For many years, Boko Haram has
terrorised Nigeria. The violent Boko Haram
attacks have left deep scars, both visible
and invisible. Check out our article on the
history of Boko Haram in Nigeria to
understand the severity of the group’s
actions. We will tell you everything you
need to know about Boko Haram in
Nigeria.
1.The group became active in 2002
under the Boko Haram leadership of
Mohammed Yusuf. He is now
deceased.
2. It is active mostly in the north-
eastern parts of Nigeria, Chad, Niger
and the north of Cameroon.
3. At first it was believed to be a part of
al-Quaeda, but in 2015, it moved on
to become part of the ISIL (Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant).
4. The Boko Haram origin of the name
stems from the Hausa phrase that
literally translates as ‘Western
education is forbidden’.
5. The name the group uses to describe
themselves, Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah
lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād literally
translates as the Group of the People
of Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad.
As we have said before, the group has
been active since 2002. However, if we
are talking about the history of Boko
Haram insurgency in Nigeria, then their
reign of terror began in July 2009. Boko
Haram started an uprising in Bauchi
state, which soon spread to Kano, Borno
and Yobe. The conflict resulted in
hundreds of deaths on the side of both
Boko Haram (including the Boko Haram
leader) and the joint military forces.
Even though their leader had died and
their operational mosque was
destroyed, Boko Haram members
returned a year later with a video that
proclaimed Abubakar Shekau,
Mohammed Yusuf’s right hand, as the
new leader of the group.
And that was when things got worse:
From September 2010, Boko Haram
began frequently organising violent
attacks in Nigeria. During the
inauguration of Goodluck Jonathan in
May 2011, the group detonated several
IEDs near the military barracks in
Bauchi, which resulted in deaths of at
least 10 people.
In August 2011, the UN compound and
the police station suffered from Boko
Haram militant attacks with numerous
injuries and casualties. By November,
the attacks had spread all over the states
of Borno and Yobe.
In January 2012, Boko Haram targeted
multiple places in Kano, which resulted
in over 200 deaths. In August, some
media sources claimed that Boko Haram
had started peace talks with the
Nigerian government, but the group
itself denied those claims.
In April 2013, the joint forces from
Nigeria, Chad and Niger fought Boko
Haram forces in Baga, Borno State,
which resulted in over 200 casualties,
including civilians. In June, several
churches suffered from Boko Haram
attacks, adding another 50 people to the
death toll.
But things did not end there:
In September 2013, several members of
Boko Haram posed as the Nigerian
military and killed over 100 people at a
fake checkpoint in Borno. In November,
the U.S. added Boko Haram of Nigeria to
the list of terrorist organisations. It took
them four years to realise the severity
of the situation.
In 2014, even more people from Borno
State suffered from Boko Haram attacks.
However, the most shocking thing
happened in April, when Boko Haram
kidnapped 276 young girls that were on
their way to school in Chibok, Borno.
This has sparked an outrage even
outside of Nigeria and attracted
international attention to the problem.
Despite the attention, the Nigerian
government has not managed to come
to an agreement with Boko Haram to get
the hostages back. On the contrary, Boko
Haram continued their attacks and
kidnappings, adding to the amount of
casualties. All the attempts of ceasefire
had failed.
Things only got worse from there:
In 2015, Boko Haram attacks got even
more violent. They started to use young
girls in suicide bombings and beheaded
those who had crossed them. In March
2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to
ISIS, and ISIS accepted the pledge.
In the meantime, Nigerian troops were
able to find several Boko Haram bases
and release some of the hostages kept
there. However, the kidnapped girls
were nowhere to be found. In addition,
the military forces came across mass
graves of Boko Haram victims.
Boko Haram attacks happened with
alarming periodicity. All the way until
the end of 2015, numerous villages
suffered from Boko Haram. However,
the allied forces were also able to get
some ground back. In September 2015,
the Nigerian military managed to rescue
almost 250 captives and arrest some of
the Boko Haram Members.
In August 2016, ISIS appointed a new
head of Boko Haram, Abu Musab al-
Barnawi, who was meant to replace
Abubakar Shekau. However, in
December 2016, he was arrested, and
Shekau resumed his reign. Nevertheless,
the group split, which led to the
weakening of its positions.
But what about the kidnapped girls?
As for the Chibok girls, some of them
managed to escape earlier on. Others
were not that lucky. In April 2016, Boko
Haram posted a video with some of the
kidnapped schoolgirls to prove that they
were alive. In October, Boko Haram
used the girls as the means of
negotiation to exchange them for the
imprisoned Boko Haram members.
In May 2016, two of the kidnapped girls
were found wandering around the
Sambisa Forest. In October 2016, Boko
Haram released 21 girls in exchange for
some of their captured comrades. In
May 2017, 82 more girls were rescued.
Despite the loud campaigns and
international attention, many girls
remain in captivity. Some were reported
dead, while the fate of the others is
unknown.
It is 2017, and despite splitting and
partly falling apart, Boko Haram
continues to terrorise Nigeria. Every
month, sometimes even more often,
there is news of another bombing or
attack from Boko Haram, the most
recent being in August. It seems that
nothing will ever stop this ever-present
threat.
