram is a word

with Arabic origin that figuratively means ―sin‖ but

literally forbidden‘. In order words Boko Harm means

―western education is forbidden or is a sin‖ (Wkipedia

Boko Haram‖ 21/03/2013:1) Boko Haram is very

controversial Nigeria militant Islamic group that seeks for

the imposition of sharia law in the entire northern states

of Nigeria. The name officially of the group is jama‘atu

Alis-sunna Lidda‘awth wal jihad‖ which in Arabic

translated to people committed to the propagation of the

teaching of prophet and jihad‖ literally therefore the

36

group means ―Association of sunnis for the propagation

of Islam and for Holy war.

Insurgence:- This is defined as a political battle waged

among a cooperative or acquiescence populace in order

for a group of outsiders to take over (or at lest

undermine) the government of a nation.

Crime:- On the definition of crime the united Nation

Research institution. Observed that

Crime in the sense of branch of a

legal prohibition is a universal

concepts out what actually

constitutes a crime and how

seriously it should be regarded

varies enormously from one society

to another perception of crime are

not determined by any objective

indictor of the degree of injury or

damage but by culture values and

power relations (UN Research

institute for social development

(1995).

In a strict legal definition however a crime is a violation

of the criminal law which is subsequently followed by

legal punishment (Dambazau 2007).

37

Violence:- Violence is defined by the World Health

Organization (WHO) as the international use of physical

force of power threatened or actual against oneself

another person or against a group or community that

either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in

injuries death psychological harm mal development or

deprivation. (Wikipedia WHO).

Sect:- Sect can be seen as a body of persons

distinguished by pecularities of faith and practice form

other bodies adhering to the same general system.

Specially the adherents collectively of a particular creed

or confession a demonation or older form of faith or

believe (Britanic world language dictionary).

Peace:- Peace is generally defined as the absence of war

conflict anxiety suffering and violence and absolute

peaceful co-existence. However peace connotes more

than a mere absence of war hostilities because an

absence of conflict is inevitable. Therefore peace could be

38

defined as a political condition that ensure justice and

social stability through formal or informal institutions

practices and norms (Howard 1987).

Security:- Security can be defined to mean ― the total

sum of action and measures including legislative and

operational procedures adopted to ensure peace

stability and the general well being of a nation and its

citizens (Shinikaiye 2004:2).

Terrorism:- Terrorism is perhaps the most controversial

problematic concept to define in the world to day. This is

made more problematic blurred distinction between

legitimate act of resistance and criminal act of terrorism.

Despite these difficulties however terrorism could

conceptualized as the politically motivated acts of

violation perpetrated against civilian targets with the aim

of inflicting mass causalities instilling fear and a sense

of insecurity and affecting a change in the policies and

action of the victims (Nolan 1998).

39

National Security:- National security is best described

as a capacity to control those domestic and foreign

conditions that the public opinion of a given community

believes necessary to enjoy its own self-determination or

autonomy prosperity and well being (Maier (2000:5).

Islamic Fundamentalism:- Islamic Fundamentalism is a

term used to describe religious ideologies seen as

advocating a return to the fundamentals of Islam the

Quran and the Summah it is deemed problematic by

those who suggest that Islamic belief requires all

Muslims to be fundamentalists (Bernard 1993). Islamic

fundamentalist oppose the infiltration of secular and

westernizing influences and seek to institute Islamic law

including in Muslim and strict code of behaviour.

Domestic Terrorism:- Domestic Terrorism is the

commission of terrorist attacks in a state by forces inside

or originating from the state as opposed to terrorist

attacks by forces external to the state. In other words

40

domestic terrorism is a terrorist act practice in one‘s own

country against her own people (online dictionary).