In this article, we take a look at the history of boko haram in nigeria. The historical background of boko haram boko haram literally translated as western education is a sin is a genocidal criminal movement led by an islamist extremist, abubakar shekau, who has vowed to destroy every christian school in nigeria, and to carry out terrorist attacks on nigerian government police and government officials. Boko haram has also been known to kidnap girls, whom it believes. A more ominous if less likely outcome could be the somaliazation of nigeria, if boko haram can accelerate nigerias centrifugal forces ethno. Within hours of goodluck jonathans presidential inauguration in may 2011, boko haram carried out a series of bombings in bauchi, zaria and abuja. The historical background of boko haram genocide watch. Their intention was to implement sharia law in nigeria and turn the country to full islamic country.
Nigerias battle with boko haram council on foreign relations. Jun 06, 2014 boko harams story begins with a preacher named mohammed marwa, born in 1927. The movement is unique in that it combines a sectarian, radical islamic agenda with violence. In discussing the history of the terrorist group, we begin from the death of leader yusuf, and escalation of hostilities, then the role of some northern politicians in nigeria in the rise or emergence of boko haram in nigeria. A brief history of boko haram boko haram members prefer to be known by their arabic name jamaatu ahlis sunna liddaawati waljihad meaning people committed to. The islamic state in west africa or the islamic states west africa province formerly known as. The group jamaatu ahlussunnah liddaawati wal jihad, known the world over as boko haram, is an extremist islamic sect in nigeria that has created havoc across the north of the country and in the capital, abuja. Lessons from colombia for curtailing the boko haram insurgency. We are doing what we are doing to fight injustice, if they stop. March 2015 how northern nigerias violent history explains boko haram. How boko haram specifically targets displaced people. Islamic caliphate if boko haram can moderate its extremist tactics in order to tap into the vast reserves of antigovernment sentiment and religious fundamentalism in the north.
The word boko haram means western education is forbidden. The violent boko haram attacks have left deep scars, both visible and invisible. Psychological consequences of the boko haram insurgency for. Jun 09, 2014 view cnn s fast facts on boko haram and learn more about the militant islamic group based in nigeria, whose purpose is to institute sharia, or islamic law.
Interrogating the emergence of boko haram in nigeria this section gives a brief history of the emergence of boko haram sect in nigeria, examines. History of nigeria army pdf written by desain rumah thursday, february 23, 2017 add comment edit. Boko haram s spokesman also claimed responsibility for the killing outside his home in maiduguri of the politician abba anas ibn umar garbai, the younger brother of the shehu of borno, who was the second most prominent muslim in the country after the sultan of sokoto. However the group members call themselves jamaah alahlu alsunnah li aldawah wa aljihad. Boko harams spokesman also claimed responsibility for the killing outside his home in maiduguri of the politician abba anas ibn umar garbai, the younger brother of the shehu of borno, who was the second most prominent muslim in the country after the sultan of sokoto. Boko haram insurgency in nigeria as a symptom of poverty and. Boko haram s story begins with a preacher named mohammed marwa, born in 1927. Boko haram itself was founded in 2002 in borno state by a group of islamic clerics. From 2012 to 2014, boko haram carried out dozens of deadly attacks on. Dec 17, 2017 nigeria soldiers raid paper over boko haram article bbc news. The history of boko haram boko harams origins lie in a group of radical islamist youth who worshipped at the alhaji muhammadu ndimi mosque in maiduguri a decade ago. Boko haram began to target schools in 2010, killing hundreds of students by 2014.
