Impediments to Nigerian Democracy: The Ambivalent Role of Vigilante Groups in Maintaining Security in the Wake of the Boko Haram Insurgence in Northern Nigeria
Abstract
The paper focuses on security efforts of local vigilante groups against the Boko Haram (BH) insurgency in Northern Nigeria. The fight against the BH insurgency is a major source of concern throughout the Nigerian Federation. The use of charms and locally fabricated small arms by the Vigilante and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) is a factor in the fight against BH insurgents. Through data obtained from interviews, newspapers and secondary texts, this article analyses the emergence and role of vigilantes in the fight against insurgency. The groups serve as an alternative security in the areas affected by the insurgency. The groups use a variety of locally made charms in their confrontation with the BH. Furthermore, the paper attempts to evaluate role of the CJTF and Vigilante in the fight against insurgency, and the nature of traditional mechanisms use by the local groups in the fight against the BH insurgency. The paper concludes that there is likelihood for the vigilante to pose a danger to the security in the post-war (against insurgency) period.
References
Abrahams, R. 1987. Sungusungu: Village Vigilante Groups in Tanzania. African Affairs, 86(343): 179 €“196. Oxford University Press the Royal African Society Stable. URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/ 722470 Retrieved: 04 €“05 €“2015 08:46 UTC.
AJCTC. 2015. Aljazeerah Counting the Cost Program Corruption Blights Nigerian Army's Fight Against Rebels. http://www. aljazeera. com/programmes/ countingthecost/ 2015/ 03/ Retrieved 20 Mar 2015 20:43 GMT.
Aghedo, I. & O. Osumah. 2014. Bread, Not Bullets: Boko Haram and Insecurity Management in Northern Nigeria. African Study Monographs, 35(3 & 4): 205 €“229. The Centre for African Studies Kyoto University, Japan.
Anderson, D. M. 2002. Vigilantes, Violence and the Politics of Public Order in Kenya. African Affairs, 101(405): 531 €“555. URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/3518466 Retrieved: 04 €“05 €“2015 08:46 UTC.
Casey, C. 2014. Hypocrisy, Spatial (In) Justice and Youthful Policing in Northern Nigeria. Open Edition Ebooks, Presses Universitaires de Paris Ouest, www. http://books. openedition. org/pupo/436, Retrived: 04/05/2014.
Fourchard, L. 2008. A New Name for an Old Practice: Vigilantes in South-Western Nigeria: Perspectives on Vigilantism in Nigeria. Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, 78(1): 16 €“40. Cambridge University Press International African Institute Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/40027362. Retrieved ed: 04 €“05 €“2015 08:45 UTC.
Ghosh, A. 1996. Fundamentalism, Its Roots, Rationale and Remedy. Economic and Political Weekly, 31(19): 1115 €“1116. Economic and Political Weekly Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/4404110. Retrieved : 01/12/2014 07:46.
Leadership Newspaper. 2014. Civilian JTF Raises The Alarm: 40 Suicide Bombers Sneak Into Borno. 30 July 2014. Leadership Newspaper, Abuja.
€”. 2015. Chibok Schoolgirls Held In Bunkers: Governor Shetima. 20 May, 2015. Leadership Newspaper, Abuja.
€”. 2013. Borno Trains Another 1,000 19 November, 2013. Leadership Newspaper, Abuja.
Maghimbi, S. 2014. Secularisation and the Rise of Religious Fundamentalism in Tanzania. In T. Ndaluka & F. Wijsen (eds.). Religion and State in Tanzania Revisited: Reflections from 50 Years of Independence. Nijmegen: Centre for World Christianity and Inter-religious Studies at Radboud University.
Olaniyi, R. 2005. Community Vigilantes in Metropolitan Kano 1985 €“2005, Vol. 17, Institut Francais de Recherche en Afrique, Ibadan.
Onuoha, F. C. 2015. Small Arms and Light Weapons Proliferation and Human Security in Nigeria. Conflict Trends, A Publication of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), www. accord. org. za Retrieved 24/4/2015
Salihi, H. M. 2012. Governance Failure and Political Violence in Nigeria: The Jama ' atu Ahlils Sunah Lidda ' awati wal-Jihad in Perspective. In H. Mohammed (ed.). Nigerian Convulsive Federalism: Perspectives on Flash-Points of Conflict in Northern Nigeria. Ibadan: Foludex Press Limited, pp 211 €“233,.
Weekly Trust Newspaper. 2014. Boko Haram: Why Borno Residents are Arming Themselves. 6 September, 2014
€”. 2014. Boko Haram: Why Borno Residents Are Arming Themselves. 06 September 2014, Media Trust Abuja.
Zenn, J. 2012. The Strategic Limitations of Boko Haram in Southern Nigeria. Publication of Combating Terrorism Centre, West Point, August 23, 2012.
