Thursday, August 25, 2011

Northern Nigeria: Sounding like the Middle East

The Economist
27 August 2011

Northern Nigeria: Sounding like the Middle East

NIGERIA’S north is a giant dust bowl stricken by mass poverty and unemployment. But the worst blight of all may be the region’s Islamists, especially a group called Boko Haram. It is carrying out almost daily shootings and occasional bombings, trying to undermine the country’s president and increasingly worrying international investors.Boko Haram, meaning “Western education is sinful”, originates in Maiduguri, capital of the north-eastern state of Borno. It rose to prominence after sectarian violence in 2009, in which more than 800 people were killed. The group says it is fighting for the wider application of sharia law in Nigeria and has claimed responsibility for hundreds of attacks in Borno, often aimed at police, churches and bars.Over the past decade, Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north has seen mounting religious conservatism, with 12 of the country’s 36 states introducing sharia law, often in the name of northern solidarity. Previous attempts to enforce sharia have sparked clashes between Muslims and Christians, killing thousands.Boko Haram’s attacks (and unofficial reprisals by government forces) have persuaded many Maiduguri residents to flee the city. No confirmed numbers are available. But more than 150 residents have been killed already this year.As it gains confidence, Boko Haram has begun...

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