Introduction
North-Eastern part of Nigeria comprising of the following states;
Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe, is coping with a violent
underground group, Boko Haram. The targeting of, commercial areas, prisons,
place of worships, barracks, security officers and politicians makes the entire
population feel unsafe, since violence has become unpredictable. The country’s
security is so visibly challenged that it tends to overreact and actually kills
even more civilians than Boko Haram does. Boko Haram has deep roots in the
social and economic marginalization of a large section of the north east
population. The official name of Boko Haram that is object of discussion here
is Jama’ atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’ awaiti wal-Jihad which in Arabic Language means
“People of the way of Prophet Muhammed and Community of Muslims in line with
the earlier generation of Muslims” and not Boko Haram which simply means
“Western secular education is Islamically prohibited”. Boko Haram has also been
defined to means that evangelism deceptively camouflages as Western Education
is Islamically unacceptable.
In carrying out their objective, Boko Haram are used to bombing
Churches, Mosques, Police Stations, Schools; Universities inclusive and other
Government owned Properties. As well as private owned property without
excluding innocent souls through the machinery of suicide bombers as well as
slaughtering and kidnapping people; alien inclusive which have resulted to
demise of the larger percentage of the Captives. The most pitiable fact is that
most of those suicide bombers are teenagers which can be summarily belief to be
the resultant effect of brainwashing. It is my inarguable to me that Boko Haram
during the cause of carrying out their objective has done great harm to this
Nation order than other set of militants that have emerged in Nigeria. The
economic effects of militancy insurgency in Nigeria simply connote
consequential effect on people and government’s life which can be viewed from
two different perspectives. They are the effect on the State that is, Nigeria
and individual member of the State that is, Nigerians particularly residents of
North East of the country. The militants; not limited to Boko Haram alone by
their nature are used to crippling the economic activities of any place they
spread their tentacles as well as led to migration of people from the affected
place due to restiveness.
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| The Logo of the Boko Haram |
It must be noted that Boko Haram have not only led to closure and
or abandonment of people’s business activities within the state but also led to
migration of people from the state as well as reduction of people’s patronage
of product from Northern Region because of rumour that members of Boko Haram
are planning to send poisonous product from their region to other parts of
Nigeria.
Origin and Background of Boko Haram
The group was founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002 in the
city of Maiduguri with the aim of establishing a Sharia government in
Borno state under former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff. He established
a religions complex that included a mosque and Al-Majiri School where
many poor families from across Nigeria and from neighboring
countries enrolled their children, (Shehu 2012). Prior to this time, Mohammed
Yusuf was born in Girgir village of Yobe state.The Boko Haram group started
as Sahaba group in 1995. The main leader of the Sahaba group then was
one Abubakar Lawan who latter left to study in university of Medina,
when He left, the older cleric conceded the leadership to young Yusuf
who was young and versatile. But immediately Yusuf took over, the doctrine of the sect changed and he
abandoned the older cleric view and came up with extremist Boko Haram doctrine
(Shehu 2012). Mohammed Yusuf, because of his brilliancy was a favourite student
of Sheik Jafar Mohammed, the highly influential and well known preacher who was
shot dead in Kano by gun men while leading the dawn prayers in his mosque on
the eve of 2007 Nigerian general elections. Yusuf latter fell out with his
mentor Sheik Jafar, even before his death. (Shehu 2012) stated that
“available information indicates that the group emanating from an orthodox
teaching slightly resembling that of Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The
school of taught considers anything western as an aberration or completely
Unislamic. The group views the western influence on Islamic society as the
basis of the religion’s weakness. Hence their declaration that western
institution and westerners are infidel and as such must be avoided by Muslim”
with this the group fully become none in the Northern east of the country,
eventually the country and the world at large after some terrible attacks on
the mass. It started with attacks in Borno and then later Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi,
Gombe, including the states that are out the North east, such as Kano, Plateau
and others.
Socio-Economic Impact of Boko Haram activities in North East
The impact of the heinous activities of
Boko Haram terrorism on the social economic and political structure of the
North East is over-whelming and devastating. Many businesses in the region have
been affected by the activities of the insurgence. No amounts of business
activities can be said to have ceased when the mobile networks of some part of
the region were ceased due to the intense security challenge, relatives have to
travel to make their calls or to know of the well-being of friends and
families, cost of transportation was high at some point which at the moment is
a better option. For students alerts were no longer useful, or the only means
of communication were the social network which takes a lot of time, because of
poor internet network and other factors. The academic activities in the region
was affected greatly as many times students from boarding school spent lots
time at home than in school for the fear of insurgency, Some have left the
school where they were originally, regardless of their level or course of
study.
