Ideological Extremism

The study examines the emergence, organization, and operations of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa and their links with other international terrorist organizations. The objectives of the study were to examine the emergence of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa in north-east Nigeria; examine the organization and operations of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa as violent groups opposed to the state; establish the links between Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa and their connections with other international terror groups such as Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab, Taliban and ISIS; and assess the efforts of the Multinational Joint Task Force in combating them. The study used data collected from publications of governmental and international governmental organizations and unstructured oral interviews with serving and retired military personnel. The publications were subjected to textual analysis, while the oral interviews were stored and later transcribed and analyzed. The study found that Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa emerged in the north-east of Nigeria with its main ideology of the establishment of a pure Islamic State (theocratic state) that is based on strict implementation of Sharia law in Nigeria and the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon. The terrorist groups’ attacks on the Nigerian state and the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon comprising the military, para-military and civilians’ targets led to wanton destruction of lives and properties. Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa had links with other international terrorism networks such as Al-Qaeda, Taliban, Islamic State, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb AQIM and Al-Shabaab in aspects of ideology which centered on establishing an Islamic Caliphate that will address problems faced by Muslims worldwide. Other area of collaboration include training, funding, arms supply and logistic supports which facilitated their operations, expansions and attacks; and military and non military approaches adopted by the federal government of Nigeria led to the degrading of Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa fighters. This thesis contends that the functionality of Boko Haram
and the Islamic State of West Africa thrived in their collaboration due to the international support they received from other terrorist organizations