An Investigation And Insight Into Terrorism In Nigeria

TL;DR

This paper analyzes terrorist activities in Nigeria from 1970 to 2019 using statistical methods and data mining to uncover patterns and insights that can aid security efforts against terrorism.

Contribution

It applies statistical analysis and the Apriori algorithm to the GTD data, revealing hidden patterns and insights into terrorism in Nigeria for improved security strategies.

Findings

Identified key localities targeted by terrorists

Analyzed success and failure rates of attacks

Discovered hidden patterns using data mining

Abstract

Terrorism is one of the most life-challenging threats facing humanity worldwide. The activities of terrorist organizations threaten peace, disrupts progress, and halt the development of any nation. Terrorist activities in Nigeria in the last decades have negatively affected economic growth and have drastically reduced the possibilities of foreign investments in Nigeria. In this paper, statistical and inferential insights are applied to the terrorist activities in Nigeria from 1970 to 2019. Using the Global Terrorism Database (GTD), insights are made on the occurrences of terrorist attacks, the localities of the target, and the successful and unsuccessful rates of such attacks. The Apriori algorithm is also used in this paper to draw hidden patterns from the GTD to aid in generating strong rules through database mining, resulting in relevant insights. This understanding of terrorist activities will provide security agencies with the needed information to be one step ahead of terrorists in making the right decisions targeted at curbing terrorism in Nigeria.