Terrorism in Nigeria
“The Nigeria Security Tracker has recorded 2,608 deaths from June 2015 to date by Boko Haram”
As we came to talk about terrorism in Nigeria last class, I was interested in learning more about the terrorist group Boko Haram, as I hadn’t heard about them before. Nowadays, I guess everyone is aware of the terrorist grouping of ISIS, brutally killing civilians. However, in the article I found, it is described that Boko Haram, an islamic group based in northeastern Nigeria, has pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2015, making its profile internationally more apparent than before.
Nevertheless, the article claims that there is no clear link between the two groups, not even a year later. Boko Haram still seems stay within its domestic context, whereas ISIS aims at attacking western targets by all costs. Boko Haram keeps on attacking their own people in Nigeria, wanting enforce their religion and their way of belief above other ideas of believing.
What I thought was interesting was the fact that the article actually questions the link of the two groups, making it seem important to know if they interact much or not. I believe that in any case their brutal idea of murdering innocent people should be put in the foreground. Regarding the lives they are taking, I don’t think that it is very important if this came from one or two terrorist groups. I guess Boko Haram pledged allegiance to ISIS in order to gain international attention. However, they have already and are still killing thousands of Nigerian poeple, as you oftentimes hear of suicide bombings and such down in Nigeria.
Off course, this terrorism is a symptom of Nigerias difficult status. Still, it is important to be aware of the innocent lives that are taken every day.
