Resolving Nigeria's ‘Boko Haram’ Insurgence: What Role for the Media?

Nigeria has no doubt witnessed and is still witnessing several forms of conflicts in both the North and the Southern divides. One of such devastating insurgence that currently ravaged the peaceful and harmonious living in the country is the present conflicts in the North, involving the Islamic sect group – Boko Haram. The sect (which forbid western education) come to limelight in 2009 after the arrest and subsequent murder of the former leader Late Muhammed Yusuf. Since then however, the group have successfully launched attacks that have claimed lives and properties worth billions of Naira, most of which were attributed to the way and manner in which media handles them. The mass media are blamed in several occasions on inflaming the conflict, particularly regarding the nature of their reportage. The critical question is can Nigerian media play any role in resolving the Boko – Haram insurgence? This form the fulcrum in which this paper revolved.