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Part 1: Identity Part 2: Faultlines Part 3: Extremism Part 4: Boko Haram Part 5: Strategies for combating extremism Part 6: Military professionalism Part 7: Maritime security Part 8: Governance Boko Haram emerged in 2002 in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State in Nigeria’s Northeast Region. Initially organized as a sect under the leadership of... Continue Reading
The ideological appeal of violent Islamist insurgencies in Nigeria predates Boko Haram. Without addressing the region’s grievances, extremism will live on.
The deadly terrorist attack on the Bardo museum in Tunisia on March 18 turned the global spotlight on this North African nation, which has made significant strides in consolidating democracy since its long-serving ruler, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was ousted from power in January 2011.
Boko Haram’s violent campaign for an Islamic state in northern Nigeria has led to the growing isolation of this region. Trade in Kano, the economic hub of the north, is estimated to have been cut by half in recent years. Roughly $15 billion worth of annual trade and two million traders from neighboring countries used to flow through Kano. As Boko Haram’s violent attacks have increased, fewer traders are crossing the border to take the risk. This coincides with a stream of businesses leaving northern states from Borno to Kaduna for greater stability in the south. Boko Haram’s high-profile kidnapping of French tourists in February 2013 accelerated the plunge in travel in the region. Internet and cell phone access have similarly been restricted due to Boko Haram’s bombing of 24 base transceiver stations belonging to at least six telecommunications companies in the northeast.
In this edition of Ask the Expert, Dr. Hussein Solomon, a leading expert on militant Islam and counterterrorism strategies in Africa—who lectures at the Department of Political Sciences at the University of the Free State in South Africa—assesses the state of fundamentalism on the continent.
Support for Boko Haram among some of northern Nigeria’s marginalized Muslim communities suggests that security actions alone will be insufficient to quell the instability.
This program examines best practices for countering violent extremism leading to the production of a handbook for African security practitioners, derived from insights and recommendations generated from the Africa Center CVE series and from other sources.
(See more recent readings on this topic here.) The Problem with Militias in Somalia: Almost Everyone Wants Them Despite Their Dangers By Vanda Felbab-Brown, UN Centre for Policy Research, April 14, 2020 Militias can present an attractive alternative to state forces but they carry many risks. Somalia, which hosts many militias, reveals why states and... Continue Reading
(See more recent readings on this topic here.) The Problem with Militias in Somalia: Almost Everyone Wants Them Despite Their Dangers By Vanda Felbab-Brown, UN Centre for Policy Research, April 14, 2020 Militias can present an attractive alternative to state forces but they carry many risks. Somalia, which hosts many militias, reveals why states and... Continue Reading
(See more recent readings on this topic here.) Ending ‘Forever War’ in Somalia: Negotiating with Al-Shabaab By Mohamed Husein Gaas and Stig Jarle Hansen, 2022 Sixteen years of a militarized approach toward al Shabaab has resulted in a stalemate. Negotiation between the two sides has yet to be explored in earnest. There are several barriers... Continue Reading
This three-week, in-person seminar is designed to facilitate participants’ engagement in interdisciplinary peer learning about strategic and adaptive leadership and its implications for the effective management of African security challenges.
This three-week, in-person seminar is designed to facilitate participants’ engagement in interdisciplinary peer learning about strategic and adaptive leadership and its implications for the effective management of African security challenges.