The Conventional Border between Nigeria and Cameroon as a Haven for Illicit and Terrorist Activities Managed and Conducted by Boko Haram Jihadists

Nigeria and Cameroon currently share a conventional border, which has two sections: one land-based and one maritime. The land border is 1975 kilometers or 1227 miles long; the maritime border extends to 2062 kilometers or 1281 miles. European colonization began after 1884, the year Otto von Bismarck met European leaders in Berlin to divide Africa. The colonial situation began to dissipate after 1960. Nigeria is a federal republic composed of 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja). From a population standpoint, it is the most populous country in Africa and the sixth most populous in the world. Nigeria’s economy is among the strongest in Africa, a fact that has been recognized since 1987 (World Bank, 2013). Cameroon owes its name to Portuguese navigators, who christened the territory after the place with its abundance of shrimp. The country’s shape is unusual, with a broad base in the tropical zone and a pointed tip at Lake Chad. Before the colonial period, nomadic ethnic groups roamed the territory, coexisting at various times with settled kingdoms: the Bamoun, Bandjoun, Adamaoua, and Mandara. Religiously, Islam in the north and Christianity in the south coexist with animism. The first European colony was set up by the Germans in 1884 (Roche, 2011: p. 105). For Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the merchant should settle first, followed by the soldier, to prevent indigenous rebellions (Deltombe et al., 2011). As a neighbor of Nigeria, with which it shares a large border, border conflicts have been commonplace, as we will see later.