2009 Boko Haram uprising

The 2009 Boko Haram uprising was a conflict between Boko Haram , a militant Islamist group and Nigerian security forces. Violence across several states in northeastern Nigeria left over 1,000 dead, with around 700 killed in the city of Maiduguri alone, according to one military official. A government inquiry later found that, while long-standing tensions existed between Boko Haram and the Nigerian Security forces, the immediate cause of the violence stemmed from an incident in which a group of the sect's members were stopped by police in the city of Maiduguri as they were on the way to the cemetery to bury a comrade. The officers, part of a special operation aimed at stamping out violence and rampant crime in Borno State, demanded that the young men comply with a law requiring motorcycle passengers to wear helmets. They refused and, in the confrontation that followed, several were shot and wounded by police. According to initial media reports the violence began on 26 July when Boko Haram launched an attack on a police station in Bauchi state, with clashes between militants and the Nigeria Police Force spreading to Kano, Yobe and Borno soon after. However President Umaru Yar’Adua disputed this version of events, claiming that government security forces had struck first. It was as a result of a security information gathered on their intention ... to launch a major attack,’’ he said. Nigerian troops surrounded the home of Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf in Maiduguri on 28 July after his followers barricaded themselves inside. On July 30, Yusuf was captured by the military, taken to police headquarters, and executed. Islam online suggests that politics, not religion, was the cause of the violence. However some people, including Christian pastor George Orjih, were murdered specifically because they refused to convert to Islam. Prior to the clashes, many local Muslim leaders and at least one military official had warned the Nigerian authorities about Boko Haram. Those warnings were reportedly ignored. Northwestern University : 12. : Cite journal requires |journal= ( help ) Nigeria: Boko Haram 101 "Nigeria accused of ignoring sect warnings before wave of killings" .

The battles began in Bauchi and quickly spread to Maiduguri , Potiskum and Wudil . The 2009 Boko Haram uprising was a conflict between Boko Haram , a militant Islamist group, and Nigerian security forces. Violence across several states in northeastern Nigeria resulted in more than 1,000 dead, with around 700 killed in the city of Maiduguri alone, according to one military official. A government inquiry later found that, while long-standing tensions existed between Boko Haram and the Nigerian Security forces, the immediate cause of the violence stemmed from a confrontation between a group of sect members and joint tax forces located at custom bridge Gamboru ward in the city of Maiduguri. The Boko Haram members were en route to bury one of their members at the Gwange cemetery. The officers, part of a special operation to suppress violence and rampant crime in Borno State, demanded that the young men comply with a law requiring motorcycle passengers to wear helmets. They refused and, in the confrontation that followed, police shot and wounded several of the men. According to initial media reports, the violence began on 26 July when Boko Haram launched an attack on a police station in Bauchi State. Clashes between militants and the Nigeria Police Force erupted in Kano, Yobe and Borno soon after. But President Umaru Yar’Adua disputed this version of events, claiming that government security forces had struck first. It was as a result of a security information gathered on their intention ... to launch a major attack," he said. Nigerian troops surrounded the home of Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf , the founder and spiritual leader of Boko Haram since 2002, in Maiduguri on 28 July after his followers had barricaded themselves inside. On July 30, the military captured Yusuf and transferred him to the custody of the police. They summarily executed him in public outside police headquarters. Islam Online suggests that politics, not religion, was the cause of the violence. People such as Christian pastor George Orjih were murdered specifically because they refused to convert to Islam. Prior to the clashes, many local Muslim leaders and at least one military official had warned the Nigerian authorities about the Boko Haram sect. Those warnings were reportedly ignored. Pulizer Center on Crisis Reporting .

The 2009 Boko Haram uprising was a conflict between Boko Haram , a militant Islamist group, and Nigerian security forces.

The battles began in Bauchi and quickly spread to Maiduguri , Potiskum and Wudil . The 2009 Boko Haram uprising was a conflict between Boko Haram , a militant Islamist group, and Nigerian security forces.