International Journal of Arts and Humanities

ISSN 2360-7998

Insecurity in Nigeria and the Need for Philosophical Intervention


Abstract: There is a high level of insecurity in Nigeria, as heinous activities of Boko Haram and the likes keep increasing, in a geometric progression. This rise in terrorism is the reason for the existing ethno-phobia and security problems in the nation. It is imperative, therefore, to confront this terrorism that carries with it, the touch of destruction, to avert societal anarchy. To do this, this paper upholds that philosophers, who promote humanistic values as antidotes to sectionalism, dogmatism and regionalism have a major role to play. They are to reorient ate the indoctrinated terrorists, whose ideologies are full of misconceptions and frivolities, and inject in them the ethical values that can convert them, from their world of terrorism or fundamentalism to a dialogical world, where they can converse with others, in keeping with the view that being in its unity of consciousness is transcendent and relational. Conversely, the problem of insecurity in Nigeria can be addressed, when philosophers in a Socratic midwifery autodidactic way, leave the classroom to the street, to preach to the terrorists on the values of tolerance, pluralism and human life and dignity. Analytic method was used to drive home the points of this research. 

 

Keywords: Philosophy, Insecurity, Terrorism, Fundamentalism, Ethno-phobia.