Boko haram is a radical islamist movement shaped by its nigerian context and reflecting. Latest nigerian army ranks salary structure oasdom. Mar 31, 2014 a short history of boko haram this morning, members of the boko haram movement attacked a dss detention facility close to the seat of power in abuja. Pdf claimed by boko haram and reduce violence linked to the group to levels seen prior to 2014. In 2015 the group began calling itself islamic state in west africa. The split of ansaru, however, provided shekau with more room to manoeuvre so as to pursue his ethnonationalist strategy. Except for a brief period of civilian rule between 1979 and 1983, nigeria was. Pdf vomen in the military a study of the nigerian army. Boko harams story begins with a preacher named mohammed marwa, born in 1927. At about age eighteen, he moved to kano, in what is today northern nigeria, and began a career as a preacher. Nigeria soldiers raid paper over boko haram article bbc news. The analysis has identified the following as key strengths of boko haram. Policy brief since 2009, boko haram has proven to be a highly adaptable foe, routinely realigning its tactics to suit changing circumstances.
The name boko haram is a hausa name which only the hausa peoples understood and is a compound name comprised of hausa and arabic. Its violent attacks on government offices, the united nations, and churches threaten to destabilize the country. The history of boko haram in nigeria the islamic fundamentalist group, boko haram, has admitted of being. The group worshipped at a mosque known as al haji muhammadu ndimi that is in maiduguri in northern nigeria in the year 2002. Boko haram emerging threat to the us homeland govinfo. It will examine the evolution of boko haram itself from islamic.
Introduction boko haram, a movement claiming to act in the name of is lam, has killed tens of thousands of people in nigeria and the neighboring countries of niger, chad, and cameroon. The hausa applied the term boko to western forms of education so when the term haram is appended to it the intent is. Boko haram is an isisaligned jihadist group based in nigeria. The most successful of these was the attack on the army barracks in bauchi. While boko haram appears to be part of an international terrorist movement, their real agenda is local, with roots stretching back several centuries.
The history of boko haram cannot be disentangled from the immense political change nigeria underwent during the 1999 transition to democracy. Boko haram, islamic sectarian movement founded in 2002 in northeastern nigeria. The geopolitics of boko haram university of warwick. Brief history of nigeria from 1960 till date oasdom. Its founder was mohammed yusuf, who was a known fundamentalist and his thinking was influenced by wahhabi theology. A spokesperson for the group said such attacks would continue as long as the nigerian government continued to interfere with traditional islamic education. A range of conflicting narratives has grown up around boko haram. This essay will explore a brief history and legacy of islam and colonialism in nigeria, and the current social and the economic conditions that gave rise to boko harams agenda.
Brief history of boko haram in nigeria research cyber. Boko haram is an islamic sect that believes politics in northern nigeria has. A brief history of its operations boko haram is a sunni islamist group, seeking to have sharia islamic law imposed in the north of nigeria, and, in some accounts to have a separate islamic state see idowu 20. Two years ago the world was gripped when boko haram kidnapped 279 school girls from the nigerian town of chibok. As we embark on fresh attacks to commemorate the insult done to our. Boko haram has also been translated as western influence is a sin.
Jul 30, 2015 boko haram, officially called wilayat gharb ifriqiyyah arabic. Boko haram can regional force beat nigeria s militant. The history of boko haram boko haram s origins lie in a group of radical islamist youth who worshipped at the alhaji muhammadu ndimi mosque in maiduguri a decade ago. Their intention was to implement sharia law in nigeria and.
Boko haram in context the roots of boko haram lie in the islamic history of northern nigeria, in which for some 800 years powerful sultanates centered around the hausa cities close to kano and the sultanate of borno roughly the region of the states of borno and yobe together with parts of chad constituted high muslim civilizations. Other boko haram commanders, including the christmas day 2011 church bombings mastermind, kabiru sokoto, also have sought refuge in camer. Forest notes, boko haram is largely a local phenomenon, though one with strategic implications, and must be understood and addressed within its local context and the long standing grievances that motivate terrorist activity. Boko haram militants have a wellestablished history of disguising. Nigeria became an independent country taking over the control of territories, politics and that of military. An independence movement gained nigerias independence on october 1, 1960. Boko haram was founded upon the principles of the khawaarij advocating sharia law. This policy brief presents the results of a fieldbased study on peacebuilders perspectives of the drivers of violent extremism. Boko haram, known for mass kidnappings, bombings, and other acts of terrorism, remains an enduring.
