BOKO HARAM (VIOLENCE IN THE NORTH)
Aug 11th, 2009 by admin
The recent uprising in Northern Nigeria, had its genesis in June when members of the Yusufiyyah sect {Boko Haram had a clash with Operation Flush 11 leading to the shooting of seventeen of their members. The sect members were on their way to burying four of their members who died a day earlier in an auto accident while returning from their preaching called ‘Da’awah’ when members of the joint security outfit accosted them for not wearing crash helmets.
The Nigerian Police and army have both laid claims to the death of the leader of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf, also known in the local parlance as ‘Boko Haram’. As far back as 2001 concerns had been raised about the activities of a young man called Mohammed Yusuf who had come to Maiduguri to indoctrinate young people about a new type of Islamic ideology. The major plank of the group’s preaching was their abhorrence for, among others, Western education, democracy and the fact that the current system of government in Nigeria was, in their words, anathema to Islamic prescription. As such a lot of young men and women in all levels of schools ranging from primary, secondary to tertiary institutions had withdrawn and those who had completed their studies had their certificates destroyed. Parents should not participate in politics or work in any government establishment that is not based on Islamic law.
The group’s wide condemnation of Israel and the Western world made the populace to suspect that he was sponsored by certain forces. For instance, Alhaji Buji Fai who was a religious affairs commissioner in Bornu state and a two-time Chairman of a Local government (Kaga) was reported to be a major financier of the group.
In keeping with their austere lifestyle, many of them slept on mats ate with their bare hands without washing same, did not watch television or listen to the radio Majority of them owned bicycles and motorcycles.
On the other hand their leader enjoyed all good things of life He had three pleasure cars, a Toyota SUV Toyota Camry and a Honda car.
Sources say the activities of the group spread beyond Nigeria extending to Neighboring countries like Niger. What the Nigerian Police and army should worry about are the unknown jihadists that are still at large who may be tempted to soon exact revenge
