Abstract
Nigeria experienced conflict prior to the emergence of Boko Haram. The causes ranged from ethnic, to religious, political and/or economic issues. It is thus important to examine Boko Haram’s discourses in light of these foundations. This chapter discusses the historical antecedents of armed insurrection against the Nigerian state. Boko Haram has operated under different names and has employed sophisticated methods of attack, which have also evolved over time. This has attracted global attention. The chapter addresses the following questions: What is the driving force behind Boko Haram’s modus operandi? What is its ideological disposition? What are its survivalist strategies? Boko Haram’s sources of funding, the factors that promote its sustainability and its links to international terrorist organizations are also examined.
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Notes
- 1.
Information sourced from https://www.irinnews.org/news/2014/02/21
- 2.
The Salafist Izala is also known as the society for the extermination of un-Islamic innovations and the establishment of the sunnah. Its doctrine is similar to that of Boko Haram, especially in relation to observing God’s commandments in the Qur’an and sunnah. The difference is that Izala does not support violent attacks on state apparatus but it throws its weight behind taking over such apparatus (Harnischfeger 2014). Mohammed Yusuf was a member of Izala until the year 2000 (Harnischfeger 2014).
- 3.
Trinitrotoluene, pentaerythritol, and ammonia (fertilisers) are used to manufactureIEDs that can be attached to automobiles, motorcycles, tricycles and human beings (Onuoha 2014).
- 4.
MUJAO is a faction of the AQIM which is involved in Jihad in West Africa and the Sahel regions (Solomon 2012).
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Temitope Faluyi, O., Khan, S., Akinola, A.O. (2019). Boko Haram: A Reign of Terror. In: Boko Haram’s Terrorism and the Nigerian State. Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05737-4_5
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