An analysis of International Security and Global Terrorism in the 21st Century

ABSTRACTS

This project is based on International security and global terrorism in the 21st century(case of Boko Haram conflict in the northern part of Cameroon). International security also known as global security is a term which refers to the measures taken by states and international organizations such as United Nations, European Union and others to ensure mutual survival and safety. Boko haram origins lie in a group of radical islamist youth who worshipped at the Alhaji Muhammadu Ndimi mosque. The emergence of Boko Haram, as an Islamic extremist terrorist group that has been agitating for the introduction of strict Islamic laws and the Islamisation of Northern Cameroon through violent activities such as killing, bombing, and suicide bombing has taken a transnational dimension Ayeotan (2012).

It has more recently transformed into one of the fiercest terrorist organizations, whose violent activities have seriously affected the lives of people across Cameroon and its neighboring countries. Also, the group has been described as a domestic terrorist group because of the initial scope of its atrocities mainly in Cameroon. This work sought to investigate the factors that led to the trans nationalization of terrorism in the Lake Chad basin with case study of the Boko Haram insurgency. Structured interviews were used to collect primary data for the study. The respondents were principally military and security personnel, civilians, and elites.

Due to the broad nature of the scope and the high level of insecurity in the study area, the study made more use of secondary than primary data. The study employed material collected from news channels, websites, published and unpublished thesis, books and articles. The results indicated that ignorance and deprivation and socio–cultural relations were the leading factors that have sustained and deepened the Boko Haram crisis.

, it is recommended that the governments of Cameroon and Nigeria should set up social centers in the affected areas that would promote socio-cultural interaction of the local people with people from other areas of the country, they also need to strengthen the security forces and enhance borders security. In conclusion, addressing the threat of Boko Haram in northern Cameroon will require a comprehensive approach that combines security measures, intelligence sharing, addressing underlying grievances, engaging in dialogue, and promoting regional cooperation.

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1   Background to study

Terrorism is not a new phenomenon it has long been a method  of  violent action by organizations and individuals attempting to achieve political goals.. According to Bruce all   terrorists   share   one   common   denominator:   they “live” in   the future and are convinced that they will defeat their enemies and achieve their political goals. The questions on how we can have a secured and terror free world have been a recurring one with little answers. The threat of terrorism has steadily increased over the last 30 years. With advances in technology, Terrorist acts have come much more destructive and the perpetrators of those acts have become more elusive.

Maintaining a secured world has been a difficult task especially in this era of globalization Looking at the security side of the globalization analysis, security became so complex and multi-dimensional, traditional national border-setting type of security perception is not capable of recognizing new threats that transcend the national borders. In this context, international terrorism became one of the main concerns with its highly complicated characteristics. Thus, globalized world has to face an immediate threat: international terrorism. This problem has been recognized not only by one nation, but also in the era of globalization when the nations became much more connected and interdependent, it became a threat to international security.A Breach, Joel D. and Bert A. Rockman.                       

Coker(2002) notes that globalization has changed the scope,  intensity and nature of terrorism in the post war era He opines that since 1990,  terrorist groups have grown in number,  sophistry,  scope,  ruthlessness and geographical spread of operation. Furthermore, it is increasingly argued globalization encourage religious fundamentalism, wars of identity and the fragmentation if states. coker and David (2012) observe that 40 years ago, there existed no religious  terrorist movement worldwide. In the 1980’s only two of 64 known terrorist organization in the world were animated by religious fundamentalism. By the 1990s, Al- Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden became the leading global terror group.

Terrorism became a global security challenge. To understand the character and transformation of terrorism into  transnational threat or border conflict of large security concern, particularly the transnational nature of Boko Haram’s activities, it is important to know other  transnational terrorist groups in the world .

 According to Boas(2012), ISIS means  Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) The ideological  goal of ISIS is to cement it name:  ‘’ Islamic state of Iraq and Syria”  ISIS is make up of ( Syria, Iraq, Lebanon,  Palestine and Jordan.Coker and David. (2002), “Collective Identity Formation.The name Al- Shabaab means ‘’ the Youth” the group is battling for a theocracy in the horn of Africa, but radical Islamic ideology recognize  no national frontier they have carried out attacks beyond East Africa- as well as in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, 2013 September attack Somalia.

Al-Qaeda is regarded as the parent organization of global jihad. Its name means ‘’base” or “foundation’’ Al- Qaeda was the brain behind the attacks on New York on September 11, 2001.Boko Haram is currently the fastest growing terrorist group that is quite active in the North eastern part of Nigeria. Boko Haram is committed to the introduction of sharia law across the country. The group attracted a significant amount of media attention when the Chibok girls were kidnaped in April 2014.since 2003 thousands of people have been killed in attacks on security forces , government agencies , churches and schools (Campbell, 2014)

Campbell, John (2013). The emergence of Boko Haram, as an Islamic extremist terrorist group that has been agitating  for the introduction of strict Islamic laws and the Islamization of Nigeria through violent activities such as killing, bombing, and suicide bombing has taken a transnational dimension( Ayeotan 2012).It has more recently transformed into one of the fiercest terrorist organization, whose violent activities have seriously affected the lives of the people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.Transnation terrorism is a diverse and multifaceted regarding scope and intensity. Dealing with it requires investment in international security and diplomacy. It also entails cooperation  between domestic, regional and international actors in the area of peace, security and development.

