Political Support Emboldened Boko Haram

United Nations Building Abuja after the Friday Blast

Boko haram is not simply a security challenge. It is also a political challenge. It has a political dimension. Recall the rhetoric from Borno Elders describing Boko Haram members as ‘brothers’, blaming the military for escalating the situation and asking the President to withdraw them. It is this political support that has emboldened them and enabled them to overwhelm the security agencies, who by the way lack the capacity to respond to the challenge. The solution must go beyond security response to include political negotiation. It requires a wide stakeholder involvement. It required community engagement. …By Okechukwu Nwanguma