Abstract

Boko Haram has been a security challenge to Nigeria since at least 2009, and recently it has posed considerable challenges to the African Sub-Region because of its international linkage with the al-Qaeda terrorists’ network. The aim of this study is to examine the implications of the Boko Haram Insurgency on Nigeria’s National Security. We use secondary sources of data drawn from textbooks, and journals, internet sources among others while content analysis was used to analyze the data. This study is situated within the framework of both the internal and external perspectives on the origin of the Boko haram insurgency to be able to get a better understanding of the security challenges posed he Boko Haram on Nigeria’s national security.  Moreover, we discovered that the implications of Boko Haram on Nigeria’s national security are enormous such that it activities have generated national and international condemnation such as targets such as the United Nations building in Abuja in August 2011. In November 2011, the U.S. Department of State issued an alert for all U.S. and Western citizens in Abuja to avoid major hotels and landmarks, based on information about a potential Boko Haram attack. Besides, from received training in bomb-making and other terrorist tactics from al-Qaeda-affiliated groups and their mode of operations ranges bombing, kidnapping, maiming etc. However, we discovered that poverty, bad governance, deepen crisis, and are among the causes of the Boko Haran insurgency. Lastly, political will, international collaboration, strategic training, are among key recommendations in this study.