“Ten years after the Chibok girls kidnapping, Boko Haram continues to be a threat to civilians in Borno state – where 1.8 million civilians have been exposed to the insurgent group’s violence since 2020 – and spread to neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, and Niger in the Lake Chad region.”
#BringBackOurGirls
On the night of 14 April 2014, 276 Nigerian schoolgirls aged 16-18, were kidnapped from their dormitories at school in the city of Chibok. This case became Nigeria’s most notorious mass kidnapping and led to both national and international outrage. The kidnapping was carried out by the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, also known as JAS (Jama’atu Ahl as-Sunnah li-Da’awati wal-Jihad, meaning Group of the People of Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad). Even now, more than a decade later, 90 of the girls are still missing. Some escaped captivity, some surrendered to the Nigerian army to attend ‘deradicalisation’ programmes, and some were killed or used by the group as slaves or suicide bombers. While this was not Boko Haram’s first or last attack against the Nigerian state, it remains their most notorious. In addition to the Chibok abduction, the group has kidnapped thousands of women and children over the years, using them for ransom, forced marriages, and as bargaining chips in negotiations. Boko Haram has killed over 35,000 people between 2009 and 2020 and displaced millions in northeastern Nigeria.
Boko Haram was founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002. Yusuf brought together Islamist extremists from factional gangs throughout the city of Maiduguri in an effort to create a caliphate in Nigeria. The first violent attack credited to Boko Haram took place in 2009, and the group’s influence and frequency of attacks escalated dramatically in the following years. First coined ‘the Nigerian Taliban’ by the media due to its ideological similarities with the Afghan Taliban, Boko Haram followed a fundamentalist and Salafist ideology that was enticing to the country’s impoverished youth and disenfranchised population. In order to gain the trust and protection of local communities, Boko Haram set up its own socio-economic institutions and provided people with food, shelter, and welfare programmes. The group’s aim was “to uproot the corruption and injustice in Nigeria,” which it blamed on Western influences, and to impose Islamic law. As the group’s frequency of attacks and level of violence increased, it continued to draw attention from both the Nigerian government and the international community. Since its inception, Boko Haram has not only targeted Nigeria, but has mobilised its operations into neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Chad, and Niger as well.
Mohammed Yusuf was killed in an uprising in July 2009, and leadership was taken over by Abubakar Shekau, who led the group until his death in May 2021.
Shekau’s death results in factional divide
Reports of Abubakar Shekau’s death began to circulate around major media outlets in May 2021; however, it took about a month for those reports to be confirmed. The elusive Boko Haram leader is thought to have detonated an explosive device that ended his own life after a clash with the rival group ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province). The two groups had been battling for control for some time, and ISWAP leader Abu Musab al-Barnawi claimed Shekau detonated the explosive device after refusing to surrender and join ISWAP. Following Shekau’s death, Boko Haram fighters faced either extensive infighting to establish a new leader, or the option of joining ISWAP. Many decided to join ISWAP, which some analysts believed would weaken Boko Haram and potentially lead to a level of peace, as the groups would no longer have the need to fight each other for control. However, that peace never came, and Boko Haram regrouped and continued to battle ISWAP for control. According to ACLED, a global conflict tracker, over 106 clashes between Boko Haram and ISWAP have been recorded since Shekau’s death. This fighting has led to increased danger for civilian populations who are now threatened by both groups not to collude with or support the other. Both groups have targeted civilians as well as state entities.
Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram
Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram has taken many forms, but due to the complicated nature of extremism in the region, it is difficult to measure its effectiveness. Many of the reasons Boko Haram became so prominent are because of underlying societal issues that the government is also struggling to battle, such as widespread poverty, lack of effective security systems, and several smaller-scale regional conflicts. Since 2015, Nigeria and its neighbouring countries have been collaborating on disarming extremist fighters from Boko Haram and ISWAP. An international force of over 10,000 soldiers from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria is supported by the United States and the European Union and is working to establish greater security in the regions most heavily affected by extremism.
An effort from the Nigerian government to allow Boko Haram fighters to surrender and join deradicalisation programmes has seen hundreds of fighters surrender and attempt to re-enter society. These programmes are fragile, however, and face much criticism from citizens living in the areas where ‘rehabilitated’ fighters are located due to the complex nature of the ideology they hold. Many are concerned that they surrendered their weapons to avoid prosecution but are not actually abandoning the extremist groups. Thus, there is still much work to be done for Nigeria to improve its security situation and the livelihoods of its citizens.
From a Christian Perspective
Amidst all of this, there is a thriving Church in Nigeria. Even though Nigeria is ranked 6th on the Open Doors World Watch list of the most heavily persecuted countries, the Church is active and growing. The heavy presence of Islamist groups definitely contributes to the persecution levels, and Islamic influence and motivated violence are listed as the top threats Christians face in the country. Just under 50% of the population of 228,438,000 people identify as Christians, while 46.2% adhere to Islam and 7.2% follow ethnic religions.
Testimonies from some of the rescued Chibok girls (many of whom were Christians) detail how they were forced to convert to Islam during their captivity. Two girls who told their stories to Al Jazeera said they would rather continue their lives as Muslims than revert to the Christianity of their youth. This anecdotal testimony shows the impact that these groups can have on those they take captive. Mass kidnapping and kidnapping for ransom are still widespread and common issues in Nigeria. Therefore, the Church can pray that those adhering to the Christian faith develop strong roots in the Lord that can withstand persecution and heavy Islamic influence in their communities.
The Church is not immune to the societal issues that face many Nigerians, and therefore it often lacks the resources to practically provide for those struggling in their communities. Yet, as they strive to “not tire of doing good” (Galatians 6), the global body can also intercede for their provision, protection, and faithfulness to grow as they continue to seek the Lord above all else.
Please join us in praying for the following:
- For the Nigerian government and other regional leadership to be effective in their fight against security threats and Islamic insurgency.
- For those operating within these extremist groups to encounter the Lord and have their lives transformed by Him.
- For the Nigerian Church to remain steadfast in its efforts to love and serve its neighbours even in difficult circumstances.