Between Rhetoric and Performance: The State and Counterterrorism in Nigeria's Post-2015 Presidential Election.

The article critically examines the relationship between rhetoric and actual performance in counterterrorism under President Muhammadu Buhari's administration in Nigeria, using the performativity theory as a framework. Despite Buhari's campaign promises in 2015 to swiftly defeat Boko Haram and restore security, the study finds a persistent gap between official statements and on-the-ground realities, with terrorism evolving and expanding into new forms such as armed banditry and criminal herders across multiple regions. While some military gains and rehabilitation efforts have been made, challenges including politicisation of insecurity, ethnic and regional biases in security appointments, inadequate intelligence, and repeated prison breaks have undermined effective counterterrorism. The study concludes that the administration's failure to align rhetoric with substantive security outcomes has contributed to ongoing instability and public mistrust, highlighting the need for a nuanced, depoliticized approach to Nigeria's complex security challenges.