Boko Haram activities

Boko Haram is a terrorist organization with its
roots in northeastern Nigeria, linked to
insurgency stemming from north Cameroon
and Niger Republic.
"Boko Haram" is a Hausa name which
translates roughly as "Western education is
forbidden," while the real Arabic name
translates as "The Congregation of the People of
Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad" .
The sect was founded in 2002 by the late
Mohammed Yusuf who was captured and
executed by Nigerian security forces in 2009.
Until the government clamped down on the
sect’s activities in 2009, the operations
conducted by the sect were more or less
peaceful. Since Abubakar Shekau, a former
deputy to Yusuf’s era, violent attacks have
escalated in terms of both frequency and
intensity.
Scroll down to read 'Boko Haram' news
The sect seeks to establish a "pure" Islamic
state ruled by sharia, putting a stop to what it
deems Westernization. It proposes that
interaction with the Western world is forbidden,
and also supports opposition to the Muslim
establishment and the government of Nigeria.
The group is known for attacking Christians,
Muslim clerics and government targets, as well
as for bombing churches, mosques, schools
and police stations. The group is also
notorious for kidnappings.
Violence linked to the Boko Haram insurgency
has resulted in an estimated 10,000 deaths
between 2002 and 2013.
On November 13, 2013 the United States
government designated the group a terrorist
organization. On 22 May 2014, the United
Nations Security Council added Boko Haram to
its list of designated al-Qaeda entities, bringing
"funding, travel and weapons sanctions"
against the terrorist group.
On 22 May 2014 Boko Haram was officially
declared a terrorist group affiliated to Al-Qaeda
and Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb by the
United Nations Security Council. International
sanctions including asset freeze, travel ban
and arms embargo were imposed against the
Islamist extremist group.
It was reported in August 2013 that Shekau
had been shot and deposed by members of his
sect, but he survived.
He has taken responsibility for the April 2014
kidnapping of over 200 school girls. On 6 May
2014, eight more girls were kidnapped by
suspected Boko Haram gunmen.
Funding sources for Boko Haram are not
certain, but is believed to be partially funded
by bank robberies and by other Islamist
groups.