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BOKO HARAM CRISIS
INTRODUCTION
DEFINITION OF TERMS:
BOKO: Boko is derived from Hausa language which means Book
HARAM: “Haram” is an Arabic word meaning “forbidden”
BOKO HARAM: Boko Haram is therefore implies that book is forbidden. But technically, it stipulates on the system of Western Education is unislamic.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Boko Haram was founded in Maiduguri in 2002, the group name is “Jamuhiyatu Ahli Sunnah Lid-da’wati Wal Jihaad”. The Boko Haram saga erupted in August 2009, in the ancient city of Maiduguri. It was a clash between a group of people who saw the western ideologies as indecent and therefore declared it unlawful to its member while calling on other Muslims to embrace too.
The Bornu state Government turned to be a resistance force to the Boko Haram call. Despite aroused between the member of the group and the state police force which led to killing of four of her members by the police. This was the genesis of the crisis which also gave birth to sporadic bombing of the police stations in some Northern states {JUNE 2011}, a bomb blast occurred at the police headquarter in Abuja. The Boko Haram group claimed to have carried out the attack which led to death of tens and variety of government institutions in a bid for the prosecution of the slain leader (Muhammad Yusuf) whom was said to be killed after interrogation by the state security service (SSS).
With at least 250 persons so far reported dead in the January 20, 2012 bomb attacks in Kano. According to reports, multiple explosives went off one after the other in Kano, in the usual manners of similar attacks by the members of Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri, Damaturu, Potiskum, Gombe, Abuja, and Madalla in Niger State. It is axiomatic to posit that there is a large consensus of opinion that government must find a quick-fix solution to the problem, and then a lasting solution. This is because there is no way government will continue to spend the huge chuck of money it had been spending on security without providing security to Nigerians. Some Nigerians and groups have been so incensed with the rising insecurity in the polity that they are calling for Jonathan’s resignation. There is also the belief that such calls will continue to rise until there is remarkable improvement in the maintenance of security in the land, as there is a rising impatience among the populace.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Boko Haram crisis is considered as religious, political and ethnicity violence. Shedding of blood especially in the northern region as become devastating, it has posed threat to the life of people and tends the country to be unsecured.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What is the effect of Boko Haram crisis on northern region and the entire nation?
2. What is the adverse effect of Boko Haram on religion?
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
1. To examine the effect of Boko Haram crisis on northern region and the entire nation.
2. To determine the adverse effect of Boko Haram crisis on religion.
Formulation of hypothesis
There is no significant relationship between Boko Haram crisis and northern bloodshed.
There is significant relationship between Boko Haram crisis and northern bloodshed.
COLLECTION OF DATA
The study was conducted through the use of secondary data which were obtained from journals retrieved from Wikipedia encyclopedia, article culled from Greenland magazine and one-on-one interview.
CONCEPT OF BOKO HARAM CRISIS
Nigeria has been bedeviled by ethno-religious conflicts with devastating human and material losses since the return of democracy in 1999. But the Boko Haram uprising of July 2009 was significant in that it not only set a precedent, but also reinforced the attempts by Islamic conservative elements at imposing a variant of Islamic religious ideology on a secular Nigerian state. Whereas the religious sensitivity of Nigerians provided fertile ground for the breeding of the Boko Haram sect, the sect’s blossoming could also be said to have been aided by the prevailing economic dislocation in Nigerian, vis-a-vis the introduction of party politics and politics of anxiety, the associated desperation of politicians for political power, and the ambivalence of some vocal Islamic leaders, who, though they did not actively embark on mutiny, but either did nothing to impede it from fomenting, or only feebly condemned it. (Anyadike, 2013).
Hundreds of suspected Boko Haram militants have attacked a military airbase and other target in the north-eastern part of Nigeria, eye witnesses said on Monday 2nd December, 2013. This was reported by a BBC correspondence that several areas of the city of Maiduguri were targeted in the assault which began in the early hours of Monday. A 24 hours curfew has been imposed in Maiduguri.
ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
As a Muslim we should verify matter from authentic source before passing judgment, Allah says “Oh! You who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful to what you have done”.
Some sources of information let us know that it is the Christians that trained this set of group so as to wage war against the Muslim and thinking that they are Muslim. It is also said that most of them are not Nigerians they are from Niger republic and Mali; they penetrated into Nigeria through Bornu state. Their aim is to destabilize the Muslims in the northern region so as to create faction among them.
The reason why Boko Haram should not be considered as Muslims is that they cannot claim they are Muslims because of their evil act in killing both the Muslims and Christians, they destroy mosques, churches, and also other Islamic centers.
It is unlawful in Islam to kill each other intentionally, Allah says in Qur’an that “Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near to Al-Fawâhish (shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.) whether committed openly or secretly, and kill not anyone whom Allâh has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islâmic law). This He has commanded you that you may understand” Al-Anaam Q6:151.
Also, going by the Hadith of the prophet (S.A.W), Hadith 14 of Anawawiyy “On the authority of Ibn Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) who said; the messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, it is not permissible to spill the blood of a Muslim except in three instance; the married person who commits adultery, a life for a one life and the one who forsakes his religion and separate from the community. (Bukhari and Muslim).
CONCLUSION
From the foregoing, we should be able to understand why Boko Haram should not be considered as religious or ethnicity violence as most people perceived it. It can be considered as political violence, research and findings made us realized that there are some political leaders who are also involved; they facilitate the Boko Haram sect in order to threaten the government and also to pose insecurity to the entire nation.
REFRENCES
Adagba, O., Ugwu, S C. and Eme, O. I (2012) . Activities of Boko Haram and Insecurity Question in Nigeria.
Anyadike, N. O ( 2012) . Boko Haram and National Security Challenges in Nigeria; Causes
and Solutions
Green Land Magazine: A publication of Faculty of Agricultural Sciences Muslims Students Associstion, Lautech, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. “Northern Bloodshed Political or Religious” Vol.2: pp 31-32.
