Boko Haram: Nigeria's Islamist Insurgency

by Virginia Comolli

Northern and central Nigeria are engulfed in a violent insurgency campaign waged by Jama'atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda'awati w'al Jihad, a.k.a. 'Boko Haram', and more recently, its splinter group 'Ansaru'. From its inception an inward-looking, almost parochial, movement, Boko Haram, and even more so Ansaru, have now showed clear signs of regionalization, expanding their operations across West Africa and forging links with al-Qaeda affiliated groups. Boko Haram's stated aim is to Islamize Africa's most populous country but, like earlier Nigerian Islamist groups, of which there is a long tradition in the Sahel, the discontent prompting young Nigerians and other young West African Muslims to join the insurgency is rooted in more than just religious orthodoxy and cannot be disentangled from their economic, social and political marginalization.

In spite of talks about dialogue and amnesty for those prepared to renounce violence, the Federal Government's response has been a militarized one, resulting in the largest deployment of the Nigerian armed forces since the end of the Civil War. But what is the real magnitude of the threat? What can foreign partners do to support Abuja? How effective is the current government's strategy in tackling the insurgency? And, more importantly, are the root causes of the insurgency being addressed and the foundations for a durable peace being established?

Genres: Nonfiction, Islam, Nigeria, History, Terrorism, Africa, Religion

208 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2015

Reviews

[Julian Hattem · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible and engaging history of Boko Haram and violent Islamism in Nigeria. There's an emphasis on the history, which includes centuries of precolonial dynamics that may or may not be relevant for every reader. Comolli also has a pedantic tendency to mark each period in Boko Haram's growth, but it's easily organized and skimmable if you're so inclined.

An essential book for any scholar or policymaker trying to learn about Boko Haram and a great introduction for the average reader curious about the group's history.

[Tinea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short guidebook for Western policymakers on the formation, basic ideology, and military history of Boko Haram up to the beginning of 2015. The book also covers human rights abuses in Nigeria's campaign against Boko Haram, links between Boko Haram and other Islamist groups, and (a little) civil society activists' role in centering Boko Haram victims (like the Chibok girls of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign) despite government suppression of news and communication from the region.

The author includes an interesting discussion of the how underlying issues like poverty and poor infrastructure have resulted in a "a broken and failed socio-economic youth sub-system in northern Nigeria" (p. 75). Comolli questions the conviction that traditional Quranic schools, which accept poor students but expect them to beg for sustenance and live in harsh conditions, are factories churning out Boko Haram militants. The author shows that there are other groups of youth driven to militancy, like those seasonally migrating for work, and that not all Quaranic school students (almajiri) become militants. "The youth system and demographic in northern Nigeria may well be one of the country's more complex, least-studied, and over-generalised ones" (p.74). This matters, because the war against Boko Haram includes mass detention and extrajudicial killing of these young men.

This is the first of several books I have checked out on Boko Haram, so my ability to spot biases and completeness is limited, though this book is certainly perspective-driven. The author has a particular focus on "internationalization" as evidence of Boko Haram becoming a bigger threat, but the reader must ask, "to whom?" Concern doesn't really bleed over to Cameroonians, Chadians, and other people in the region targeted by cross-border attacks. Instead it comes through at times like when the author explains that Boko Haram spinoff Ansaru is the Western-targeting al Qaeda to Nigeria's local caliphate-building Taliban (Afghanistan) or Ansar-al-Dine (Mali). Though Ansaru is responsible for Western kidnappings and high-profile assassinations, it's implied that it's more 'threatening' (p. 69) than Boko Haram's campaign of indiscriminate mass murder, enslavement, and territorial control. I don't think this is really the author's intent (the quote above actually compares Ansaru to other BH offshoots, not BH itself-- though the text is not very clear), but offhand comments and choices of where to devote page counts do result in a policy guide focused more on containment than self-determination, empowerment, and healing for impacted communities. The book's intended audience is clear, and it's not Nigerians.

Final thought. This is not the book to get deep theological analysis of Boko Haram's ideology, but damn are some of the leaders' quotes totally wackadoodle. From a BBC interview with founder Mohammed Yusuf: "The present Western-style education is mixed with issues that run contrary to our beliefs in Islam... Like rain. We believe it is the creation of God rather than an evaporation caused by the sun that condenses and becomes rain" (p.48).

[Uchenna D Anyanwu]

A succint overview of Nigeria's Islamic insurgent group, Boko Haram. A well researched work with references to Nigeria socio-political problems that breed insurgency in the country. It's a helpful tool for further research on the subject.

[SpaceBear · Rating 3 out of 5]

A detailed overview of the history of Boko Haram, as well as its international connections and activities within West Africa.

[Amar Pai · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadfully boring. This is academic in the worst way.