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87-425: The Islamic State's West Africa Province is officially termed "Wilāyat Garb Ifrīqīyā" (Arabic: ولاية غرب أفريقيا‎), meaning "West African Province". It is known by a variety of other names and abbreviations such as "ISWAP", "IS-WA", and "ISIS-WA". After ISWAP formally absorbed IS-GS, it was also differentiated by experts into two branches, namely "ISWAP-Lake Chad" and "ISWAP-Greater Sahara". ISWAP's origins date back to

174-649: A "hearts and minds" policy toward the local communities. It encourages locals to live in de facto rebel-held communities. Among its taxes, ISWAP also collects the zakat , a traditional Muslim tax and form of almsgiving which is used to provide for the poor. ISWAP's zakat has been featured in propaganda distributed by IS's newspaper, al-Naba . ISWAP's "Zakat Office" is known to operate fairly systematically and effectively, raising substantial funds to support both ISWAP as well as local civilians. Experts Tricia Bacon and Jason Warner have described ISWAP's taxation system as being locally less corrupt and more fair than that of

261-711: A 16-minute video in which he voiced his support for ISIL 's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , al-Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and the Afghan Taliban 's leader Mullah Omar . In March 2015, Shekau pledged allegiance to ISIS self-styled caliph Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and became "West African Province" ( Wilayat Garb Ifriqiyah ), i.e. the West African province of the Islamic State. However, in August 2016, Al-Baghdadi replaced Shekau with Abu Musab al-Barnawi,

348-628: A factor in Boko Haram's success. Wealth in Nigeria has been concentrated among members of a small political elite. Nigeria is Africa's biggest economy, but 60% of its population of 173 million (as of 2013) live on less than $ 1 a day. The sharia law imposed by local authorities, beginning with Zamfara in January 2000 and covering 12 northern states by late 2002, may have promoted links between Boko Haram and political leaders, but

435-723: A mass prison break in September 2010 in Bauchi , was accompanied by increasingly sophisticated attacks, initially against soft targets , but progressing in 2011 to include suicide bombings of police buildings and the United Nations office in Abuja . The government's establishment of a state of emergency at the beginning of 2012, extended in the following year to cover the entire northeast of Nigeria, led to an increase in both security force abuses and militant attacks. Of

522-418: A pro-IS faction led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi (which continued to call itself "Islamic State's West Africa Province"). These two groups have since clashed with each other, though they possibly occasionally cooperated against the local governments. In addition, Shekau never officially renounced his pledge of allegiance to IS as a whole; his forces are thus occasionally regarded as "second branch of ISWAP". Overall,

609-562: A state despite having lost its territory in the Middle East , ISWAP's ability to run a basic government is ideologically important for all of IS. Despite not fully controlling the areas where it is present, ISWAP maintains more control over large swaths of the countryside than the Nigerian government and had created four governorates by 2021. These governorates, centered at Lake Chad, Sambisa Forest, Timbuktu, and Tumbuma, are each headed by

696-416: A wali and have their own governing structures. Each governorate has its own military commanders, and sends at least two representatives to ISWAP's shura. By early 2022, ISWAP acknowledged five sub-divisions or governorates, namely Lake Chad, Sambisa, Al Farouq (covering Timbuktu-Alagarno), Kerenoa (close to Lake Chad), and Banki (central Borno). Another sub-division or "cell", "Central Nigeria", became active in

783-454: Is a departure from mainstream Islam but not Salafi jihadism. An insurgent aiming to overthrow a Muslim government faces a challenge due to mainstream Islamic doctrine, which forbids the killing or enslaving of fellow Muslims, including government officials, military personnel, or ordinary Muslims who don't support the insurgency. However, by using takfir—declaring opponents as apostates—the insurgents not only bypass this prohibition but also turn

870-493: Is also capable of building armored improvised fighting vehicles , using parts of captured military vehicles. In addition, ISWAP has established a "Khilafah Cadet School" for 8-16 old boys. These are carefully selected, indoctrinated and given physical as well as military training. The child soldiers were featured in an ISWAP propaganda video titled "The Empowerment Generation", showing them executing captured Nigerian soldiers. IS-Central had utilized child soldiers known as " Cubs of

957-608: Is an Islamist terrorist jihadist organization based in northeastern Nigeria , which is also active in Chad , Niger , northern Cameroon , and Mali . In 2016, the group split, resulting in the emergence of a hostile faction known as the Islamic State's West Africa Province . Founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002, the group was led by Abubakar Shekau from 2009 until his death in 2021, although it splintered into other groups after Yusuf's death in 2009, as well as in 2015. When

