Boko Haram's Sources Of Funds

Following the unabated acts of terrorism
perpetrated by the Islamic religious sect, Yusufiyya
- which later became Boko Haram, since 2009,
many questions have been asked by Nigerians and
the international communities.

Prominent among these questions is how the
militant group is raising funds to procure
sophisticated weapons which they use to carry out
their heinous attacks across Nigeria?
However, Premium Times reports that since 2009,
the deadly sect has continued to deploy various
tactics to sustain its resolve in undermining the
Nigerian state.

*Nigerian soldiers

It was gathered that in the onset, the sect began to
embark on selective killings and maiming of
politicians and security agencies.
Later on, according to the report, the terror group
acquired the know-how on how to make
Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, which it used
mostly on security operatives, security formations
and churches within and around Borno State.

In a bid to "promote the Jihad of God," as they
claim, the Islamist sect went from terror attack to
attacking banks and other financial institutions, as
well as the robbery of bullion vans in which millions
of Naira were at different occasions stolen.

Between 2010 and 2012, the group resorted to
extorting high personalities in Nigeria by sending
text messages with threats on their lives if millions
of Naira were not delivered to them at a designated
rendezvous or harassing their victims by dropping
sealed threat letters with a piece of live bullet
asking for money.

When the presence of the Joint Task Force, JTF,
continued to grow and increased development of
counter intelligence by the Department of State
Security, DSS, the Boko Haram sect resorted to
kidnapping.

*Boko Haram attack in Jos

On January 30, 2012, the late spokesman of Boko
Haram, Abul Qaqa had in a teleconference with
journalists threatened that they would soon embark
on abduction of spouses and children of security
operatives and public office holders, for allegedly
detaining their (Boko Haram) family members.

The terrorists did not start their threat until early
this year, when the sect embarked on a ransom-
driven kidnap of civilians. Most of their targets often
gained their freedom after the payment of huge
money by either government or relatives of the
captives.

* File photo of Boko Haram attack at Nyanya garage
in Abuja

The spokesman of JTF, Sagir Musa, on April 28,
issued a caveat warning to residents of Maiduguri
and environs that the Boko Haram had resort to
kidnapping prominent citizen with the aim of getting
money from their relatives.

Mr. Musa's statement read, "Intelligence available
to the Task Force has indicated that Boko Haram
Terrorists have resolved to concentrate more on
kidnappings than robbery. They alleged that
kidnapping is more lucrative, less dangerous and
requires short time to plan and execute. Similarly, a
special kidnapping squad has been earmarked and
tasked by the Boko Haram sect to kidnap persons
who could be wealthy relations, politicians,
business women/ men, traditional rulers, senior
civil servants and foreigners alike."

The above statement was made after the Boko
Haram sect had carried out several successful
kidnaps for ransom.

Prominent personalities in Nigeria and many other
people, private civilians, are believed to have been
kidnapped by the militants and likely paid heavy
ransoms to gain their freedom without anyone
knowing. While those who could not afford such
heavy ransoms are alleged to have been killed.

The belief in security circles in Borno is that the
sect increased its kidnap activities to fund its
various violent operations across Northern Nigeria.

Many had hoped and are still hoping that the
declaration of a State of Emergency in Borno and
the subsequent massive deployment of troops there
would halt the kidnap and other criminal activities
of the sect.