A decade of Boko Haram activities: the attacks, responses and challenges ahead
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A decade of Boko Haram activities: the attacks, responses and challenges ahead J. Tochukwu Omenma1,3 · Ike E. Onyishi2 · Alyious‑Michael Okolie3
© Springer Nature Limited 2020
Introduction The goal of this special issue is to provide a contemporary overview of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnar Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad1 (that is, people committed to the propagation of the Prophet’s teachings and jihad) activities, which is detailed, extensive in its coverage, and able to chart responses over time. Since Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnar Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad (henceforth, Boko Haram) emerged as a low-intensity political violence in 2002, media-driven narratives as well as social scientific methodologies have been increasingly applied to draw generalisable conclusions on what goals the groups have pursued, what strategies used for these purposes and the counter campaign strategies pursued. But over the last 10 years from 2009 to 2018, Boko Harm has transformed to high-intensity violence of assassinations, bombing, kidnappings, beheading or threats of violence, conscriptions and territorial occupation, which makes it imperative to deepen and broaden our understanding of the groups’ activities toward a problem-solving and policy-relevant analysis. This introduction provides the ground norm for the articles collected in this special issue of Security Journal. The introduction should be read and understood from the perspectives of both general and specific issues. On the general term, it begins by deconstructing the essential concepts of insurgency, terrorism, guerrilla warfare and rebellion. Analysing these related concepts help the classification of Boko Haram activities as well as understanding the groups’ ultimate goal. Relying on the data from Global Terrorism Index, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) and International Crisis Groups, we operationalised Boko Haram’s tactics, the nature of attacks, casualty rates and weapons to analysis the 1
The local Hausa translation is Boko Haram, meaning Western education is forbidden or a sin.
* J. Tochukwu Omenma [email protected] 1
Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
2
Department of Psychology, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
3
Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria
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groups’ global ranking. Next, we specifically established the critical security management approaches used against the Boko Haram activities. Essential distinctions were drawn between defensive and offensive (proactive) strategic counter measures toward ultimate defeating of Boko Haram groups. Finally, we summarised the eight articles in the special issue through logical data presentations of the main theses, methodologies and findings. We concluded by identifying future challenges as highlighted by the authors of the article in the Security Journal special issues.
Where does Boko Harm belong? Terrorism concept is a complex matter, and there are
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