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1044-417: Is better equipped with drones, weapons and vehicles captured from and sometimes abandoned by Nigerian military during ambush. To better fortify itself, Nigerian military has concentrated the rural population in its garrison towns. This has allowed Boko Haram to operate freely in the countryside. In 2019 they were believed to be back in control of 4 out of 10 zones of Borno State. For at least four years since

1131-543: Is from the Arabic حَرَام ( ḥarām , "forbidden") and the Hausa word boko (the first vowel is long, the second pronounced in a low tone), meaning "fake", which is used to refer to secular Western education. In a 2009 statement they denounced that translation as the work of the "infidel media", claiming the true translation is "Western Civilization is forbidden", and that they are not "opposed to formal education coming from

1218-554: Is reported to have used the existing infrastructure of the Izala Society (Jama'at Izalatil Bidiawa Iqamatus Sunnah), a popular conservative Islamic sect, to recruit members, before breaking away to form his own faction. The Izala were originally welcomed into government, along with people sympathetic to Yusuf. Boko Haram conducted its operations more or less peacefully during the first seven years of its existence, withdrawing from society into remote north-eastern areas, believing it

1305-597: Is situated on the north bank of the Komadougou Yobe river; the river's seasonal floodplain lies immediately to the south and east. Much of the riverbank is lined with gardens and small allotments which grow the town's well-known red peppers. The town is bisected in an arc by the Route Nationale 1 road; the eastern part of town is centred on the Grand Marché , which also acts as the transport hub for

1392-492: Is subordinate to IS's core group headed by its caliph . Initially, ISWAP was headed by a single commander, termed the wali (governor). The group's first overall wali was Abubakar Shekau who was succeeded by Abu Musab al-Barnawi in 2016. The latter was replaced by Ba Idrisa in March 2019 who was in turn purged and executed in 2020. He was replaced by Ba Lawan. In general, the shura , a consultative assembly, holds great power within

1479-572: Is thought to have been one of the causes of the 1967–1970 civil war ; religious violence reached a new height in 1980 in Kano, the largest city in the north of the country, where the Muslim fundamentalist sect Yan Tatsine ("followers of Maitatsine") instigated riots that resulted in four or five thousand deaths. In the ensuing military crackdown, Maitatsine was killed, fuelling a backlash of increased violence that spread across other northern cities over

1566-493: The hisbah . In ISWAP-held areas, the sharia law is enforced, including severe punishments such as the amputation of hands of thieves and the execution of adulterers. The sharia courts also offer to settle disputes over cattle rustling and various other crimes, winning some acceptance among the rural population. ISWAP also punishes its own fighters who commit unauthorized abuses toward civilians. The group makes considerable efforts to win local grassroots support, and has employed

1653-509: The Amirul Jaish (military leader) and the shura. There is no longer an overall wali, and the shura's head instead serves as leader of ISWAP's governorates, while the Amirul Jaish acts as chief military commander. "Sa'ad" served as new Amirul Jaish , while Abu Musab al-Barnawi became head of the shura. However, non-IS sources still claim that a position referred to as the overall "wali" or "leader of ISWAP" continues to exist. This position

1740-572: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant . According to the BBC , due to internal disputes between the two groups, hundreds of terrorists left Boko Haram and formed their own organization, named "Islamic State's West Africa Province". In September 2015, the director of information at the Defence Headquarters of Nigeria announced that all Boko Haram camps had been destroyed but attacks from

1827-575: The Kano Salafi Izala Sheik Ja'afar Mahmud Adamu , who called him the "leader of young people"; the two split some time in 2002–2004. They both preached in Maiduguri 's Indimi Mosque , which was attended by the deputy governor of Borno. Many of the group were reportedly inspired by Mohammed Marwa, known as Maitatsine ("He who curses others"), a self-proclaimed prophet ( annabi , a Hausa word usually used only to describe

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1914-632: The United Nations (UN) headquarters in Abuja, the first time they had struck a Western target. A spokesman claiming responsibility for the attack, in which 11 UN staff members died as well as 12 others, with more than 100 injured, warned of future planned attacks on U.S. and Nigerian government interests. Speaking soon after the U.S. embassy's announcement of the arrival in the country of the FBI , he went on to announce Boko Haram's terms for negotiation, i.e.

