Global strategic affairs news - GSDN.

As the world grapples with the dangers of global terrorism in the form of terrorist organizations like Al Qaeda and Islamic State, one militant group has garnered attention for its brutal and hostile ways in the state of Nigeria. Here, we are talking about Boko Haram, an extremist radical group that has been termed one of the deadliest terrorist organizations by the Global Terrorism Index in the transnational arena. The group has received a lot of coverage since 2009 due to its large-scale and relentless violent attacks on local police, military, political and religious groups, and its indiscriminate killing of civilians. The insurgency has massacred more than 32,000 people, and 3,00,000 children, and displaced 2.3 million civilians from their homes, speaking of the somber circumstance threatening the political integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria. In this article, we will be investigating the rise of Boko Haram, from the genesis of the group to its current disposition as a militant organization. Further, there will be an exploration of the influence and current activities of Boko Haram. The inception of the militant jihadist group took place in 2003 when war was waged against the Nigerian government under the leadership of Muhammad Ali, a Nigerian who had fought alongside the mujahideen in Afghanistan. This small group mainly comprised of youth coming from wealthy families, fighting against the corrupt government, and wanting to establish an Islamic state run according to the sharia laws. The group withdrew from Maiduguri to the Yobe state in the northeast of the country. From here, the militants launched attacks on government buildings and police stations in different areas in the Yobe state. In December 2003, the group engaged in a fight with the local police over fishing rights in a pond. This fight escalated into a violent showdown where close to 70 members of the group were killed including Muhammad Ali. This group garnered attention from the Nigerian media for its open defiance against the state and its sensational name- Nigerian Taliban. The survivors of the attack returned back to Maiduguri and joined Mohammad Yusuf, who had just returned back from his exile. The group identified themselves with a new name ‘Boko Haram’ colloquially translating to ‘Westernisation is Forbidden’. The ideology rejected, democracy, secularism, and western education and westernization. The organization’s objective was to fight against the corrupt, inefficient, and unjust Nigerian government. In an interview with BBC Hausa language service, the organization’s leader Mohammad Yusuf stated western education must be replaced with Islamic education and that all those who oppose it must be killed. Further, there was a threat of converting all the non-Muslims to Muslims. Boko Haram wanted to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state and regarded the current government as illegitimate. It sought to purify the practice of Islam and remove what it sees as west-inspired corruption and immortality.

Stay informed on the latest global strategic affairs with Gsdn news coverage. From politics to international relations, our team of experts provides timely analysis and insights to keep you ahead of the game.