BOKO HARAM
a Golden Commercial Venture?
by PD Lawton 14 October 2025
This article is a disturbing look at the current trajectory of Africa`s largest economy. Neo-colonialism is alive and well and becomes more insidious by the day. The non-sovereign action of a State that allows its foreign and domestic affairs to be influenced by foreign powers is a threat to not just itself. Will Nigeria continue to facilitate the strategies of some of the world`s largest multinational corporations and the network that owns them?
image: courtesy of Premium Times: Presidents Jonathan and Obama
“The ‘peacekeeping’ mantra has become a dangerous cancer that is eating away at the combat effectiveness of African armies—and it is subsequently endangering the populace, destroying societies, and eroding the stability of states.” – Maj Gen. Eeben Barlow
“Why is someone somewhere hell bent on engineering Nigerians to form the un-Nigerian habit of harbouring and perpetrating desperate, extreme and unforgiving actions against themselves?”
Synthetic Insurgencies
The barbaric terrorist organization Boko Haram describes itself as a militant Islamic group. It operates in north eastern Nigeria. They are purportedly fighting for the creation of an Islamic state. The name, Boko Haram, is a nickname appointed to them. The Hausa are the majority ethnic group of the region and in Hausa, Boko Haram means “Western education is forbidden by Islam.” Boko Haram practice extreme fundamentalist Wahhabi Islam as oppose to traditional Islam. The terrorist group is nowadays known as ISWAP, Islamic State of West African Province.
The group claims it is both anti- Western and anti-Christian. However, they have no qualms in killing both Christians and Muslims who resist them. The political and social failings of the Nigerian Federal Republic are, according to them, a result of the democratic values of a secular state.
Nigeria is a key petroleum producing country. It is Africa`s largest oil producer and 6th largest globally. It produces 2.5 million barrels of crude oil is per day. Nigerian reserves of natural gas are estimated at 160 trillion cubic meters.
Image: mineral resources of Nigeria
Despite this, a recent report from the World Bank shows poverty in Nigeria has significantly increased since 2019, with 139 million people, 61% of the population, now living in extreme poverty.
The north of Nigeria has sizeable deposits of gold. It accesses the Sahel region which is the stronghold of ISIL in Africa. The state with the highest amount of natural resources (excluding petroleum) is Plateau State which is under control of Boko Haram.
The northern states have large deposits of a very high grade of coal which has low sulphur content making it more desirable. High grade coal is also needed for steel manufacturing. The coal deposits are currently unmined but Britain and Europe are showing interest as they are facing a severe energy crisis with the blowing up of the Nord Stream Pipeline and having chosen suicidal Net Zero.
Image: courtesy of Critical Threats: areas where Boko Haram are active
Many academic papers have been produced on the rise of the group detailing their ideology and raison d’être. Much of the analysis focusses on the victimization of the predominantly Muslim community of the north of Nigeria by the predominantly Christian South. That analysis which is largely written by non-Nigerians for international think-tanks, media outlets and institutions veers towards legitimizing the existence of Boko Haram and giving it credibility.
Legitimizing terrorists allows for the manipulating of the legitimized party as a weapon against the state. This is currently most evident in the Democratic Republic of Congo where international media outlets, think-tanks and Western academia have created a `legitimate` profile of the Rwandan proxy terrorist group, M23 in a shocking and shameful inversion of reality. ( see author`s series of articles on the Great Lakes titled `Sun City`.)
Former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan was condemned for not being `liberal` enough with his summation of Boko Haram. While Western journalists and academics endlessly analyse the motivation of rebel groups, citing suffering and religious intolerance as their raison d’être, former Nigerian President Jonathan maintained that Boko Haram were simply an extension of Al Qaeda and should be annihilated.
image: George W Bush gives the world his ultimatum
After the Twin Towers terrorist attack America and its NATO allies needed justification for their Global War on Terror and in the case of America, the reinforcement of AFRICOM.
The War on Terror was a continuation of policy that started in the 1960s that undertook destabilization of the newly independent African states. That policy was enacted on the orders of Henry Kissinger and the NSSM200 doctrine. The Kissinger Report or National State Security Memorandum 200 stated that American foreign policy must be directed to securing the critical mineral interests of America by controlling African populations and directing their national trajectories.