2001-597: The "Sahel Province". Regardless, ISWAP maintained influence over IS forces in Mali, Burkina Faso , and Niger . In the following months, however, Nigeria continued its attacks on ISWAP's leadership, killing more top commanders. In June 2022, the Nigerian National Security Council declared that ISWAP was probably responsible for the Owo church attack . As of October 2022, ISWAP had absorbed most of

2088-517: The "West African Province" which is part of ISIL ; "Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād" (Boko Haram), under Shekau's control; and " Ansaru " which is loyal to al-Qaeda and rejected the caliphate of al-Bagdadi, though it shares his disapproval of the "wide-reaching interpretation of takfir" of Shekau. Since 2018, there has been a major spike in attacks by Boko Haram, (concentrated in Borno State ), which sought to prove Boko Haram to be

2175-581: The "leader" or "wali" of ISWAP. Post-2021 leaders: Note: The al-Furqan Office serves as a coordination center for several IS branches, including ISWAP, IS-GS, and IS-Central. It is headquartered in IS-GS territory. In contrast to Boko Haram which mostly raided and enslaved civilians, ISWAP is known for setting up an administration in the territories where it is present. By 2022, International Crisis Group researchers estimated that 800,000 to over 3 million civilians lived under ISWAP rule. As IS maintains to be

2262-585: The 2.3 million people displaced by the conflict since May 2013, at least 250,000 left Nigeria and fled to Cameroon , Chad or Niger . Boko Haram killed over 6,600 people in 2014. The group has carried out massacres including the killing by fire of 59 schoolboys in February 2014 and mass abductions including the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok , Borno State , Nigeria, in April 2014. Corruption in

2349-483: The Boko Haram leader proved to be "too extreme even by the Islamic State's standards". Shekau had always refused to fully submit to ISIL's central command, and the latter consequently removed him as leader of ISWAP in August 2016. Shekau responded by breaking with ISIL's central command, but many of the rebels stayed loyal to IS. As a result, the rebel movement split into a Shekau-loyal faction ("Jama'at Ahl al-sunna li-l-Da'wa wa-l-Jihad", generally known as "Boko Haram"), and

2436-513: The Caliphate " from 2014 to 2017. Boko Haram Non-state opponents 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Boko Haram , officially known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād ( Arabic : جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد , lit.   'Group of the People of Sunnah for Dawah and Jihad '),

2523-550: The Christian message in the region and converted a large segment of the Nigerian populace. British rule ended when Nigeria was granted independence in 1960. Except for a brief period of civilian rule between 1979 and 1983, Nigeria was governed by a series of military dictatorships from 1966 until the advent of democracy in 1999. According to the Borno Sufi Imam Sheik Fatahi, Yusuf was trained by

2610-490: The Islamic caliphate and bring all peoples under its domain, doing away with modern states and patriotic feeling towards them. After Boko Haram declared its allegiance to the Islamic State, an IS statement proclaimed "It was the rejection of nationalism that drove the mujahidin (jihad fighters) in Nigeria to give bay'ah (fealty) to the Islamic State and wage war against the Nigerian murtaddin (apostates) fighting for

2697-458: The Lake Chad subdivision which deploys large numbers of uniformed, well-armed troops to the members of the "Central Nigeria" cell that is small in numbers and specializes in covert warfare and terrorist attacks. In times of manpower shortages, ISWAP forcibly conscripts civilians into its ranks. Though these conscriptions can be direct in the form of militants entering villages and rounding up men,

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2784-764: The Nigerian taghut (idolatrous tyrant)". The movement is diffuse, and fighters who are associated with it follow the Salafi doctrine . Members' beliefs tend to be centered on strict adherence to Wahhabism , which is an extremely strict form of Sunni Islam that sees many other forms of Islam as idolatrous . The group has denounced the members of the Sufi and the Shiite sects as infidels, and also mainstream Sunni Muslims who fail to support their jihad. This willingness to takfir – i.e. accuse self-professed Muslims of being apostates from Islam and thus subject to execution –

2871-580: The Nigerian state; some local traders argue that ISWAP creates a better environment for trade in rice, fish, and dried pepper. However, ISWAP militants are also known to kill those who refuse to pay taxes. The group also provides various health services, builds public toilets and boreholes , and has implemented its own education system based on Jihadist literature. At the same time, ISWAP is known for targeting agencies providing humanitarian aid , thereby depriving locals of basic necessities in government-held areas. It has also massacred civilians who collaborate with

