Abosede Omowumi Babatunde is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She earned a Master's and PhD degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a former member of the Governing Council of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA). She is also a Chartered Mediator and member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji is a Professor of Pragmatics and Applied English Linguistics at the University of Ilorin, where he had served as Director of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies. A former member of the Governing Council of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA), he currently serves as pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, Kwara State, Nigeria.Shittu Raji is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Apart from being the Chairman, Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) Kwara State chapter, he is a Chartered Mediator and member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria.Jacinta Mwende Maweu is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Media Studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, where she researches and teaches in the areas of Social and Political Philosophy, Media and Conflict, Media and Democracy and Media and Human Rights. She is a former member of the Governing Council of the International Peace and Research Association (IPRA) and currently a Co-convener of the Media, Conflicts and Peace Commission in IPRA.John Mwangi Githigaro is Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at St. Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the United States International University (USIU-A), Nairobi, Kenya. He holds an MA in International Relations and a BA in Communication.

• Introduction 1. Historicization of religious extremism in Africa 2. Conceptual clarification 3. Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram movements in East and West Africa 4. The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria 5. The threat of Al-Shabaab extremism in Kenya 6. Institutional strategies to counter violent religious extremism in Nigeria and Kenya 7. African states and violent extremism 8. Religious ideology and terrorism in Africa 9. Youth radicalism and violent religious extremism Conclusion

Abosede Omowumi Babatunde is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She earned a Master's and PhD degree in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. She is a former member of the Governing Council of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA). She is also a Chartered Mediator and member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji is a Professor of Pragmatics and Applied English Linguistics at the University of Ilorin, where he had served as Director of the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies. A former member of the Governing Council of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA), he currently serves as pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ahman Pategi University, Patigi, Kwara State, Nigeria.Shittu Raji is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Apart from being the Chairman, Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) Kwara State chapter, he is a Chartered Mediator and member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria.Jacinta Mwende Maweu is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy and Media Studies at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, where she researches and teaches in the areas of Social and Political Philosophy, Media and Conflict, Media and Democracy and Media and Human Rights. She is a former member of the Governing Council of the International Peace and Research Association (IPRA) and currently a Co-convener of the Media, Conflicts and Peace Commission in IPRA.John Mwangi Githigaro is Lecturer in Peace and Conflict Studies at St. Paul’s University, Limuru, Kenya. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the United States International University (USIU-A), Nairobi, Kenya. He holds an MA in International Relations and a BA in Communication.

• Introduction 1. Historicization of religious extremism in Africa 2. Conceptual clarification 3. Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram movements in East and West Africa 4. The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria 5. The threat of Al-Shabaab extremism in Kenya 6. Institutional strategies to counter violent religious extremism in Nigeria and Kenya 7. African states and violent extremism 8. Religious ideology and terrorism in Africa 9. Youth radicalism and violent religious extremism Conclusion