Yet Another Massacre By Boko Haram

Boko Haram terrorists struck the northeastern Nigerian village of Gumsuri on Sunday, killing 32 people and kidnapping as many as 191 women and children. It took around four days for the information to reach the world at large due to the remoteness of Gumsuri and the fact that previous Boko Haram attacks had disabled telecommunications in the area. Survivors of the attack managed to reach the city of Maiduguri and relay the information. Eyewitnesses state that Boko Haram gunmen stormed the village from two directions in order to overwhelm the local militia. The Boko Haram gunmen had technicals with heavy machine guns and used petrol bombs and canisters of gasoline to burn down the village.

Cameroon’s army claims that it killed 116 Boko Haram militants Wednesday near the Nigerian border in the north. Boko Haram guerillas attacked a military convoy with an IED, while there was another large scale attack on a Cameroon army base in the region of Amchide. The attack on the army base involved “hundreds” of gunmen. A senior official in Cameroon’s government confirmed the attacks on Wednesday as well as another overnight attack for which further information is currently unavailable.

Emir Muhammad Sanusi II of Kano, Nigeria’s second-highest Muslim leader, has urged Nigerian Muslims to defend themselves and their communities from Boko Haram. In response, Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a YouTube video today where he threatened Sanusi and denounced his ideology as idolatrous. Shekau also stated that Muslims who resist Boko Haram are apostates:

In the video, the man claiming to be Shekau said civilian militia fighting Boko Haram had deviated from Islam. The militias, also known as vigilantes and hunters, have helped take back territory and towns captured by the militant group. “Vigilantes and hunters you have gone astray, you should repent and put hands together and work for God, even you Sanusi if you repent we can work together,” the man said in the footage. “Don’t you see that I am furious.”

Vigilantes and hunters refers to local militias that have attempted to resist Boko Haram’s depredations. In many cases the local resistance is heavily outmatched, attempting to defend with bows and arrows, while Boko Haram’s capabilities have greatly expanded in recent months, as the Nigerian jihadist group has began attempting to take and hold territory in a manner more reminiscent of the Islamic State.

Boko Haram activity in Cameroon points towards Boko Haram expanding their activities across West Africa, unsurprising given that Boko Haram’s stated goal is to establish an Islamic state in Africa without respect to preexisting national borders.  Destabilizing the border region, and intimidating local authorities into compliance furthers that goal. Additionally, the attacks on villages also may have a financial component; as a significant portion, of Boko Haram’s funding comes from looting and theft.