Abstract
The Nigeria government has been fighting a protracted insurgency by Boko Haram since 2009. Despite the concerted multifaceted counterinsurgency approach, the insurgent sustained its violence with impunity. However, the participation of militia to support the government significantly suppressed the insurgent hostilities, reduced both attack frequencies and fatalities. Even though the militias succeed in the operation, but what motivates them to engage in the militia is not address. This article, therefore, drawing data from interviews and field observations, this study investigated the drivers of the militias in Yobe State. The case study is at Geidam involving 15 participants from three groups that include the militia participants, government officials, and community leaders. The find revealed poverty and unemployment are the key drivers of militias' participation in the operation. However, the study recommends that Nigeria and Yobe State governments should regulate the militia activities to avoid excessiveness. Nigeria's government should re-strategize its counterinsurgency campaign toward the people-centered operation. Others are the recruitment of more state counterinsurgent forces by the government.
Highlights
IntroductionThe group objects to all forms of civilizations including formal education and the secular state
Since 2009, the Nigerian government has been fighting a protracted insurgency rebellion by an Islamist fundamentalist group Boko Haram
Fundamentally, the case study revealed a combination of personal motivations and incentive factors as main drivers of the participation of people in the militia movement in Yobe state
Summary
The group objects to all forms of civilizations including formal education and the secular state. The strategy of the group initially reflects on civil disobedience tactics such as subversion; sit-in, and hostilities toward state laws and actors. In 2003, angered by the urbanism and the growth of the democracy politic, the followers isolated themselves to a jungle in a remote community at Yobe State along the Nigeria and Niger Republic border to practice mundane life. The group overpowered the police, killed two police officers, and looted the police armory. The group reached the climax of its violence in 2009 when some of its disgruntled members revolted in Maiduguri, a city of about 2million population in vengeance against military and police brutality.
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