• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis Inside ‘Western Ways are Evil’: The Emergence and Evolution of Boko Haram - Ahmed S. Hashim, Gregoire Patte and Nathan Cohen India-Pakistan: Why Peace? - Antara Desai and Abdul Basit Armed Forces Special Powers Act: A Call for Repeal - Mustafa Haji Regional Realities Extinguish Probability: Will Hezbollah Launch a Chemical Weapons Attack on Israel? - Patrick Blannin Volume 4: Issue 7, July 2012 2 ‘Western Ways Are Evil’: The Emergence and Evolution of Boko Haram By Ahmed S. Hashim, Gregoire Patte and Nathan Cohen This paper provides an overview of the historical and cultural environment that has allowed the militant jihadist group Boko Haram to flourish. It examines the strategy that the Nigerian government has adopted and the challenges it faces to restore peace. Nigeria is a country on edge. Its rampant political In 2010, Nigeria celebrated 50 years as an inde- corruption, inefficient use of resources, provincial pendent state. For Nigerians, this milestone of- rivalries and profound ethno-sectarian schisms— fered an opportunity to reflect on the country’s especially between the predominantly Christian successes and shortcomings. On the positive south and predominantly Muslim north—have side, over the last half-century, Nigeria has be- placed Nigeria in the headlines for all the wrong come one of Africa’s three giants along with reasons. From these grounds, Boko Haram, a Egypt and South Africa, thereby gaining consid- radical Islamist organization, has emerged. Its erable clout on the regional and global arenas. It attacks, which primarily though not exclusively is Africa’s largest oil producer and recent finds target the Nigerian state and the north’s Chris- ensure Nigeria’s significance in the energy mar- tians, have resulted in excess of 1,000 deaths in ket for the foreseeable future. With a population the past two years alone. This paper will trace the in excess of 170 million people, Nigeria is home origins and evolution of Boko Haram from its in- to Africa’s largest population, thus providing an ception to the present. ample labor force. Fighters of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) on September 17, 2008. Photo Credit: Militaryphotos.net. http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?142214-Today-s-Pics!-Wednesday-September-17th-2008/ page2 Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis, Vol. 4, Iss. 7, 2012 Western Ways are Evil 3 Political Context The country is no stranger to ethno-sectarian violence and secessionist movements. One of The population boom, however, is a double- the most brutal and deadly civil wars in Africa – edged sword for a still developing Nigeria. An the Biafran War — took place in Nigeria be- inability or an unwillingness to distribute eco- tween 1967-1970 when the Igbo people in the nomic resources and development programs south-western part of the country established a equitably may cause unrest. Moreover, rapid secessionist republic of Biafra. The Nigerian population growth can put enormous stress on a government crushed the incipient Biafran state developing country’s infrastructure. The UN pre- and reintegrated its people but only after the dicts that Nigeria’s population will exceed 400 deaths of tens of thousands of people. In the oil- million by 2050; such explosive growth will inevi- producing Niger Delta, the secessionist Move- tably strain government resources. ment for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) emerged. Its leaders accused the Fed- Furthermore, though democratic, Nigeria still eral Government in the capital Abuja of conniv- suffers from high rates of corruption and crony- ing with foreign oil corporations to deprive the ism within the political system. Both federal and impoverished region of its rightful share of the oil state governments are under-resourced and wealth. Niger Delta inhabitants complained of often lack sufficient numbers of personnel, ade- corruption, poverty, inequality and a lack of de- quate budgets, or financial oversight. Unsurpris- velopment. During the unrest in 2008 alone, ingly, Nigerians throughout the country (and par- over 1,000 people were killed and nearly 300 ticularly in the North) have suffered from what others were taken hostage. The cumulative cost they perceive to be discrimination in the provi- of the conflict, either through pipeline sabotage sion of resources and basic infrastructure. or oil theft, is estimated to be roughly USD 24 Map showing ethnic groups of Nigeria. Source: Ulrich Lamm, Africa Security Brief, Africa Centre for Strategic Studies 14 (July 2011) http://www.ndu.edu/press/lib/pdf/Africa-Security-Brief/ASB-14.pdf Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis, Vol. 4, Iss. 7, 2012 Western Ways are Evil 4 billion. In 2009, the Nigerian government offered received financial support from oil-rich Arab a comprehensive amnesty program, replete with countries for the promotion of Islam. an unconditional pardon, cash, and vocational training. Though 26,000 fighters have accepted These