Countering Boko Haram insurgency in Northeastern Nigeria: indigenous knowledge as an incentive for rethinking approaches to counterterrorism in Africa

Terrorism remains a major threat to democratic states and effective strategies to combat it are still lacking. The 9/11 attacks marked a turning point in how terrorism is perceived and addressed, prompting many Western governments to adopt militarised counterterrorism measures, expand state powers, and revise domestic security laws. These shifts have since influenced global counterterrorism strategies. Yet, terrorism persists, revealing the limitations of these approaches. This research, informed by the author’s northern Nigerian background and fluency in indigenous languages, explores local interpretations of terrorism and counterterrorism among communities affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. Fieldwork findings highlight the ineffectiveness of the militarised Global War on Terror strategy in northeastern Nigeria. In contrast, indigenous knowledge emerges as a valuable counter-narrative to dominant Western paradigms and a critical resource for interpreting conflict dynamics and shaping alternative responses. Theoretically, the research provides fresh, ground-level insights into how terrorism is experienced and understood and demonstrates the value of embedding local voices in global debates for a pluralised, context-sensitive understanding of terrorism. The study thus argues for the integration of local, non-militarised approaches that emphasise indigenous knowledge, cultural context, and community-based strategies as more sustainable and effective alternatives to top-down, state-led counterterrorism models.