CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Over the years Nigeria has experienced series of attacks and

blast in most region of the country. The violent agitation by Militants in

the Niger Delta region (MEND) has often led to loss of lives and

properties otherwise known as “Movement for Emancipation of Niger

Delta. So many spirited groups hide under this body to carry out their

nefarious acts of rebellion govern the Nigerian state to express their

governances over the degradations of the operation of the multinational

organization.

Similarly there are groups that exist in other parts of the country

and they include; the “Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) which is located in

the South-West. They are often called the Afeinifere group. There exists

also the “Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra

(MASSOB) in the South-East while the „Boko Haram‟ uses the Northern

part of the country as their operational base.

This research study will critically scrutinize and evaluate the

activities of the latter amongst the above mentioned political and or

religious sects because that is the thrust of this research. It can be

deduced that socio-political development are instrumental to the

incessant crisis that has bedeviled our beloved country „Nigeria‟ today.

People are said to be poor when they experience lack of sufficient

income to purchase material needs which often excludes individuals

from partaking in generally accepted activities of daily life in the society

at large. According to ALI MAZRUI in his „Paradox of Retardation‟ Africa

is not the poorest of the regions of the world but it is the most

retarded. He argued that Africans are richly endowed; as such they

have no reason to be poor.

In spite the fact that June 10 2006 marked 50 years of oil

exploration and production and over & 400 billion accrued to the

Nigerian state in terms of revenue Nigeria is still referred to as one of

the poorest and developing countries in the world.

Boko Haram as the name denotes does not have one particular

meaning. The name more or less connotes different meanings to

different people. The group is a Nigerian Islamic group that seeks the

imposition of Sharia Law throughout the whole of Nigeria. Figuratively

members of this group believe that “Western education is a sin”.

Presently the group has an undefined structure and chain of command.

It is of a paramount importance to note that the official name of the

group is „Jama‟ atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda‟ await Wal-Jihad‟ which means

or rather is tantamount to “People committed to the propagation of the

prophet‟s teaching and Jihad”.

Since its formation in 2002 in Maiduguri by the leader of the

group Mohammed Yusuf the Boko Haram has been a thorn in the flesh

of Nigeria‟s security agencies precisely the police force over its

opposition to western education that it believes is a sin. In the year

2004 the Islamic fundamentalist group relocated its base to Kanamma

Yobe State. The new location was named “Afghanistan” and from

there the group set about attacking and leaving members of the

Nigerian Police Lifeless.

Almost the various crises due to bombings carried out by the

Boko Haram are:

 The Nigeria sectarian violence in the year 2009.

 The Bauchi Prison Break on the 7thof September 2010

 Abuja attack on the 31stof December 2010

 Northern Nigeria bombings on the 29thof May 2011

 Abuja Police headquarters bombing on the 16thof June 2011.

 Bombing at the All Christian Fellowship Church in Suleja Niger

State on the 10th of July 2011.

 Bombing of the Abuja United nations Building on the 26th of August 2011.

 Damaturu attacks on Friday November 4th 2011.

 St. Theresa Catholic Church attack in Madalla at Suleja Niger

State on the 25th of December 2011.

 Kano attacks on 20 th of January 2012

 Suicide bombing at the Army Headquarters in Kaduna on the 8 th of February 2012. Just to mention but a few.

In conclusive having said all these at this juncture this research

work will critically analyze the two concepts i.e. Socio-political

development and Boko Haram in order to create a better understanding

in the minds of the readers and more so to contribute to existing

knowledge of literature.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It is no longer news that the activities of the Boko Haram and

other similar political and or religious sects have often led to loss of

properties lives and even the breakdown of laws and order peace and

security in the Nigerian society at large. It has been observed that a lot

of attacks have been made onto many states which include even the

Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

What puzzles most observers is the fact that most of these

attacks are not carried out by suicide bombers yet the culprits often get

away unharmed. This leaves a big question mark in our security

agencies as regards to their duty in the protection of lives and

properties and the procurement of weapons of mass destruction to

combat this menace which is eating deep into the Nigerian society

today.

Without being said Boko Haram crisis do not have any advantage

instead it is a vicious and nefarious act carried out by individuals for

their selfish desires the motivating factor being to control the religious

and political power.

However it is the above stated problems that instigated the

researcher into investigating on the topic the impact of Boko Haram on

the Socio-political development of Nigeria” using Niger State as a case

study.

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The main thrust of this study is to determine Boko Haram crisis

and the socio-political development of Nigeria to achieve this the

researcher has the following objectives as it points.

1. To find out if there are Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria.

2. To ascertain the remote and immediate causes of boko Haram

crisis in Nigeria.

3. To ascertain the socio-Political and religious implication of Boko

Haram crisis in Nigeria.

4. To make suggestions to the federal governmet on how to tackle

the Boko Haram crisis.

5. To determine the ways in which the Nigeria citizens can serve as

a helping hand in tackling the Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

There are numerous reasons why this research is useful the

research work would be of great importance to students and lectures in

practice of how to carry out further research in the same area. It will

help the government to solve some likely problems that might

encounter in terms of development in Nigeria.

Also the research will act as a guide to the government in their

quest to quell the problems associated with security ethnic crisis and

political or religious crisis in Nigeria.

1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Opinions are however divided over the propelling firing of this

group. It as indeed in a bid to eradicate these incessant chaos and

destruction which has often led to loss of assets that the researcher

which to posit some research questions. Thus:

1. Are there really Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria?

2. What are the remote and immediate causes of Boko Haram crisis

in Nigeria?

3. What are the socio-political and religious implications of Boko

Haram crisis in Nigeria?

4. What suggestion can you give to the federal government to help

tackle the Boko haram crisis?

5. What way can the Nigeria citizen help to tackle the Boko Haram

crisis in Nigeria?

1.6 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The scope of this research study is quite broad that it

encompasses the investigation of Boko Haram crisis in Nigeria from the

year 2002 till date. This is because of its spontaneous nature.

In view of the limitations of this study various factors contributed

in affecting the researcher‟s comprehensiveness and totality in carrying

out the study. Among these factors include scarcity of relevant

materials on the issue due to its continuous evolving nature financial

constraints some questionnaire administered were not returned and

most of the respondents failed to respond to some important questions

and other tasking campus engagements and the fact that the crisis was

still occurring at the period of research.

Despite the above mentioned short comings and hindrances the

research study no doubt turned out to be successful.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS/CONCEPT

COHESION: The art or state of sticking together.

SPIRITED: Deals with having or showing mettle courage

vigor energy and determination.

NEFARIOUS: Being wicked.

DEGRADATION: A situation in which somebody has lost all self-

respect and the respect of other people. It is

also the process of something being damaged or

made worse.

BEDEVILED: To cause a lot of problems for somebody or

something over a long period of time.

TANTAMOUNT: Having the same bad effect as something else.

AGITATION: To argue strongly for something you want

especially for changes in a law in social

conditions etc.

RETARDATION: An offensive way of describing somebody

who is not intelligent or who has not

developed normally.

DEVELOPMENT: The act or process of bringing to a more

advanced state growth progress etc. It

is also the gradual growth of something so

that it becomes more advanced stronger

etc.

VICIOUS: Full of hatred and anger savages evil

etc.