This terrorist group jumped to the forefront of the battle
against Islamist terrorists in North Africa, when it kidnapped a French family
from Cameroon. But who is this group? How did it start? And what role did
Nigeria’s faction fighting have in its emergence? Here are 10 facts about Boko
Haram...
Who is Boko Haram?
Boko Haram is the name of a large Islamist group fighting in
northern Nigeria. Its aim is to establish an independent Islamic state under
Sharia law. But this is only partially accurate. The group’s proper name is
Jamā'atu Ahlis Sunnah Lādda'awatih wal-Jihad (People Committed to the
Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad). ‘Boko Haram’ was a
dismissive name
given by neighbours of the sect in its early years and means
“Western Education Is Forbidden” in the Hausa language; alluding to the group’s
hard-line belief that Western ideas, particularly from British colonialism,
have turned Muslims away from the virtues of Islam.
How Boko Haram Got Started
