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Boko Haram

Boko Haram. Overview. Background of Boko Haram 2009 Uprising Leadership Areas of Operation & Factions Malian Conflict & State of Emergency Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation Tactics Abductions Al Qaeda Links? Future Implications. Boko Haram: Background.

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Boko Haram

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  1. Boko Haram

  2. Overview • Background of Boko Haram • 2009 Uprising • Leadership • Areas of Operation & Factions • Malian Conflict & State of Emergency • Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation • Tactics • Abductions • Al Qaeda Links? • Future Implications

  3. Boko Haram: Background • Formed in 2002 in Maiduguri, Borno state • Muslim cleric Mohammed Yusuf • Official Arabic Name • Jama’atuAhlis Sunna Lidda’awatiwal-Jihad • “People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet’s Teachings and Jihad” • Initially focused on opposing Western education • Boko Haram, “Western Education is Forbidden” Image Credit: BBC

  4. Boko Haram: Background • Established a religious complex • Mosque, Islamic school • Poor Muslim families • Eventually became focused on establishing an Islamic state in Nigeria • School became recruiting ground • Against any Western political or social activity • Voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers, receiving secular education • Fighters currently numbering in the hundreds to thousands

  5. 2009 Uprising • Boko Haram carried out spate of attacks • Targeted government buildings and police stations in Maiduguri and Bauchi state • Prompted shoot-outs on the streets in July 2009 • Hundreds of Boko Haram supporters killed • Residents fled Maiduguri • Security forces seized Boko Haram’s headquarters • Captured Boko Haram fighters and killed Yusuf • Fighters regrouped under new leadership • AbubakarShekau, current leader

  6. AbubakarShekau • Born in Shekau village in Yobe state • Late 30s to mid-40s • Believed responsible for making Boko Haram more violent • Not seen in public since the death of Yusuf • Emerges in videos and pictures online • Met Yusuf through MammanNur • Nur masterminded August 2011 bombing of United Nations complex in Abuja Image Credit: AFP

  7. AbubakarShekau • Fluent in Kanuri, Hausa and Arabic • Now adds English to his videos • Does not communicate directly with foot soldiers • Communicates with select cell leaders • Also serves as Boko Haram’s spiritual leader • Well-versed in theology • U.S. offering $7 million for information about his location Image Credit: NY Post

  8. Areas of Operation & Factions • First confrontations with Nigerian security forces occurred in 2003 and 2004 • 2003: Compound located two miles from Niger • 2004: Near Gwoza in the Mandara Mountains along Cameroon border • Boko Haram suffered losses • Sent members to the Sahel, Sudan, Pakistan and Afghanistan to receive funds • 2009 death of Yusuf • Boko Haram members fled to Nigeria’s border region, the Sahel, Somalia, Chad and Sudan

  9. Areas of Operation & Factions • 2010 to 2012 • Boko Haram based in Maiduguri and northeastern region of Nigeria • Other members received training from al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and al-Shabaab and established cells in northwestern Nigeria • Formation of Ansaru(northwestern cells) • Led by AQIM militant Khalid al-Barnawi • Specialized in sophisticated bombings, “hallmarks of al Qaeda” • Boko Haram claimed all attacks until al-Barnawi led a cell that kidnapped an Italian and British engineer in March 2012 • Claimed the attack under “al Qaeda in the Lands Beyond the Sahel” • January 2012: Al-Barnawi formed Boko Haram off-shoot, Ansaru • Broke off from Boko Haram to protest killing of 186 Muslim civilians in Kano

  10. Areas of Operation & Factions • Kano remained under influence of MammanNur(UN headquarters attack mastermind) • Second-in-command to Shekau • Received training from AQIM and al-Shabaab • Attacked “un-Islamic” targets • UN headquarters • Plot on the U.S. ambassador in Abuja • Bombed motor parks in Kano and Abuja • More “transnational” than Shekau Image Credit: Nairaland.com

  11. 2011 Attack on United Nations Headquarters • August 26, 2011 • Car bombing killed at least 21 people, 60 injured • Headquarters for 400 UN employees • Unclear how many were in the building at the time • Only attack against the West Image Credit: Reuters

