COUNTER-INSURGENCY AND THE MILITARY STRATEGY IN NIGERIA’S NORTH-EAST

Abstract

This paper examined “Counterinsurgency and the Military Strategy in Nigeria’s Northeast” It provided an overview of counterinsurgency operations and military strategy employed in the northeast region of Nigeria from 2009. The paper used secondary sources of data such as the use of textbooks, journals, government publications, conference and seminar lecture materials, and the internet. The paper pointed out the causes and impact of Boko Haram insurgency on national security, the achievements and challenges of military strategy in countering insurgency in northeast Nigeria. The research adopted the enemy-centric theory and the population-centric theory as the theoretical framework for analysis. The paper showed that the inability of most citizens to understand the real issues of insurgency and give the military all the needed support and morale is a major challenge to the success of military counterinsurgency operations; since the insurgents do not operate in a vacuum or in isolation. The study recommend that the government must address the socio[1]economic grievances that contribute to the recruitment and support of Boko Haram and any other aggrieved group. It further recommends community engagement and civil-military cooperation, intelligence and information sharing, and capacity building and adequate training of the military on counterinsurgency approach.