We pray that one day Nigeria will be
able to finally live in peace, and that
such violent groups like Boko Haram
will never be able to disrupt the lives of
civilians ever again.
terrorised Nigeria. The violent Boko Haram
attacks have left deep scars, both visible
and invisible. Check out our article on the
history of Boko Haram in Nigeria to
understand the severity of the group’s
actions. We will tell you everything you
need to know about Boko Haram in
Nigeria.
1.The group became active in 2002
under the Boko Haram leadership of
Mohammed Yusuf. He is now
deceased.
2. It is active mostly in the north-
eastern parts of Nigeria, Chad, Niger
and the north of Cameroon.
3. At first it was believed to be a part of
al-Quaeda, but in 2015, it moved on
to become part of the ISIL (Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant).
4. The Boko Haram origin of the name
stems from the Hausa phrase that
literally translates as ‘Western
education is forbidden’.
5. The name the group uses to describe
themselves, Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah
lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād literally
translates as the Group of the People
of Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad.
As we have said before, the group has
been active since 2002. However, if we
are talking about the history of Boko
Haram insurgency in Nigeria, then their
reign of terror began in July 2009. Boko
Haram started an uprising in Bauchi
state, which soon spread to Kano, Borno
and Yobe. The conflict resulted in
hundreds of deaths on the side of both
Boko Haram (including the Boko Haram
leader) and the joint military forces.
Even though their leader had died and
their operational mosque was
destroyed, Boko Haram members
returned a year later with a video that
proclaimed Abubakar Shekau,
Mohammed Yusuf’s right hand, as the
new leader of the group.
And that was when things got worse:
From September 2010, Boko Haram
began frequently organising violent
attacks in Nigeria. During the
inauguration of Goodluck Jonathan in
May 2011, the group detonated several
IEDs near the military barracks in
Bauchi, which resulted in deaths of at
least 10 people.
In August 2011, the UN compound and
the police station suffered from Boko
Haram militant attacks with numerous
injuries and casualties. By November,
the attacks had spread all over the states
of Borno and Yobe.
In January 2012, Boko Haram targeted
multiple places in Kano, which resulted
in over 200 deaths. In August, some
media sources claimed that Boko Haram
had started peace talks with the
Nigerian government, but the group
itself denied those claims.
In April 2013, the joint forces from
Nigeria, Chad and Niger fought Boko
Haram forces in Baga, Borno State,
which resulted in over 200 casualties,
including civilians. In June, several
churches suffered from Boko Haram
attacks, adding another 50 people to the
death toll.
But things did not end there:
In September 2013, several members of
Boko Haram posed as the Nigerian
military and killed over 100 people at a
fake checkpoint in Borno. In November,
the U.S. added Boko Haram of Nigeria to
the list of terrorist organisations. It took
them four years to realise the severity
of the situation.
In 2014, even more people from Borno
State suffered from Boko Haram attacks.
However, the most shocking thing
happened in April, when Boko Haram
kidnapped 276 young girls that were on
their way to school in Chibok, Borno.
This has sparked an outrage even
outside of Nigeria and attracted
international attention to the problem.
Despite the attention, the Nigerian
government has not managed to come
to an agreement with Boko Haram to get
the hostages back. On the contrary, Boko
Haram continued their attacks and
kidnappings, adding to the amount of
casualties. All the attempts of ceasefire
had failed.
Things only got worse from there:
In 2015, Boko Haram attacks got even
more violent. They started to use young
girls in suicide bombings and beheaded
those who had crossed them. In March
2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to
ISIS, and ISIS accepted the pledge.
In the meantime, Nigerian troops were
able to find several Boko Haram bases
and release some of the hostages kept
there. However, the kidnapped girls
were nowhere to be found. In addition,
the military forces came across mass
graves of Boko Haram victims.
Boko Haram attacks happened with
alarming periodicity. All the way until
the end of 2015, numerous villages
suffered from Boko Haram. However,
the allied forces were also able to get
some ground back. In September 2015,
the Nigerian military managed to rescue
almost 250 captives and arrest some of
the Boko Haram Members.
In August 2016, ISIS appointed a new
head of Boko Haram, Abu Musab al-
Barnawi, who was meant to replace
Abubakar Shekau. However, in
December 2016, he was arrested, and
Shekau resumed his reign. Nevertheless,
the group split, which led to the
weakening of its positions.
But what about the kidnapped girls?
As for the Chibok girls, some of them
managed to escape earlier on. Others
were not that lucky. In April 2016, Boko
Haram posted a video with some of the
kidnapped schoolgirls to prove that they
were alive. In October, Boko Haram
used the girls as the means of
negotiation to exchange them for the
imprisoned Boko Haram members.
In May 2016, two of the kidnapped girls
were found wandering around the
Sambisa Forest. In October 2016, Boko
Haram released 21 girls in exchange for
some of their captured comrades. In
May 2017, 82 more girls were rescued.
Despite the loud campaigns and
international attention, many girls
remain in captivity. Some were reported
dead, while the fate of the others is
unknown.
It is 2017, and despite splitting and
partly falling apart, Boko Haram
continues to terrorise Nigeria. Every
month, sometimes even more often,
there is news of another bombing or
attack from Boko Haram, the most
recent being in August. It seems that
nothing will ever stop this ever-present
threat.
We pray that one day Nigeria will be
able to finally live in peace, and that
such violent groups like Boko Haram
will never be able to disrupt the lives of
civilians ever again.
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