Unravelling the Causes, Course and Consequences of Terrorism in North East Nigeria: The Boko Haram Insurgency at a Glance, 2002 -2023

This paper examines the causes and effects of terrorism in Northeast Nigeria from 2002 to 2023. Hence, Northeast Nigeria has become an arena of terrorist activities since the emergence of the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Mohammed Yusuf founded the Boko Haram group in 2002 in Borno State. The study used primary and secondary sources, including oral interviews with military officers, government officials, and victims of terrorist attacks. Secondary data included academic journals, textbooks, book chapters, independent terrorism research, Amnesty International reports, and media and government reports. The study adopts a descriptive and analytical approach in presenting its data. Findings from the study revealed that despite heavy military deployments, the violence continues, raising questions about government accountability and long-term solutions to insecurity in the region. Hence, there are several precursors of Boko Haram’s violent attacks in Northern Nigeria, especially the northeastern region. These precursors include, first, political and governance issues, such as bad governance and corruption. Second, socioeconomic problems such as poverty, unemployment and low literacy and education gaps. Third, religious ideology, such as religious extremism perpetrated by Boko Haram and its faction groups. Fourth, external and transnational influences, such as the proliferation of small and light weapons through porous borders. However, the paper submits that the terrorism in Nigeria orchestrated by the Boko Haram group is not insurmountable if the government is willing to end it.