2958-525: The RN1. Diffa marks the eastern end of the paved section of Route Nationale 1, the main east-west highway across Niger, although the section between Zinder and Diffa is only partially paved in places. RN1 continues north to N'guigmi more than 100 km. Maïné-Soroa , the other major town of the Region, lies less than 100 km to the west of Diffa. The border with Nigeria , at the Nigerian town of Duji ,

3045-601: The West" but "believe in the supremacy of Islamic culture (not education)". Other translations in English include "Western influence is a sin", and "Westernization is sacrilege". Until the death of its founder Mohammed Yusuf , the group was also reportedly known as Yusifiyya . Northern Nigerians have commonly dismissed Western education as ilimin boko ("fake education") and secular schools as makaranta boko ("fake school"). Some analysts have emphasized economic causes as

3132-543: The city. Diffa has a hot climate with a wet and dry season. On 7 September 1978, Diffa recorded a temperature of 49.5 °C (121.1 °F), which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Niger. A traditional wrestling arena is located to the northeast of the Grand Marché . Diffa Stadium can be found west of the RN1. The town contains several mosques, most notably the Grande Mosquée de Diffa on

3219-525: The country's return to civilian rule, have been implicated in much of the sectarian violence in the years following. The Arewa People's Congress , the militia wing of the Arewa Consultative Forum , the main political group representing the interests of northern Nigeria, is a well-funded group with military and intelligence expertise and is considered capable of engaging in military action, including covert bombing. Mohammed Yusuf founded

3306-461: The emergence of Boko Haram , a Salafi jihadist movement centred in Borno State in northeastern Nigeria. The movement launched an insurgency against the Nigerian government following an unsuccessful uprising in 2009 , aiming at establishing an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, and neighbouring regions of Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Its de facto leader Abubakar Shekau attempted to increase his international standing among Islamists by allying with

3393-576: The exact extent of ties is debated among researchers. ISWAP aligns ideologically with IS, and has also adopted many of its technologies and tactics. ISWAP uses suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and drones typical for IS. Researchers consider these as proof of support and advice by IS members from Syria and Iraq . IS's core group has probably provided ISWAP with not just technical, but also financial aid. Note: The office of overall wali appeared to have been abolished by 2021, but outside sources continue to claim that certain individuals are

3480-574: The first major clash between the two groups. His death was confirmed by his loyalists led by Sahalaba in June. Boko Haram's attacks consist of suicide bombings as well as conventional armed assaults on both civilian and military targets. Following the Chibok kidnapping in 2014, the majority of Boko Haram's suicide bombers are female; many are teenagers and the youngest was seven. Boko Haram jihadists rely on stealth, blending into local communities or hiding in

3567-524: The following months, though this one appeared to solely operate as a guerrilla force instead of trying to capture territory. By late 2022, ISWAP's sub-units enjoyed a high level of autonomy. In addition to funding delivered by IS-Central and supportive international businessmen, ISWAP collects taxes on agriculture, fishing, and trade in its territories. In return, it offers protection as well as some "limited services", including law enforcement. The group appoints its own police chiefs, and its police also enforces

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3654-621: The former Boko Haram groups; even one of Shekau's biological sons, known as Abul Musanna, had joined ISWAP as a commander. However, some Boko Haram factions continued their resistance, joined by Boko Haram defectors to ISWAP who had rebelled and rejoined their comrades. These splinter groups generally avoided fighting ISWAP directly, forcing the IS militants to expend considerable efforts to prevent defections and hunt for Boko Haram loyalists. Despite these difficulties, ISWAP had also expanded its operations into central, northwestern, and southwestern Nigeria. In

3741-424: The former governor of Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff , who initially supported Boko Haram, but no longer needed them after the 2007 elections and stopped funding them. Sheriff denies the accusations. Boko Haram and ISIL were initially allies. However, the two groups became enemies due to territorial disputes, because ISIL tried to conquer the zones which were under Boko Haram's control. In July 2014, Shekau released

3828-519: The founder of Islam) born in Northern Cameroon who condemned the reading of books other than the Quran. In a 2009 BBC interview, Yusuf, expressed similarly pre-modern ideas on evolution , a flat earth , and rain sent directly from God rather than evaporation . Followers of Maitatsine "wreaked havoc" in northern cities of Nigeria "off and on" from 1980 to 1985. Ethnic militancy