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| Over 200 girls were abducted by Boko Haram members in Chibok, Borno State, on April 15, 2014 |
Some shops have been taking over by the
military personnel who have made it their base, forcing the businesses owners
to either relocate or abandon it totally. Small businesses that use to strive
in the night like Tea selling, Restaurants, etc. are no longer operating as a
result of the security situation. Banks can no longer travel to local
government council to pay salaries due to frequent attacks along the way, staff
of the local council have to come down to the state capital, in some cases to
the neighboring state for their salaries which is very risky.
.
Effect on Economy of the North East
With
Agriculture as one of Nigeria’s economic activities, the effect of the
activities of Boko Haram has not left that sector unaffected, how could
agricultural activities be done when lives of the people involve are at stake,
and when the their farmland have been turned into dungeon by the members of the
sect? How could the sale of their product be possible when those product are
either taken away by the sects or been burned. It has largely affected the
prices of product and I believe is also the cause of inflation on most part of
the region.
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| Site of a Bomb Blast by Boko Haram |
Reduction of people’s patronage of
product from Northern Region because of rumor that member of Boko Haram are
planning to send poisonous product from their region to other parts of Nigeria.
97 percent of businesses were negatively affected by the security problem. Some
of them had to close down, some of them had to retrench their workers, and
others had to cut down in the number of hours of operation. Also the
insurgencies of Boko Haram have reduced drastically government derivation from
the affected region due to restiveness in those places as well as reduced
investment and growth of business in the affected places without excluding
government executed project. Insecurity in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, etc alone has
cost the Nigerian economyN1.3trillion ($6 billion) as a result of attacks by
the Boko Haram group.
It could also be counted as a great
adverse effect on the North East when Commercial Motorcyclist were banned in
all the major cities of the North East except for Gombe, these people use this
business as the only means of earning, but have been stopped and consequently
no motorcycle mechanic can dwell in such environment as there is nothing to do,
what else could these people do.
Indeed their activities has caused rise
in the rate of unemployment in the region and consequently high rate of crime.
Political and Social Effect
Although, recently election were held
but the security situation have not permit most people to exercise one of their
National Right by casting their votes because some were not at the location
were the registered for their voters card, and some because of fear raised by
the rumour that attacks will be launched at Polling Units.
Another effect is that the insurgence
of Boko Haram in state has drastically reduced government of the day’s
performance in the affected area. Although it is trite fact that Nigerian
politicians are fond of promising heaven and earth for the purpose of gaining
people’s mandate.
The social effect of Boko Haram
activities is that it have made some Non-Muslim who have not be privilege to
mingle with Muslim in their life to belief that all Muslim are fundamentalist
while some of them were mischievous with their opinion with little exclusion
about few Muslims from Yoruba Part of Nigeria.
It should also be noted that the
activities of Boko Haram have makes some Nigerian who are not from Boko Haram
affected State to be avoiding affected State to the extent that some Nigerian
Graduate who are serving the Nation under the scheme of National Youth Service
Corp (NYSC) are seriously rejecting being posted to some part of North East of
Nigeria. The social challenges posed by insurgence of Boko Haram can also be
attested to by the mass movement of residents who are from other States of the
federation; out of the North Eastern part of the country, especially Yobe and
Borno. And not only have that, insurgence of Boko Haram had reach the extent
that suspicious and rumor of attack is the easiest information to spread
within Region.
Timeline of Boko Haram Insurgency from 2009-2015
2009
Ø July 26-29 2009: Boko Haram uprising, nearly 1,000 people were killed
in the class between Boko Haram militants and Nigerian soldiers throughout the
northeast, beginning the Boko Haram Islamist Insurgency in Nigeria.
Ø July 30, 2009: Muhammed Yusuf, the leader of Boko Haram, is
summarily executed by Nigerian soldiers following the recent uprising. Abubakar
Shekau takes control of the group.
2010
Ø September 7 2010: Bauchi prison break, 5 people killed and 721
inmates are freed from prison in Bauchi by suspected Boko gunmen
2011
Ø May 29 - May 2011 northern Nigeria bombings, 15 people are killed
in Bauchi after bombs explode in several towns in northern Nigeria during
Goodluck Jonathan’s swearing in as the new president.
