| ID | 194135 |
| Title Proper | Boko Haram |
| Other Title Information | Kidnapping as theatre |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Leonard Boyle, Emma |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | In this paper I explore one specific type of violence that has not been the focus of significant research within Political Science: the kidnapping of girls and young women as an act of retaliation or revenge against the government. I argue that, through the dramatic kidnappings of significant numbers of young women and girls, Boko Haram is extracting revenge against the government for its policy of detaining female family members of Boko Haram members, including its leaders. Boko Haram is also using this to signal strength to both the government and the Nigerian population. In this paper, I compare the violence of Boko Haram in a time of strength (January 2014–March 2015) to the violence inflicted in a time of weakness (January–December 2016) to demonstrate that the group could only engage in retaliation against the government in a substantial way during the time of strength. Once the military begins to register victories over Boko Haram and diminishes the territory the group holds (and thus diminishes the strength of the group), the forms of violence used by the group changes and the number of kidnappings decrease. |
| `In' analytical Note | African Security Review Vol. 33, No.1; Mar 2024: p.16-32 |
| Key Words | Terrorism ; Political Violence ; Africa ; Nigeria ; Kidnapping ; Boko Haram |