BREAKING: Boko Haram Origin, Shekau, ISIS, El-Zakzaky, Other Untold Stories Of Terrorism In The Northern Nigeria [Details]

Boko Haram, an extremist Islamist organization, has caused significant turmoil in Northern Nigeria since the onset of its insurgency in 2009.......CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE>>>>>

Over the years, the terrorist sect’s brutal actions have included bombings, targeted killings, mass kidnappings, and assaults on civilians. This development has severely undermined stability in the region, resulting in one of the most severe humanitarian crises in Nigeria’s history.

Reports from the United Nations and various humanitarian organizations indicate that Boko Haram’s insurgency has resulted in:

Over 350,000 fatalities, encompassing both direct violence and indirect consequences such as famine and illness.
More than 2.5 million individuals displaced, both within Nigeria and across borders into neighboring countries like Chad, Cameroon, and Niger.
Thousands of children were left orphaned, with many being coerced into child soldiering or radicalized.
Extensive devastation of homes, markets, agricultural lands, and essential public infrastructure.

Naija News reports that Boko Haram has been responsible for some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Nigeria’s history, including:

2011 UN Headquarters Bombing (Abuja): A suicide bombing at the UN building killed at least 23 people and injured over 80.
2014 Chibok Schoolgirls’ Abduction: Over 270 girls were kidnapped from their school in Borno State, sparking global outrage. Some were rescued, but many remain missing.
2015 Baga Massacre: Boko Haram attacked the town of Baga, killing over 2,000 people in one of the deadliest single attacks.
2018 Dapchi Schoolgirls’ Kidnapping: More than 100 schoolgirls were abducted, though most were later released except for Leah Sharibu, who refused to renounce her Christian faith.
Economic and Educational Setbacks

It is no longer news that the insurgency has severely affected economic activities in the northern region, with thousands of farmers unable to cultivate crops due to insecurity.

In their major attacks, the terrorist group targets schools, leading to the closure of many institutions and depriving millions of children of education.

The Real Meaning Of ‘Boko Haram’

In an exclusive interview with Naija News, a renowned counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, shared some profound insight about the formation of the Boko Haram terrorist group and its past leadership trend.

According to Makama, “Boko” in the Hausa language means fake or false.

He explained that initially, the Hausa ethnic group used the term “limin boko” to mean “fake education” in order to describe the foreign mode of education introduced by the colonialists, and over time, the two-word name was shortened to ‘Boko’ alone, meaning the same thing.

On the other hand, Ilimin Boko” or “Boko”, according to Makama, was used as an expression of criticism to the western secular schools which were imposed and used as tools for evangelism by the British colonial government and missionaries in Northern Nigeria in the beginning of the 20th Century; and by semantic extension, the word now means Roman script and western education But the term “Haram ” is an Arabic word meaning legally outlawed. Thus, the correct meaning of “Boko Haram” is “Western system of education is legally outlawed.”

“The name “Boko Haram”, which is generally used to refer to the group formed and led by late Muhammad Yusuf who sought to establish an Islamic system of governance, was first coined in Bauchi State and then spread by the print and electronic media. According to initial media reports, for instance, Reuters World News published a report under the heading: Nigeria forces kill 32 after attack on police station on 26 July, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. that an armed gang launched attack on a police station in Bauchi State and that the Bauchi police spokesman Mohammed Barau said the armed gang belonged to Boko Haram. This local group wants Shari’ ah (Islamic law) to be imposed on all of Nigeria,” Makama noted, stating that the same story was published in the News under the heading Nigerian Islamist attacks spread on the same date at 16:00:59 GMT.

It stated therein: “Mr Yusuf’s followers in Bauchi are known as Boko Haram, which means ‘Education’ is prohibited.”

On 24 November 2009, the residents in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, where the group had its headquarters, began to call them Boko Haram. Considering the initial reports of 26″ July, 2009 cited as examples, it is clear that the dubbing of the movement preceded the uprising in Maiduguri which occurred a day later, on 27″ July, 2009.

