Countering the Boko Haram Group in Nigeria: The Relevance of Hybrid Doctrine

Abstract

The Boko Haram insurgency in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria has brought to the fore the need for an effective counterinsurgency strategy by the authorities. The insurgency, which has raged since 2010, has the potential to destroy Africa’s most populous nation if not swiftly contained. Nigeria’s inability to tackle the Boko Haram menace has security ramifications that go beyond its border, into the West-African sub-region and the rest of the continent. A lot has been written about the origins of the Boko Haram. However, there is no important work that deconstructs the dynamics of the war between Nigeria and the Group. Again, and importantly, there is no seminal work that offers broad or specific counter-insurgency strategies on containing the delibitating conflict. Consequently, this paper hopes to achieve the following: 1. Show the nature of of the Nigeria-Boko Haram war. 2. Show the centre of gravity of the war. 3. Show the strategy, methods and tactics the Nigerian State can use to curb and contain the group and finally, show the centrality of the doctrine of Hybridity to curbing and containing the Group.

Keywords: Terrorism, Counterterrorism, Insurgency, Counterinsurgency, Hybrid Doctrine, Nigeria