3915-614: The group "JAS" in 2010. Rather, there was a "priority scale" with Christians, the government and publicly anti-JAS Muslim preachers targeted first. This also meant any Muslims killed collaterally were not a concern since they were "guilty" for not having joined his jihad. …[by] October 2010, …assassinations targeting Muslim religious leaders, especially Salafists who opposed JAS's religious interpretation, as well as civil servants, became an almost weekly occurrence in northeastern Nigeria. In addition to this, prisons, banks, mosques, churches and beer halls also were common targets of attack. Before it

4002-545: The group continue. In 2019, the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari , claimed that Boko Haram was "technically defeated". Shekau was killed and confirmed to be dead in May 2021. Despite this, Boko Haram experienced a subsequent revival under a new leader, Bakura Doro . The organization's name has always been Group of the People of Sunnah for Dawa and Jihad (Arabic: جماعة أهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد , romanized:  Jamā'atu Ahli is-Sunnah lid-Da'wati wal-Jihād ). It

4089-659: The group has also used economic pressure by raising very high taxes and then offering tax exemptions for those willing to take up arms. ISWAP is known to employ inghimasi forlorn hope / suicide attack shock troops as well as armoured fighting vehicles (AVFs). Throughout its history, ISWAP has repeatedly seized tanks including T-55s , and armoured personnel carriers such as the BTR-4 EN, and then pressed them into service. The group also relies heavily on motorcycles, technicals , and captured military tactical/utility vehicles such as Kia KLTVs and CS/VP3 "Bigfoot" MRAPs . ISWAP

4176-676: The group retreated to the Sambisa Forest and commenced its guerilla warfare tactics. In August 2016, ISIL attempted to remove Shekau from his leadership role and replace him with Abu Musab al-Barnawi . ISIL attempted to remove Shekau because he had disobeyed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi 's order to cease targeting Muslim civilians. Shekau rejected the move, leading to a split between the groups. As of 2017, there were three factions which were all Boko Haram in origin, all rejecting "democracy, secularism and Western influence", and seeking to establish an Islamic state implementing sharia . These were

4263-559: The group was first formed, their main goal was to "purify", meaning to spread Sunni Islam , and destroy Shia Islam in northern Nigeria , believing jihad should be delayed until the group was strong enough to overthrow the Nigerian government . The group formerly aligned itself with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant . The group has been known for its brutality, and since the insurgency started in 2009 , Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands of people, in frequent attacks against

4350-468: The group's use of the "historical narrative" of the Islamic Kanem–Bornu Empire . Mohammad Yusuf preached that, "our land was an Islamic state before it was turned into a land of kafir (infidel); the current system is contrary to true Muslim beliefs". The political interests and bias of the Nigerian elite is believed to play a major role in the thriving of the activities of the organization:

4437-488: The group. This has led researcher Jacob Zenn to argue that the shura gives the group an element of "democracy". The shura's influence has allowed ISWAP to expand its popular support, yet has also made it more prone to leadership struggles. Appointments to leadership positions such as the shura or the governorships are discussed internally and by ISIL's core group; IS's core group also has to approve new appointments. In general, journalist Murtala Abdullahi argued that ISWAP mirrors

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4524-475: The idea that rain comes from "evaporation caused by the sun" rather than being created and sent down directly by God. Boko Haram opposes the Westernization of Nigerian society, which it blames for "Nigeria's culture of corruption", and demands the establishment of an Islamic state in Nigeria. It developed into a jihadist group in 2009. As Sunni Salafi Jihadis , the group strives to re-establish

4611-501: The killing of these Muslims into a "religious duty." In a 18 December 2016 speech to his commanders, Shekau proclaimed that 'even if a woman is praying and fasting, once she engages in democracy I can capture her in a battle'. According to researchers Jacob Zenna and Zacharias Pier, after 2010… Shekau, believed that jihad was obligatory and that not actively joining his jihad was tantamount to apostasy. This did not mean Shekau actively killed anyone after he announced jihad and renamed

4698-550: The local governments or disobey ISWAP orders, as well as persecuted the Christian minority in its territory. In 2022, Nigeria announced its intention to redesign its currency in an effort to combat corruption and the financing of terrorism. ISWAP responded by declaring that from then on, people should pay their taxes to the group in CFA franc . ISWAP's strength has fluctuated over the years, and estimates accordingly vary. In 2017, researchers put its strength at around 5,000 militants. By

