Nigeria’s Relations with Her Neighbors and the Fight against Terrorism: An Analysis of the Multinational Joint Task Force
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Emerald Publishing Limited
Abstract
Description
This chapter examines Nigeria’s relationship with her immediate neighboring
countries in the fight against terrorism. It probed the challenges of national
security following the internationalization of Boko Haram terrorist threats,
particularly around the Lake Chad basin, and the responses of countries such
as Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. These countries, like Nigeria, share borders
around the Lake Chad and are the core contributors to the Multinational Joint
Task Force (MNJTF). Nigeria is an English-speaking country (former British
colony), while these other neighbors are historically French colonial territories.
Hence, their political, cultural, military, and economic affinities are with
France. The varying backgrounds have accounted for the challenges in the
subregion including the Boko Haram insurgency and the efforts at military
cooperation in tackling it. Consequently, these questions are examined: what
factors led to the formation of MNJTF and what role has it played in the
counterterrorism strategies of the country? In what ways has the nature of
Nigeria’s relations with these countries impacted on the operation of the
body? What are the roles of external powers such as France with her
domineering influence on these countries in the war against terrorism and how
has it promoted Nigeria’s national security interest? The chapter relies on
documented materials to interrogate the questions and proffer necessary
policy recommendations premised on the findings.
Keywords
JA Political science (General)