Why Boko Haram violence persists

On Thursday, October 15, suspected Boko Haram insurgents bombed the the capital of Borno state, Maiduguri.

Non-stop violence, rivers of blood, thousands of deaths and intensified fears about the future – this is what the citizens of Nigeria’s northeast are going through, some of them every day.

The scale of attacks has not been limited to the northern region. Within a several-year period suspected Boko Haram terrorists have raided Kaduna, Lagos, Gombe states, Federal Capital Territory and other areas.

In these trying times for Nigeria, Naij.com considers the major reasons why Boko Haram violence persists, based on the analysis of the reports of local and international media houses.

1. Historical: imbalance between the north and the south

According to The Guardian, “seemingly disconnected historical events over the past 60-70 years started the slide into poverty and inequality that eventually led to the formation of Boko Haram”. Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden”. Western schools were being actively opened in the south, while Christian missions were not supported by Muslim leaders in the north.

Insurgents have launched scores of attacks on schools. One of the most outrageous acts was the abduction of the Chibok girls on April 14, 2014. The children are still missing.

The imbalance, both economic and educational, between the regions has remained to this day.

2. Politics

There have been accusations of political sponsorship of the sect. Numerous reports, especially in the Nigerian media, claimed that some powerful politicians finance the terrorists to weaken the government. Some claimed the sponsors were inside Nigeria. Others, however, believed the sect could have been backed from outside the country.

The talk about internal sponsorship calmed down following the general elections in Nigeria, as a result of which the country saw a democratic power change. With the new leadership, the attacks have remained, and in some periods even intensified. This led experts to conclude that terrorism in the northeast is not likely to be linked with political powers inside the country.

3. Weaknesses in the military

The Nigerian writer and political analyst Chris Ngwodo thinks that the national army has been neither designed nor trained for this challenge.

“The Nigerian military is a classical fighting force. It just has found itself out of its depth when it comes to dealing with an irregular fighting force such as Boko Haram.”

After decades of dictatorship, the army’s defensive and security strategies were developed to protect the regime rather than the citizens, he notes.

Nigerian soldiers often complain that they lack the appropriate weaponry to fight against terrorists. While soldiers say that Boko Haram has more sophisticated equipment, the military officials insist the army has brand new equipment and accuse soldiers of cowardice. Within a one-year period hundreds of soldiers have been tried by courts martial and dismissed from the forces for alleged mutiny.

Interestingly, based on the public records introduced by the army seniors, the troops have recently been claiming unprecedented success in the counter-terrorism battle, with numerous camps seized, terrorists killed and kidnapped Nigerians released. The military authorities characterize the intensified bombings as a sign of Boko Haram’s despair and decline.

Corruption in the military is also blamed for its lack of success. There is speculation that the money that should be spent on arms is being diverted.

4. Ethnic and religious mix

It is widely believed that Boko Haram fighters are (at least predominantly) Muslims. However, basically all the Islamic scholars have been saying that Boko Haram has nothing to do with Islam. They openly disagree with the sect and are outraged that terrorists use religion to justify atrocities, and to cause division in society.

The dreaded sect has attacked or attempted to attack several mosques during prayers. Many Muslims, like Christians, have become victims of the mass murders.

This indicates that Boko Haram is a non-religious issue.

5. Poor response by the government

Numerous analysts believe that the Nigerian government has been either inadequate or slow in its response to the terrorism challenge in the country.

Some associated the government’s failure with the corruption problem. Others link the ineffectiveness with the following reasons: refusal to accept international help (especially after the Chibok girls’ kidnap), the actual inability to admit the failure, negotiating (or not negotiating with terrorists), etc.