4785-668: The local security forces. At the same time, it experienced a violent internal dispute which resulted in the deposition of Abu Musab al-Barnawi and the execution of several commanders. In the course of 2020, the Nigerian Armed Forces repeatedly attempted to capture the Timbuktu Triangle from ISWAP, but suffered heavy losses and made no progress. In April 2021, ISWAP overran a Nigerian Army base around Mainok, capturing armoured fighting vehicles including main battle tanks , as well as other military equipment. In

4872-631: The loss of several ISWAP bases at Lake Chad, though heavy fighting continued during the next months. From March to June 2023, ISWAP greatly increased the number of small-scale raids in Cameroon's Far North Region , targeting Gassama, Amchide , Fotokol , and Mora among other locations. According to researcher Jacob Zenn, these attacks appeared to be mostly operations to gather loot and supplies as well as spread terror among civilians who refused to pay taxes to IS. The repeated raids caused "severe economic disruption" in northern Cameroon. ISWAP's leadership

4959-529: The new IS caliph, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi. In March 2019, IS's core group began to portray ISWAP as being responsible for all operations by pro-IS groups in West Africa . Accordingly, the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (IS-GS) was formally put under ISWAP's command. ISWAP and IS-GS maintain logistical connections, but the former's actual influence on the latter is limited. IS-GS

5046-426: The new leading commander. By January 2022, ISWAP began to increase its presence in Nigeria's Borno State , occupying villages and setting up markets. On 24 January 2022, the small town of Gudumbali was captured, whereupon the insurgents declared it the province's new capital and drove away the local chieftains. Gudumbali is of strategic as well as symbolic importance, as it is placed at a well defendable position and

5133-428: The next month, ISWAP attacked and overran Boko Haram's bases in the Sambisa Forest and Abubakar Shekau killed himself. As a result, many Boko Haram fighters defected to ISWAP, and the group secured a chain of strongholds from Nigeria to Mali to southern Libya . Despite this major victory, ISWAP was forced to deal with Boko Haram loyalists who continued to oppose the Islamic State. In August 2021, Abu Musab al-Barnawi

5220-592: The next twenty years. Social inequality and poverty contributed both to the Maitatsine and Boko Haram uprisings. In the decades since the end of British rule, politicians and academics from the mainly Islamic North have expressed their fundamental opposition to Western education. Political ethno-religious interest groups, whose membership includes influential political, military and religious leaders, have thrived in Nigeria, though they were largely suppressed under military rule. Their paramilitary wings, formed since

5307-498: The next year, it was believed to have shrunk to circa 3,000. The group experienced a surge and regained much power in 2019, resulting in researchers estimating that it had grown to 5,000 or up to 18,000 fighters. By 2020, the United States Department of Defense publicly estimated that ISWAP had 3,500 to 5,000 fighters. By late 2022, ISWAP's governorates appeared to differ in their tactics and equipment, ranging from

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5394-605: The north of the country. On 24 December, Boko Haram detonated four bombs in Jos and attacked two churches in Maiduguri. On 31 December, Boko Haram bombed a barracks in Abuja, killing four civilians. Under Shekau's leadership, the group continuously improved its operational capabilities. It launched a string of IED attacks against soft targets and its first vehicle-borne IED attack on 16 June 2011, killing six at Abuja 's police headquarters. On 26 August, Boko Haram bombed

5481-502: The police, armed forces and civilians . It has resulted in the deaths of more than 300,000 children and has displaced 2.3 million from their homes. Boko Haram has contributed to regional food crises and famines . After its founding in 2002, Boko Haram's increasing radicalisation led to the suppression operation by the Nigerian military and the killing of its leader Mohammed Yusuf in July 2009. Its unexpected resurgence, following

5568-619: The political leadership requires that the press refer to the group as bandits rather than terrorists, which downplays the threat they pose. In a discussion organized by the Woodrow Wilson Center , Chief Olusegun Obasanjo , a former president of Nigeria, highlighted the low level of literacy and education in the Northern parts of the country as contributing to the perpetuation of Boko Haram. According to Obasanjo, illiterate and uneducated children are more likely to be drawn into

5655-493: The prevalent terror group in the country. Attacks by Boko Haram resulted in over 1700 fatalities in the first half of 2019, including casualties of its own members. When climate change-induced poverty and violence struck the Lake Chad basin , the terrorist organization was able to recruit in large numbers by offering small loans and promising big rewards. It also continues to kidnap and force young boys to join them. Boko Haram