In other words, Bauchi residents tagged the movement Boko Haram. In union with the illumination of the term “Boko Haram” mentioned above, the name reflects the group’s rejection and opposition to the predominant Western system of education operating in the country as its focal peculiarity among its myriad idiosyncrasies.

The Origin of Boko Haram

According to Makama, the real origin of Boko Haram as a group is a difficult one to establish because it is clouded with uncertainties to many analysts by the several views postulated to arrive at possible reasons for its emergence into the public scene.

“On the face of it, the unquestionable fact of all the postulations is that Boko Haram drew its origin from various contemporary Jihādi movements set up by some radical persons calling for international Jihādism in the name of forming Islamic states.

“These veiled persons could be ignorantly enthusiastic Muslims or non- Muslims with the aim of sullying the image of Islam and Muslims. Nonetheless, it has been widely held that Boko Haram was a political tool deliberately and discreetly produced through the local education system by some aggrieved and awful elites of northern Nigeria so as to manipulate religious beliefs to pull off their political goals.

“Some outside dwellers disconnectedly claim that Boko Haram was crafted to enliven and restore the Islamic Caliphate of Kanem Borno, whereas some people squabble to link the genesis of Boko Haram to the 1982 Maitatsine uprisings. What is more, some people are relating the survival of Boko Haram to the quarrying of oil Wells in Northern Nigeria,” the security expert noted.

Profile of Muhammad Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram

According to Makama, the alleged founder of Boko Haram, Muhammad Yusuf, was said to have been born in Girgir, Jakusko’ Local Government Area of Yobe State, Nigeria, in the year 1970.

His father, Mallam Yusuf lived in Nguru and was of the Dagira tribe that migrated into Nigeria from southern Niger Republic.

Young Yusuf reportedly entered Maiduguri along with his family members and kept on memorizing the Glorious Qur’an before his father.

He was neither enrolled into the Boko system of education nor did he study in formal higher Islamic education, locally or abroad. He has, however, studied and attended lessons of some home-based scholars.

His commitment and hard work were highly admired by people and had made him attractive to his fellow
students and teachers.

Yusuf’s Experiences and Influences

The security expert explained further that Yusuf had had conflicting experiences in his life. He grew up in a family that 10 practiced the Tijaniyyah Sect. He met Ibrahim EI-Zakzaky of Zaria in the early 1990s in Kaduna State.

“Although he was not a student of a Tertiary Institution, Yusuf somehow joined “the Muslim brotherhood” of the Muslim Student Society of Nigeria (MSSN) through EI-Zakzaky, by whom Yusuf was influenced.

“El-Zakzaky later declared Shism as his movement’s religion in 1994. Thereafter, some of his followers broke away and formed Jama’at Tajdid ‘ al-Islam
(Movement for the Revival of ‘Islam, JTI), along the pattern of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood.

“In its first few years, the group sturdily opposed El-Zakzaky and Shism but later on concentrated on its main activities. Muhammad Yusuf joined the ITI and later became its caretaker leader in Borno State.

“He later joined the Salafiyyah movement and continued his io Islamic Studies with its scholars. Along with some like-minded enthusiastic youth, he formed” Makama revealed.

Camping

Naija News learnt from the security expert that Boko Haram established its first camp in the name of Hijra in Kanamma in Yobe State and secluded themselves to establish an ideal Islamic community.

The Nigerian government subsequently dislodged them after seeing them as a security threat.

Change in Its Outward Appearance

One motivating feature seen with the movement members in the wake of their confrontation with the government was the apparent and sudden change in their outward appearances. Other distinguishing features include riding a motorcycle without crash helmets and taking more than one passenger on a motorcycle.

“They were seen dressed up either in Pakistani attire, or in long, white dresses (known as Jallabiya), with a vest on top while women wear longer veils. The type of cap they wore differed from the traditional caps known in the society.

They also wore turbans of different colors, with the leaders of their military units using the color red. They were also seen carrying sticks in their hands while marching around in the streets,” the security expert narrated.

