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Articles · Vol. 44 No. 3 (2019): Africa Development: Special Issue on Money, Security and Democratic Governance in Africa (III)

Terrorist Groups in Africa: Quo Vadis?

Vol. 44 · 2019 No. 3 Africa Development: Special Issue on Money, Security and Democratic Governance in Africa (III) AD

Abstract

The frequency of acts of violence in the world has increased in recent years. These acts, perpetuated by different groups under different guises, have one thing in common: the invocation of a sense of terror and horror in people. In Africa, the situation is the same. Events in countries in and around the Horn of Africa, East Africa, Mali, Kenya and Nigeria, to name a few, speak to the rise in events of this nature that leave a trail of loss of life and property and destruction in their wake. At regional and continental levels, different initiatives, both legal and military, have been put in place all over the world to deal with acts of terrorism, and the perpetrators thereof. Despite these, terrorist attacks continue to happen unabated. It is questionable if these initiatives are achieving the desired results, and if these are indeed the correct measures to apply to tackle the malaise. Hence, this paper seeks to examine the nature and peculiarities of the terrorism occurring in Africa, focusing particularly on the groups al-Shabaab in the Horn of Africa, and Boko Haram in West Africa. The effectiveness of current efforts at combatting terrorism is examined with a view to recommending a more nuanced approach to the battle against terrorism in Africa.

Terrorist Groups in Africa: Quo Vadis?

La fréquence d’actes de violence dans le monde a augmenté ces dernières années. Ces actes, de formes différentes, perpétrés par différents groupes, ont un point commun : l’invocation d’un sentiment de terreur et d’horreur. En Afrique, la situation est la même. Les événements survenus dans des pays de la Corne de l’Afrique, d’Afrique de l’Est, au Mali, au Kenya et au Nigéria, pour ne nommer que ceux-ci, témoignent de la multiplication d’événements de cette nature qui entraînent de nombreuses pertes en vies humaines, ainsi que des dommages matériels. Aux niveaux régional et continental, différentes initiatives juridiques et militaires ont été mises en place dans le monde entier pour lutter contre les actes de terrorisme et leurs auteurs. Malgré cela, les attaques terroristes continuent sans relâche. C’est à se demander si ces initiatives donnent les résultats escomptés et si ce sont les bonnes mesures pour lutter contre ce fléau. Dans cette perspective, cet article examine la nature et les particularités du terrorisme qui sévit en Afrique, en se concentrant principalement sur les groupes Al-Shabaab dans la Corne de l’Afrique et Boko Haram en Afrique de l’Ouest. L’efficacité des efforts actuels de lutte contre le terrorisme est examinée dans le but d’en recommander une approche plus nuancée.

Keywords

Terrorism al-Shabaab Boko Haram money laundering Violence Africa

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Author Biography

  • Funmi Abioye

    Associate Professor, Department of Jurisprudence, College of Law, University of South Africa, South Africa. E-mail: abioyft@unisa.ac.za.

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Vol. 44 No. 3 (2019): Africa Development: Special Issue on Money, Security and Democratic Governance in Africa (III) →