Boko Haram State (2013–2015)

This chapter provides a detailed account of Boko Haram’s ambitious attempt at establishing an Islamic caliphate in captured territories across the northern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. It shows Boko Haram at its glorious peak of insurgency scoring some relative amount of success against the surprisingly helpless and under-motivated Nigerian military. The chapter reveals Boko Haram’s guerrilla and terrorist tactics and brazen attacks during this period: 2013-2015, including its infamous kidnap of nearly 300 boarding school girls in Chibok local government area of Borno state, the successful raiding and suspension of the strongly fortified military post at Baga town in Borno state that enabled one of its highest number of recorded killings- up to 2000 people in three days. The chapter provides textual evidence that relays a graphic portrayal of Boko Haram’s extra-territorial ambition that involves verbal threats to Western interests, denunciation of attacks on Muslims across the globe and actual terrorist attacks in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Making Nigeria Ungovernable

Chapter three captures the beginning of Boko Haram’s jihad and the initial stages of the post-2009 violence: 2009-2012, following the brutal and extrajudicial killing of Muhammad Yusuf by the Nigerian police. It catalogues the matrix of events including warfare strategy that depict Boko Haram’s clash with the Nigerian state and perceived enemies including Christians and the media. The chapter also shows a significant interaction between Boko Haram and other transnational terrorist organisations such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and al-Qaeda central. The earliest internal schism and fractionalisation of Boko Haram that led to several splinter groups such as Ansaru-2012 are discussed in this chapter.

Message to the World

(3 AUGUST 2016) [Trans.: Abdulbasit Kassim] Available at: http://jihadology.net/2016/08/03/new-audio-message-from-abu-bakr-al-shekau-message-to-the-world/ In al-Naba newsletter no. 41 (of ISIS), Abu Mus’ab al-Barnawi, who had previously appeared in text 53 as the spokesman for JASDJ, was interviewed as the new governor of ISWAP.1 In the interview, al-Barnawi discussed...

Arrival of the Caliphate’s Soldiers in West Africa

(2 JUNE 2015) [Trans.: Abdulbasit Kassim] Available at: http://jihadology.net/2015/06/02/new-video-message-from-the-islamic-state-arrivals-of-the-soldiers-of-the-caliphate-in-west-africa-wilayat-gharb-ifriqiyyah/ A mark of the post-allegiance to ISIS period for Boko Haram is the lowered profile of Shekau, who ceases to be the major focus of its public image. In this video, the two speakers alluded to the escalation of the conflict between Boko Haram and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) comprising soldiers from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Benin. While mentioning the tensions and the context of distrust between Nigeria and her neighbors, the first speaker referred to the comment of the Chadian president, when he said that the fight against Boko Haram is being hampered by poor co-ordination between Chad and Nigeria. He also gave further information of the activities within the caliphate as well as detailed information concerning the soldiers killed in various clashes. This video should be understood within the context of Boko Haram’s display of resilience against the operations of the MNJTF...

Message From a Mujāhid

(28 JANUARY 2015) [Trans.: Abdulbasit Kassim] Available at: http://jihadology.net/2015/01/28/al-urwah-al-wuthqa-foundation-presents-a-new-video-message-from-boko-%e1%b8%a5aram-jamaat-ahl-al-sunnah-li-dawah-wa-l-jihad-message-from-a-mujahid-1/ In this video, the speaker reiterated the ideology of Boko Haram and also attempted to make clear the targets and enemies of the group while simultaneously refuting the allegation that the group kills innocent civilians. On 25 January 2015, Boko Haram launched a full-scale attack upon Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State and the base from which they had been driven in July 2009. Although a total-warfare mode in Maiduguri repelled this assault, Boko Haram did capture nearby Monguno and carried out more attacks in Adamawa State during the following days...

Shekau Says He is Alive and Well

(5 OCTOBER 2014) [Trans.: Abdulbasit Kassim] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC0GJtoTttM Shekau once again resurfaced and dismissed the claims of his death following the report of the Nigerian Army that he was killed in Konduga on 17 September 2014. In this video, Shekau confirmed the killing of the Nigerian pilot (Chimda Hedima), who was captured when Boko Haram members shot down a Nigerian Air Force jet (text 42). The full version of this video also shows graphic scenes of amputation, stoning to death, and beheading...

Raid on Maiduguri

(26 MARCH 2014) [Trans.: Abdulbasit Kassim] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pba8uvuf9Is On 14 March 2014, Boko Haram carried out a daring daylight raid on the heavily guarded military prison at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, freeing some of their incarcerated members. The freeing of these prisoners was important for the evolution of Boko Haram’s caliphate. In this video, Shekau claimed the attack on behalf of the group, and declared war against the “Civilian JTF” (...

Sermon for ‘Id Al-Aḍḥā 1434/2013

(14 NOVEMBER 2013) [Trans.: David Cook] Available at: https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/abc5ab-usc481mah-al-ane1b9a3c481rc4ab-e2809ckhue1b9adbah-e28098c4abd-al-e28098ae1b88de1b8a5c481-for-the-year-1434-he280b3.pdf It is interesting that Ansaru tended to use more inclusive, revolutionary language, albeit with an obvious Islamic supremacist focus, than does Boko Haram. Only from Ansaru can we find examples of what could be attempts to reach beyond the boundaries of the most literal form of Salafism to other Muslims in their own language, and even to Nigerians as a whole...

Message to Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan

(11 JANUARY 2012) [Trans.: Abdulbasit Kassim] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umkj50SUzck From September 2010 to January 2012, Boko Haram stepped up the sophistication of its attacks and most of its threats became reality. Of particular interest during these periods are three suicide attacks—all claimed by Boko Haram: one on 16 June 2011 at the Abuja police headquarters, which was allegedly carried out by Muhammad Manga...

A Letter to Osama Bin Laden’S Deputy

(c. FALL 2010) [Trans.: David Cook] Available at: https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/ubl2016/arabic/Arabic%20Praise%20be%20to%20God%20the%20Lord%20of%20all%20worlds.pdf This undated letter is probably from late 2010 or early 2011, prior to Osama b. Laden’s death on 2 May 2011 at the hands of U.S. forces in Pakistan. Most of the letter’s contents are requests for Islamic advice, and are not translated here. There has been some commentary on the significance of the letter; its pleading tone and absence of self-confidence indicates a leader (Shekau) who has not yet decided what to do with Boko Haram. Notwithstanding, this letter evinced the early transmutation of Boko Haram from a local group into a transnational actor and its gradual co-optation into the al-Qaeda jihadi universe via the middlemen from the Sahelian-Sahara region...