Why Nigerian Youths Join Boko Boko Haram – Report





A report by the United States Institute of Peace has given reasons why the Boko Haram terrorist group has been able to recruit many Nigerian youths.

The report made available yesterday draws extensively from a larger study to examine youth radicalization and insurgent affiliation in Nigeria.
According to the report, unemployment, illiteracy, and weak family structures make or contribute to making young men vulnerable to radicalization while itinerant preachers capitalize on the situation by preaching an extreme version of religious teachings and conveying a narrative of the government as weak and corrupt.
The report further states that armed groups such as Boko Haram can then recruit and train these young people for activities ranging from errand running to suicide bombings.
The report also proffers solutions to the Boko Haram menace including monitoring and regulation of religious preaching, strengthening education, job training and creation programme, designing a robust programme to aid destitute children, promotion of peace education, and an invigorate anti-corruption campaign.
The report notes that addressing the conditions that make it possible for insurgents to recruit young men in Nigeria can significantly diminish the strength of the insurgency, if not eliminate it altogether.
Estimates of the death toll from Boko Haram attacks since 2009, the report states, ranged as high as 10,000 fatalities with the Boko Haram insurgents and other groups seemingly gaining in strength.
The report however states that the views it has expressed did not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Institute of Peace, which, it says, does not advocate specific policy positions.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nigeria’s COVID-19 Response and Post-Lockdown By ANAP Foundation

Image
The unprecedented global COVID-19 pandemic is changing the face of human society and its systems, from healthcare to education, consumption patterns, the world of work, value systems, political regimes and legal systems. The condition was first reported in Nigeria in February 2020, and within a few weeks of its onset, we had entered the community transmission phase. Today, there are more than 16,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across 35 States and the FCT, and over 400 deaths and counting. How Nigeria recovers from the effects of the infection will depend on the innovations we are willing to introduce and the reforms we are committed to implementing in the various sectors of our society.
Read more

Before We #EndSARS… By Jude Ndukwe

Image
There has been an ongoing campaign by some Nigerians calling for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, a unit in the Nigeria Police Force. This call is being ignited by a plethora of complaints against men and officers of the special unit. Such complaints range from torture, its use by some powerful citizens to settle their scores against lesser mortals, unprovoked brutalization of innocent citizens, summary execution of suspects etc.
Read more

Why We Must Implement Diaspora Voting System By Hon. Alex Obi-Osuala

Image
Diaspora votes must count in Nigeria. This is my position/opinion. If not because of the dubious nature of the officials in the government of Nigeria, one does not see any reason why Nigerians in Diaspora shouldn’t be voting as done in most countries of the world. Their votes would have been making a great difference, and give them a sense of belonging and participation in the affairs of the nation.
Read more