Effects Of Boko Haram Insurgency In Nigeria

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The Boko Haram insurgency is an ongoing conflict, stemming from north-eastern Nigeria, that involves the governments of Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger trying to suppress the rebel jihadist terrorist group Boko Haram. This conflict, in the liberalist perspective, is based on the failed bargaining of territory between one weak actor—Boko Haram—and multiple stronger, more developed actors—the Nigerian and other regional governments. Alternative political viewpoints see the war as Boko Haram’s backlash against Western influence in the region (Realism) or Nigeria’s social construction of terrorism as an act of war (Constructivism). Boko Haram first formed in 2002 under the name Jama 'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda 'awati wal-Jihad and set its headquarters …show more content…

Boko Haram’s aggression can be seen as backlash against the lasting effects of Western influence in Nigeria, brought about by European Imperialism in the early 20th century. Realists would claim that Boko Haram jihadists ambitiously aim to expand their caliphate throughout the region, eradicating all that do not support their cause. However, Realists do not account for Boko Haram’s recent incentive to negotiate with the Nigerian government, nor does it explain neighboring countries’ willingness to cooperate, especially when letting Boko Haram weaken Nigeria would be the easiest way to gain control of the region.
Constructivists pose a different understanding: They claim that Nigeria and its cooperatives perceive Boko Haram’s aggression as an “act of war,” and this perception has become an ideological norm that makes these countries obligated to fight back. They also attribute Boko Haram’s development to the upbringing of its supporters, all of which consider their operations as part of a religious mission. This theory is problematic, however, because it over-generalizes the mindset of both sides and does not consider ulterior political and financial incentives, as well as recent negotiation

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