National and International Security Influences

Factors of Radicalism
A case study of Boko
Haram

Introduction
• Nigeria has suffered from undermined
security issues for long
• Boko Haram: a radical Group
• A nonstate armed radical group
• The concern for national and
international security
• Influences the youth of the country
• Discussion of factors of radicalization

Radicalization
• Concept emerged after 9/11 attack
• Definition: Radicalization involves rejecting of democratic ideas and the
status quo and adopting a violent medium to practice extreme political,
religious and social ideology (Marchal and Salem 2018).
• Outcome of changes in self-identification
• Radical ideology: extreme and violent
• Uses religion for exploitation

Boko Haram
• Established on 2002
• Formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-
Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād
• Founder: Muhammad Yusuf
• Boko Haram means “Western education
is forbidden”.
• Draws members from : unemployed
youths, destitute children and
disaffected youths of the Northern
Nigeria.
• States: Northern Borno and Yobe

Boko Haram (continued)
• In 2003 : attacked the police station in Kanamma and Geiam.
• 21st September 2004: second attack on police station, killed many
police officers (Pettinger 2017)
• Revolt of 2009: most important one
• Muhammad Yusuf was caught and killed by police
• Many sect member were killed as well
• After this the Boko Haram was responsible for many terrorist activities

Factors influencing Radicalism:
Boko Haram
Ignorance
• Ignorance of the religious aspects and
teaching
• leaders targets the youths with limited
knowledge of religion
• Ignorance make people vulnerable to
radicalization
• about 90% of the Boko haram group
members are ignorant of religious
teachings (Kaya 2020)

Unemployability and Corruption
• socio-economic challenges of the country are th mani reason of
radicalization
• the unemployment rate : 14.60% in the year 2006, 23.9% by the year
2011
• poverty rate : 54.7% in 2004, 60.9 % in 2010
• High corruption rate
• The growth of the country is limited in certain groups
• Youths joining Boko Haram for money and support

Difficult upbringing
• High number of children with lack of parental care
• Borno and Yobe are the most affected part
• Growing poverty is reason for radicaluzation
• Faulty social structure
• Increasing number of destitute children: more vulnerable to the
violent radicalization(Botha and Abdile 2019)

High level of Illiteracy
• Poverty and illiteracy are related to
each other
• Increased illiteracy because of
poverty
• Youths joining the group for financial
stability
• Illiterate mind are easy to manipulate
• Illiterate youth work as suicide
bombers

Role of the Security Forces
• Extremist attitude of the military and police forces
• People are raged
• Wrong approach for the 2009 revolution
• Radicalization becomes the medium to channelize the rage (Afolabi
and Yusuf)

Conclusion
• factors contribution in the radicalization of Boko Haram: literacy,
poverty, corruption and negligence of security agencies
• Lack of governmental actions
• Lack of awareness in the areas
• Policies and programs for destitute children are required

References
• Botha, Anneli, and Mahdi Abdile. "Reality versus perception: toward understanding
Boko Haram in Nigeria." Studies in Conflict & Terrorism 42, no. 5 (2019): 493-519.
• Pettinger, Tom. "De-radicalization and Counter-radicalization: Valuable Tools
Combating Violent Extremism, or Harmful Methods of Subjugation?." Journal for
Deradicalization 12 (2017): 1-59.
• Kaya, Ayhan. "Extremism and Radicalization: What makes the difference?." (2020).
• Afolabi, Oluwaseun, and Olanrewaju Yusuf. "PHASES OF BOKO HARAM:
MANIPULATION OF THE NAME OF GOD AND RELIGION." Peace Research 51, no. 1
(2019): 67-91.
• Marchal, Roland, and Zekeria Ould Ahmed Salem. "What is the concept of
“radicalization” good for?." Politique africaine 1 (2018): 5-20.