Ø November 4 2011 Damaturu attacks between 100 to 150 people killed
in a series of coordinated assaults in northern Nigeria.
Ø December 22-23, 2011: During which, 68 people, of whom 50 are 50
militants, at least 7 soldiers, and 11 civilians, were killed in clashes
between Boko Haram militants and Nigerian soldiers in Maiduguri and Damaturu.
Also 41 people were killed by Boko Haram bomb attacks and shootings on
Christian churches.
Ø December 25 - December 2012 shootings in Nigeria, 27 Christians
are killed in Maiduguri and Potiskum by suspected Boko Haram militants.
Ø December 28 - Another 15 Christians are killed in the village of
Musari by unknown gunmen.
2013
Ø January 1 - Nigerian Army raid kills 13 militants.
Ø April 16 - 2013 Baga massacre, 187 people are killed in Baga in
Borno State. It is unclear whether the Nigerian military or Boko Haram is
responsible for the massacre.
Ø June - 9 children are killed in Maiduguri and 13 students and
teachers were killed in Damaturu by Boko Haram.
Ø July 6 - Yobe State school shooting, more than 42 were killed by
Boko Haram gunmen in a Yobe State school.
Ø August 12 - 56 people are killed by Boko Haram in a Maiduguri
mosque.
Ø September 12 - Ambush by Boko Haram leaves 40 soldiers dead.
Ø September 12–18 - An offensive by Nigerian Army leaves 150
Islamists and 16 soldiers dead.
Ø September 19 - Benisheik attacks, 161 are killed in attacks
blamed on Boko Haram.
Ø September 29 - Gujba college massacre, more than 50 students are
killed in Yobe State by Boko Haram gunmen.
Ø October 10 - An attack at Damboa leaves at least 20 killed (15
suspected militants and 5 civilians)
Ø October - Government forces raid rebel camps, killing around 101
Boko Haram fighters.
Ø October 29 - Boko Haram raids Damaturu. At least 128 people are
killed (95 militants, 23 soldiers, 8 policemen, and 2 civilians).
2014
Ø January 14–30 people are killed in a bombing by Boko Haram
militants in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Ø January 26 - January 2014 Northern Nigeria attacks , 138 killed
in total
Ø January 31 - 11 Christians killed in Chakawa by Boko Haram
militants.
Ø February 14 - Borno Massacre, 121 Christian villagers killed by
Boko Haram militants in Konduga, Borno State.
Ø February 15 - Izghe attack, 106 killed the village of Izghe,
Borno State by Boko Haram gunmen.
Ø February 15 - 90 Christians and 9 Nigerian soldiers are killed in
Gwosa by Boko Haram.
Ø February 24 - Dozens killed as Boko Haram again raids Izghe.
Ø February 25 - Federal Government College attack, 59 students
killed in a school massacre in Yobe State.
Ø March 14 - Boko Haram attacks the heavily fortified Giwa military
barracks in Maiduguri, freeing comrades from a detention facility. The military
then executes about 600 unarmed recaptured detainees, according to Amnesty
International.
Ø April 15 - Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping, 276 female students in
Borno State are kidnapped by Boko Haram.
Ø May 5 - 2014 Gamboru Ngala attack, at least 300 people are killed
in the twin towns of Gamboru and Ngala in Borno State by Boko Haram militants.
Ø May 21 – 27 villagers are killed by Boko Haram gunmen in
northeastern Nigeria.
Ø May 27 - May 2014 Buni Yadi attack, 49 security personnel and 9
civilians are killed during a Boko Haram attack on a military base in Yobe
State.
Ø May 30 - The third emir of Gwoza, Idrissa Timta , is assassinated
during a Boko Haram ambush.
Ø June 1 - 2014 Mubi bombing, at least 40 people are killed by a
bomb in Mubi, Adamawa State.
Ø June 2 - Gwoza massacre, at least 200, mostly Christians, are
killed in several villages in Borno State by Boko Haram.
Ø June 20–23 - June 2014 Borno State attacks, at 70 people are
killed and 91 women and children kidnapped by Boko Haram militants in Borno
State.
Ø June 26 - Over 100 militants are killed by the Nigerian military
during a raid on two Boko Haram camps.
Ø June 28 - 11 people are killed by a bomb in Bauchi.
