THE GOOD NEWS THAT HAS NOT ENDED TERRORISM AND INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA

The phenomenon of terrorism has existed from the late 19th century and persisted into the early 20th century. From the 1880s to the 1920s, roughly. Anarchism, a political theory that supports the elimination of all forms of government in favor of "equality" where people are free to organize and make their own decisions without a formal or centralized hierarchy, was the ideology behind the first waves of terrorism. Tsar Alexander II in 1881 and William McKinley, the 25th President of the United States, were among the notable people that this early wave of terrorism successfully targeted with bombs and assassinations as part of their political battle. The anarchist wave eventually vanished, as did other later waves including the left-wing and anti-colonial waves. All of these historical accounts serve to support the idea that the threat of terrorism is not a new reality but rather a long-standing phenomenon that has plagued humanity for ages. Even industrialized nations have had their fair share of the "terror of incidence" due to the pervasiveness of this monster that cuts across national borders. One of the most prominent of these is the 9/11 tragedy, which still seems to be fresh in the minds of Americans. An additional act of terrorism that attracted global and worldwide attention was the March 11, 2004, Madrid bombings, which left hundreds dead and 2000 injured. All of these also demonstrate that terrorism is a worldwide problem that requires the cooperation of primarily state actors and pertinent non-governmental organizations. In the meantime, since the other waves of terrorism had died out, a new one had emerged. The present wave of terrorism is referred to as the "religious wave."

Nigeria is not immune to the depressing realities of terrorism and insurgency; it faces numerous difficulties as a result of ineffective leadership and government procrastination. The challenge of insurgency and terrorism is making these Hydra-headed issues worse. A threat whose origins can be found in ideological resistance to education that is oriented toward the West, and which was intensified by the contentious 2009 murder of Boko Haram's founder and first leader. In addition to Boko Haram, Nigeria has seen the rise of a number of terrorist and insurgent organizations over the years, such as Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP), Ansaru, a Boko Haram offshoot group, and, more recently, Lakurawa, another armed group. In the Boko Haram insurgency alone, over 30,000 people have died and over 2 million have been displaced. 

The Nigerian army however, has won numerous battles against the operations and activities of various terrorist organizations in the "bad leadership plagued" nation since 2009, when terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria became a serious escalation. For example, the military made considerable accomplishments under President Goodluck Jonathan's administration, including a major recapture of insurgent strongholds in Gwoza and Bama in May 2015. That same year, hundreds of women and children who had been abducted were also freed from Boko Haram's hold in the northern Nigerian forest of Sambisa.

Furthermore, the Nigerian army persisted in its offensive battle against the Islamic warriors under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari from 2015 to 2023. Among other military feats, this included the conquest of Sambisa Forest, the most formidable Boko Haram stronghold, and a compromise that resulted in the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls. Under Buhari's leadership, counter-insurgency initiatives including "Operation Lafiya Dole" and "Operation Deep Punch" were initiated, which lowered the operational capabilities of insurgents.

As part of Nigeria's apparently never-ending offensive fight against terrorism and insurgency, the current Tinubu-led administration has also experienced some positive developments, particularly in relation to the Nigerian Army's capture of Abu Iklima, a key Boko Haram commander. Sani Rusu, a well-known terrorist, was also eliminated earlier this year. The most recent occurred when the Nigerian Army took control of the infamously deadly Tungan Fulani highlands, killing at least fifty terrorists in the process.

It is important to remember, though, that all of the positive news that successive administrations have documented over the years through their respective military leadership has only served to fuel an ongoing offensive campaign that has failed to fully eradicate terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria. For example, a BBC statistical analysis indicates that Boko Haram launched 150 attacks in 2017 alone, 40 farmers were reported killed in Borno state's Kukawa Local Government Area on January 12 of this year, and the most recent tragic event was the death of a prominent army commander who was killed along with other soldiers in a reported ambush attack at Malam-Fatori military base. According to current news reports, on February 16, 2025, three unidentified security officers were killed in an attack by the Islamic Stares armed group (ISWAP) in Isige Town, Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State.

We do not yet know when the battle against terrorism and insurgency will end, despite a number of noteworthy victories, counter-insurgency operations, and joint military efforts over the years. Nigerians are already fed up with positive news that hasn't been able to significantly reduce insurgency and terrorism in their country. In the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria, the government should be serious and exert more willpower. Sufficient funds have to be accessible for the acquisition of cutting-edge equipment and skilled workers who can totally disarm Nigeria's many terrorist organizations. Many years have passed, and the fight against terrorism still seems to be going on forever. However, Nigerians, particularly those who have lost loved ones and been uprooted due to insurgency and terrorism, eagerly await military actions that will ensure that terrorist organizations launch full-scale offensive attacks. While everyone must work together to combat terrorism and insurgency, Northern state actors can significantly contribute to lowering the region's increasing escalations by offering employment opportunities and vocation/enterprise skills, which will ultimately lessen the likelihood that terrorist organizations will recruit new members.