This comprehensive report examines boko harams extremist rhetoric, leadership, and history of violent activities. Boko haram leader abu shekau reportedly fled to ngaoundere in northern cameroon after boko harams january 20, 2012 attacks in kano, which killed 186 people. Boko haram is an extremist group founded by a youth islamists group that worshipped iatekaf, where they spent time in a mosque for a whole day and up to a year. Download pdf hubris a brief political history of the. Information service nigeria country of origin information report pdf. The name boko haram is usually translated as western education is forbidden. The jamaaatu ahlussunnah liddawati wal jihad, popularly known as boko haram is a strong pseudoislamist terrorist group, which has its base in kanamma, northeastern nigeria. Pdf it is almost three years ago that a group of northern nigerian militants that. A brief exposition boko haram sect is not the foremost major group or militia group nigeria has had, or has faced before. Second, there was a need to understand the psychological impacts of the boko. A short history of boko haram this morning, members of the boko haram movement attacked a dss detention facility close to the seat of power in abuja. Facts, history, leaders, and origins of the terrorist group usa today usa today file this file image made available wednesday, jan.
This brief should not be read as a comprehensive analysis of boko haram behaviour. Boko haram and the evolving salafi jihadist threat in nigeria pdf. There is also a history of muslim sects growing in the cities of northern nigeria. Boko haram is an islamic religious sect thats been in existence way before the beginning of their brutal politicallymotivated attacks in nigeria. For years, boko haram has been conducting a lethal jihadist insurgency in the countrys north to drive out government forces and establish an islamic state. Stabilizing northeast nigeria after boko haram carnegie. In 2002, an offshoot of this youth group not yet known as boko haram declared the city and the islamic establishment to be intolerably corrupt and irredeemable. View cnn s fast facts on boko haram and learn more about the militant islamic group based in nigeria, whose purpose is to institute sharia, or islamic law.
In 20, the nigerian military intensified its campaign against boko haram. History of boko haram in nigeria and their activities legit. This report traces the historical evolution of boko harams development and outlines the dimensions of its conflict with the nigeri an state. Hence, this study explored the psychological impacts of boko haram terrorism on nigerian children.
How boko haram specifically targets displaced people reliefweb. Boko harams sixyearold insurgency has pitted neighbour against neighbour, and cost more than 00 lives. History of boko haram founded in the muslimdominated northern nigeria in 2002 by mohammed yusuf, boko haram was originally labeled as the nigerian taliban because of its ideology and methods. Boko haram emerged around 2002 as a local islamic group. The group that would come to be known as boko haram was founded by yusuf mohammed in 2002 in maiduguri, the capital of the northeastern state of borno. A history of misguided or incorrect religious preaching that further contributes to a. Boko haram messaging has ebbed and flowed throughout its history, while the types of. The atrocities unleashed by boko haram since 2009 have affected millions of people in nigeria and the region as a whole. We will tell you everything you need to know about boko haram in nigeria. Nigerias battle with boko haram council on foreign. Check out our article on the history of boko haram in nigeria to understand the severity of the groups actions.
Is accepted boko haram as its province in west africa in 2014 and the united states department of state designated it as a foreign terrorist organization. Pdf boko haram insurgency in nigeria as a symptom of poverty. The islamic fundamentalist group, boko haram, has admitted of. At about age eighteen, he moved to kano, in what is today northern nigeria, and. Pdf the geopolitics of boko haram and nigerias war on terror. After decades of vacillating between periods of military rule and democracy, punctuated by coups, the nigerian fourth republic began as general abdusalami abubakar peacefully handed over power to olusegun obasanjo after democratic elections. This rapid development and global visibility make boko haram an important example of the combination of religion and violence in the 21st century. Since 2009 the group has carried out largescale acts of violence. A spokesman for the group told bbc hausa that the attack had been carried out, as a test of loyalty, by serving members of the military hoping to join the group. The rise of boko haram in nigeria combating terrorism. Based on this description, boko haram is clearly a group of islamic fundamentalists. The groups name boko haram is a hausa statement, which upon translated into english, means western education is sinful.