Combating Boko Haram Memo - Bobby Orokos

Memorandum on Indirectly Combating Boko Haram

To: President of the United States, Donald Trump

Cc. Mark Shirk

April 13, 2017

Mr. President,

Problem:

Boko Haram is a jihadist terrorist organization that plagues northern Africa, specifically in Nigeria.  Boko Haram is dedicated to the avoidance of Western influence, as the name itself translates to “Western education is forbidden”.  The goals of the organization shifted from withdrawing from Western influence to forcing out Western ideas in the hopes of establishing a caliphate.  Boko Haram is a threat that needs to be handled before it becomes too out of control, but the United States also needs to not be directly involved in the dismemberment of the organization, as US involvement could lead to a stronger presence in Boko Haram recruitment.

First we need to understand the roots of the organization of Boko Haram.  Originally a peaceful group, their methods were altered after oppressing Muslims in Northern Nigeria as a result of a motorbike helmet law, which targeted Muslims.  During protests, a fatal shootout that killed their leader, Mohammed Yousuf, led to the radicalization of the group.  Leadership was granted to Abubakar Shekau, who declared the organization's new goals of overthrowing the NIgerian government, and establishing a Caliphate.  As a result of their similar goals, Boko Haram has declared alliance with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Evidence:

Boko Haram targets any person’s associated with Western culture, or the West itself.  As seen in the 2014 social media campaign #BringOurGirlsBack, Boko Haram was responsible for the abduction of nearly 300 Nigerian school girls.  Today, many of the girls were found married off to Boko Haram fighters, in addition to a total of 6 declared dead.  In addition to these girls, Boko Haram is responsible for about 2,000 child abductions, 20,000 deaths, and a refugee crisis leaving 200,000 people fleeing from Boko Haram displaced in the countries of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger.  Boko Haram has been a massive issue for the people of this area, and needs to be dealt with before the threat reaches a crisis level.

US Policy on Boko Haram Today:

Now, the United States is dedicated to the development of Nigeria.  However, while growing the plant, the US has refused to combat the flies that slowly cause the destruction of the nation.  Whereas the United States has declared war on all forms of terror, it has not done much to combat the actions of Boko Haram.  

Proposed Solution:

The best way to approach the issue of Boko Haram is to spread awareness about the group.  Although the #BringOurGirlsBack campaign did spread the message about Boko Haram, it was a short lived campaign where the instance was slowly lost to time, and knowledge of the group to a common person in the United States is almost non-existent.  Should people be informed about the group, they would want to take action against the organization for the sake of human rights.  However, more focus is being pressed on ISIS, as a result of the United States interests in the Middle East.  Although Nigeria is an ally to the US and holds much potential for Africa as a whole, the United States has not sent resources to combat this target.

The best way for the United States to assist in the elimination of the Boko Haram organization is to indirectly sent weapons and training to Nigerian fighters.  Should the United States directly get involved in the conflict, Boko Haram could use this Western intervention as a way to rally support to resist the Westernization of Africa and other areas around the world, and unify other people in developing countries to unify to oppose the West as a whole.  By indirectly helping Nigeria eradicate the Boko Haram organization, the United States will not be victim to the claims of Boko Haram, and another organization dedicated to the threatening of peace will be eliminated from international politics, along with the loss of an ally of ISIS.