A Closer Look at Nigeria: Security, Governance, and Trade

The Nigerian security services and police have faced significant challenges addressing the threat posed by Boko Haram, elements of which may be affiliated with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, and other transnational terrorist organizations. Attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram have risen very sharply in the past year. From 2003 to 2009, the number of attacks was minimal, one or two annually on average. In 2010, however, the number of attacks rose to 30. And alarmingly, that number increased fivefold in the past year, with more than 150 attacks in 2011 alone, and this doesn't include the coordinated multiple bombings that led to hundreds of deaths just in January of this year. The bulk of its followers, though, from information we have, appear to be focused on domestic issues, primarily the lack of jobs and economic inequities that have disproportionately impacted northern states. The essential component to addressing economic and security challenges is governance. We have seen clear examples of the importance of democracy and good governance in West Africa just in the past week with developments in both Mali and Senegal.