  12. Malian Conflict, Influence on Boko Haram • Main Boko Haram shifted toward Borno state in 2013 • French military intervention in Mali in January 2013 believed to have revitalized Boko Haram • March to May 2013 • Members of Boko Haram, Ansaru and others who learned from militants in Mali launched attacks along Borno’s border with Niger and Cameroon • Mounted weapons on 4x4 vehicles, kidnapped government officials and relatives in exchange for ransoms of $10,000 to $300,000 • First time in Nigeria

  13. State of Emergency in 3 Northeastern States • In response to violence in early 2013, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan issued state of emergency in May • Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states • Boko Haram members left Maiduguri and retreated from northeastern Borno and Lake Chad to mountainous rural areas near Gwoza (southern Borno) • Gwoza is located about 15 miles from Chibok where the schoolgirls were abducted • Gwoza considered to be a Boko Haram stronghold now

  14. Foreign Terrorist Organization Designation • Boko Haram and Ansaru designated foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. Department of State • November 2013 • Boko Haram • Links to AQIM, responsible for killing thousands, targeted the UN headquarters • Ansaru • Kidnapped and executed seven international construction workers • Prohibits providing or attempting to provide material support

  15. Tactics • Armed militants storming cities/towns/villages on motorbikes • Kill police, politicians, anyone criticizing the insurgency • Armed with heavy machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, night-vision goggles, satellite phones • Bombings (planted/car/suicide) • Churches, bus stations, military barracks, restaurants • Disguises • Often wear official military uniforms to trick their victims • Snap road blocks • Increase in attacks on villagers and travelers since August 2013 • Abductions

  16. Abductions • April 14 • 250+ schoolgirls taken from a school in Chibok, Borno state • Reports that Boko Haram may have transferred girls to Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic Image Credit: BBC

  17. Abductions • May 5 • Boko Haram releases a video of Shekau • Announcing the girls would be sold as “slaves in the market” • May 12 • Demanded the release of Boko Haram militants held in “Borno, Yobe, Kano, Kaduna, Enugu, Lagos and Abuja” in exchange for the girls Image Credit: The Guardian Image Credit: NBC

  18. International Response to Abductions • U.S. • Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support • 16 troops from Africa Command at U.S. embassy in Abuja working with FBI and intelligence teams to advise Nigeria’s security forces • 80 U.S. troops in Chad • U.S., UK, France • Advisory team using aerial surveillance, satellite intercepts • China • Vowed to help in the search • Israel • Intelligence experts sent to Nigeria

  19. International Response to Abductions • Thursday, June 12 • International meeting in London • Nigeria’s Foreign Minister AminuBashiWali • Envoys from Benin, Chad, Cameroon, Niger • UK, U.S., France, Canada, European Union • Consider further measures to improve regional coordination

  20. Recent Attacks • Over 3,300 killed by Boko Haram so far this year • April 14, Abuja • Bomb buried underground explodes at bus station in Nyanya suburb; 71 killed, 124 injured • May 1, Abuja • Car bomb kills 19, injures 60 at bus station in Nyanya suburb • May 6, Jos (central Nigeria) • Two bombings kill more than 120 people • May 30, Gwoza (Borno state) • Emir of Gwoza killed • June 2, Gwoza (Borno state) • Three villages raided, at least 200 people killed

  21. Links to al Qaeda? • Known links to AQIM and al-Shabaab in the past • Remain locally focused • No signs of global focus • Considered too extreme for al Qaeda brand • Killing of Muslim civilians • Kidnapping of young girls • AbubakarShekau stated Boko Haram’s aspirations of joining al Qaeda • No public response from al Qaeda leadership Image Credit: NPR

  22. Implications • No signs of violence abating • Attacks nearly a daily occurrence since abductions • Kidnappings likely to continue • Another 20 women and three men abducted from GarkinFulani settlement last Thursday • Abductions could aid Boko Haram recruitment efforts • Raised the group’s international profile • Increased international pressure • Boko Haram may seek to target Western interests in southern Nigeria or abroad • Boko Haram has the ability to destabilize Nigeria for years to come

  23. Questions? MSA Intel MSAIntel@msasecurity.net 212.509.1336 ext. 250

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