REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION AND THE CHANGING DYNAMICS OF INSECURITY IN WEST AFRICA: AN ANALYSIS OF THE BOKO HARAM CONFLICT

Abstract

Drawing on various debates on regional security cooperation, this article uses security community theory to examine patterns of security cooperation in West Africa against the backdrop of changing conflict and insecurity dynamics, focussing on the Boko Haram conflict. It examines how regional actors counter the threat posed by this terrorist group and which factors influence their effectiveness. The findings of the paper show that, despite various efforts to combat this insurgent group, Boko Haram continues to carry out several coordinated attacks and consolidate its power across the sub-region. To effectively coordinate and counter the violence of this insurgent group, the paper therefore proposes a broad-based multidimensional approach that incorporates non-military components of conflict management and counterinsurgency to complement the current state-centered or military approach and address the current realities and challenges of the 21st century.

Keywords: Security Cooperation, Conflict Management, Insecurity, Boko Haram, West Africa and Africa