RC of Boko Haram Terrorism: Socio-Economic Prism

Killing People, Dividing a Nation? Analyzing Student Perceptions of the Boko Haram Crisis in Nigeria

“…45 Second, Nigeria's extreme poverty, unemployment, inequality, economic underdevelopment, and low education are thought to serve as major sources of grievances harbored by the sect. 46 In particular, there is a vast socioeconomic disparity between the north and other parts of Nigeria. Based on a report of The National Bureau of Statistics, BBC News reported that the absolute poverty rates (i.e., number of people who can only afford bare essentials of shelter, food, and clothing) in the north-west and north-east of the country reached 77.7 percent and 76.3 percent, respectively, compared to 59.1 percent in the south-west.…”

“…As a result, people living in the north feel particularly neglected by their government causing a general sense of injustice in these areas. 53 Institutional fragility not only causes grievances, it also facilitates terrorist uprisings by creating an environment where terrorists can easily build their sanctuaries. Poor border management, for instance, paves the way for the smuggling of deadly arms and drugs, and makes it easier for militants to seek shelter in neighboring countries after their strikes.…”

“…Although Boko Haram is actively engaged in advocacy for a strict implementation of Sharia law, scholars warn that this conceals the "socio-economic and political façade" of the insurgency. 63 Thus, even though the driving force behind the terrorist group may seem to be religion, internal inducers are also linked to the political economy of Nigeria and to the weakness of its state apparatus. The question remains whether the public opinion (students in this case) holds this nuanced picture as well.…”

“…In general, most students tend to interpret the Boko Haram uprising as a religious crisis-although scholars warn that Boko Haram's active advocacy for a strict implementation of Sharia law conceals its "socio-economic and political façade." 89 However, important differences are noted when looking at the ethno-religious and spatial background of the students. People born in the south, belonging to the Igbo ethnic group, or Christians are significantly more likely to link the crisis with religious extremism.…”

“…These results indicate that the problems of northern Nigeria such as poverty, unemployment, and social injustice are shared within the larger Muslim community. This is not surprising given that northern Nigeria remains the most underdeveloped part of the country up until today [March 2016]. This situation can further foster grievances, possibly spurring extremist tendencies in northern Nigeria.…”