Globalization and Terrorism in Nigeria: A Retrospective Reflection

Abstract

Nigerian sovereignty for more than a decade was challenged by the onslaught of Sunni Jihadism in the North-East. The Jihadist insurgency took a more frightening dimension with the emergence of Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP in alliance with Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda Awati Wal-Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram in bid to Islamize a secular nation-state. This paper in retrospective sense examined the frightening reality and, argued that this absurdity is facilitated by global spread of Islamic extremism and terrorism. The discourse adopted qualitative research design to explore the relevance of secondary and non-participant observational sources of data collection and content-analyzed issues and enfolding events. The discourse revealed that well-coordinated suicide bombings of Louis Edet House, Nigeria Police Headquarters on June 16, 2011 and United Nations building on August 26, 2011 at Abuja, the Federal Capital, were visible manifestations of global terrorist links of Boko Haram with Al-Qaeda. And, subsequent pledge of allegiance to ISIL in March 2015 watershed the varicosity of global terrorism in Africa most populous country. In credence to these findings, the discourse suggested holistic review of national security strategy and operational