Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Monday, January 05, 2015

Elections in a war zone?

On a day when it was announced that Boko Haram in Nigeria had captured an army base, Daily Trust details the large areas controlled by the terrorists. Can a legitimate election be held? Can you map the areas under Boko Haram control?

41 Days to Elections - 13 Local Govts Under Boko Haram

With less than 50 days to the start of general elections across the country, the Boko Haram insurgents are still in control of a total of 13 local government areas in the northeastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The group is also exercising partial control over parts of at least 10 local government areas in Borno…

Nigeria's security forces had insisted that all the territories under the insurgents would be liberated to pave way for the electorate to exercise their civic right.

Also, President Goodluck Jonathan had , after picking his party's ticket to run for reelection last December, promised that elections would be held in all parts of the country, including the restive North-East region.

Checks by Sunday Trust, however, shows that a large size of Nigerian territory is still under the control of Boko Haram, even as the country has less than two months to go to polls…

Nine of the affected local governments are in Borno State and they are: Gwoza, Bama, Mafa, Dikwa, Kala-Balge, Ngala, Marte, Abadam and Mobbar. The other four are Michika and Madagali in Adamawa State, as well as Gujba and Gulani in Yobe State.

The insurgents have also established partial control in parts of some local government areas in Borno, comprising Mungono, Kukawa, Guzamala, Gubio, Magumeri, Damboa, konduga, Chibok, Askira Uba and Jere.

Before the outright takeover of many communities in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, the Boko Haram had earlier caused collateral damage in various places where they destroyed entire villages, markets, military barracks, police stations, governmental buildings, prisons, farmlands and other symbols of authority and worship places, including churches and mosques…