ASSESSING THE CHALLENGES OF NIGERIAN MILITARY CYBER WARFARE TECHNOLOGIES IN COMBATING BOKO HARAM’S CYBER ACTIVITIES IN NIGERIA

Abstract

The migration of Boko Haram insurgents to Nigeria’s cyberspace has become a major security challenge to the nation due to their increasing cyber activities. In response, the Nigerian military has employed various approaches, including the use of cyber technology. Despite these efforts, Boko Haram’s online propaganda, virtual training, and recruitment activities have persisted. To investigate this development, research questions and objectives were formulated to guide the study. The objectives were addressed using descriptive statistics, while inferential statistics were employed to gain deeper insights. A sample of 100 participants was selected from an estimated population of 10,000. The participants comprised serving and retired military personnel from the Nigerian Army School of Cyber Warfare, the Nigerian Army Cyber Warfare Command, and the Ministry of Defence. Others included members of the academia and the Defence Intelligence Agency. Data were collected from both primary and secondary sources, including literature, questionnaires, and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). Questionnaire data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, and mean scores to answer the research questions. Data collected from KIIs were analyzed through thematic analysis, while the Chi-square test was used to test hypotheses at a 0.05 significance level. The results of the Pearson Chi-square Test and the Likelihood Ratio indicated a statistically significant association between combating Boko Haram’s cyber activities and the use of non-offensive cyber technology. The study found that Video Network Surveillance System (VNS), SVS Satellite System, and Extended Detection and Response (XDR) were among the cyber warfare technologies employed by the Nigerian military in combating Boko Haram’s cyber operations. However, the study also found that major shortcomings of the cyber technologies include operating systems that do not support combat and intelligence operations, as well as security gaps in installation and configuration. The study concludes that there is a need to procure offensive cyber technologies for combat operations in order to effectively defeat Boko Haram in cyberspace. It also recommends that the military ensure its personnel develop advanced cyber skills and the capacity to interface with technical experts to enhance the human–machine interface.