‘Combines detailed research with rigorous analysis. ‘Virginia Comolli’s book, lucid and well informed, has to be considered the standard work on Boko Haram, a movement of fast-growing importance.’ - Stephen Ellis, Desmond Tutu Professor, Free University, Amsterdam and author of External Mission: The ANC in Exile, 1960-1990 ‘ rich scholarly engagement on the subject which even non-academic readers will find interesting … Comolli’s analysis, based on three years of extensive field research and incredible access to major stakeholders, offers a comprehensive account of the Boko Haram movement … a significant reference for scholars and students in search of a historical context for the evolution of not just Boko Haram but also of the recurring trend of radical Islamic militancy in Nigeria.’ - Africa Studies Review “The book is well written and reflects the author’s deep familiarity with Nigeria, making it a valuable contribution to the literature on Boko Haram.” - Perspectives on Terrorism But what is the real magnitude of the threat? What can foreign partners do to support Abuja? How effective is the current government’s strategy in tackling the insurgency? And, more importantly, are the root causes of the insurgency being addressed and the foundations for a durable peace being established? Reviews In spite of talks about dialogue and amnesty for those prepared to renounce violence, the Federal Government’s response has been a militarised one, resulting in the largest deployment of the Nigerian armed forces since the end of the Civil War. Boko Haram’s stated aim is to Islamise Africa’s most populous country but, like earlier Nigerian Islamist groups, of which there is a long tradition in the Sahel, the discontent prompting young Nigerians and other young West African Muslims to join the insurgency is rooted in more than just religious orthodoxy and cannot be disentangled from their economic, social and political marginalisation. From its inception an inward-looking, almost parochial, movement, Boko Haram, and even more so Ansaru, have now shown clear signs of regionalisation, expanding their operations across West Africa and forging links with al-Qaeda affiliated groups. ‘Boko Haram’, and for a time, its splinter group ‘Ansaru’. Northern and central Nigeria have been engulfed in a violent insurgency campaign waged by Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lidda’awati w’al Jihad, a.k.a.

Boko haram insurgency