Boko Haram Insurgency and Nigerian Counter-insurgeney (Coin) Strategy

Abstract

This study examines the Counter Insurgency (COIN) measures adopted by the Federal Government of Nigeria in combating Boko Haram (BH) insurgency in the North-eastern Region of the nation. It seeks to answer the following questions in order to measure as well as put into context Nigerian government capabilities from military and non-military perspectives: How has the Nigerian government struck a balance between or prioritized one of the two primary counter insurgency approaches -Population-centric and Enemy-centric in the formulation of an effective national security policy against a revolutionary warfare, such as Boko Haram? The study found an enemy-centric skew in the government's strategy and recommends improvement of the citizens' living standards, development of government infrastructures and provision of amenities, as vital concerns that should reflect in Nigerian counterinsurgency strategy against Boko Haram.