The Islamist challenge: Nigeria's Boko Haram crisis explained

Abstract

This article examines the Boko Haram crisis of July 2009 in Nigeria. It probes the historical evolution of the radical sect, highlights the impact of the uprising, and reflects on the contentious issues stemming from the uprising. Although the general opinion is that radical sects in Nigeria are unlikely to turn into sleeper cells for global terrorism, this article contends that the fact that some of the sect's members had received training in far-away Afghanistan and Mauritania raises some serious questions.