¶ … Agbiboa, D.E. (2013a). Peace at Daggers Drawn? Boko Haram and the State of Emergency in Nigeria. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 37(1): 41-67.
Boko Haram technically started in 2002 but has been especially active since 2009. Since then, the organization has worked hard to discredit the Nigerian government and replace it with an Islamic state based on Sharia law. Boko Haram is inspired by international radical Islam, and has taken root in northeastern Nigeria. Violence is integral to the Boko Haram methods. More than 3500 people have died so far directly due to Boko Haram.
The Nigerian government has tried negotiations and offers of amnesty in exchange for peace, but mutual mistrust has stalled diplomacy. Both carrot and stick approaches have failed. Moreover, Boko Haram is relatively fragmented, and different cells have different approaches to the Nigerian government and different political philosophies. Ultimately, Boko Haram must be understood within its historical, social, and political context. It is appealing to the poor and disenfranchised, using religion as a direct means of social and political control. Suggestions for state responses include ongoing negotiations, albeit while embedding counterterrorism measures. Counterterrorism should be less about force and more about addressing the root causes such as socioeconomic inequalities and creating...
Ending Terrorism in Africa: Diverging Approaches for Fighting Boko Haram Insurgency Boko Haram insurgency has been a plague to peace and prosperity in Nigeria. In recent years, the organization has become increasingly more violent and connected with transnational terrorist organizations. Boko Haram threatens to destabilize Nigeria, as the group has carried out attacks on Nigerian infrastructure in addition to high-profile events like the abduction of school children in 2014 (Blanchard, 2014).
Diffusion of innovation theory refers to the spread of ideas, materials, or strategies and can be applied both to counterterrorism policies or terrorist tactics themselves. By paying attention to the patterns of diffusion, governments can make more informed counterterrorism decisions or policies. At the same time, diffusion of innovation can show how terrorist tactics spread from one group to another or how extremism spreads throughout a region. Applied to Boko Haram,
Annotated Bibliography Agbiboa, D.E. (2013a). Peace at Daggers Drawn? Boko Haram and the State of Emergency in Nigeria. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism 37(1): 41-67. One of the leading analysts on Boko Haram here provides a detailed overview of the group, discussing how Boko Haram emerged out of the chaotic instability in northern Nigeria, what specific demands and issues the group has presented and how those demands have changed, how they recruit,
Conceptualizing Boko Haram is challenging, requiring a multifaceted theoretical framework. Boko Haram did not emerge out of a vacuum. It is hypothesized that Boko Haram has been influenced by other radical groups as well as trans-national religious extremism. Moreover, it is hypothesized that Boko Haram functions as a political opposition group. The theoretical framework used to characterize the political function and focus of Boko Haram is based on social alienation
Nigeria Election and Media Coverage The Nigerian elections committee has postponed the national election until March 28, 2015. The election was scheduled to take place on February 14, but growing concerns about violence and security issues have triggered this cautionary response. Yet, there are some who believe that postponement will not substantially result in improved security, and instead will worsen conditions. Nigeria's security chiefs are not confident that they can keep
New Terrorism -- Risk Management In the aftermath of the carnage created by terrorists on September 11, 2001, in which 2,977 people were killed (in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in hijacked commercial jetliners), the United States government initiated a "war on terror." That war has yet to be won, and may never be won because terrorists have found new ways of launching attacks and where there once was
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