REFLECTIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES OF INSURGENCY ON EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN KANO, NIGERIA

Abstract

Acts of terror and/or insurgency across the world including those linked to Boko Haram in Nigeria have become issues of widespread concern attracting explanations among academics, policymakers, researchers, etc. The images emanating from acts tied to the activities of insurgency are many with devastating consequences, especially as they affect the educational and other social structures. This paper examines the consequences of insurgency with a focus on how violent activities of Boko Haram have affected, negatively, the educational structures in Kano. In some parts, educational institutions and the communities housing them have been affected by the activities of Boko Haram notably through abductions, killings, destructions, afflictions of injury (physical and psychological) and other harms and trauma. In Kano, tertiary educational institutions have been the most hit by Boko Haram attacks. The tertiary schools most affected include the Federal College of Education (FCE), Bayero University Kano, School of Management Studies, Aminu Kano College of Legal and Islamic Studies and the School of Hygiene with unexpected consequences of killings, destructions and injuries on countless victims. The cogent views of social disorganization and cultural transmission, relative deprivation theory were used as theoretical framework. Using multi-stage cluster sampling procedures, a population-based sample was used in collecting both quantitative and qualitative data from respondents after piloting the instruments. The findings reveal that BokoHaram insurgency has led to the destruction of structures or buildings in Kano, largely affecting western-oriented schools thereby forcing government to shut down some of the schools. The most victimized are students and teachers; the activities have affected students' motivation in going to school while some parents have become discouraged in sending children to schools any longer. This paper recommends fighting poverty, unemployment and illiteracy among youth in Nigeria to prevent radicalization and curb against possible recruitment into extremist circles.