Organizational Structure of Boko Haram

“From the previous discussions, it is clear that Muhammad Yusuf founded the Boko Haram movement and its first leader; and Abubakar Shekau, who succeeded him, was his first deputy,y and Muhammad Nur was his second deputy while Abu Musab Al Barnawi and other important members held undisclosed posts in the movement at that time.

“However, there were appointed Amirs in every ward in Maiduguri. Members of the movement have used red, black and white turbans to represent their army, police and civilians as interpreted by some people,” Makama revealed.

Call to Jihad and Farewell To Family Members

In a Final move, Muhammed Yusuf was said to have called his followers to rise up for Jihad and avenge the extrajudicial killings perpetrated against some of his followers by the Nigerian government.

As part of the preparation, on 26th July 2009, most movement members informed their parents, wives or children that they were out on a mission from which they may not return.

“While many parents did their best to dissuade their wards from what they foresaw as an imminent catastrophe, the Boko Haram had done far in preparation for the impending attack of July 26. The rest, as they say, is now history,” Makama revealed.

Naija News reports that the campaign escalated to a full-fledged war, which raged for over two years, affected thousands of innocent lives and threatened the sovereignty of the Nigerian nation.

Movement members were convinced that they were fleeing from what they saw as a Kufr system.

Muhammad Yusuf was subsequently captured and killed.

His killing later triggered a violent reaction by his followers, who rallied around their new leader, Abubakar Shakau, for guidance and Jihad, and dedicated themselves to what they called aikin Allah (the work of Allah).

Almost a year after the killing of Muhammad Yusuf, the movement resurfaced under Abubakar Shekau and initiated selective killing of police officers, traditional title holders and anyone suspected of giving information about them to the government or who criticized them.

They also embarked upon a rigorous recruitment exercise of youth into their folds through monetary handouts. They also initiated a campaign of violence using IEDs at various locations, targeting government interests.

Makama noted that one of their “common adages during this period of insurgency was to provoke and instigate the major kaffir (non-believers) to kill the minor ones, which means “attacking the military in order to provoke them and cause killing of the civilian populace.”

According to this misconception of the movement, the entire Muslim society is comprised of only disbelievers.

“Eventually, around 2013, some of his top commanders of the group comprising of Mamman Nur, Khalid Albarnawi, Abubakar Shekau, Kaka Ali, Mustapha Chad, Abu Maryam and Abu Krimima were compelled to move out of Maiduguri. After a while, they regrouped on the outskirts and continued their campaign of violence through coordinated attacks on towns and villages.

“They were able to capture several local government areas in Borno and Yobe States, and paid allegiance to the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) and declared the captured territories to be under its statute. It was not until 2016 that the Nigerian Military recaptured these territories after dislodging the Boko Haram group from some of those towns and villages. The group members fled into Sambisa Forest as their main hideout, where they institutionalized the group to become a terror organization,” the security expert further revealed.

Boko Haram, ISIS Relationship

In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the ISIS Caliphate of Abubakar Al-Baghdadi. ISIS accepted the pledge of allegiance and named Abubakar Shekau as the Wali of the Islamic State of the West African Province(ISWAP).

Shekau was later removed by the ISIS following a petition written against his Leadership by Abu Mussab Albarawi and Mamman Nur, who were the members of the Shura Consultative Council. Shekau was accused of ideological extremism, extrajudicial killings, injustice, poor leadership skills and, above al,l killing women and children.

According to Makama, the internal crises led to the separation of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, Boko Haram group and the Islamic State of the West African Province(ISWAP), who moved to the Lake Chad of Marte and Abadam to established their caliphats with Mamman Nur as its New Spiritual Leader.

He disclosed further that on 21 August 2018, Mamman Nur was eliminated in a mutiny led by Abou Mossab Albarnawyy in the company of some column of ISWAP fighters. Nur was killed for releasing the Government Girls Secondary School Dapchi girls without demanding ransom from the Nigerian government. The elimination of Mamman Nur, saw the emergence of Abou-Mossab Albarnawyy.

