Terrorist organizations are usually a set of dysfunctional social groups that gang up and uses violent methods to influence political resources to their preference. The formation of terrorist groups is well organized since they comprise a set of individuals who find little significance for the society. Hence, the group must be well governed and founded to navigate the challenges of disloyalty and betrayal by members (Dnes & Brownlow, 2017). Terrorist groups have an establised background and well-defined leadership; they focus on specific targets and use certain methods in their operations as well as hold certain ideologies and grievances that drive them to carry out their activities within the society. To understand such organization, it is important to explore the background, leadership, operations, and ideologies behind the Boko Haram terrorist organization.
Background and Leadership
Boko Haram is an Islamic revolt inhabiting North Eastern Nigeria. Research reports that the organization was founded in 2002 and has been a threat to communities in the Northern part of Nigeria for years. Other reports state that Boko Haram started in 1995 and grew under various names such as Ahlulsuma way’ and jama'ah hijra to Boko Haram. Boko Haram rose as a result of religious and political dissatisfaction in Nigeria thus its motives are politically and religiously inclined. However, Originally, Boko Haram was about championing strict Islamic doctrines but later evolved to acts of violence (Blanquart, 2012). Prior to the 2009 clashes, Boko Haram was led by Mohammed Yusuf with Abubakar Shekau as his deputy and Mamman Nur the third in command. Upon the death of Yusuf during the clashes, Shekau was held in custody (Zenn, 2014). As a result, Nur assumed the leadership until the release of Shekau who took over the reigns. Shekau is still the leaders of Boko Haram to date.
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Preferred Targets
Initially Boko Haram targeted officials from the security forces bodies, police, schools, banks and Christians among others. Boko Haram also took part in what they considered purification of the Muslims by targeting those they considered impure such as beer drinkers and card players. Another major target of the Boko Haram was assassinations. Most of the attacks were centered on the Northeastern part of Nigeria until 2011 marking the target to be on the Nigerians living on that side of the country. However, Boko Haram's target base is growing to outside Nigeria making it a transnational terrorist threat. For instance, the kidnapping of a French family in Cameroon in 2013 shows that the target base has grown (Oftedal, 2013). The attacks have also become more focused on Christians and schools.
Method of Operation
Boko Haram originally conducted its operations by attacking people using machetes and clubs. By 2010, Boko Haram started using small ad hoc explosives and Molotov cocktails and grew to larger explosives often left at the target base, For example, the 2012 Kano attacks. Boko Haram’s methods have expanded to include kidnapping, capturing and large-scale bombing. Examples of such methods in execution by Boko Haram include 2009 capturing of 300 school girls near Chibok, kidnapping of the French family in Cameroon and the bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja in 2011 (Oftedal, 2013). Boko Haram also uses suicide attacks in their operations such as the vehicle-borne explosive device used at the general police headquarters in Abuja attack in 2011.
The Organization's Primary Political or Religious Ideology and Any Grievances of the Organization
Boko Haram had no main declared and issued ideology for its operations. However, various conflicting ideologies can be derived from several short statements made by Boko Haram over time. One of the ideologies is the demise of a secular society by inflicting Islam principles and establishing an Islamic state. The second doctrine is that the government is unable to rule in the right way. Boko Haram sites grievances in the form of governance in that the way of governance is secular and thus challenges the government with the intention to overthrow and take over (Oftedal, 2013).
In conclusion, Boko Haram has become an international terrorist organization with attacks increasing with time. Following Boko Haram's statements, its main agenda is to overthrow the government and establish an Islamic state. The group is against the formal system of education and employment arguing that the system contaminates faith in God. Boko Haram acts have become more rampant and destructive after 2009 death of their leaders Yusuf. The organization is vast and wide constituting of large numbers of the member across the world hence the ability to conduct an attack in different countries.
References
Blanquart, G. (2012). Boko Haram: Terrorist Organization, Freedom Fighters or Religious Fanatics? An Analysis of Boko Haram within Nigeria, an Australian Perspective and the Need for Counter-Terrorism Responses that Involves prescribing them as a Terrorist Organization. SRI Security Research Institute, Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia . Retrieved on 15 January 2017 from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/act/20/.
Dnes, A. & Brownlow, G. (2017). The formation of terrorist groups: An analysis of Irish republican organizations. Journal of Institutional Economics, 13(3), 699-723.
Oftedal, E. (2013). Boko Haram: An overview. Norwegian Defense Research Establishment. FFI-Rapport 2013/ 01680 . Retrieved on 15 January 2017 from https://www.ffi.no/no/Rapporter/13-01680.pdf.
Zenn, J. (2014). Leadership Analysis of Boko Haram and Ansaru in Nigeria. Combating Terrorism Center. Retrieved on 15 January 2017 from https://ctc.usma.edu/posts/leadership-analysis-of-boko-haram-and-ansaru-in-nigeria.
