Towards Ending Terrorism in Nigeria: The Challenge of Corruption in the Nigerian Military
Abstract
Abstract A careful study of contemporary Nigerian situation reveals myriads of challenges such as terrorism, corruption, unemployment and poverty. A particular case of concern is the proliferation of terrorism, evidenced on the deadly activities of Boko Haram insurgency, which has led to the death of thousands of Nigerians, including the military officers. While the Nigerian military has made several attempts to end this menace in the past; however, their effort has been hampered by high rate of corruption in Nigeria. It is against this backdrop that this study examines the challenges of corruption in the Nigerian military as an impediment to the fight against terrorism in Nigeria. By means of content analysis, the study employs secondary source of data to examine the issues in discourse. Findings revealed that the high rate of corruption in Nigeria has not just affected the process of economic development in the country but has specifically weakened the Nigerian military in the fight against terrorism, as the money meant to purchase arms were either embezzled by political leaders or the arms being diverted, ending up in the hands of the insurgent. The major recommendation of the study is that, a new legislation which will require sanctions and death sentence to corrupt leaders and officers should be introduced in Nigeria, without which terrorism cannot be fully defeated. Key words: Terrorism, Corruption, Boko Haram, Insurgents, Nigerian Military.