“A few months later, Albarnawyy was dethroned by his own Brother, Abba Gana, who was more ruthless, forcing Albarnawwy to flee from the Lake Chad. One year later, Abbah was killed in a Coup staged by the Leadership at its Caliphate Headquarters in Tumbumma. Abu-Dawud, also known as Abu Hafsat Al-Ansari, was tipped to take over from him as the Wali. Abu Hafsat was later removed and replaced by Abu-Ibrahim.

He remained in power until May 2021, when Abou-Mosab Albarnawwy returned to the Lake Chad with a directive to dethrone Shekau and established four caliphates of the ISIS in Nigeria’s Lake Chad. Albarnawy in an announcement through an Audio, directed all Commanders to surrender and pay allegiance to the ISIS Caliphate,” said Makama.

How ISWAP Overthrew Shekau, Forced Fighters To Pay Alliegence

Makama recalled that ISWAP tracked down Shekau’s enclave in an Operation Led by Bako Gorgore, the Chief of Defence for the militant, using its forces based in the Timbuktu Triangle in May 2021.

Shekau’s fighters were reportedly killed in the process, followed by a long gunfire exchange between the invading group and Shekau’s bodyguards. Shekau later blew himself up at Tokumbere in the Sambisa Forest axis in Bama after he was asked to relinquish power voluntarily and order his fighters in other areas to declare bai’a (allegiance) to ISWAP’s authority.

Weeks after his death, thousands of the Boko Haram pledged their allegiance to ISIS Aba Ibrahim Al-Hashimiyil AlKhuraishi, whom they unanimously ordained as ‘Khalifan Muslimai’, translated as “The Leader of all Muslims.

“Those who refused to pay their allegiance like Bakoura were marked for elimination by the ISWAP,” Makama noted.

How Bakoura Doro, a.k.a Abou Omaymah, Took Over Boko Haram Leadership, Resisted ISWAP Invasion

According to Makama, Ibrahim Bakoura Doro, who was a junior Officer of the JAS group (Munzir) in 2016, took over the mantle of Leadership of the entire Boko Haram with his base in the fridges of Lake Chad in June 2021 and declared war on the rival ISWAP faction.

Since then, the two groups have been locked in a very bloody rivalry clash that has led to the deaths of hundreds of militants on both sides.

The Boko Haram faction has been attacking the ISWAP faction from the Zones Control by Bakoura which included NGUIGUIMI and Bosso in Niger Republic, Kangarwa, Mandara Mountains, Sambisa, Krinowa in Nigeria and Some parts of the North West of Nigeria.

In December 2022, Ali Ngulde, a former lieutenant of Abubakar Shekau and Amir Fiye of JAS, led one of the deadliest attack against the ISWAP group, killing 33 wives of Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Sambisa to avenge the killing of their commander, Malam Aboubakar (Munzir), who the ISWAP group ambushed.

Those who participated in the attacks included; Muke, a 33 year old Khaid of Mandara Mountain, Alhaji Ali Hajja Fusam, an indigene of Bama, Abu Ikliima, a Khaid in Gaizuwa also known as “Koltafirgi village” the name Gaizuwa was initiated by the terrorists group which also mean “gathering” in Arabic.

Ali Ghana, a Khaid in Ngauri, located in the North of Banki, Bama LGA, Abbah Tukur, Khaid in Mantari and Maimusari camps (Gaizuwa) and Abu Isa, participated in the attacks.

Ongoing Counterinsurgency Efforts

Naija News reports that the Nigerian military, with support from regional forces and international allies, has made efforts to combat Boko Haram.

Despite some successes, the group continues to carry out sporadic attacks, especially in rural areas and along the Lake Chad Basin.

Splinter factions like ISWAP have further complicated security challenges.

The crisis remains a major concern, with humanitarian organizations calling for sustained military intervention, economic rehabilitation, and de-radicalization programs to restore peace in the Northern region and Nigeria at large.