The American soft power tool, USAID, along with the British counterpart, UKAID, and George Soros and his subversive Open Society Foundation have been employed to finance anti-government forces across Africa under the guise of philanthropic foreign development. As US politician Ron Paul accurately summarized:
“Foreign aid is taking money from the poor people of a rich country and giving it to the rich people of a poor country.”
There is a slow creep globally towards the total acceptance of radical Islamic government as can be recently seen in the overthrow of President Assad and his replacement in Syria by Western backed terrorists. The Anglo American network appear to be behind the creation of radical Islam as the network seeks new methods of maintaining disorder across a continent that must be hindered at every level from achieving industrialization and the upliftment of all its people from grinding poverty.
From a Global Research article dated 25 January, 2015, titled
“For some time now, the CIA has been running secret training and indoctrination camps along the porous and vulnerable borderlands of Niger, Chad and Cameroon. At these camps youths from poor, deprived and disoriented backgrounds are recruited and trained to serve as insurgents. The agents who supply these youth lure them with the promise of better life and work of Allah and further indoctrinated to believe they are working to install a just Islamic order from the ungodly one that currently holds sway in Nigeria.”
“The destabilization campaign is to ensure that Nigeria is weakened internally by intractable crises leading up to 2015.”
“The main beneficiary will of course be the United States which started all this in the first place and which will be there to profit at the end. By engineering the break up of Nigeria, the United States would have eliminated a potential continental rival paving the way to the institution of a Pax Americana in Africa and secondly it would have limited its main global strategic rival China from direct access to badly needed energy and other mineral resources on the resource rich African continent.”
Western academic Ivory Towers make a living from analyzing Africa`s many challenges. The more numerous and intense the challenge, the more analysis is required, when in fact as Isaac Newton pointed out:
“Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things”
A Nigerian street vendor of little income and minimal education explained Boko Haram thus:
“Those Hausa (meaning Boko Haram) work for the Big Money men (meaning the Nigerian elite) who make them kill people. They even kill people for no money because they work for the Big Money men. The Big Money men find the gold and sell it to Big Money men who are white. We have seen them. The Big Money men keep the Hausa poor. When people are poor they just work for little little money or food. Africa all the same. It is run by crooks”
That politically astute street vendor lived in a village in Plateau State that was attacked by Boko Haram. The villagers fled into the mountains but had to leave those too frail or sick to run. His father was murdered by Boko Haram along with all those who could not flee. In the mountains there was no shelter and no food. They stayed there for 6 months. His daughter died of malnutrition. On return to their village all livestock had been slaughtered and all homes destroyed in a typical land clearance operation that is also being routinely used in other terrorist strong holds of mineral rich lands such as North Kivu and Ituri Provinces of eastern DRC.
According to that street vendor foreigners come in and buy land from chiefs. They pay little money for the land and then seal it off behind big fences while they dig for gold. They make billions from the gold which does not circulate through the Nigerian economy to benefit the nation.
Instead, it disappears through illicit channels mostly to Dubai. The Illicit economy thrives, as it does in Eastern DRC, in a destabilized environment driven and incentivised by lawlessness. The beneficiaries are the global mineral supply chains which is predominated by Anglo-American ( City of London and Wall Street) multinational corporations which operate, most profitably, in a deregulated, ungoverned environment.
Powerful and influential elements, ( the author stresses the word elements) of the Nigerian federal and State government, police and armed forces are, apparently, engaged in the illicit gold trade.
Patterns across a continent: Maintaining chaos, prolonging conflicts
“You do not have a problem in Nigeria with Islamic extremists. You have a problem with criminality” –Maj Gen. Eeben Barlow
Boko Haram is the offspring of a conglomerate, a mineral mafia with the same corporate networks that operate the terrorism in eastern DRC. They enforce regional lawlessness, controlled by criminality, thus ensuring the region remains out of State control.
The same terrorism and land clearance for mineral theft is evident in the gold rich regions of Ituri, DRC which is terrorized by foreign backed militias. The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) are comprised mostly of recycled foreign African Islamist mercenaries from Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and South Africa. They are a proxy destabilization terrorist group masquerading as Islamic fundamentalists. They operate primarily in Ituri and North Kivu along with M23 who have a phony ideology of defending the rights of Banyamulenge from the Congolese State ( see `New Years Message to the Rwandan Youth, the Banyarwandan Doctrine` on africanagenda). Their persecution complex is somewhat strange considering the number of Banyamulenge heads of State such as Azarias Ruberwa and Joseph Kabila. In addition, the Congolese parliament legislated back in the early 2000s for representation of minority rights which the State abides by. (See series `Sun City`)
For the Nigerian State and its armed forces (the author stresses that the corrupted element of the armed forces is an element only and not reflective of the Nigerian military) fighting Boko Haram is a drain on the State and it is a key source of civil discontent with government.