5742-705: The prominent Islamic State (IS) in March 2015. Boko Haram thus became the "Islamic State's West Africa Province" (ISWAP). When the insurgents were subsequently defeated and lost almost all of their lands during the 2015 West African offensive by the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF), discontent grew among the rebels. Despite orders by the ISIL's central command to stop using women and children as suicide bombers as well as refrain from mass killings of civilians, Shekau refused to change his tactics. Researcher Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi summarized that

5829-468: The ranks of the terrorist organization. The founder of Boko Haram, Muhammad Yusuf, was reportedly inspired by the controversial Islamic preacher Mohammed Marwa ( Maitatsine ), who condemned the reading of any books other than the Quran . Yusuf, himself, in one 2009 interview, expressed his opposition not only to Western education, but to the theory of evolution , a spherical (not flat) Earth, and to

5916-426: The relation of Shekau with IS remained confused and ambiguous. In the next years, Barnawi's ISWAP and Shekau's Boko Haram both reconsolidated, though ISWAP grew into the more powerful group. Whereas Shekau had about 1,000 to 2,000 fighters under his command by 2019, the Islamic State loyalists counted up to 5,000 troops. It also changed its tactics, and attempted to win support by local civilians unlike Boko Haram which

6003-522: The release of all imprisoned members. The increased sophistication of the group led observers to speculate that Boko Haram was affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which was active in Niger . Diffa Diffa is a city and Urban Commune in the extreme southeast of Niger , near the border with Nigeria . It is the administrative seat of both Diffa Region , and

6090-456: The sect that became known as Boko Haram in 2002 in Maiduguri, the capital of the north-eastern state of Borno. He established a religious complex and school that attracted poor Muslim families from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries. The center had the political goal of creating an Islamic state , and became a recruiting ground for jihadis . By denouncing the police and state corruption, Yusuf attracted followers from unemployed youth. He

6177-472: The security services and human rights abuses committed by them have hampered efforts to counter the unrest . In mid-2014, the militants gained control of swaths of territory in and around their home state of Borno, estimated at 50,000 square kilometres (20,000 sq mi) in January 2015, but did not capture the state capital, Maiduguri , where the group was originally based. On 7 March 2015, Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance to

6264-489: The smaller Diffa Department . As of 2012 , the commune had a total population of 56,437 people. In 2002, it was the centre of the first military uprising in the country since President Tandja Mamadou instituted civilian rule; the uprising led to a government crackdown against the civilian press. In recent years, refugees from Nigeria fleeing violence from Boko Haram have settled in Diffa and surrounding area. Diffa

6351-455: The son of the Boko Haram's previous leader Muhammad Yusuf, their motivation (at least according to one source) being to trim back Shekau's tendency to apply takfir (accusations of apostasy) to "all mainstream Muslims". Shortly before Boko Haram pledged allegiance to ISIL, the Nigerian government launched the 2015 West African offensive during which Boko Haram lost most of the territory which it had occupied over time. Following this offensive,

6438-399: The split happened, the two groups were not enemies and sometimes co-operated in some terror attacks. However, Boko Haram and ISWAP later became enemies since 2021 or even a year before. ISWAP gunmen targeted Shekau in an attack carried out on May 20, 2021. Several Boko Haram members were killed in the operation, while Shekau blew himself up, or tried to do so, in order to avoid a capture. It was

6525-419: The tendence of the IS core group to release little information on its leaders to the public, making even top commanders like Abu Musab al-Barnawi "elusive" figures. In May 2021, the shura was temporarily dissolved and Abu Musab al-Barnawi was appointed "caretaker" leader of ISWAP. By July 2021, the shura had been restored, and ISWAP's internal system had been reformed. The regional central command now consists of

6612-671: The vast countryside. Critics accuse the Nigerian military of not properly equipping its soldiers to fight Boko Haram. In 2009, police began an investigation into the group, code-named Operation Flush. On 26 July, security forces arrested nine Boko Haram members and confiscated weapons and bomb-making equipment. Either this or a clash with police during a funeral procession led to revenge attacks on police and widespread rioting in Bauchi , Maiduguri, Potiskum in Yobe State and Wudil in Kano State . A joint military task force operation

6699-484: The west, it began to compete with a reemerged Ansaru , while organizing anti-government ambushes, terrorist attacks, and assassinations. In December, the group pledged allegiance to the new IS caliph, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi . Meanwhile, the Battles of Toumbun Allura Kurnawa and Toumbun Gini erupted between ISWAP and Boko Haram. By January 2023, these clashes had ended in a substantial Boko Haram victory and

