A bright 16-year-old girl, Efe walked with purpose to her school in Chibok, fueled by a burning desire to become a doctor and heal her community, her eyes sparkling with hope and imagining a future where she could make a real contribution. However, in this ordinary morning, an ominous shadow is drawn and threatens to destroy her dream.
In the morning of this fate, the world of Efe has been destroyed. A ruthless group stormed Chibok and kidnapped dozens of girls, including Efe. Separated from their homes, they were forced to fight desperately for survival. Terror swept through Chibok, replacing school and dreams. Girls endured unimaginable horrors, including forced marriage, rape and brutal exploitation. Some had their lives stolen and were forced to become suicide bombers in the name of a twisted ideology.
Efe’s story is just one of many influenced by the rise of Boko Haram, a ruthless Islamist insurgency that has dramatically changed the course of Nigerian history. Boko Haram, officially known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda Awati Wal-Jihad, was founded in 2002 by Muhammad Ali with the help of Muhammad Yusuf. Several factors such as poverty, inequality, political corruption, and ethnic and religious tensions contributed to the development of Muhammad Ali’s ideology.
The group’s main goal was to establish an Islamic caliphate in Nigeria, and they succeeded in restoring the Sharia system throughout Nigeria. Muhammad Ali was heavily influenced by the ideologies of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Together with Yusuf, he actively listened to the speeches of Osama bin Laden, translated his writings into local languages, and systematically incorporated these ideologies into his own speeches, thus shaping the beliefs of the Nigerian people.
Muhammad Ali declared that Western ideology was strictly forbidden, claiming that it could lead Muslims to damnation. He firmly maintained that the Nigerian government was not truly Islamic, despite the presence of a Muslim president. He presented his ideology to Yusuf, who accepted it without hesitation. After the death of these two leaders, Abubakar Shekau took over as head of the group. Its Islamic ideology is more violent and terrifying, which has led to widespread killings and displacement in southeastern Nigeria.
Boko Haram’s brutal attacks have claimed the lives of many innocent people, including government officials and civilians. They forced everyone to follow strict Islamic laws, threatening to kill those who refused. Both Muslims and Christians suffered greatly. Christians were forced to rely on Islam, and each citizen lived in fear. Women and girls are suffering. Girls were not allowed to go to school and many were kidnapped by Boko Haram. The Chibok incident was one of the worst attacks. Boko Haram has kidnapped hundreds of girls and forced them to convert to Islam, after which they were forced to marry Boko Haram fighters. Those who refused were forced to serve the fighters’ families. Many girls were repeatedly raped and sold into slavery.
Famous leader Boko Haram Abbakar Shekau acknowledged that he had kidnapped Chibok girls from a video message, and announced his intention to use them. Shekau’s cooling solution reveals an extremist ideology and controls its actions. “Our religion is to kill, slaughter, slay, and massacre”. In 2014, Boko Haram established a caliphate, further strengthening its extremist ideology. This violent worldview is rooted in the group’s twisted interpretation of Islam, reflected in its name, “Jamaat-u-Ahlis-Sunna-Lidda’Awati-Wal-Jihad” (Those Committed to Spreading the Teachings of the Prophet and Jihad).
This group saw the war on terror as an attack on the Muslim world and saw it as a jihad against the United States. They were inspired by the ideology of al-Qaeda, which later gave them aid. Boko Haram later joined forces with ISIS to expand its influence globally and adopted the name Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), but Abu Shekau decided to keep his original name. The coalition has made the group more dangerous. Because it is now increasing by power and economic support. Boko Haram’s ideology deviates greatly from the real Islam lessons.
Their misconception is the false assertion that Western education is banned and that women should be barred from receiving an education. This extremist ideology is fueled by several key factors: First, the group’s leader, Muhammad Ali, is influenced by the extremist beliefs of Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden, who are not recognized as Islamic scholars. Instead, they promote their own distorted views. Boko Harum is a tool to misunderstand the Islamic world and believe their views reflect the true value of the true Islam.
The economic operation is another powerful weapon of Boko Haram. They provide financial support to vulnerable communities, taking advantage of Nigeria’s extreme poverty. In addition, ethno-religious conflicts have created fertile ground for Boko Haram to grow in influence. To effectively counter this threat, the Nigerian government must decisively address these domestic issues. Poverty reduction is crucial. When people are lifted out of economic despair, they are less susceptible to extremist ideologies.
Furthermore, governments must ensure that minority rights are respected and these communities are empowered. By addressing the root causes of the conflict, governments can take decisive action to completely eradicate Boko Haram’s influence. The Nigerian government, working with neighboring countries and with the support of the United States and several other countries, is determined to address the problem of Boko Haram. Although Nigeria has been successful in recapturing many areas from the insurgents, the threat of Boko Haram remains looming large in Nigeria.