The study examines the transnational characteristics of Boko Haram, it enigmatic character and why it has become difficult to clamp down the terrorist group. Boko Haram attack took a cross border dimension when on July 27, 2014; over 200 militants stormed Kolofata, a town in the extreme North region of Cameroon targeting the residence of the Vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali.During that attack, the wife, and sister in law of the vice prime minister, as well as the Mayor and Seini Lamine, a senior religious leader, were kidnapped to an unknown destination. The night before Boko Haram had carried out an attack on the Cameroon military in extreme North region which resulted in the death of four Cameroonian soldiers and kidnapping of thirteen (13) others.

The abduction of Cameroonian soldiers Marked the spread of Boko Haram attack in Cameroon. Additionally, two sons of Bieshair Mohaman, a Cameroonian leader in Limani were also kidnapped on July 15, 2014. In Northern Nigeria, authorities traced some of the explosives used in the  attack to a quarry  in Northern Cameroon that was raided by Boko Haram in may 2014. Much earlier in December 2013, Nigeria authorities foiled a plot to kidnap the central government representatives, the governor, and the military zone commander in Diffa. Also Boko Haram members in Diffa ambushed an army patrol and escaped to the Nigeria side of the border. Following this event, three Boko Haram members were captured and the next day, nine more were arrested in connection to the attack. In Chad, the border security was expanded on August 6, 2014, when Boko Haram militants crossed into the country and gunned down six Nigeria in Dubuwa village. The Nigerians had fled an earlier attack on Kirenowa, a Nigerian town close the border.

In more brazen attempt to enter Chadian territory, on August 16, 2014, Boko Haram kidnapped 97 people including boys and several women from Daron Baga fishing village in Nigeria near lake chad. The May 2021 ISWAP attack and overran Boko Haram militants in Sambisa forest and the leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau was killed during the fighting, reportedly using a suicide vest. Moreso, this recent update represent violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad and Niger from December 24 to 30, 2022, and update represents violence in Nigeria and related to Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad and Niger from December 17 to 23, 2022.

Walker(2012) notes that the transnational characteristics of Book Haram operations are facilitated by some factors , including the following:

 Firstly, the borders of the affected countries are long and porous with little security,  immigration or control checkpoints.

 Secondly, the concerned countries lack the require expertise to combat terrorism and insurgency.

Thirdly, the slow and weak response of Nigeria to initial attacks by Boko Haram and the absence of an early regional counter- terrorism initiatives allowed terrorist crises of the region to grow out of  proportion.

Walker. (2012), terrorist activities.

This made it possible – and even convenient – for world leaders to underestimate the threat. The death of nearly 3,000 civilians, the collapse of the World Trade Center   buildings,   and   the destruction of parts of the Pentagon building on September 11th, forced the international   community and especially the American people and US administration – to acknowledge the imminent threat of terrorism. Since then, members of the global jihadist network have not hesitated to utilize a method of modern terrorism that has proved more effective than any other,namely,suicideattacks. Almost a new awareness  has started, because everybody saw its damages while a lot of people have died or injured, and unfortunately while terrorist declared their success.

Terrorism became the main topic on the top agenda for many nations and institutions. Today, global terror is a giant problem for all humanity. We are used to think security in terms of military threats and arising beyond the borders of one’s own country. Traditionally…nationally…is understood as “the acquisition,  deployment and use of military achieve national goals. Since the September 11 attack, nations saw that it is of great importance for countries to cooperate and share information as regarding to security and tackle the spontaneous threat posed by terrorists.   Press Burk J. (2002),

For the last two-and-a-half years, Cameroon has confronted the insurgents of the Nigeria-born group Boko Haram. The conflict has already caused 1,500 deaths, and led to 155,000 displaced persons and 73,000 refugees. Although the first attacks occurred in March 2014, the jihadist group’s presence in Cameroon’s Far North region dates back to at least 2011. It has benefited from a network of local collaborators and has exploited vulnerabilities that the region shares with north-eastern Nigeria. While the first eighteen months of conflict were characterized by conventional warfare, the group has now switched to an asymmetric mode of attack. The Cameroonian government’s focus on a military response has been partly successful, but the structural problems that allowed this threat to arise have not been addressed. The fight against Agnew, John (2015).

1.2 Statement of the Problem