6786-700: Was colonized and subsequently incorporated into the British Empire as Colonial Nigeria in 1900, the Bornu Empire ruled the territory where Boko Haram is currently active. It was a sovereign sultanate run according to the principles of the Constitution of Medina , with a majority Kanuri Muslim population. In 1903, both the Borno Emirate and Sokoto Caliphate had come under British rule. At this time, Christian missionaries spread

6873-485: Was a major Boko Haram stronghold during the latter group's peak in power. However, Nigerian troops immediately counter-attacked this time, retaking the settlement, destroying the local ISWAP headquarters, and a nearby night market associated with the group. By this point, researchers Rueben Dass and Jasminder Singh argued that ISWAP had become one of IS' most important strongholds. In March, IS central command recognized its Greater Sahara branch as an autonomous province, called

6960-548: Was also known as the West African Province ( Wilayat Garb Ifrqiya ), and, after pledging allegiance to Islamic State in 2015, was briefly called Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) or Islamic State's West African Province (ISWAP). The group fractured in 2016, however, and ISWAP and Boko Haram are now separate groups. The name Boko Haram is usually translated as " Western education is forbidden". "Haram"

7047-415: Was considered by the group to have been corrupted. Academic Atta Barkindo explains the group's "baffling" ability to "maintain momentum" in part by the "accumulated and unaddressed grievances" against colonialism in the region, including the colonial boundaries (of Nigeria, Ghana , etc.) established by Europeans that bear no resemblance to "pre-colonial empires , ethnic or cultural territories", and by

7134-711: Was important to develop strength before waging jihad. The government repeatedly ignored warnings about the increasingly militant character of the organization. The Council of Ulama advised the government and the Nigerian Television Authority not to broadcast Yusuf's preaching, but their warnings were ignored. Yusuf's arrest elevated him to hero status. Stephen Davis, a former Anglican clergyman who has negotiated with Boko Haram many times blames local Nigerian politicians who support local bandits like Boko Haram in order for them to make life difficult for their political opponents. In particular Davis has blamed

7221-475: Was known for its extensive indiscriminate violence. ISWAP begun to build up basic government services and focused its efforts on attacking Christian targets instead of Muslim ones. However, the group also continued to attack humanitarian personnel and select Muslim communities. In the course of the Chad Basin campaign (2018–2020) , ISWAP had extensive territorial gains before losing many to counter-offensives by

7308-501: Was later separated from ISWAP, becoming its own province. Regardless, ISWAP and IS-GS continued to cooperate through the al-Furqan Office in the General Directorate of Provinces. The al-Furqan Office is located in IS-GS territory, but headed by ranking ISWAP commander Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn Ali al-Mainuki (alias "Abubakar Mainok"). In general, ISWAP is known to maintain substantial contacts with IS's core group, although

7395-770: Was launched in response. By 30 July, more than 700 people had been killed; police stations , prisons , government offices, schools and churches had been destroyed. Yusuf was arrested, and died in custody "while trying to escape". As had been the case decades earlier in the wake of the 1980 Kano riots, the killing of the leader of an extremist group would have unintended consequences. He was succeeded by Abubakar Shekau , formerly his second-in-command. On 7 September, having regrouped under their new leader, Boko Haram broke 105 of its members out of prison in Bauchi along with over 600 other prisoners. The group went on to intensify their insurgency, launching many attacks in Nigeria, mostly in

7482-476: Was reportedly filled by ex-chief wali Ba Lawan (also "Abba Gana") before passing to Abu-Dawud (also "Aba Ibrahim"), Abu Musab al-Barnawi, Malam Bako, Sani Shuwaram , Bako Gorgore, and Abu Ibrahim in quick succession in late 2021 and early 2022. In course of 2022, ISWAP continued its reorganization efforts. The group's sub-units (or governorates) were granted a considerable level of autonomy, allowing them to operate as they saw fit and to separately pledge allegiance to

7569-693: Was reportedly killed, either in battle with the Nigerian Army or during inter-ISWAP clashes. The accuracy of this claim was questioned by Humangle Media researchers who gathered "multiple sources" suggesting that al-Barnawi had disappeared due to being promoted. Later that month, ISWAP suffered a defeat when attacking Diffa , but successfully raided Rann , destroying the local barracks before retreating with loot. In October and November, there were further leadership changes in ISWAP, as senior commanders were killed by security forces, with Sani Shuwaram becoming

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