Understanding the Root Causes of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria: A Perceptional Study

Abstract

Boko Haram insurgency is the most devastating experience encountered in Nigeria’s fourth republic. It is therefore imperative to investigate the root causes of Boko Haram insurgency in the country. To achieve the objective of the study, a total of ninety (90) members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in Maiduguri in Borno State were sampled through the use of a self-structured questionnaire, and key informant interview was conducted for thirty four (34) of them to concretised data generated through the questionnaire. The study discovered that cultural practices (x ̅=3.41), high rate of illiteracy (x ̅=3.23), political interests of the elites (x ̅=3.19), foreign influence (x ̅=3.19) and bad governance (x ̅=3.11) were the root causes of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria. Thus, it was recommended that cultural practices capable of provoking violence should be reviewed and reshaped; leaders should be held accountable for their actions; quality and access education should be provided; activation of citizenship consciousness on leadership issue and Nigeria foreign policy principles concerning her neighbours should be redefined to determine how the country will be looked upon and be looked at in this critical stage of its democratic development.