Terrorism in Nigeria: Threats, Responses and the Question of Strategy

Eji, Eji Eugene (2015) Terrorism in Nigeria: Threats, Responses and the Question of Strategy. Doctoral thesis, The University of Buckingham.

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Abstract

This phenomenological study, "Terrorism in Nigeria: Threats, Responses and the Question of Strategy" focuses on Nigeria and its current greatest security challenge - terrorism. Although it could be said that terrorism is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria, significant research on the subject was only recently stimulated particularly following the activities of the Boko Haram Islamic Sect. Many issues and gaps are therefore yet to be adequately researched and addressed. One of such issues is the sustainability and effectiveness of Nigeria's strategy for countering terrorism. The study, from of social constructivist perspective, takes a look as the threats of terrorism in Nigeria which have manifested in the form of religious extremism as exemplified in the Maitatsine uprisings, state terrorism under military rule and ethno-nationalistic clamour for change as witnessed in the Niger Delta Crisis. These threats preceded that of Boko Haram which is ongoing and has resulted in about 17,000 deaths as at mid-2015.

Adopting mainly qualitative methods, I juxtaposed the treats, in time and space, against government responses in an action/reaction process demonstrated across a series of case studies. In this way, the study presented a threat-response interplay between the terrorists and government. It revealed flaws in the responses adopted by the government noting that the counter-terrorism efforts of the Government of Nigeria were not guided by a documented national strategy until the release of the NACTEST in 2014. Even at this, the NACTEST is observed to be fraught with gaps that questions its suitability as a policy document for countering terrorism in Nigeria. The study surmised that of absolute necessity for countering terrorism in Nigeria is the emplacement of a people-centered strategy that employs whole-of-government and non-governmental approaches, and went on to make recommendations towards achieving this.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Terrorism ; Nigeria ; Boko Haram ; counter-terrorism ; NACTEST.
Subjects:	D History General and Old World > DT Africa H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform J Political Science > JF Political institutions (General)
Divisions:	School of Humanities & Social Sciences > International Studies
Depositing User:	Freya Tyrrell
Date Deposited:	01 May 2026 13:54
Last Modified:	01 May 2026 13:54
URI:	https://bear.buckingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/725

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