Nigeria: Rethinking Civilian Protection in the Context of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria

11 November 2015
analysis

People have lost so much; they have chosen to defend themselves from further losses. This is legitimate. However, there is a sense in which government has to take primary responsibility for the security of life and property of all Nigerians.

The Boko Haram insurgency is exacting a huge toll on the populations in the North-East of Nigeria. Armed Conflict Locations and Event Data Project estimates that the 6,347 deaths resulting from the insurgency in 2014 represent nearly half of all civilian deaths in African war zones. For its part, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates over a million displaced persons as a result of the insurgency. Besides this, properties worth probably billions in local currency have been destroyed; many citizens have lost access to their homes, sources of livelihood, healthcare, etc. The loss is indeed unimaginable. Unfortunately, it is increasing by the day.

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