Defeating Boko Haram and restoring peace and stability in the north will be the only relevant platform for the next general election.
The irony of ending the insurgency is that Nigeria will lose its United Nations Counter Terrorism budget. One can only laugh at such irony and the financial benefits of domestic insurgency as a source of revenue.
As the 2027 election nears, it is becoming apparent that Nigeria is facing huge political challenges as Boko Haram is stronger than ever. Recently the Nigerian armed forces sustained severe losses with over 200 soldiers killed and multiple civilian casualties. The government of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu continues to cover up both reality and statistics. Meanwhile, in the south, Biafrans fight for secession from the State. They do have a legitimate argument for secession as the oil in the region enriches none of them.
The Big Mike Show for Nigeria
On 14 April 2014 Boko Haram, kidnapped 276 girls from a school in Chibok, Nigeria. The kidnapping of these young girls hit the headlines worldwide once the American First Lady Michelle Obama turned it into a hashtag campaign.
image: Michelle Obama, American First Lady holds #placard. Michelle Obama, now apparently exposed as transgender ` Big Mike`, and `wife` of one of America`s most subversive presidential shadow government agents who like his British counterpart, Tony Blair , hijacked the political left, radicalized it and labelled conservative political thought as far right in the pursuit of the globalists neo-liberal world order.
This was a publicity stunt which was nothing to do with 276 young school girls being turned into virgin sex slaves for Jihadists. The kidnapping was pre-organized. Security at the school was removed the night of the kidnapping. Nigerians claim the kidnapping was organised by the CIA.
The publicity stunt run from Washington resulted in the World Bank announcing investment of $2.5b (£1.76b) in girls’ education projects around the world. British Prime Minister at the time David Cameron created a US-UK partnership that promised $200m to girls’ leadership training. Michelle Obama started the initiative` Let Girls Learn`, that promoted education for girls.
Could someone now explain why after the input of several billion dollars, albeit worldwide, primary and secondary schooling in Nigeria is still not free?
This `girl’s education` publicity campaign was a sly and secret way of channelling untraceable money (donations) indirectly to Boko Haram.
If that sounds like a conspiracy theory then consider how many people in 2014 believed American socialite Joan Rivers when she said President Obama was married to a man? Unfortunately for Ms Rivers she died soon after her announcement.
Illicit Finance and the NGO Industry
Crisis capitalism is a form of money laundering. Most of the disaster or crisis appeals run from high level such as the United Nations and their affiliated non-government organizations and involve complex and untraceable finance which never mitigate the problem. Large sums of money disappear into the morass of what is termed `the Misery Industry`. The Misery Industry is a self-sustaining business model which requires the perpetuation of poverty and suffering.
In February 2025, US Congressman, Scott Perry, accused USAID of funding Boko Haram and other terrorist groups.
Quoted from this Nigerian news outlet
“According to Mr Perry, the USAID’s annual budget of $697 million including cash shipments to madrasas (Islamic schools), has inadvertently funded terrorist training camps and extremist groups.”
“Your money, $697 million annually, plus shipments of cash, funds ISIS, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS, Khorasan, and terrorist training camps,” he said in a minute video now circulating across social media. “That’s what it’s funding,”
Mr Perry also faulted the USAID’s $136 million expenditure on building 120 schools in Pakistan. He alleged that the schools were never constructed.
He also questioned the USAID’s education-related programmes in Pakistan, which reportedly cost $840 million over the past two decades.
Mr Perry pointed to an additional $20 million spent on creating educational television programmes for children who, he claimed, cannot attend physical schools because they “don’t exist.”
The congressman also questioned the $60 million Women’s Scholarship Endowment and $5 million Young Women Lead programmes by the USAID in Afghanistan.
Citing the fact that the Taliban government in Afghanistan do not allow women to speak in public, Mr Perry said the $60 million programme is a mirage unlikely to benefit Afghan women.
“You are funding terrorism, and it’s coming through USAID,” he said.”
Prior to the kidnapping of the Chibok girls, Western public understood and had heard little about Boko Haram. The hashtag campaign propelled them overnight to recognition as a serious cause of instability in Nigeria. Suddenly Boko Haram became headline news across the world in a marketing stunt run on their behalf by the Obama administration.
