One of the most prevalent stories on the Nigerian news agenda recently has been security, or more precisely, the lack of it. There is hardly a week that passes without news outlets reporting on a terrorist attack or a kidnapping for ransom. There have been hundreds of fatalities among both security personnel and citizens. The episodes have received many distinct labels. From terrorist assaults, like the one on the convoy of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in July, to deliberate ambushes, like the kidnapping of an entire train in March. Over the past year, there have also been many attacks on churches and government buildings. Whatever name they go by, the terrorists seem to be roaming around freely in Nigeria. To try to make sense of what is occurring in Nigeria, we at The Conversation Africa have been collaborating with academic experts. Here are the top five articles we've written about the country's security situation:
Where everything began According to political scientist Al Chukwuma Okoli, a senior lecturer and consultant-researcher at Federal University Lafia in Nigeria, banditry began as a rare rural phenomena in the late 2000s. Banditry evolved into violent crime throughout time, becoming more sophisticated and pervasive across the Sahel's many areas and nations.
Read more: Nigerians are alarmed by a toxic mix of bandits, weapons, drugs, and terrorism. What should they do?
They are not obscure.
Bandits and terrorists began to be referred to as "unknown gunmen" at some time during the violent groups' growth in Nigeria. According to Sallek Yaks Musa, a lecturer in criminology and security studies at the University of Jos in Nigeria, the classification was inaccurate and deceptive. The Nigerian government's hesitation to label bandits as terrorists or insurgents was problematic given that their crimes and motivations had begun to resemble insurgent-type criminality. The terrorist designation became more pervasive once the administration was eventually compelled to comply with a court ruling. Continue reading: Why it matters that Nigeria's "bandits" are not "unknown gunmen"
Who is in danger?
Nigeria is currently one of the world's hotspots for kidnappings. This practice has developed among northern Nigerian bandits and terrorists, militants and cultists in the Niger Delta, as well as ritual killers in the country's west and east. Al Chukwuma Okoli investigates the nature of the abduction danger, the causes of its escalation, and those in Nigeria who are most at risk.
Who in Nigeria is most likely to be kidnapped?
Reasons why government initiatives have failed
Sallek Yaks Musa explains why the government's efforts to contain the terrorists had failed by stating that the nation must first address issues of hunger, poverty, and unemployment. He examines critically five methods that the Nigerian government has used, unsuccessfully, to eradicate banditry.
Reintegration as an ineffective tactic
The notion of reintegrating repentant former fighters into society is one of the tactics the Nigerian government employs to halt the flow of terrorism, notably from Boko Haram groups. This notion was taken from the government's broad amnesty agreement with terrorists in the Niger Delta. In the Niger Delta, the plan seemed to be effective, but Boko Haram and bandits did not fare as well. The Boko Haram reintegration process has flaws, and Tarela Juliet Ike, a lecturer in criminology and policing at Teesside University in the UK, examines them and offers solutions.
