ABSTRACT
For a decade now, the Boko Haram terrorist organization has continuously caused insecurity within the northeastern part of Nigeria where it emerged and other areas around the Lake Chad Basin. The motivations for the group’s uprising and persistence continuous to be a source of academic debate. Religion, politics and economics have become the main factors which many have used to explain the complex phenomenon of Boko Haram terrorism. This research specifically interrogates the economic motivations of Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria to find out how economic factors and conditions in the country’s northeast impact on the sect. The research based on the Rational Choice Theory to assess the motives of the group based on its actions and decisions. Data for the research were obtained from primary sources, mainly interviews, as well as secondary sources including books, reports, journal articles and the internet. The research finds that, while there are contending explanations for the motivations of Boko Haram, grievances of the dire economic conditions and underdevelopment of Nigeria’s northeast relative to the south, gave impetus for the emergence and persistence of the sect. Particularly, poverty was found to be the single biggest contributor to the local support for the group. Religion was however found to be only a vehicle through which leadership of the sect stoked the sentiments of the aggrieved Muslim majority. Elements of economic crimes introduced to the sect was also observed to have turned the group into a criminal organization benefiting from “war economy”. The research concludes that it will take both hard and soft approaches to deal with the threat of Boko Haram in Nigeria, but in the long-term, terrorism must be prevented from the community rather than being fought on the battlefield.
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION
Background to the Problem
At the dawn of the new world order in 1990, few theorists thought that the fear of terrorists’ attacks would dominate the security agenda of most nations for the unforeseeable future (Gastrow & Hübschle, 2006). Terrorism has become a global concern and its impact on world security is very immense, such that blocs and regions are increasingly collaborating to find appropriate counter measures. In Africa, terrorism has been growing due to the continent being home to both a facilitating and target rich environment for terrorists that are seeking global influence (Schuurman, 2018). Among the nations of the world, the Sub-Saharan region of Africa is more popular for terror, with 16 countries having high terror risk ratings. These countries are chiefly clustered in an adjoining block stretching from West to East Africa, such as Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, Mali, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Chad, among others. (Aon, 2015).
The two (2) deadliest terror groups in Africa, according to the 2018 Global Terrorism Index (GTI), which are Boko Haram and Al-Shabab, both operate along the sub-Saharan belt, rendering the sub- Saharan region a high-risk prone area in Africa. Since about the year 2009, Boko Haram, a territorial terrorist organization, has wreaked havoc on communities in northeast Nigeria and beyond. Significant debate has ensued about the reasons for the Boko Haram insurgency and their objectives. Questions about what motivates terrorists have been asked for a long time and the answers have varied enormously. This is largely so because terrorism has appeared in many different guises and has varied greatly in character from age to age and from country to country. Any explanation that attempts to account for all of its many different manifestation is therefore
bound to be either exceedingly vague or altogether wrong. Njoku, Okeniyi, Ayara, and Akoth (2018), therefore agree that terrorists are diverse in terms of their activities, motivation, networks, financing, security implications and results.
Martin (2017) asserts that terrorism takes several forms depending on who engages in the act and on which premise. Martin accounts for five (5) main forms of terrorism including; State-Sponsored terrorism, which consists of terrorist acts on a state or government by another state or government; Dissent terrorism, which is an act by terrorist groups which have rebelled against their government; Political or ideological terrorism which is rooted in political ideology; Religious terrorism, which are terrorist groups which are extremely motivated by religious doctrines. The last form of terrorism according to Gus Martin, and which this study mainly reflects on, is Criminal Terrorism, which are terrorist acts used to aid in criminal profit (Martin, 2017). From a correlative angle, Mair (2003) also explains the motivations for terrorism, as he indicates that terrorism is founded on the interaction of a lack of economic perspectives, social deprivation, a loss of cultural identity, political repression and a dysfunctional state (Mair, 2003).
Several research works have been conducted on most terrorist groups in Africa, particularly on Boko Haram, Al-Shabab and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), to reflect the reasons or motivations given by both Martin and Mair, for carrying out terrorist acts. However, the religious, political and ideological reasons seem to have dominated research works in terrorism, with relatively less emphasis on the economic dimension which is believed by many as a very important driving force for terrorists. Economist and Journalist, Loretta Napoleoni, for instance maintains that, terrorism is extremely expensive and there are unexpected ways that it drives the world economy (Napoleoni-TEDGlobal, 2009). Napoleoni asserts that there is a surge in the shadow
economy which she calls “the rogue economics of terror and criminal networks”
It is therefore important to conduct a thorough research in the realm of terrorist typologies, particularly on the forms which aid in economic benefits to those who plan and execute such acts. Knowledge in such dimension of terrorism forges understandings of how terrorists behave and plan destruction towards their ultimate economic advancements, in order to help governments, develop effective counter-terror measures.
Statement of the Problem
The field of terrorism studies has explored many different aspects of terrorist organizations. Various studies have employed strategic, organizational, and psychological frameworks to understand the motivations behind the formation and decision making of terrorist groups. Terrorism, no matter how alarming, does not just happen, the perpetrators usually and always do have reasons or motives, regardless of how harmful or meaningless the motives may appear to persons outside the group. Given that Boko Haram make public advocacy for the strict implementation of Islamic Sharia law, the sect has mostly been viewed through the prism of religion. Many research works have hence explored religion as the main factor to explain the basis of terror activities of Boko Haram. However, this has arguably less emphasized its socio-economic facade. Indeed, there is a growing believe that the group’s activities essentially stem from some economic factors and motivations. It would therefore be misunderstanding to reduce the impetus of Boko Haram to religion, considering its massive support base in the teeming uneducated, jobless and poor northern youths. These underlying forces to the group suggest a reasonable economic root to its uprising.
It is against this background that this research sought to investigate more into the economic
motivations for Boko Haram terrorism. The study specifically explored the economic dimension of the terrorist sect on a two-level analysis; the economic motivations of recruits and fighters; and the organizational economic activities which advance the course of terrorism on its targets.
Research Questions
The research study sought to provide answers to the following questions:
- What is the level of economic disparity between North and South Nigeria and what accounts for such inequality?
- How has the economic conditions in north eastern Nigeria been a catalyst for the Boko Haram insurgency?
- What economic factors motivate individual recruits into the Boko Haram sect in Nigeria?
- What economic activities does Boko Haram engage in and how does it benefit the group?
Objectives of the Study
The specific objectives of the study are to;
- Find out the depth of the South-North economic disparity in Nigeria and the attributed reasons.
- Understand how the economic situation in north eastern Nigeria has contributed to the insurgency of Boko Haram.
- Explore the economic factors that motivate individual recruits into Boko Haram.
- Find out economic activities that Boko Haram engages in and how it advances the group’s course.