Regime Change
The Obama hashtag stunt severely damaged the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan who was set to take a second term in the 2015 General elections. However, as it transpired, money not only flowed into a specious education program, so too did it flow into the electoral campaign of Muhammadu Buhari. President Jonathan was made to look incompetent and to appear indifferent to the kidnapping of schoolgirls which played in to the claims made against government of being biased towards the predominantly Christian South.
Former and late President Buhari`s election campaign manager was none other than David Axelrod who was the campaign manager to Barack Obama and his Senior Advisor once in office.
While the hashtag stunt played out on the internet, real and feasible plans were being put in place to do what was necessary, to rescue the 276 girls from captivity. It was later revealed that US and UK intelligence knew where the kidnapped girls were but refused to relay information to the Nigerian authorities.
A private security company in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, subcontracted the South African based STTEP International, (Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection) a security company whose reputation for success was based on its Chairman, Maj Gen. Eeben Barlow.
image: Maj Gen. Eeben Barlow founder of Executive Outcomes
Barlow, a Zambian born South African national was the founder of the private military company, Executive Outcomes, which became the ultimate nightmare to the Anglo American network that feeds off the perpetuation of war and instability. Barlow and the men under his command accumulated an unequalled track record of success ending two of Africa`s most brutal insurgencies in Sierra Leone and Angola. Executive Outcomes did the unspeakable; it threatened the existence of the United Nations Peace Keeping Department.
Image: In a recently published book `The War for Africa` the author, Eeben Barlow, details a number of highly significant occurrences that he personally experienced which indicate a deliberate obstruction to the resolution of insecurity on the continent of Africa since the start of the Angolan civil war in the mid 1970s. His experience over the span of his career is the story of Africa`s fight for sovereignty.
STTEP began operations in Nigeria to undertake the hostage rescue. A similar situation had been resolved for the Indonesian government in 1996 where Barlow and his team, in support of the Indonesian Special Forces, had conducted a successful mission which the British government then laid claim to. The media dutifully reported that the SAS had rescued the hostages. The Indonesian government knew differently!
STTEP trained and then selected from the Nigerian armed forces a special task force to go to Borno State, largely under Boko Haram occupation and rescue the girls. Whilst in the process of training, the news was relayed to them that the Nigerian Army’s 7 Infantry Division in Maiduguri was under immense pressure from Boko Haram.
image: Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
At that point the Nigerian government changed STTEP`s mandate and requested they go to assist the embattled division at Maiduguri. From undertaking a hostage rescue, Barlow and his men, now had to prepare for a much more formidable task of confronting Boko Haram which by this point controlled very large tracts of Borno State. The creation of what became known as the 72 Mobile Strike Force (72MSF) was the result of a rigorous selection and training process run by Barlow and his men on the Nigerian armed forces. They had the Strike Force combat ready after a gruellingly intense 2 month training.
To this very day Nigerians hero worship the 72 Mobile Strike Force lead by Barlow. The disinformation and outright lies and political shenanigans that have masqueraded as fact of this period in Nigerian history, have not clouded the memories of Nigerians who recall the time Boko Haram was defeated and would have been obliterated if not for Western interference and sell-outs in their own government.
The South African media, always on the ready to discredit Barlow as a white racist mercenary conducting secret wars in Africa, picked up on the STTEP operation underway in Nigeria. It was actually leaked by the security company that had sub-contracted STTEP, the CEO of which was trying to claim heroic credit for himself. The South African media wrote about the operation and seriously endangered the mission with the breach of intelligence. In effect, they warned Boko Haram of what was to come.
This resulted in what was an utterly blatant display of either sheer stupidity or nefarious connections and collusion within the ranks of the ANC government of South Africa with terrorist militia groups operating across Africa. Considering the later revelations in a court hearing, one can assume the latter. South Africa`s Defence Minister at the time, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, made a statement on 15 January 2015 in front of the African Union General Assembly in Addis Ababa. She declared that the members of STTEP would be arrested on return to South Africa.
image: South Africa`s Defence Minister at the time, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula
As reported in this South African media outlet:
“ The police have a responsibility to ensure that, when they come back, those people are arrested and the National Prosecutions Authority has a responsibility to charge them. There are consequences for going out of the country to provide any form of military assistance as a mercenary, not as part of the deployment by government.”
