Confronting the Terrorism of Boko Haram in Nigeria - Resourcedat

Forest: Boko Haramaid. 124 A recent report by UNODC placed the annual value of the trade infake and low-quality anti-malarial drugs at $438 million, while cigarettesmuggling from the Gulf of Guinea to North Africa and Europe was estimatedto net approximately $775 million per year. 125 In addition, small armsand light weapons from throughout sub-Saharan Africa have found theirway to this volatile region, and armed robbery, carjacking, and kidnappingare on the rise. 126 And Nigeria is seen as a source, destination, and transitcountry for human trafficking. Mainly young women and girls are traffickedto Europe and other destinations, and there is growing evidence for theinvolvement of Nigerian criminal networks. 127 According to one UNODCreport, “Since the 1980s, Nigerian women from around Benin City have hada presence in European prostitution markets, comprising a significant shareof the sex workers detected by authorities in several countries. These womenare often victims of exploitative debt bondage, and may work without payfor two to three years to settle the costs of their illegal importation.” 128The security implications for the wide ranging activities of organizedcrime in Nigeria are fairly obvious. A shadow economy empowers the criminalsand undermines the legitimate economy as well as the authority ofthe state. The drug trade is intensifying corruption, predatory behavior ofpolitical elites, political instability, and a basic weakening of law enforcementand rule of law. The desire to control the massive flows of drug traffickingand oil bunkering profits has led to several turf battles, particularlyamong Niger Delta militants.Turf battles are also commonamong armed gangs in northernNigeria, including the Yan Tauri,Yan Daba, Yan Banga, and YanDauka Amarya. Some of thesecan be described, according toThe drug trade is intensifying corruption,predatory behavior of politicalelites, political instability, and a basicweakening of law enforcement andrule of law.Abimbola Adesoji, as economic opportunists and mercenaries who are preparedto offer their services to whomever hires them, and can be used byanybody to start a civil disturbance. 129Transnational traffickers are sometimes viewed locally as powerful andeffective at getting things done, and as having significant resources. Thistranslates for many into a belief that organized crime networks have goodleadership, and they take care of their own and those who assist them—abelief that in turn helps the trafficking networks attract new recruits and51