The unholy war of Boko Haram: a comprehensive analysis

• Main Author: Shaikh, Mariya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2024
• Online Access: http://journalarticle.ukm.my/24014/1/IJIT_25_5.pdf; http://journalarticle.ukm.my/24014/; http://www.ukm.my/ijit/
• Institution: Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Boko Haram is widely considered one of the deadliest and most destructive terrorist organisations. It started in Nigeria and has been responsible for numerous attacks, including bombings, kidnappings, and massacres. The group was founded in 2002 to establish Islamic law in Nigeria. Since then, it has extended its operations to neighbouring nations such as Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. International attention was drawn to Boko Haram, especially after more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted in Chibok, Nigeria, in 2014. Numerous people have been displaced from their homes and thousands of people have died as a result of the group's actions in the affected regions. This paper delves into the extremist group Boko Haram's origins and goals in the context of Nigeria's socioeconomic landscape. The paper aims to uncover the group's terrorism by drawing on the teachings of Al-Quran and Hadith. It meticulously examines how Boko Haram attempts to justify its actions through distorted interpretations of Islamic scriptures, particularly claiming Jihad. The central idea asserts that Boko Haram's invocation of Islamic teachings is fundamentally unsubstantiated. This paper aims to ascribe the group's narrative by examining their ideological foundations and highlighting the differences between their behaviour and Islamic values.