BOKO HARAM, INTER-FAITH BLASPHEMY AND SECURITY IMPLICATION IN NIGERIA

Abstract

It is said that Nigeria comprises over 250 ethnic groups, among which three are the majority groups (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba). These three groups have been at the forefront of all socio-economic situations of the country ever since the attainment of political independence in 1960. Many analysts think these three major groups have collaborated with their religious counterparts and continue to take advantage of their influence in society by instigating the common man for their interests, especially when sharing national resources. Based on such facts, experts believed most religious conflicts were initiated to achieve socio-economic and political interests. This paper discusses one principal factor behind the 2009 Boko haram attack: the 2007 Isioma Daniel blasphemous article published in This Day Newspaper. The research studied several misguided utterances in Nigeria's history and the system's failure to prevent future repetitions. Given this, the work examines the causes of these religious conflicts and their implications for Nigeria's national security. In the course of the research, the author has devised means of arriving at the result using analytical and interrogative research approaches to point at the measures determining the outcome of the conflict. Our inability to foster a stable political system, establish a viable political culture, promote national unity, and develop a culture of tolerance are among the factors that continue to increase the crisis. The paper clearly stated that Boko Haram finally declared war due to such a misguided article. Even though there was a sharp division among the highest decision-making body of the sect, the final decision was the view of the majority, which the paper thoroughly analyzed. The paper recommends measures to control such uncultured behavior that derailed the nation from a crisis-free society since the era of independence.