An assessment of regional counter-terrorism strategies in the Lake Chad Basin: A case study of Boko Haram insurgency

Despite current military efforts to combat the Boko Haram insurgency, the insurgent group remains a significant regional security threat, recruiting members and attacking civilians and security forces in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, and has brought in its wake a humanitarian catastrophe. Failure to bring security, other basic public goods, and visible socio-economic dividends to affected areas risks derailing recent progress. That would have severe consequences for the security and long-term stability of the four countries made up of the Lake Chad Basin. It is against this background that this work tries to interrogate government and military commitment toward curbing the Boko Haram insurgency within the region. It also looks at root causes, impact, and the effort of government in addressing the menace. The work employs both primary and secondary sources of data. It also adopts regional integration theory in its analysis. It also reveals among others that, curbing security challenges within the Lake Chad basin is a collective effort of the member countries. The paper, therefore, recommends that Governments should redouble their efforts toward addressing the menace within the region jointly. It has been concluded that engaging the services of vigilante groups and community policing from across the member states will go a long way in combating Boko Haram Insurgency within the Lake Chad Basin.