Nigeria's

War Against Boko Haram Islamic Terrorism

Military Action, Diplomatic Reach and Social Restructuring

Oluwatoyin Vincent Adepoju

The government of Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is addressing the

Boko Haram insurgency at the various levels of military action, diplomatic reach and
social restructuring, more than any other Nigerian leader has ever done.
The Military Initative
The war against Boko Haram has run through three major stages from that time.
First Stage : Escalation of Terrorist Activity and the Nigerian Government's Search
for an Adequate Response
The first stage is the period of escalation and the government's trying to find direction
amidst the political cross-currents of the time, as Northern elite either defended the
group as fighters for justice (Bamanga Tukur) described them as the outcome of poverty
resulting from inadequate federal allocations to the North while some South-South
states were given more money than they could manage (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi), as the
group presented themselves as fighting for Muslims against an infidel government, in a
situation charged with widespread dissatisfaction in the North with a Northerner not
becoming President in 2011, as demonstrated by the massacres by Buhari's supporters
after he lost, and Abubakar Atiku's threat of violent change during that election cycle
because a Northerner did not become PDP Presidential candidate.
Second Stage : Dislodging of Boko Haram by Joint Task Force in the State of
Emergency
The second stage is represented by the inception of the Joint task Force and the state
of emergency, which dislodged Boko Haram from their strongholds in population
centres and driving them to the outskirts of Borno, from where they were still able to
launch attacks on targets in relatively remote locations.
Third Stage: Chibok Sabotage, Boko Haram Regrouping and Capturing Territory
and Nigerian Army Retaking of Captured Territory
The third stage is represented by the repercussions of the act of sabotage perpetrated
by the Borno state governor in keeping the Chibok school open even though the govt
hads directed that schools in such remote regions be closed, an act that led to the
kidnaping fiasco.
The storm over this was followed by Boko Haram reemerging to take over towns and

military garrisons and was followed by the Nigerian army progressively taking these
locations from them, although I expect the job is not over.
The following news reports give info on the recapturing of towns from Boko Haram, from
November to December 2014:
"Nigerian Troops Win Back Cities From Extremists"
13th December 2014

"Ashaka Aftermath: 67 Boko Haram Terrorists Die In Encounter With Troops"

7th December 2014

"Boko Haram finally loses Mubi How military dislodged sect"

5th December 2014

"Troops, Vigilantes Take Back Nigerian Town Seized by Boko Haram"

November 16, 2014

The following report describes a recent set back in the war against
Boko Haram
"Nigeria: Boko Haram Overruns Multinational Army Base"

4 January 2015

All the historical references to specific incidents here are verifiable by anyone by a
Google search.
One might not agree with my general point of view on this crisis, or with my
interpretation of the first stage of the crisis from 2011, but the actions I point out are
verifiable historical facts.
The Social Reconstruction Initiative in Tackling Islamic Terrorism

The federal govt of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is also addressing the

problem of Islamic terrorism in the North at its foundations through
building schools for the large number of educationally and
economically disadvantaged children known as almajiri, as described
here:

"Nigeria : FG Targets 10 Million Almajiri for Tsangaya System of Education"

This initiative has been undertaken in spite of
criticism directed against it:
"FG Missteps on Almajiri School Scheme"
The initiative is examined in this extensive on the ground survey :
"Is The FGs Almajiri System Of Education Working?"
Low quality education and poverty are among the enabling environments for the
religious terrorism of Boko Haram and the empowering of the vulnerable children is vital
in eliminating the terrorist threat.
The conclusion of the report is not in agreement with its content but that might be
because of negative bias, perhaps related to Abraham Nda-Isaiah, possibly the owner of
the paper, being a contender for the Presidency in the opposition APC until the recent
APC primaries.
The Diplomatic Initiative
The government of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has also tried to address the Boko Haram
problem through diplomacy by offering amnesty to the sect but the terrorist group rejected
the offer, calling among other things, for the Nigerian President to become a Muslim if
they are to stop their atrocities