An Assessment Of The Socio-Economic Effects Of Terrorism In The Sahel Region Of West Africa

Researchers and scholars have defined terrorism differently in their own terms. This is due to the fact, one cannot be specific about the motives, targets and methods of terrorism since these categories differ from case-to-case and also, the complication of unravelling the overlaps within each of these categories in effect makes its definition difficult. However, in general, terrorism can be defined as the use of violence or threat of violence to a deliberately to cause fear. The intention behind the causing of this fear among their targets mostly done to pressure or to intimidate societies, a group of people or governments to give in to something, usually in the quest of pursuing goals which are mostly religious, ideological or political in nature. The issue of terrorism has been a major concern in the Sahel Region West African lately, due to the emergence of numerous terrorist group in the region. Terrorist activities have drastically changed the situation in the area, though not much of it has been documented. This study therefore aimed to determine the socio-economic effects of terrorism in Sahel region of West Africa. The study was conducted using Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger in the Sahel Region of West Africa as a case study due to the constant terrorist attacks these three countries have suffered during the past decade which still persist with no sign of ending soon. The 2012 Tuareg uprising in Northern Mali which led to the influx of terrorist groups and organisations coming in to assist the fighters against the state later gave rise to extremism. These extremist groups eventually spread across the Sahel Region with their activities causing devastating consequences on the socio-economic lives of citizens and governments in the region. The study employed the use secondary and primary data. The secondary data used were books, journal articles, internet sources and primary data was gathered using semi-structured interviews to collect relevant data from experts in the field of terrorism. The study found that terrorism activities have had major effects on the economic and social activities in these countries in the Sahel Region of West Africa with education, health, food security, human life, businesses, industries, the sector and the economies of these countries affected. Most citizens have left their communities for other areas closing and leaving their businesses and economic activities. A number of trained workers who offer essentials services have fled the area, leaving some of the basic activities almost deserted. The education and health sector have been the most affected as teachers and medical practitioners fled the region and left public schools and hospitals without professionals in the fields. This study recommends that the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger and also ECOWAS take measures to address the already existing socio-economic problems facing their countries and, also that of the grievances of their citizens. It also recommended that the various counter terrorism initiatives must be revived and provided with the necessary logistics to fight these extremists.

Source: UG