Economy, Geography and Insurgency: Understanding the External Factors Behind Boko Haram's Rise

Abstract

Over the last decade, Boko Haram has been a major security threat to Nigeria. The terrorist organization has launched numerous attacks and kidnappings on both civilian and military targets. Despite ongoing efforts by the Nigerian government and its military forces, the insurgency remains active, and ultimate victory over the group has yet to be achieved. Many scholars attribute Boko Harams emergence and continued existence to a combination of extreme religious ideologies and the government's failure to develop an effective counter-insurgency strategy. However, these factors alone do not fully explain the group's success. Throughout its development, external factors such as the economy and geography provide significant advantages to Boko Haram, ranging from recruitment to supply and concealment. This paper examines the economic, educational, geographical, and regional context of the Boko Haram insurgency to demonstrate how social and natural conditions can promote insurgency and offer new insights into the ongoing global anti-terrorist campaign.