Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)

<p id="p1">This study rigorously analyzes the securitisation of terrorism in Nigeria <em><italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">via</italic></em> a thematic examination of political disco...

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Autores principales: Kolawole, Shalom, Enaifoghe, Andrew
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Lenguaje:inglés
Publicado: IntechOpen 2026
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Acceso en línea:https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1237697
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author Kolawole, Shalom
Enaifoghe, Andrew
author_browse Enaifoghe, Andrew
Kolawole, Shalom
author_facet Kolawole, Shalom
Enaifoghe, Andrew
author_sort Kolawole, Shalom
building IntechOpen
collection Acceso abierto
description <p id="p1">This study rigorously analyzes the securitisation of terrorism in Nigeria <em><italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">via</italic></em> a thematic examination of political discourse and counterterrorism strategies. Utilising the Copenhagen School&rsquo;s securitisation theory, the research examines how Nigerian political figures frame terrorism as an existential danger, hence justifying the exceptional measures and influencing public opinion. The study uses qualitative content analysis to examine speeches, policy papers, and official declarations by the prominent political individuals and institutions from 2009 until 2024. Principal discoveries indicate that political discourse continuously characterises terrorism as a menace to national cohesion and sovereignty, frequently employing religious and ethnic themes. Counterterrorism policies are predominantly militarised, with less focus on human rights or community-oriented strategies. The securitization narrative has led to the marginalisation of some communities and areas, especially in the northeast. There exists a disparity between professed democratic principles and the authoritarian inclinations in policy execution. The research underscores the ramifications of securitisation for democratic government, civil freedoms, and regional stability. This research elucidates the discursive and policy aspects of Nigeria&rsquo;s counterterrorism framework, enhancing comprehension of the interplay between security, politics, and rhetoric within a precarious democratic environment.</p>
doi_str_mv 10.5772/intechopen.1013797
first_indexed 2026-10-15T21:41:27Z
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fullrecord <oai_dc:dc xmlns:oai_dc="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc/ http://www.openarchives.org/OAI/2.0/oai_dc.xsd"><identifier>intech-1237697</identifier><datestamp>2026-01-06</datestamp> <dc:title>Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)</dc:title> <dc:creator>Shalom Kolawole</dc:creator> <dc:creator>Andrew Enaifoghe</dc:creator> <dc:subject>Social Sciences and Humanities</dc:subject> <dc:description>&lt;p id="p1"&gt;This study rigorously analyzes the securitisation of terrorism in Nigeria &lt;em&gt;&lt;italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"&gt;via&lt;/italic&gt;&lt;/em&gt; a thematic examination of political discourse and counterterrorism strategies. Utilising the Copenhagen School&amp;rsquo;s securitisation theory, the research examines how Nigerian political figures frame terrorism as an existential danger, hence justifying the exceptional measures and influencing public opinion. The study uses qualitative content analysis to examine speeches, policy papers, and official declarations by the prominent political individuals and institutions from 2009 until 2024. Principal discoveries indicate that political discourse continuously characterises terrorism as a menace to national cohesion and sovereignty, frequently employing religious and ethnic themes. Counterterrorism policies are predominantly militarised, with less focus on human rights or community-oriented strategies. The securitization narrative has led to the marginalisation of some communities and areas, especially in the northeast. There exists a disparity between professed democratic principles and the authoritarian inclinations in policy execution. The research underscores the ramifications of securitisation for democratic government, civil freedoms, and regional stability. This research elucidates the discursive and policy aspects of Nigeria&amp;rsquo;s counterterrorism framework, enhancing comprehension of the interplay between security, politics, and rhetoric within a precarious democratic environment.&lt;/p&gt;</dc:description> <dc:publisher>IntechOpen</dc:publisher> <dc:date>2026-01-06</dc:date> <dc:type>Chapter, Part Of Book</dc:type> <dc:identifier>https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1237697</dc:identifier> <dc:identifier>doi:10.5772/intechopen.1013797</dc:identifier> <dc:language>en</dc:language> <dc:relation>ISBN:978-1-83635-367-6</dc:relation> <dc:rights>https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/</dc:rights> <dc:source>https://www.intechopen.com/books/1004777 ; Terrorism in Transition - The Shifting Face of Global Threats</dc:source> </oai_dc:dc>
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spelling intech-12376972026-01-06 Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025) Shalom Kolawole Andrew Enaifoghe Social Sciences and Humanities <p id="p1">This study rigorously analyzes the securitisation of terrorism in Nigeria <em><italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">via</italic></em> a thematic examination of political discourse and counterterrorism strategies. Utilising the Copenhagen School&rsquo;s securitisation theory, the research examines how Nigerian political figures frame terrorism as an existential danger, hence justifying the exceptional measures and influencing public opinion. The study uses qualitative content analysis to examine speeches, policy papers, and official declarations by the prominent political individuals and institutions from 2009 until 2024. Principal discoveries indicate that political discourse continuously characterises terrorism as a menace to national cohesion and sovereignty, frequently employing religious and ethnic themes. Counterterrorism policies are predominantly militarised, with less focus on human rights or community-oriented strategies. The securitization narrative has led to the marginalisation of some communities and areas, especially in the northeast. There exists a disparity between professed democratic principles and the authoritarian inclinations in policy execution. The research underscores the ramifications of securitisation for democratic government, civil freedoms, and regional stability. This research elucidates the discursive and policy aspects of Nigeria&rsquo;s counterterrorism framework, enhancing comprehension of the interplay between security, politics, and rhetoric within a precarious democratic environment.</p> IntechOpen 2026-01-06 Chapter, Part Of Book https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1237697 doi:10.5772/intechopen.1013797 en ISBN:978-1-83635-367-6 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ https://www.intechopen.com/books/1004777 ; Terrorism in Transition - The Shifting Face of Global Threats
spellingShingle Social Sciences and Humanities
Kolawole, Shalom
Enaifoghe, Andrew
Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)
title Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)
title_full Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)
title_fullStr Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)
title_full_unstemmed Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)
title_short Securitising Terrorism in Nigeria: A Thematic Analysis of Political Rhetoric and Counterterrorism Policies (2021–2025)
title_sort securitising terrorism in nigeria a thematic analysis of political rhetoric and counterterrorism policies 2021 2025
topic Social Sciences and Humanities
url https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/1237697
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