Reign of Evil: (Re)casting the Socioeconomic Crisis of Boko Haram Islamic Extremist Terrorism in Nigeria

In the 54 years since Nigeria's independence, the country has not had political leadership that could foster national cohesion among its citizens. Currently, a relatively small group has taken up arms to challenge the authority of the state. When one views Nigeria's experience with extremism through a wide-angled lens, onewould see that its rise and continued presence are the consequences of the coming together of a number of circumstances. Affected areas in the North-East region of the country will not be able to make economic and social progress unless the various groups that have taken up arms against the state are made to abide by the laws of the land. History has played an important role, as has public policy, in bringing about this situation. International policies have been equally important. Although the Nigerian federal Government headed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, which came into power onMay 29, 2009, identified extremism and economy as public policy priorities, it has been wavering in dealing with extremism. There is need for well-defined approaches to countering extremism, followed through robustly and as the situation demands in order for this existential threat to Nigeria to be fully addressed.