Linus Nwoye

Keywords: Boko Haram, DDR, carrot and stick, ISWAP, corruption

Abstract

Activities of Boko Haram have largely threatened national security in Nigeria since the past two decades. In Nigeria, the sect came into limelight when it attacked the United Nations’ building and Police Headquarters in Abuja, leading to loss of lives and properties. It soon complemented these assaults with the kidnap of 276 Chibok schoolgirls and the slaughtering of 50 students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi. Over the years,
different strategies have been adopted by different administrations in Nigeria towards ending the crises, namely: Yaradua’s shoot-on-sight approach, Jonathan’s “carrot” and “stick” strategy and Buhari’s de-radicalization, de-mobilization and rehabilitation programme, otherwise known as DDR. Although Buhari’s approach looked good in walking a fine line, Boko Haram is still in the bush fighting with its sister organization, the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). The
study adopts the descriptive cross-sectional survey design which involved
the administration of 250 questionnaires, conduct of in-depth interview and Focus Group Discussions. The study’s findings revealed ethnicity, betrayal among Nigerian military forces, greed and corruption coupled with foreign involvement as the major reason why Boko Haram crisis remains unabated in Nigeria. The study concludes that while much attention is paid to repentant Boko Haram, little or no attention is paid to their victims. This gap is generating hostility and rejection of government programmes in local communities. Thus, it is recommended that the back-to-school initiative of the Federal Government should go a step further to identify the real victims of Boko Haram insurgence and compensate them accordingly.

Author Biography

Linus Nwoye

Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Nigeria

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