On Tuesday, April 15, 2014, the terrorist organization Boko Haram attacked a girls’ school in Chibok, Borno state, in northern Nigeria, abducting between 250-300 young school girls. Boko Haram’s leader, Abubakar Shekau, released a video on May 5, threatening to sell the girls as “wives” and citing ideological opposition to the education of young girls. The abduction and subsequent developments have prompted several nations to send logistical support teams and the Nigerian government to offer a $300,000 reward for information leading to the girls’ rescue. On May 5, Boko Haram took advantage of a distracted military and attacked the unprotected town of Gamboru Ngala, reportedly killing up to 300 civilians.
START has compiled the following background information on the history and networking relationships of Boko Haram, and updated data from a previous background report on the group.
Read the full START Background Report: Boko Haram Recent Attacks.