Nigeria Even The Terrorists Are Corrupted

[Valin]

Strategy Page:

 

March 15, 2012: Boko Haram has made it clear that it wants to drive all Christians out of northern Nigeria, and then convert the south, by force if need be, to Islam. Boko Haram said they would start the process by kidnapping Christian women and forcing their families of leave the north or the captive would be killed. This would likely lead to a violent reaction in the Christian south, where many Moslems live. All that could lead to civil war, because the oil is in the south. For over half a century, a lot of the oil money has gone north. But much of the oil income has been stolen, more of it by Christians (who are closer to the oil) than northerners. This has always been a source of contention, and a factor in the 1968 civil war. A lesser threat is local al Qaeda goals of establishing a multistate religious dictatorship stretching from Mauritania on the Atlantic coast to Somalia on the Indian Ocean coast. Too many tribes and nations involved for any such unification to succeed, but it motivates a lot of the al Qaeda violence in the region.

 

Many in the north believe that Boko Haram is being corrupted and used by criminal gangs and corrupt politicians for their own ends. There is a feeling that if you want to get revenge on someone in the north, now is the time to do it and blame it on Boko Haram (not more likely culprits like a political or business rival or a gangster refused cash or favors). There is growing evidence to support this.

 

(Snip)

 

Boko Haram is increasingly practicing what its name ("Western education is forbidden") implies by destroying secular schools. As many as a dozen schools a week are being attacked, and many of them destroyed. Most northerners oppose this, but Boko Haram come armed, and usually at night, to do the deed. Most neighborhoods are unable to muster an armed night watch and the police are, as usual, not very helpful.

 

(Snip)