Framing Terror: Media, Boko Haram, and the Struggle for Narrative Power in Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FS.2025.12.20.02Keywords:
Terrorism and Media, Boko Haram, Framing Theory, Digital Extremism, Nigeria, Counterterrorism.Abstract
Terrorism in the contemporary era extends beyond physical violence to function as a highly mediated form of political communication aimed at influencing perceptions, instilling fear, and manipulating narratives within local and global audiences. This paper critically interrogates the relationship between media and terrorism, with a specific focus on Boko Haram’s insurgency in Nigeria, through the lens of framing theory. It explores how acts of terror are not only performed for their immediate destructive effect but are meticulously designed for maximum media visibility and symbolic impact. Drawing upon qualitative analysis of secondary sources, the study reveals that the media, both traditional and digital, serve as amplifiers of terrorist messages by prioritising sensationalism, immediacy, and emotional engagement. Boko Haram’s calculated use of mass communication, including propaganda videos and digital platforms, demonstrates how extremist organisations exploit the interconnectedness of modern communication systems to project power, recruit followers, and challenge state legitimacy. Conversely, the study emphasises that news media, driven by economic and ideological imperatives, often reproduce and reinforce terrorist narratives by framing them through simplified binaries of religion, politics, and morality. A paradoxical symbiosis, therefore, characterises the interplay between terrorism and media in Nigeria. While the press seeks to inform and hold power accountable, its practices can inadvertently extend the communicative reach of violent extremism. The research further argues that this entanglement has significant implications for public perception, policy formulation, and the ethics of journalistic responsibility in conflict environments. It concludes that fostering media literacy, strengthening professional ethics, and integrating communicative dimensions into counterterrorism policy are essential to mitigating the publicity advantage that terrorism thrives on. By situating the Boko Haram phenomenon within global debates on media and political violence, the paper contributes to understanding terrorism as both a physical and symbolic contest over meaning, visibility, and legitimacy in the digital age.
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