Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria as a symptom of poverty and political alienation

Abstract

It is almost three years ago that a group of Northern Nigerian militants that transformed from political brigandage declared a war on the country in the name of islamic jihad. This has claimed thousands of lives and millions naira worth of properties. However, a critical analysis of the mission of the group pointed to the theory of poverty and political alienation. This paper therefore examined the violent rampageous Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria from the perspectives of the current agitation for political power-shift and severe poverty in Northern Nigeria. The research tool for the study was an indepth desk survey of media reports and literature data. The paper therefore recommended a total federal restructuring and massive poverty alleviation programmes to curb Boko Haram violence and other ethno-religious crises in Nigeria.