mainstream political religious forces of the program, with a majority pursuing the educa- Islam are entirely distinct from the rise of a mili- tional opportunities offered, tension in the Niger tant and extremist strain of Islam that has risen Delta remains. It remains unclear whether the in recent decades. Indeed the Muslim northern federal government resolved the conflict out of a elite, which include the current Caliph of Sokoto genuine desire for peace, or out of necessity for who claims to be a direct descendent of Uthman access to the oil resources. dan Fodio, are viewed negatively by radical Islamist forces of which Boko Haram is only the Historical and Political Background to the latest and deadliest manifestation. Worsening Emergence of Boko Haram socio-economic conditions and mounting ten- sions between Christians and Muslims fueled Currently, the most pressing problem in Nigeria the popularity of radical Islam. Despite the na- is an ethnic and sectarian divide between the tional problems discussed earlier, the south con- north and south of the country. Nigeria’s popula- tinues to boom as the north falls ever more be- tion is split almost equally between Christians hind; nearly three-quarters of northerners live on (40%) and Muslims (50%). Northern Nigeria has less than USD 200 a year, far below the poverty been a stronghold of Islam since the 11th cen- line. The few government programs designed to tury when Arab traders introduced Islam to the assist the region are marred by inefficiency and Kanuri, Hausa and Fulani peoples. In the late corruption. 18th and early 19th centuries, Islam became a major political force. In 1810, Uthman dan Fo- Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is a dio, a mallam or Islamic teacher, established the Christian and widely disliked by the Muslim Caliphate of Sokoto in present-day northwestern north. Northerners perceive him as unrespon- Nigeria through a prudent use of charisma and sive to their needs and prone to adopt hard-line ruthlessness. His self-styled jihad against the and violent strategies to solve the lack of law previous rulers serves as an inspiration to Boko and order in the north. Demographic changes Haram till this day. When the British colonized have exacerbated these tensions. Increasingly, Nigeria, they allowed the northerners, whom Christians from the south are migrating north- they viewed as more ‘advanced’ culturally, more wards. In the city of Kano, southerners, particu- autonomy and Islam continued to dominate po- larly Ibos, began to threaten economic interests litical and social life. This stood in sharp contrast of the Hausa commercial class. In Jos, a city to British rule in the south. that lies on the Muslim-Christian fault-line, Mus- lim settlers have encroached into traditionally When Nigeria obtained independence from Brit- Christian areas. Rivalries between the Christian ain in 1960, some northern politicians consid- Berom tribe and the Muslim Hausa and Fulani ered using Islam as a rallying point for entry into settlers over farmland and local chieftaincy titles the political process in the former capital of La- culminated in major incidents of mutual blood- gos. This proved unnecessary when Nigeria’s letting in 2010. nascent democracy collapsed and the northern dominated military took over. Islam flourished in These structural problems have caused the un- both the cultural and educational contexts as fortunate but unsurprising rise of vigilante northern elites and politicians deepened their groups that claim to protect populations from a relationships with the wider Islamic world and variety of depravations. One such group is Boko Counter Terrorist Trends and Analysis, Vol. 4, Iss. 7, 2012 Western Ways are Evil 5 Haram, which claims to act in the interests of of the security services while it organized itself. Muslim northerners. In Hausa, the main lan- It began to arm itself, prompting warnings from guage of the north, Boko Haram means literally security officials that something was amiss in “(Western) Book is Forbidden.” Though outsid- the north. In 2004, this small sect clashed with ers gave this name to the organization, it accu- security forces in a series of bloody riots. These rately summarizes the group’s political agenda, riots failed to awaken the government to the which decries Western ways in education, cul- gravity of the situation. However, things had ture and science as sinful. Indeed the ideologi- changed five years later. By 2009, the small cal goal of Boko Haram is to establish an Islamic group had expanded considerably and launched state that implements a strict interpretation of attacks against police in the city of Bauchi. Po- Shari’a or Islamic law throughout the entirety of lice retaliation and tit-for-tat attacks followed and the Nigerian state. (Currently, Sharia is techni- claimed over 700 lives. Mohammad Yusuf and cally applied in the 12 northern states, however some of his key followers were killed, likely in an Boko Haram does not accept the validity of extra-judicial way.

Load more

  19

Copy Link