COUNTER-RADICALISATION AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: THE ROLE OF NIGERIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

This study unfurls the role of higher Education institutions in Nigeria, towards fighting terrorism through preventing and countering radicalization and violent extremism. The paper is moved towards the establishment of an advisory body for the higher Educational institutions, with the core task of developing measures to counter radicalization and violent extremism. Interviews with specialists, students, political stakeholders and institutional top management in the field of terrorism and radicalization in Nigeria higher education were conducted in an attempt to identify strategy that could be appropriate to Universities for purpose of this study, the interviews constitute the basis of this study together with analysis of relevant literatures. Counter radicalization and violent extremism are complex and a multifaceted field with a shortage of empirical data aimed at finding out if there is prevalence of violent extremism and radicalism in Nigeria, the paper sees to examine the link between education, radicalism and violent extremism. Using the simple random sampling technic, primary and secondary sources of information, analyzing with frequent table based on sample percentage. The Discussion of findings states that radicalization and violent extremism occurs in Nigeria, also religion has an impact in radicalization and violent extremism, furthermore free speech and freedom will promote radicalism and extremism. Measures built in countering radicalization and violent extremism for higher educations in Nigerian institutions should not be limited to institutions but extended to the society, it should be government oriented.