The collective violence in rural areas of southern and central Plateau State between June 2002 and May 2004 was accompanied by widespread social mobilization and heightened ethnic and religious divisions. Vigilantes adapted to the new insecurity and were important local actors in the crisis, but became polarized along religious lines. Their emphasis shifted from vigilance against theft within villages to vigilance against the more serious threats posed by armed militias. The intersection of vigilantes and militias was situational; where there was less violence vigilantes were more prominent, but elsewhere their functions merged. Social action and the patterns of violence were shaped by power relations between identity groups and the struggle for territory. The notion of indigeneity continues to be used by all sides to make territorial claims, and historical narratives of belonging and grievance are actively put forward to bolster political legitimacy. The violence was also strongly defined by religion – the political dominance of Muslims, especially in Wase, generating particular animosity. Religious and cultural beliefs were also expressed by vigilantes and militias themselves, and, while not a direct cause of violence, supernatural beliefs did affect forms of mobilization and decision making.
Le mouvement militant Jamā’at ahl al-sunna li’l-da’wa wa’l-jihad – « l’Association des gens de la Sunna pour le prosélytisme et la lutte armée » – est mieux connu sous le surnom de « Boko Haram ». Le groupe a émergé en 2003 dans le Nord-Est du Nigeria mais a depuis recruté des militants dans d’autres régions du Nord. Boko Haram n’a pas de soutien massif au Nord du pays, mais la forme de son militantisme et les tactiques contre-insurrectionnelles de l’État nigérian ont généré une insécurité considérable dans ses zones d’activité. Cet article retrace les origines de Boko Haram et les étapes de sa campagne de violence contre l’État nigérian, contre les influences laïques et chrétiennes et contre les musulmans qui s’opposent à lui.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.