Published 2020-05-14
Abstract
The African country of Nigeria was one that was showing great promise heading into the 2010s. However, the rise of an Islamic fundamentalist group named Boko Haram sought to hamper any future progress. The pertinent issue of combatting terrorist organizations like Boko Haram is not one unique to Nigeria. Due to the destruction Islamic fundamentalist groups have left behind in the Middle East and North Africa, many have been left wondering why and under what circumstances these groups have arisen. This paper will investigate the rise and fall of Boko Haram in Nigeria while searching for answers as to why the group rose in prominence in the first place. While many arguments claim that terrorist organizations are birthed out of poverty and authoritarian rule, this paper makes the case this catch-all belief does not apply in Nigeria. Instead, Boko Haram came to fruition in Nigeria due to conditions related to social and economic issues. However, this rise was ultimately facilitated due to the influence of fellow Islamist groups in the region