Motto:لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّٰهُ، مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ ٱللَّٰهِ lā ʾilāha ʾillā -llāh, muḥammadun rasūlu llāh "There is no deity but God, Muhammad is the messenger of God."
The Territory of Boko Haram, officially called the Islamic State (Hausa: Daular Musulunci),[8] refers to the territory in Nigeria under the de-facto control or influence of Boko Haram.[8]
After pledging allegiance to Islamic State in 2015, the territory of Boko Haram was briefly called the "West Africa Province" (Wilāyat Garb Ifrīqīyā). However, the group fractured in 2016, and ISWAP and Boko Haram are now separate rival groups.[9][10][11][12]
Founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002, Boko Haram was led by Abubakar Shekau from 2009 until his death in 2021, although it splintered into other groups after Yusuf's death in 2009, as well as in 2015.[14] When Boko Haram was first formed, their main goal was to "purify", meaning to spread Sunni Islam, and destroy Shia Islam in northern Nigeria,[15] believing jihad should be delayed until Boko Haram was strong enough to overthrow the Nigerian government.[16]
In August 2016, ISIS attempted to remove Shekau from his leadership role and replace him with Abu Musab al-Barnawi. ISIS attempted to remove Shekau because he had disobeyed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's order to cease targeting Muslim civilians. Shekau rejected the move, leading to a split between the groups. As of 2017, there were three factions which were all Boko Haram in origin, all rejecting "democracy, secularism and Western influence", and seeking to establish an Islamic state implementing sharia. These were the "West African Province" which is part of ISIS; "Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād" (Boko Haram), under Shekau's control; and "Ansaru" which is loyal to al-Qaeda and rejected the caliphate of al-Bagdadi, though it shares his disapproval of the "wide-reaching interpretation of takfir" of Shekau.[10][17]
Boko Haram territorial control as of 2019
Territorial control
In mid-2014, Boko Haram gained control of large swaths of territory in and around their home state of Borno State, Nigeria, estimated at 50,000 square kilometres (20,000sqmi) with a population of around 1.7 million people, but did not capture the state capital, Maiduguri, where Boko Haram was originally based.[18][19]In September 2015, the director of information at the Defence Headquarters of Nigeria claimed that all Boko Haram camps had been destroyed but attacks from Boko Haram continue.[20]
In October 2025, Boko Haram seized the Nigerian border town of Kirawa in Borno State, burning the district head’s palace, a military base and dozens of homes, forcing more than around 5,000 people to flee into Cameroon.[27]
Government
As of 2015, Boko Haram has local leaders in each town or village where it has control. They operate a cell structure in northern Nigeria where they have members, concentrated in Borno State but with a presence that allegedly extended to Okene, Kogi State. Boko Haram also has a Shura Council with overall command of Boko Haram. Members could work relatively autonomous within small cells with their own leader, even if they were in contact with commanders higher up the hierarchy. Boko Haram also appointed alkalis (judges) and possibly other positions.[8]
Boko Haram did not people to leave their territory for Nigerian lands. They opened checkpoints on roads that lead from their territory to Nigeria, and they patrolled the rural areas, rarely they used donkeys or horses for patrol.[8]
Financing
Kidnapping for ransom
Boko Haram is said to have raised substantial sums of money by kidnapping people for ransom. In 2013, Boko Haram kidnapped a family of seven French tourists while they were on vacation in Cameroon and two months later, Boko Haram released the hostages along with 16 others in exchange for a ransom of $3.15 million.[28]
Extortion
In addition to extortion from local residents, Boko Haram has claimed to extort money from local state governments. A spokesman of Boko Haram claimed that Kano State governor Ibrahim Shekarau and Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda had paid them monthly.[29]
The first report of slave-taking by Boko Haram was on 13 May 2013 when a video was released of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau saying his group had taken women and children, including teenage girls hostage in response to the arrest of its members' wives and children.[34]
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