Boko Haram, the barbaric terrorist organisation from the the northern regions of Nigeria have released a video showing Chibok girls. Boko Haram has offered to release the girls in return of release of captured fighters. The terrorists have demanded “We want the government to release our fighters who have been in detention for ages; otherwise, we will never release these girls“.
Boko Haram has captured over 270 girls. Over 40 of those girls have been forced to marry the fighters of Boko Haram. Currently the fighters belonging to the Boko Haram are hiding in the northern forest regions of Nigeria. In April 2014, Boko Haram had attacked a Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Nigeria, kidnapping 276 girls, aged between 16 to 18. The girls had come to school to write the final exam in physics.
The Split within Boko Haram
In March 2015, Boko Haram pledged allegiance to Islamic State, thereby becoming the Western African province of Islamic State. However, after joining Islamic State, there has been constant friction between the leaders of Islamic State and Boko Haram.
- Boko Haram’s way to dealing things was very primitive compared to Islamic States’s way of dealing things. Islamic state has been open to usage of Western technology and education for foreign recruits. Islamic State uses social media on par with any Western company or organisation and has been open to adopting newer technology. Islamic State has also been open to adopting Western healthcare system. Islamic State has built an anti-Christian and anti-Shia narrative, rather than anti-west narrative.
- Islamic State has been opposed to kidnapping of Muslim Girls and subsequently killing of Muslim population through bombing mosques by Boko Haram. Islamic State has been ideologically opposed to kidnapping of Muslim girls.
In a report published by BBC, Islamic State stopped communicating with the then leader of Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau. Shekau was asked to explain his ideology in writing. Shekau says “I was asked to send my ideology in writing to the caliph but it was manipulated by some people in order to achieve their own selfish interests”. Subsequently on August 3′ 2016, Islamic State announced Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the leader of Western African Province of Islamic State, thereby dumping Abubakar Shekau. Abu Musab is son of founder of Boko Haram, Muhammad Yusuf.
After the announcement of split, Abubkar Shekau has continued the Boko Haram brand, whereas the Abu Musab has worked under Islamic State branding.
Who has the Chibok Girls?
After Islamic State announced Abu Musab as the leader of Western African Province, Abubakar Shekau has formed his own ground and tried to influence the fighters to join his cause. From the video released, it appears that, the Chibok Girls are with the Abubakar Shekau’s group. The non-appearance of the flag of Islamic State in the video also indicates this. By offering the release of 50 Chibok girls in exchange of captured fighters, Abubakar Shekau is trying to win over the fighters.
