Council on Foreign Relations: Nigeria’s Feud With INGOs Is a Gift to Boko Haram. It Must End.
In this guest post, Bulama Bukarti, sub-Saharan Africa analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, discusses the suspension and reinstatement of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) operating in northeastern Nigeria. These organizations were accused by Nigeria’s government of providing support to Boko Haram while carrying out their aid efforts. Bukarti writes, “To stand a fair chance of defeating this brutal group, both the hard-power approach of the military, and the softer approach of INGOs, must be utilized and coordinated. Steps should be taken by both parties to reset their relationship and realign their efforts. Abuja and INGOs must see themselves as partners in their decade-long effort to defeat Boko Haram” (12/6).