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THE EFFECT OF TERRORISM IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: IT’S SIGNIFICANCE TO DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA)

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to examine the effect of terrorism in developing countries: it’s significance to development and progress a case study of Nigeria. Specifically, the study examined the effect of terrorism on the economic development of Nigeria. The study also examine the activities of the terrorist groups in Nigeria from 2012 to 2021. identify the factors that led to the emergence of the Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria 2012 to 2021. lastly, the study investigate how terrorism has affected the development and progress of Nigeria. The study employed the historical research design. Primary and secondary materials were used for the study. The findings revealed that the effect of terrorism is on the direct economic destruction, the increased uncertainty in the market, long term chronic pain is also an aftermath of terrorism also, sensory disturbance is an implication of terrorist activities, destruction of lives and property is also an implication of terrorist activities. Furthermore,terrorism thrives because it is financed by those who have access to public funds. And it also gets foreign support sometimes in the name of oil, religion or ethnicity. All of these criminal attributes give terrorism terrifying worldwide recognition. At present, Nigeria is facing the devastating experience of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, mostly in the northeastern part of the country. The study thereby recommend that to quell the raging inferno of terror acts in Nigeria , the job falls on the table of not only the government, but also other stakeholders whose interests in the continuity of the Nigerian project could be damaged if the polity is overrun by terror gangs whatever their names or raisons d'être. Also, the international community, faith organizations, civil society, business community and others have to conflate their roles in order to obliterate or checkmate terrorism in Nigeria and create the needed breather for industrial development to happen. Lastly, the Nigerian government should invest heavily in purchasing or building of security drone which will be used to detect any terrorist activity.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Terrorism and insurgency is globally becoming a household word as there is no nation that is completely absolved from its effect. This is the reason why Rourke (2015) observes that war, terrorism and other forms of transnational political violence are in many ways more threatening today than ever before as civilian casualty has been on increase. It is however difficult to evolve a single definition for the term “terrorism”. The difficulty emanates from the lack of consensus or unified perspective among nations or scholars as to what could be regarded as terrorist act. Hence, terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and inexcusable abomination since it is a function of whose point of view is being represented.

Indeed, the worldwide manifestation of terrorism and insurgency has been evident in Africa, but also in Nigeria. With particular reference to Nigeria, the phenomenon has found expression in the emergence of Boko Haram insurgency (2001-date). Since its advent, the sectarian insurgency has wrecked immense havoc in the country, especially by “using explosives and firearms with gruesome, fatal” consequences (Awake, 2016).

The alarming level of terrorists attacks in different parts of the country, leaving unpalatable consequences for the nation’s economy and its growth. To address the threat to national security and combat the increasing waves of crime the federal government of Nigeria in the 2013 budget made a huge allocation to security, and the national assembly passed the Anti-Terrorism Act in 2011 (Ewetan, 2018). Despite these efforts, the level of terrorism and insecurity in the country is still high, and a confirmation of this is the low ranking of Nigeria in the Global Peace Index (GPI, 2015). Despite the plethora of security measures taken to address the daunting challenges of terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria, government efforts have not produced the desired positive result. This has compelled the Nigerian government in recent time to request for foreign assistance from countries such as USA, Israel, and EU countries to combat the rising waves of terrorism and insecurity. Amidst the deteriorating security situation in the country, Nigeria is also confronted with daunting developmental challenges which pose serious threat to socio-economic development. These developmental challenges include endemic rural and urban poverty, high rate of unemployment, debilitating youth unemployment, low industrial output, unstable and deteriorating exchange rate, high inflation rate, inadequate physical and social infrastructure, very large domestic debt, and rising stock of external debt (Ewetan, 2018)

Some scholars in conceptualizing security placed emphasis on the absence of threats to peace, stability, national cohesion, political and socio-economic objectives of a country (Igbuzor, 2015; Oche, 2016; Nwanegbo and Odigbo, 2017). Thus there is a general consensus in the contemporary literature that security is vital for national cohesion, peace and sustainable development. It is therefore apparent that national security is a desideratum, sine qua non for economic growth and development of any country (Oche, 2016). The areas affected by the Boko Haram insurgency have been devoid of virtually all economic activities. In the intelligence community there is a consensus that security is not the absence of threats or security issues, but the existence of a robust mechanism to respond proactively to the challenges posed by these threats with expediency, expertise, and in real time.

Political, economic and social insecurity of a country encompasses all development goals and issues being the root of the issue and the solution. Addressing issues of terrorism is crucial in order to execute successful development projects. As a goal, it believed that every country should aspire to reach a point of security by protecting its citizens from structural violence, crime, and social insecurity. Indeed, without the safety of citizens, all plans for development, whether economic, political or social, will fail. Terrorism is a phenomenon that is bedevilling Borno State and it affects policies and development. Any nation striving towards development must reduce the frequency of crime to the barest minimum.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The emergence of Boko Haram insurgency has introduced a terrorist dimension, hitherto unknown, into the criminal space in Nigeria. Series of bombings have been carried out by the sect, as well as taking hostage of innocent citizens. Even the United Nations Building in Abuja was not spared in the bombing spree(Ewetan,2018). In rich as well as poor countries, terrorism exerts a heavy toll on national economies. It is inevitable that the economic impact of terrorism would be more felt in unsophisticated mono-cultural low-income economies than they would be felt in highly advanced, diversified industrial economies(Ewetan,2018). Therefore, the continued rise in terrorism activities in the country, if not checked, may result in greater investor apathy for the country and resulting in low inflow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and would make institutional investors look for other stable economies to invest their money. On the state of the country, when people feel insecure, their appetite to invest, to buy or rent from the product of investment reduces; and that is why all over the world, any country that radiates an environment of insecurity naturally repels investment initiatives from both the international community and its own local investors. Hence, terrorism is a threat to the economic, political and social security of a nation and a major factor associated with underdevelopment; because it discourages both local and foreign investments, reduces the quality of life, destroys human and social capital, damages relationship between citizens and the states, thus undermining democracy, rule of law and the ability of the country to promote development (Adebayo, 2015). However, the researcher is analyzing the effect of terrorism in developing countries: it’s significance to development and progress.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of this study:

To examine the effect of terrorism on the economic development of Nigeria 2012 to 2021.

To examine the activities of the terrorist groups in Nigeria from 2012 to 2021.

To identify the factors that led to the emergence of the terrorist group in Nigeria.

To investigate how terrorism has affected the development and progress of Nigeria

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What is the effect of terrorism on the economic development of Nigeria?

What is the activities of the terrorist groups in Nigeria?

What are the factors that led to the emergence of the terrorist group in Nigeria?

How has terrorism has affected the development and progress of Nigeria

1.5 HYPOTHESIS

HO: Terrorism does not affect economic development and progress in Nigeria

HA: Terrorism does affect economic development and progress in Nigeria

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