Nigeria and Boko Haram




Current events are a hot topic in many debates. One of the more common topics we've encountered over the years is Boko Haram in Nigeria. Below is a few notes on the subject with additional resources and debate resolutions to practice. Enjoy!

Background:
  • Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, suffers from a terrorist group led by militant Islamists dubbed Boko Haram. 
  • Boko Haram is based in northeast Nigeria and was founded by Mohammed Yusuf. The aim of the group is to establish a fundamentalist Islamic state with Sharia criminal courts. 
  • Those who follow the movement are called Yusuffiya and consist of northern Islamic students a clerks. 
  • Many argue that Boko Haram emerged as a result of deep ethnic and religious divides within Nigeria. When the British drew Nigeria's borders, they merged together disparate groups that had little in common. 
  • Within Nigeria, there are nearly 350 ethnic groups. The country is also split between the Muslim-dominated north and the Christian-dominated south. 
  • The country's economic and political problems also exacerbated the rise of Boko Haram in the region. Nigeria is one of the continent's poorest countries. Many individuals live on less than $1.90 per day. 
  • Analyst Chris Ngwodo observes that "the emergence of Boko Haram signifies the maturation of long-festering extremist impulses that run deep in the social reality of northern Nigeria" 
  • The group is a symptom of decades of failing governments and social problems that plagued the nation.
  • The teachings of Yusuf were not unusual in northern Nigeria; however, in 2009 the clash point between Christians and extremists occurred. A police crackdown in the region killed nearly 800 Boko Haram members. Moreover, the police also murdered Yusuf while in police custody. 
  • Following the founder's death, the group splintered into two factions. One of the factions focuses on fighting the Nigeria government. The other faction has similar goals however is less strict on what constitutes apostasy. Scholars note that the increasingly brutal tactics used by Boko Haram has increased the rift between the two factions. 
  • Boko Haram uses many tactics associated with terrorism, including suicide bombings, kidnappings, and attacking schools. 
  • Boko Haram has killed nearly thirty-seven thousand individuals, half of those were civilians. 
  • The Nigeria government has made significant gains in defeating Boko Haram with the help of neighboring states. However, in recent years the momentum has waned. 
  • Some of the groups most horrific attacks include the 2014 kidnapping of nearly two hundred school girls from Chibok and the bombing of an Abuja bus station, killing nearly one hundred people. 
  • Nigeria has strong alliances with neighboring countries to target Boko Haram. Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and other have deployed thousands of troops in the region. This coalition is responsible for making most of the gains against the terrorist group.

 Additional Resources: 



Debate Motions: 

This House, as the US, will send troops into Nigeria to fight Boko Haram. 

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