What is it about?
Civil society organisations play critical roles in the curbing the rise of terrorism in Nigeria due to their strong grassroots connection with local communities. However, did the Nigerian government engage civil society organisations in the formulation of counter-terrorism measures? I am arguing that the Nigerian government excluded civil society organisations in the process of formulating counter-terrorism measures because they believe that counter-terrorism laws are exceptional laws that are repressive. Thus, they think that engaging civil society organisations will be counterproductive because these organisations would try to incorporate human rights components in the law.
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Why is it important?
My findings show how the government sees and treat civil society organisations as security threats in the country which in turn affects their capacity to advocate for the vulnerable and marginalised individuals in the country. It also affects their ability to demand transparency, accountability and social justice in the counter-terrorism operations of the Nigerian government.
Perspectives
I hope this article reveals that civil society organisations are under siege in different parts of the world and there is a need for citizens to raised their voice in unison to support the activities of civil society organisations. This article forms a part of my PhD thesis in the Department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. I thank the Social Science Research Council's Next generation Social Science in Africa Fellowship and its principal funder the Carnegie Corporation of New York for sponsoring the research. I also thank my supervisor and all those who contribute to the success of my PhD work.
Dr Emeka Thaddues Njoku
University of Ibadan
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Strategic Exclusion: The State and the Framing of a Service Delivery Role for Civil Society Organizations in the Context of Counterterrorism in Nigeria, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, December 2018, Taylor & Francis,
DOI: 10.1080/1057610x.2018.1543131.
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