Ø July 18 - At least 18 are killed by a Boko Haram attack in
Damboa, leaving the town almost destroyed.
Ø July 22 - 51 people are killed by Boko Haram in Chibok.
Ø September 19 - Around 30 people are killed by Boko Haram
militants at a busy market in Mainok, Borno State.
Ø October 31 - At least 4 people are killed, 32 injured and 13
vehicles destroyed by an explosion at a bus station in Gombe.
Ø November 3–10 - 2014 Yobe State attacks, a double suicide bombing
in Yobe State kills 15 Shiites on the 3rd and 46 students on the 10th.
Ø November 25 - Over 45 people are killed by two suicide bombers in
Maiduguri, Borno State.
Ø November 27 - Around 50 people are killed in Damasak by Boko
Haram militants
Ø December 1–5 people are killed by two female suicide bombers who
detonated explosions at a crowded market place in Maiduguri, Borno State. [31]
Ø December 11–30 people are killed and houses are destroyed by Boko
Haram militants in Gajiganna, Borno State.
Ø December 13 - 2014 Gumsuri kidnappings, between 32 and 35 are
killed and between 172 and 185 are kidnapped by Boko Haram in Borno State.
Ø December 22 - 2014 Gombe bus station bombing, at least 27 people
are killed at a bus station by a bomb in Gombe State.
2015
Ø January 3–7 - 2015 Baga massacre, Boko Haram militants raze the
entire town of Baga in north-east Nigeria. Bodies lay strewn on Baga's streets
with as many as 2,000 people having been killed. Boko Haram as of then controls
70% of Borno State, which is the worst-affected by the insurgency.
Ø January 3 - Fleeing villagers from a remote part of the Borno
State report that Boko Haram had three days prior kidnapped around 40 boys and
young men.
Ø January 5 - News emerges that two days prior hundreds of Boko
Haram militants had overrun several towns in northeast Nigeria and captured the
military base in Baga.
Ø January 9 - Refugees flee Nigeria's Borno State following the
Boko Haram massacre in the town of Baga. 7,300 flee to neighbouring Chad while
over 1,000 are trapped on the island of Kangala in Lake Chad. Nigeria's army
vows to recapture the town, while Niger and Chad withdraw their forces from a
transnational force tasked with combating militants.
Ø January 10 - A female suicide bomber, believed to be aged around
10-years-old, kills herself and 19 others, possibly against her will, at a
market in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, Nigeria.
Ø January 11 - More female suicide bombers, this time two, and
again each believed to be around 10 years old, kill themselves and three others
at a market in the northeastern city of Potiskum, Nigeria.
Ø January 20 - Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claims
responsibility for the attack on the town of Baga, Nigeria in which an unknown
number of civilians were killed.
Ø January 24 - 15 people are killed as Boko Haram gunmen attempt to
burn down the village of Kambari near Maidaguri.
Ø January 25 - Boko Haram rebels launch a large offensive against
Nigerian forces in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, leading to the deaths
of at least 8 civilians, up to 53 militants, and an unknown number of soldiers.
Ø January 28 - Boko Haram fighters killed 40 people while on a
rampage in Adamawa State.
Ø February 1 - Boko Haram again attacks the capital city of Borno
State, Maiduguri. This time, the city is attacked from four out of the five
sides. The attack is unsuccessful, but many civilians inside the city panic.
[53] Also, a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber kills himself and eight others
at the residence of a politician in Potiskum. Another suicide bomber kills five
people outside a mosque in Gombe.
Ø February 2 - A female suicide bomber attacks minutes after the
President of Nigeria leaves an election rally in the city of Gombe resulting in
at least one death and eighteen people injured.
Ø February 7 - Nigeria postpones its general election for six weeks
to allow its armed forces to control parts of the country currently controlled
by Boko Haram
Ø February 14 - Boko Haram forces assault Gombe, the capital city
of Gombe State, for the first time. The Nigerian military repels the attack,
although the militants managed to overrun a checkpoint on the edge of the city
before retreating. The attack coincides with the beginning of a Nigerian
offensive to rollback Boko Haram forces around the northeast.
Ø February 15 - A suicide bomber kills 16 and wounds 30 in the
Nigerian city of Damaturu February 20 - Boko Haram militants kill 34 people in
attacks across Borno State, 21 from the town of Chibok.
Ø February 21 - Nigerian army retakes Baga, which had fallen to
Boko Haram on January 3rd.
