The study examines Nigerian government domestic response to the menace of terrorism especially the Boko Haram Islamic sect, that is presently ravaging the nation and our collective security vis a vis lives and property. The study reveals that the root cause of the activities of this terrorist group may not be unconnected with the criminal neglect of the various governments in the past to address the basic needs of the people. The study also shows the attempts by government to curb the activities of this terrorist group have been largely reactionary and not necessarily informed by scientific intelligence or information gathering mechanisms. The paper therefore suggest that the root cause of the problem i.e. the many years of neglect of the socio-economic situation of the people must be addressed by the institution of good governance principles at all levels of governance. This is in addition to putting in place a preventive security intelligence system that places high premium on information gathering that can detect crime rather than react to crime.