Boko Haram is likely to expand its
activities and cover more geographical areas in Nigeria, according to
Elizabeth Donnelly, an expert on Africa and Africa Programme Manager at
Chatham House, London.
Speaking
in an interview with The Economist, Ms Donnelly, who is also an expert
on Nigerian politics and current affairs, said the problems posed by the
group was “not likely to be dealt with militarily.”
Ms
Donnelly, who attributed the emergence of the group to corruption in
Nigeria and the destruction of economic activities like textiles in the
North and its attendant unemployment following the discovery of oil,
said high-handedness by security agencies on the group made it more
violent.
“Based on what happened
over the years, the group will evolve and further expand its activities
and geographical reach because, unfortunately, the government has not
yet been able to check it.
“And what
is interesting about Boko Haram and its affiliated groups is that it is
hard to predict what it will do; it adapts, it changes and I think it
will grow further.
“I don’t think
this problem would be dealt with militarily. I think it can be
contained. What is important to remember if we think of Boko Haram as a
movement or group is that within it you will have hard-liners and
moderates,” she said.
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