Metro A Brief History of Boko Haram, and Yusuf's Efforts to Islamize Nigeria

[LequteMan]

Here's a brief history of the Boko Haram sect as recounted by the Presidential Committee on North East Initiative, PCNI:

• Nigeria's 180 million people are near evenly divided between Christians who dominate the south and Muslims who dominate the North.

• Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 following years of military rule.

• Nigeria’s constitution reviewed in 1999 recognizes Islamic law (Sharia), which is in practice in 12 northern states.

• In 2002, a sect called Jamā'atAhl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wahwa'l-Jihād which means"People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad or Boko Haram was founded by an Islamist cleric: Mohammed Yusuf.

• He was influenced by the teachings of a 14th-century scholar called Ibn Taymiyyah. Yusuf believed in the Salafi school of thought. Which birthed his teachings and advocacy at first on the outskirts and later within Maiduguri’s metropolis.

• Many believed the founder to be an indigene of Borno State where he had his early Islamic education.

• It was in Maiduguri, the sect launched its tent before it moved to Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi and later spread its tentacles to other Northern states: Kano, Kaduna, Abuja, Kogi and Zamfara.

• According to Boko Haram, western education is forbidden as the name implies “Boko” means Book while “Haram” means unlawful/forbidden.

• In 2009, they (Boko Haram) launched several military operations to create an Islamic state.

• Muhammed Yusuf called for an Islamic state that would implement Sharia criminal courts in Nigeria.

• His aim was to capture all the northern states (and then the rest of the country) & build a population of Muslims that would denounce western education and practice.

• On the 30th of July 2009, Mohammed Yusuf was reportedly killed by the police while under interrogation.

• After his death, Abubakar Shekau took over as the leadership of the sect.

• Ramping up their extremist activities from then on, Boko Haram dealt a devastating blow on Nigeria, particularly in the North East.

• In 2014 the Global Terrorism Index said Boko Haram had killed more people (6644) than ISIS in one year.

• Ranking Boko Haram as the deadliest terrorist group in the world.

• The group has come under heavy fire from the Nigerian Army, and Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative.

• PCNI is tasked with coordinating all the relief and humanitarian efforts designed to rehabilitate the Internally Displaced People and refugees domiciled in Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic and return the North East to normalcy.

That's a brief history of Boko Haram in Nigeria.