Ø February 22 - A suicide bomber kills five and wounds dozens
outside a market in Potiskum.
Ø February 24 - Two suicide bombers kill at least 27 people at bus
stations in Potiskum.
Ø February 26 - At least 35 people are killed in two attacks
targeting the cities of Biu.
Ø February 28 - Two female suicide bombers kill up to four
civilians near Damaturu.
Ø March 2 - A senior military officer claims that 73 Boko Haram
militants disguised as herders were killed near Kondunga town in Borno State.
In addition, the Chadian military recaptures the town of Dikwa, also in Borno
State.
Ø March 7 - Five suicide bomb blasts leave 54 dead and 143 wounded
in Maiduguri. After the explosions, Boko Haram formally declares allegiance to
Islamic State.
Ø March 8 - Forces from Niger and Chad launch a ground and air
offensive against Boko Haram Islamist militants in northeastern Nigeria.
Ø March 9 - Chadian and Nigerien forces retake the towns of Malam
Fatouri and Damasak in northeastern Nigeria.
Ø March 13 - The Nigerian government admits to using foreign
mercenaries in the fight against Boko Haram.
Ø March 17 - The Nigerian military reclaims the small city of Bama
from Boko Haram.
Ø March 27 - The town of Gwoza is recaptured by the Nigerian
military.
Ø March 28 - Voters in Nigeria go to the polls for a general
election. Gunmen kill at least 15 voters including an opposition house of
assembly candidate for Dukku in Gombe.
Ø March 29 - Voting in the Nigerian general election is delayed for
a second day due to delays and malfunctioning equipment. At that time, 43
people have died in Boko Haram attacks.
Ø April 24 - Last area controlled in Nigeria by Boko Haram's forces
is in the Sambisa.
Ø May 30 – There was a bom blast in a mosque in Maiduguri, Borno
State
Conclusion
The activities of Boko Haram have heightened serious fears among
the Nigerian populace, especially those in the North East Region. The trend has
led to loss of lives and property. Business ventures and shops have remained
closed. Academic activities were affected. Boko Haram has succeeded in
instilling fear and hatred among the people who have been living in peace and
harmony for decades. Consequently the degradation of the region.
Recommendations
The present security challenges ravaging Nigeria is a
multi-faceted problem. Its solution can only be achieved through a
multi-dimensional approach. The government should develop the political will to
expose and prosecute the high caliber individuals both within and outside the
government who has been linked with the Islamist militant group. This will cut
the life source of the terrorist group and serve as a deterrent to other
negative minded individuals who might be nursing similar ambition in the
future. In his view U.S Ambassador to Nigeria Terence McCauley said: We believe
the Nigerian Government needs to have a strategy which addresses these act of
violence which reassures the North Eastern population and the Northerners at
large that there is a plan to ensure their security. Security forces will
target extremist and perpetrators of violence in a way that does not inflict
civilian casualties of damage properties and violent human rights. It is
incumbent upon government to react with a broad based strategy by addressing
security as well as the questions of development and poverty which feed
underlying grievances that can promote acts of violence”
(Olukorede 2012). Many people have forwarded arguments that the
present security challenges in the country is as a result of unemployement.
These schools of taught believe the unemployed youths usually called Almajiri
in not only in the north eastern part but northern Nigeria are vulnerable tools
in the hands of scrupulous politicians who easily buy them off to secure their
selfish political agenda. The federal government should devise an employment
oriented programme specifically for the youths not only in the northern Nigeria
but also in the south where there are a large number of graduates roaming the
street in search of job where there is none. This is a fundamental problem that
the federal government must have to tackle. The federal government should
embark on Reorientation Campaign to change the attitude of northerners to
western/formal education. Most parents in the north send their children to
Arabic schools even when they have the option of sending their children to
formal schools. These set of children spend years in this Al-majiri school and
graduate without career employability potential. Sometimes they attend some of
these Islamic school were they are taught radicalism and extremism. This
campaign will dispose them positively towards western education which will
guarantee the future of these young children.
According to Agboti (2002) Political Corruption refers
essentially to the fraudulent conversion of public funds for private ends. It
also includes all manner of inducements and bribes offered to public officers
in order to gain favours from them or to influence their judgments over issue
that affect the public or one’s client. In Nigeria, the prevalence of
corruption is so endemic that an average Nigerians has given up hope for its
elimination due to insincerity and lack of political will on the part of the
government.
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