TRINITARIAN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Civil–military relations (CMR) play a decisive role in the effectiveness and legitimacy of counterinsurgency (COIN) operations, particularly in contexts of protracted internal conflict. Since 2009, Nigeria’s Northeastern region has experienced sustained insurgency led by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), resulting in widespread civilian suffering, displacement, and institutional strain. This study critically assesses the challenges and prospects of civil–military relations within Nigeria’s counterinsurgency operations in the Northeast. Drawing on a qualitative desk research design, the paper synthesizes academic literature, official government and military reports, human rights documentation, and investigative media sources. Anchored in theories of democratic civilian control of the armed forces and the human security framework, the study identifies persistent challenges including civilian mistrust, human rights abuses, weak accountability mechanisms, coordination failures among security and civilian actors, and limited community engagement. The findings demonstrate that these deficits undermine intelligence gathering, erode legitimacy, and inadvertently sustain insurgent resilience. At the same time, the paper highlights prospects for improving CMR through community-based security initiatives, enhanced human rights training, institutional reforms, non-kinetic interventions, and whole-of-government approaches. The study concludes that sustainable counterinsurgency in Nigeria requires integrating military effectiveness with civilian protection, accountability, and socio-economic governance, offering policy-relevant lessons for Nigeria and comparable insurgency-affected contexts.

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