A Sociological Reflection on the Grounds of Shaping and Developing Islamic Extremism in Nigeria

This article tries tostudy the formation process of Islamic radicalism in Nigeria. In this regard, efforts have been made to answer this question: “what are the underlying factors of emergence and growth of radicalism, generally, and Boko Haram group, specifically?”. Factors behind the rise of Boko Haram are very complex and include demographic, economic, political and educational contexts. Islamist radicals are some masses who stand against the process of modernity integration and ask for return of religion to the scene of their country’s politics. Due to the lack of accessibility to legal mechanisms, these groups use violence as an instrument to reach their goals. In other words, the adherents of this policy consider it as a new identity for Muslims and a solution to prevent of Muslim societies’ decline. One of the latest Islamic groups that are radicalized is Boko Haram in Nigeria. Accordingly, variables such as widespread poverty in Muslim areas, in compare with Christian areas, absence of Muslims in political field, long lasting ethnic conflicts, feeling of identity removing of Islamists by secular government have led to further radicalization of this group. Solution to the problem is twofold: Initiating a dialogue with Boko Haram in order to stop their attacks in the first place and implementing human security-based policies to improve living conditions in northern Nigeria secondly.