Boko Haram and Defence Mechanism of the Nigerian Army: A Critical Appraisal

This study assesses the menace of Boko Haram vis-à-vis the defense mechanism of the Nigerian Army in contemporary Nigerian society. The study is a response to the contentions and attendant worries that threaten the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians due to the activities of Boko Haram terrorists. The study adopts a case study research design owing to the nature of the study. The study was anchored on the frustration-aggression theoretical framework. The findings showed that Dialogue Defense Mechanism, Hyper Security Defense Mechanism, and Special Prison Facility Defense Mechanism against the Boko Haram insurgency are appropriate defense mechanisms that should be used in counter-terror strategies. The study found that Nigeria as a nation may become history in no distant time if these identified defense mechanisms are not wisely implemented to counter the trends the Boko Haram insurgents have created having joined forces with other terrorist groups outside the borders of Nigeria to wreak havoc on different parts of the country.