TERRORISM AND ITS IMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA A CASE STUDY OF ANAMBRA STATES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The nation gained her independence in the month of October 1960. (wikipedia, 2014). Nigeria is one of the most famous African country. Nigeria contributed greatly in the economic community of west African state (ECOWAS) activities. (Adebakin, 2012). The nations economy was dependent on agriculture sometime ago but in 1973, when the Nigeria crude oil was discovered most Nigeria le the agricultural practice to go into oil. Oil later became Nigeria highest source of income. With the vast population of Nigeria and the increase in oil production this made Nigeria the greatest force the whole of west Africa. It was observed that the GDP of the country rose to about 500 million dollar as at the year 2014; making Nigeria the 26th largest economy in the world and the first in the whole of Africa. Ever since the independence of Nigeria, Nigeria has suffered a lot of setbacks through civil unrest, conflicts and insurgences, as this have had negative consequences on the Nigerian economy. The setbacks are just enormous for a country that gained independence not too long ago; the igbo leader Odimegwu Ojukwu who tried to lead the igbos to gain an independent state called biafra which led to the civil war that lasted for two years and some months between 6th July 1967 to January 1970. About a total of 3 million lost their lives to this incidence can also be said to be a major civil unrest that led to the economic underdevelopment of the region.Another incidence took place again; the civil unrest by the militant group, all these are based on ethnic and difference in religion.

Some of these group are Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Niger Delta Peoples’ Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Movement for the Emancipation of the Nigeria Delta (MEND), Bakassi Boys, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and Boko Haram (Adebakin, 2012) The most alarming incidence is the arrival of the Boko Haram sect which changed, from being an innocuous political machine, to further the ambition of a group of Northern politicians, (Adetoro, 2012), into the most savage militant group in the annals of Nigerian history, with its unconventional continuous attack on innocent people of Nigeria. This group is also called the jama’atu Ahlis sunna lidda Awati Wal-jihad. ( Eme & Ibietan, 2012; Ogbonnaya & Ehigiamusoe, 2013; Okoli & Iortyer 2014; and Wikipedia, 2014). In Hausa Language, Boko Haram means western education is a “abomination” or ‘forbidden”. This group was founded by a Nigeria named Mohammed Yusuf in the year 2013. As a Muslim sect that intends to abolish secular system of government and establish Sharia law in Nigeria (Eme & Ibietan, 2012). It is an oshoot of a radical Islamic youth group which worshipped at the Alhaji Muhammadu Ndimi Mosque in Awka, in the 1990s.

Yusuf was a charismatic leader and cleric who travelled through the Northern part of Nigeria to preach Islamic tenets. By his translation of the Holy Quran, he was of the view that certain part of western education is contrary to the dictates of the Quran. Yusuf was also critical of government which he perceived as being deceptive and insincere. (Crisis Group, 2014). The foregoing scenario eventually paved the way for the transformation of an apparently harmless organization into a killing machine. However, the extra-judicial killing of Yusuf by security forces compelled his followers to declare an all out war on the Nigerian society, leading to incessant kidnapping and killing. It is on this premise that one intends to examine terrorism and its impact on educational development and activities in Nigeria.

STATEMENT OF THE GENERAL PROBLEM

The general problem of terrorism and its effect in Nigeria has taken diverse dimension ranging from the security situation to the economy and then to the educational sector. The implications of terrorism on any society cannot be over emphasized as its consequences are far reaching leading to the poor economic and social development of such a society. Nigeria has overtime regrettably witnessed cases of terrorism especially in the north eastern and central part of the central. This menace has crippled economic, social and to a very large extent educational development in these areas.