Insurgency and National Security. The Case of Boko Haram in Nigeria (PDF)

Academic Paper from the year 2021 in the subject Politics - Topic: Peace and Conflict, Security, grade: 2.5, , language: English, abstract: This research examines the impact of Boko Haram insurgency on Nigeria's national security. The objectives were to determine the nature of Boko Haram insurgency on Nigeria's security, examine the impact of the Boko Haram insurgency on the national security challenges confronting Nigeria, and determine the cost of tackling insurgency by the federal government of Nigeria.

The resurgence of the Boko Haram attacks before, during and after the 2019 general elections showed that the Boko Haram insurgency has not been "technically defeated" as claimed by the federal government of Nigeria. As at May 31, 2019 when this work was concluded, the daily update from the Nigeria's Security Tracker (NST) of the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) showed that more than 200 Nigerian and Multinational Joint Taskforce (MJTF), comprising Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroonian troops, Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF), insurgents and civilians were killed in just May, 2019 (May 10 - May 31, 2019). These deaths were possible through suicide missions, guerilla attacks, bombings, communities' massacre, gun battles, ambush, sporadic shooting, kidnappings etc.

From 2011 to 2018, Boko Haram insurgents carried out over 3,346 incidents (attacks). This research observed that trillions of naira has been spent in the fight against insurgency by the military as released by the federal government and donor agencies. Countries with strategic economic, political and social interests in Nigeria have also supported financially. However, lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the military, abuse of human rights and lack of transformative approach in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency have undermined the general support (especially morally) needed to ensure that Boko Haram insurgency does not pose any security threats to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Nigerian state.