FOR the past five years an Islamic extremist group called Boko Haram has grown in stature and gruesomeness in Nigeria's north-east. It has expanded its membership, range of operations and the territory it controls to the point where two dozens cities are beyond government control. This has happened despite the fact that Nigeria is now Africa's largest economy and has a highly capable political elite. Currently the army is fighting insurgents for control of the city of Chibok where Boko Haram abducted more than 200 schoolgirls earlier this year. How come Nigeria's situation keeps getting worse, given international support for the Nigerian government?

The crisis in the north-east needs to be seen in the context of generally rising criminality in Nigeria. Kidnappings for ransom are rife: celebrities and clergymen are plucked off the street in daylight. Hundreds of people are killed every year in land disputes. Thieves siphon off as much as a fifth of the country’s oil output in the Niger delta. Piracy is common. Rampant criminality also infects politics. Gangsters aid politicians by intimidating opponents. In return elected officials share out funds plundered from state coffers. Two years ago KPMG, a global audit firm, named Nigeria as the most fraud-prone country in Africa.

Boko Haram’s motivations lie not so much in religious fanaticism as in protest against government neglect. While fabulously wealthy, Nigeria's government and elite shares very little with the masses, especially those in the north-east, traditionally the poorest and least influential part of the country. Development levels there are among the lowest in the world, despite being one of OPEC's biggest oil producers. Nigeria's government has also neglected to pour money into its armed forces, out of both greed and fear. Coups used to be common. So now unpopular leaders are fighting an insurgency without capable security forces, which often inflames the situation, for example when under-paid and ill-trained soldiers rape and pillage just like Boko Haram.

The only way to defeat the insurgents is for Nigeria to do what it should have done long ago for other reasons: sort out its governance. Politicians should concentrate on building institutions, such as a fair-minded police force and a competent health care system, rather than filling their pockets in cooperation with criminals. Only then will the government be able to build a decent army and channel enough resources to the poor in the north-east. That is the way to defeat Boko Haram.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2014/11/economist-explains-10

I have a problem with attributing the insurgency and criminal preponderance of miscreants in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria to poverty and poor development. These and many more are general problems in the entire country so what informs this unholy n demonic display?
Again, if they are so aggrieved with the government n believe they've been unfairly treated, how have d young students, corpers and innocent citizens whom they kill n maim with impunity, contributed to their perceived unfair treatment? Why have they chosen to ignore the Northern leaders who were in governance for over 30yrs in Nig n have suddenly decided that it's Jonathan and his government's fault?

If it is proposed that infrastructure n development is the problem of these common criminals n thugs who claim to despise modern education, how will these be provided if they keep killing everything positive in sight? How have Christians and churches become responsible for their problems? (Madalla et al)

The Chad Basin has yielded prospects of crude in commercial quantity n suddenly they're up in arms, disrupting efforts to access this resource...they've always alluded to 13% derivation of Nig. Delta, wouldn't they hav had same or similar benefits as well?

They have their motives and it's hardly abt poverty or hatred of education so let no one keep playing that old, cracked n broken record! You seek development n yet destroy what little is on ground! How does that work? I could go on and on...

Cramjones I must say I'm really amazed today, no direct attention given to GEJ today. U too carry GEJ matter for head like say dem use am swear for u

Why are State Governors not held to account? is there any part of Nigeria as marginalized as th South East? Yet they haven't killed n destroyed fellow citizens cos it's obvious that these same people are struggling to survive too!

Incessant ra.pe and murder of women...how are they responsible for d problems so that ra.ping them will make them stop? These are miscreants who pander to their base desires under the guise of "poverty and non-development", very conveniently too.

The foot soldiers who do d actual dirty work are most likely not even sophisticated enough to grasp the intricacies of governance/politics and d resultant lack/evident poverty across d entire nation so what exactly do they understand this 'war' of theirs to mean? Why are the masterminds n sponsors just that, masterminds n sponsors? Why aren't they in the frontline fighting for what they 'believe'?

You see people in other countries go on hunger strikes or even set themselves on fire for what they believe in but here, u have idiotic self-appointed leaders calling the shots! if this is not characteristic of a rag-tag band of thieves gone wild, I wonder what it is! They just conveniently glorify themselves as having an ideology yet their very actions belie their words.

Some oaf will say they are also fighting Muslims n it's not targeted against Christians so why do they studiously overrun areas with significant Christian population and immediately declare an 'islamic caliphate'? Just a pity that things got out of hand and escalated to this pathetic point, this could have been nipped in d bud if not for apologists and saboteurs within d rank and file...the C-in-C can only do so much!

Let's be truthful and stop supporting common criminals by conferring an 'ideology, belief n purpose' on them when in fact they are thieves without honour, merely acting out a script!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rJSWbXD2zo

[size=15pt]Bad Governance Responsible For Boko Haram - (Barrack Obama)[/size]

I like this old troll

Boko Haram’s motivations lie not so
much in religious fanaticism as in
protest against government neglect.
While fabulously wealthy, Nigeria's
government and elite shares very little
with the masses, especially those in the
north-east, traditionally the poorest and
least influential part of the country.
Development levels there are among
the lowest in the world, despite being
one of OPEC's biggest oil producers.
Nigeria's government has also neglected
to pour money into its armed forces,
out of both greed and fear. Coups used
to be common. So now unpopular
leaders are fighting an insurgency
without capable security forces, which
often inflames the situation, for
example when under-paid and ill-
trained soldiers molest and pillage just
like Boko Haram.
The only way to defeat the insurgents is
for Nigeria to do what it should have
done long ago for other reasons: sort
out its governance. Politicians should
concentrate on building institutions,
such as a fair-minded police force and a
competent health care system, rather
than filling their pockets in cooperation
with criminals. Only then will the
government be able to build a decent
army and channel enough resources to
the poor in the north-east. That is the
way to defeat Boko Haram.

I Love this part from the Economist point of view.

Boded... From the engineering point of view, that can't be the only way!

One-sided opinion but i dont expect much from pple living thousands of mile away.

Doesnt explain how a band of rag-heads went from wielding machetes to brandishing anti-aircraft guns. No place mentioned of d sabotage from top military officials and d leading members in government who provide support.

Corruption and poverty plays a part yes, likewise greed and lust for power by a region that has tasted it more than others. Its important to note that 'Boko Haram 2.0' gained steam when it became apparent dat a northerner wasnt going to take Yar'adua's place.