Peculiar Weather Variability and Terrorism in Nigeria

Abstract

Terrorism is now a global phenomenon which is threatening the peace and security of the world. Nigeria is not left out as it is experiencing the kind of insecurity never witnessed since the end of civil war in the 1970s. The Boko Haram terrorist group has wrecked tremendous havoc in the North-eastern region of the country and beyond. There is a possible indication that weather variability may be the side effect or root cause of terrorism in Nigeria. This is because climate change is seen as a threat multiplier due to its deleterious impacts on the environment and livelihood. This paper seeks to identify the relationship between climate variability and terrorism. Data on temperature and precipitation will be collected from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET). Also published and unpublished scholarly articles of various literature , investigations and electronically stored information on implications of climate change was reviewed to determine whether changes in weather system are catalysts to the insecurity being witnessed recently in Nigeria. Content analysis technique was applied for data analysis and findings reveal that changes in the climate system escalate the existing tension in natural resources depletion. The paper recommends possible mitigation and adaptation measures that will address the security impact of these changes in Nigeria.