SHOCKING History Of The Real Founder Of Boko Haram; SEE Why He Founded It- Details Below
Mohammed Yusuf, the founder of Boko Haram, played a significant role in shaping one of the most notorious extremist groups in modern history. His rise as a religious leader and his eventual downfall marked the beginning of Nigeria’ s long struggle with insurgency.
Mohammed Yusuf was born in 1970 in Jakusko, Yobe State, Nigeria. He grew up in a predominantly Muslim environment and received an Islamic education. As a young man, he studied under various clerics and became known for his radical interpretations of Islam. Unlike many traditional scholars, he rejected Western- style education and technology, claiming they were corrupting influences on Muslims.
In the early 2000s, Yusuf founded a movement called Jama’ atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’ awati Wal- Jihad, which later became widely known as Boko Haram. The term ” Boko Haram” loosely translates to ” Western education is forbidden” in Hausa. Yusuf preached against Western influence, advocating for a strict interpretation of Islamic law (Sharia). He gained a large following, particularly among young, unemployed Nigerians who were disillusioned with the government and economic hardship.
Yusuf established a base in Maiduguri, Borno State, where he built a mosque and a religious school. While he initially promoted non- violent teachings, his movement gradually became more militant, clashing with Nigerian authorities and security forces.
By 2009, tensions between Boko Haram and Nigerian security forces escalated. The group’ s members began attacking police stations and government buildings, leading to a large- scale crackdown by security forces. In July 2009, Nigerian police and military launched an operation to dismantle Boko Haram’ s stronghold in Maiduguri. The conflict resulted in hundreds of deaths and the destruction of Boko Haram’ s facilities.
After Yusuf’ s death, his deputy, Abubakar Shekau, took over the leadership of Boko Haram. Under Shekau, the group became more violent, carrying out deadly bombings, kidnappings, and large- scale attacks. Yusuf’ s ideology laid the foundation for Boko Haram’ s transformation into a full- fledged terrorist organization, spreading terror across Nigeria and neighboring countries.
Today, the legacy of Mohammed Yusuf remains a critical chapter in Nigeria’ s security challenges. His rise and fall illustrate how radical ideologies, social grievances, and government responses can shape the course of extremism.
