‘Violent Extremism’ in the Lake Chad Basin : Understanding the Drivers of the Boko Haram Insurgency.

Abstract

By providing an analysis of the historic dynamics of the Lake Chad Basin region and the common challenges that Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria face, this brief deconstructs common narratives around ‘violent extremism’ held by the policy community; it provides a more nuanced explanation to the drivers of the Boko Haram insurgency; and it offers a set of recommendations to governments and policymakers on ways to manage the ongoing crisis.