GENDER DIFFERENTIATED ROLES AND FEMINISATION OF BOKO HARAM TERRORISM IN NIGERIA’S NORTHEAST: A RADICAL FEMINIST SURVEY

Charles C. Akpuh (PhD)

Abstract


Analysis of the introduction of female terrorists in the activities of Boko Haram in Nigeria’s northeast has been problematic.  Although this strategy has been highly successful for the terrorists, in instilling sudden fear and shock in people living in the area, aggravating the extent of successful destruction of lives and property in the society, these obvious effects have hardly convinced many people of why the group chooses to feminise suicide bombing.  Taking a purely qualitative approach, this paper discovered that the introduction of female suicide bombing to the activities of Boko Haram was just for strategic reason – it helps them to successfully evade security restrictions that could hinder their achievements.  Thus, unlike the various claims linking the act to issues of patriarchal oppression and radical feminism, the most basic reason for the act is the purpose it serves.


Keywords


Boko Haram, Feminisation, Nigeria’s Northeast, Radical Feminism, Suicide Bombing.

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