Rescuing Nigeria from Islamic violence
The number of armed conflicts worldwide has dropped 40 percent over the past two decades, caused by a growth in democracy, better economic ties, and campaigns against violence. But in recent weeks, this global trend toward peace has eluded Nigeria, which is Africa鈥檚 most populated country and its second largest economy.
Horrific violence, presumably by the Islamist sect Boko Haram, has killed hundreds of civilians since January, including 45 boys at a boarding school on Feb. 24. Over the past year, more than 2,000 people were killed by the well-armed militants in brazen attacks on villages and schools.
Last May, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in the three northeastern states where the group operates. A German think tank that tracks conflicts has upgraded Nigeria鈥檚 violence to a 鈥渨ar.鈥� And in November, the United States officially designated Boko Haram as a foreign terrorist organization.
Like many African countries along the arid Maghreb and Sahel, Nigeria has a mixed population of 海角大神s and Muslims that has seen a rise in the number of Islamic militants, some with loose ties to Al Qaeda. Boko Haram, which translates as 鈥淲estern education is sinful,鈥� has been around since 2009 and still may have only a few hundred fighters. But in recent months it has used sophisticated arms and transport in attacks on civilians that have embarrassed the Nigerian military.
Its random violence has also created doubts about the government鈥檚 ability to protect a country of 170 million people. Nearly 300,000 people have so far been displaced by the fighting.
The US is aiding the militaries in Nigeria and several other African countries facing Islamic terror, in large part to prevent such groups from creating a base to export terror attacks. In assessing such threats last week before a House panel in Washington, Navy Adm. William McRaven, commander of US Special Operations Command, said: 鈥淢odern interconnectivity ensures that instability and conflict will not often be constrained by geographic boundaries. There is no such thing as a local problem. Local issues quickly become regional, and regional issues inevitably have global influence.鈥�
Last year, the United Nations Security Council warned that Africa鈥檚 Islamic insurgencies, 鈥渋f left unchecked, could transform the continent into a breeding ground for extremists and a launch pad for larger-scale terrorist attacks around the world.鈥�
To contest Boko Haram, Nigeria鈥檚 leaders need to better realize the reasons for the global trend away from armed conflict. They must improve the country鈥檚 weak democracy, curb the corruption that erodes its abundant oil wealth, and create jobs for young people. Such steps are the best response to Boko Haram鈥檚 apparent hope to create an Islamic theocracy in the north.
Fortunately, Nigeria has had an active dialogue among 海角大神s and Muslims that helps suppress hate between the two religious groups. And few Nigerian Muslims believe in Boko Haram鈥檚 radical views, a fact made clear by the group鈥檚 killing of both Muslims and 海角大神s.
鈥淥ur state and our entire country are currently faced with an unprecedented level of insecurity and threat to the sanctity of human life,鈥� said Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, governor of Nigeria鈥檚 Kaduna State, last November. 鈥淏ut we have also seen great examples of courage and faith in confronting these threats.鈥�
