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As President Jonathan’s government tries to modernise the economy, it is throwing money at a campaign to defeat the Boko Haram militia

The government's confused strategy has made little headway against the Boko Haram militia's shootings and bombings across northern Nigeria. The security services have turned the capital, Abuja, into an armed camp replete with spy cameras at major road junctions. On 13 December, President Goodluck Jonathan announced that the government would spend a staggering 921 billion naira (US$5.5 bn.) of the N4,749 bn. budget for 2012 on the armed forces and security services. This is a Boko Haram campaign bonanza for the generals and private security companies but the huge diversion of resources will not achieve its aims without a clear strategy to address the grievances that the militants exploit....

(This article contains approximately 1722 words)

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Keywords:

Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Mohammed Gusau, Namadi Sambo, Chad, Niger, Somalia, United States, Patrick Meehan, Jackie Speier, George Bush, Idowu Ogunlade, Onyeabo Azubuike Ihejirika, Emeka Ojukwu, Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, Hafiz Ringim, Israeli, Moshe Ram, Kenyan, Umaru Dikko, Britain, Olusegun Obasanjo, Iraq, Pakistan, Sani Abacha, Tompolo, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, Hassan Mohammed, Lucky Ochuko Ararile, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Boko Haram, Al Qaida, Al Haraka al Shabaab al Mujahideen