Chapter 1
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The political landscape of Nigeria in the past two decades of the Twenty-first Century has been significantly characterised by the upsurge of terrorist activities and insurgency by Boko Haram beginning from Northeast and spreading to the rest of the country. Thomas Hayden defined insurgency as “an organized movement aimed at the overthrow or destruction of a constituted government through the use of subversion, espionage, terrorism and armed conflict.” (Procon, 2008). His definition is corroborated by a more detailed version from the US Department of Defense (DoD) which perceives the phenomenon of insurgency as:
an organized resistance movement that uses subversion, sabotage, and armed conflict to achieve its aims. Insurgencies normally seek to overthrow the existing social order and reallocate power within the country. They may also seek to (1) Overthrow an established government without a follow-on social revolution. (2) Establish an autonomous national territory within the borders of a state. (3) Cause the withdrawal of an occupying power. (4) Extract political concessions that are unattainable through less violent means (Ibid.)
The appellation “Boko Haram” is interpreted in English as “Western Education is forbidden/sacrilegious”. As an entity, Boko Haram to be referred to as: “Jama‘atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda‘awati Wal-Jihad” which is translated “People Committed to the
Propagation of the Prophet‘s Teachings and Jihad” (Maiangwa, 2014; 2013). Since its establishment in 2010, Boko Haram has led an insurgency against the Nigerian government predominantly concentrated around the Northern Nigerian states of
Yobe, Katsina, Kaduna, Bauchi and Gombe. Presently in its ninth year, the Boko haram insurgency shows no sign of subsiding and is adding to the long history of marginalization and severe underdevelopment and an abysmal level of poverty, high unemployment and illiteracy. Since the beginning of the Boko Haram crisis in 2009, about 100,000 individuals have lost their lives, a huge number of women and young girls were kidnapped while children drafted as alleged “suicide” bombers into the insurgency. About 2.1 million individuals absconded from their homes due to conflict and the fear of Boko Haram, 1.7 million of whom are still at present displaced and near 200, 000 individuals still reside as refugees in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, after having no option but to abscond.
The three states that have suffered the highest level of devastation from Boko Haram in Nigeria are the North-eastern states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe with 7.7 million individuals being subjected to severe poverty due to the insurgency; more than 50 percent of those afflicted are children. More than 80 percent of Borno State is viewed as high or very hazard risk prone areas.
The Boko Haram insurgency seems to have been accompanied by economic
stagnancy in the various states harbouring insurgent activities in the North east of Nigeria. The insecurity created by the insurgency has adversely impacted foreign direct investments into the economy and caused the government to divert huge amount of funds (which would have alternatively served in its economic recovery) to security expenditures, exacting from the country around two percent of its economic output (Ohuocha, 2012). The UN structure overseeing trade, development and investment, UNCTAD reveals, Kano and Kaduna only, made Nigeria‘s economy to lose N1.3 trillion due to the Boko Haram attacks (Aro, 2001). Due to the above scenarios, this research work is prompted. This research study examines the causal link between underdevelopment and insurgency using the north-eastern part of
Nigeria as a case study.
1.1 Research Question
The present study seeks to respond to the following interrogation:
How does underdevelopment trigger insurgency in Northern Nigeria?
1.2 Hypothesis
The following supposition shall provide a framework for analysis in this MA thesis:
The main cause of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria‘s Northeast geopolitical zone is the relative underdevelopment of Northeast compared to other geopolitical zones in the country. The dependent variable in this case is insurgency and the independent variable is underdevelopment. The supposition tested in this research study is whether or not underdevelopment leads to insurgency within the Northeast region of Nigeria.
1.3 Methodology
This MA Thesis sets out to test the causal link between underdevelopment and insurgency and with the latter being the dependent variable and the former independent variable. Using the theory of relative deprivation as its theoretical framework, the thesis shall examine how the relative level of underdevelopment in a society can fuel tensions and generate insurgency. This study shall make use of case study design. The importance and advantages of case-study research method cannot be overemphasized. Zainal notes that case study research is quite useful in in depth explanation and holistic investigation of social behaviour (such is the case of the phenomenon under this study–insurgency). He adds, it is a “robust research method” acknowledge as a useful tool in many social science disciplines. Cronin (2014) on his part affirms the legitimacy and importance of case study research methods in both quantitative and qualitative research.
It shall present a case-study focused on insurgency in the rise of Boko Haram in the North-east of Nigeria. It shall make use of both primary and secondary sources. The analysis shall combine both qualitative (mostly through the analysis of secondary sources) and quantitative methods (essentially through the administration and analysis of questionnaire survey).
An analysis of the data collected and information obtained through the aforementioned methods would enable us to not only better understand the phenomenon of insurgency in Northeastern Nigeria but to also provide a basis for the validation or rejection of the hypothesis of the study
1.4 Significance of Study
This study will be useful to the government, security apparatus, academia and the general public in dealing with these social issues (especially from the useful recommendations suggested). It will also contribute to existing knowledge on the cause of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast of Nigeria. In addition, this work would serve as a guide to state experiencing insurgence in their country, providing implementable solutions to the world at large.
1.5 Scope and Limitation
This research work will examine underdevelopment as the major cause of the current insurgency in Northeast Nigeria which has undermined the country‘s security and economy. The study is limited because it delves into an on-going and continuous issue (insurgency in North East Nigeria) which witnesses changes as the day goes by.
1.6 Organisation of Study
This MA Thesis is divided into six chapters. Chapter One is the introductory chapter and covers the statement of problem, methodology and theoretical framework. Chapter Two focuses on the relative underdevelopment in the Northeast comparative to other geopolitical zone in Nigeria. Chapter Three traces the origins and spread of the Boko Haram insurgent group. Chapter Four analyses the correlation between relative deprivation (in terms of underdevelopment) and insurgency. Chapter Five explores alternative theoretical explanations that account for the rise of the Boko Haram insurgency in Northeast Nigeria. Chapter six presents general conclusion and recommendations.
