Boko Haram: A Race between Amnesty and Criminal Tribunal

Abstract

From 2002 an insurgent group declared war on Nigeria. To advance understanding of the challenges to Nigeria’s security, this article analyses the radical Islamic sect popularly called “Boko Haram”. This was done by addressing the question: What is the best measure in handling the Boko Haram insurgency.  Current literature is inconclusive. On the one hand, some canvass conciliatory measures like amnesty; on the other hand are those that re-emphasize the realist axiom: war is a continuation of policy. It is in the midst of this uncertainty, that this article recommends the establishment of a criminal tribunal. Boko Haram insurgency has claimed thousands of lives.

Keywords: Sectarian Conflict, Ethnicity, Corruption, Terrorism, Amnesty, Criminal Tribunal