Congregation and People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad
(Arabic: جماعة اهل السنة للدعوة والجهاد Jamā'a Ahl al-sunnah li-da'wa wa al-jihād), better known by its Hausa name Boko Haram (pronounced [bōːkòː hàrâm], "Western education is sinful"), is a jihadist militant organisation based in the northeast of Nigeria and north Cameroon. It is an Islamist movement which strongly opposes man-made laws and Westernization. Founded byMohammed Yusuf in 2001, the organisation seeks to establish sharia law in the country. The group is also known for attacking Christians and bombing churches.
The movement is divided into three factions. In 2011, Boko Haram was responsible for at least 450 killings in Nigeria. It was also reported that they had been responsible for over 620 deaths over the first 6 months of 2012.Since its founding in 2001, the jihadists have been responsible for roughly 10,000 deaths.
The group became known internationally following sectarian violence in Nigeriain July 2009, which left over 1000 people dead. They do not have a clear structure or evident chain of command. Moreover, it is still a matter of debate whether Boko Haram has links to terror outfits outside Nigeria and its fighters have frequently clashed with Nigeria's central government. A US commander stated that Boko Haram is likely linked to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), although professor Paul Lubeck points out that no evidence is presented for any claims of material international support.
The group has spawned an off-shoot known as Ansaru. The group exerts influence in the regions of Borno, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Kano. The United States Department of State offered a $7 million reward for Abubakar Shekau's capture.
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