Interesting paper on Northern Nigeria - addresses complexities that are glossed over by Western Media.

Northern Nigeria is witnessing an upheaval in its political and social space. Since the country’s return
to democracy in 1999 a growing number of actors, groups and movements have emanated from
the region, all purporting to speak for and represent the best interests of its people. The different
and often clashing voices that have emerged from the north include elements of the political
establishment, opposition, youth and civil society. At the very far end of the spectrum, it also includes
the bellicose voice of a violent insurgency from the northeast corner that is hostile towards the
Nigerian state and threatening to wreck the stability and security of the entire region. The ongoing
struggle for greater influence, inclusion, accountability and representation in northern Nigeria is
central to understanding transformations in the region’s politics, especially in the context of its
security challenges and a looming general election in 2015
http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/fi...iaHoffmann.pdf