Mapisa-Nqakula has since been charged with 12 counts of corruption and one of money laundering, dating back to her term as Minister of Defence – when she is alleged to have taken kickbacks.
It is beyond shocking that the South African government under the presidency of Jacob Zuma decried the rescuing of school girls and the destruction of an extremely violent terrorist group. In the name of a racist slur against a group of former South African Defence Force soldiers that included black and white soldiers who had fought for pre-1994 South African Defence Force as well as members of the armed wing of the opposing ANC`s Umkhonto weSizwe.
The South African government nevertheless tried to shield and support Boko Haram. The fact that the deployment against Boko Haram was commissioned by the sitting (and legitimate) Nigerian government and that the Strike force was derived from the Nigerian Army was neither in the interest of the South African public nor the international community.
Barlow`s comment at the time was:
“It is ironic that when the West uses companies such as ours, they are PMCs. When African governments use an African company with a record of success in ending conflicts and wars, we are labelled ‘mercenaries’.”
He wrote later of the South African Defence Minister`s actions in the second of his astonishingly detailed books which act as an historical testament to foreign interference on the African continent, `War for Africa: Conflict, Crime, Corruption and Foreign Interests:
“The Nigerians were astonished at her comments. As I knew Boko Haram had an `office` in Johannesburg, I wasn`t overly surprised at her comment.
“ It looks like your government dislikes us intensely,” General Adeosun said. “ Maybe your minister would prefer to see an Islamic caliphate in Nigeria. Just wait and see her change her tune when South Africa develops a similar problem.” I knew there were already several Islamist cells and supporters in South Africa, and I suspected the country –or its neighbours- would not have too long to wait for its own Islamist problem. I wondered what the honourable minister would do when the militant threat arrived at South Africa`s doorstep. Who would she call on for help? Perhaps she didn`t consider the foreign powers` view on Africa: `Let`s watch the chaos, exploit it, and then capitalise on it.` “ (page 358)
By the end of May 2015, elections had been held. Thanks to the 72 Mobile Strike Force under Major General Barlow previously held Boko Haram Borno state was sufficiently peaceful and stable to hold election. President Goodluck Jonathan lost in what has been described as a highly rigged election, to the candidate appointed by America, Muhammadu Buhari.
Once in office Buhari terminated the contract with STTEP and sent orders that all South African personnel return to South Africa. Buhari had apparently received his orders from Washington.
72 Mobile Strike Force had freed an area the size of Belgium from terrorism. They had destroyed many of the Boko Haram key bases and had achieved what they had been told was unachievable using tactically superior techniques designed by Barlow to suit war in Africa. This was achieved in just one month of intense combat.
“From white men in helicopters who speak Hollywood”
The success of the operation was hampered by innumerable and many inexplicable hindrances driven no doubt from AFRICOM intelligence. Equipment, attack helicopters, night vision, radio communication were among the scarce or unobtainable. During Phase 1 on the road to Dikwa having secured the town of Mafa, orders from the Nigerian army were received ordering the 72 MSF to halt their advance and return instead to Maiduguri. Apparently AFRICOM trained Chadian and Cameroonian troops were operating in the region and had yet to be warned of the 72 MSF`s advance. That would appear to have been a ruse to slow the campaign. The Strike Force would encounter many such obstacles.
Higher up the intelligence chain, there seemed to be those hell- bent on hindering success. However the local population displayed the opposite. Photos (in `War for Africa`) show thousands of Nigerians lining the road from Mafa, overjoyed and shouting their support and thanks to those liberating them from the hated Boko Haram. The local population went from demoralized to ecstatic. The presence of the 72 MSF gave them new faith in their own Nigerian Army as it could now display what it was really capable of, given the right directives and training.
Once back in Maiduguri the 72 MSF was ordered to await further instructions in what was clearly another pre-planned delay of what should have been a rapid reaction mission.
The STTEP air command flew inadequately armoured Gazelle helicopters, unable to acquire anything else. Despite this they flew numerous times under heavy artillery bombardment and succeeded in destroying some of Boko Haram`s biggest bases. Interference in the campaign`s success culminated in an ambush that was laid for them. Members of the MSF and STTEP command were killed in the ambush. They were killed at night by the main Nigerian contingent.
“ Early the following morning, the STTEP commanders questioned the main force command on why they had ambushed the strike force. He claimed the main force was unaware the strike force was en route to link up with them. This was incorrect as they had been informed by the commander holding Mafa of the strike force`s movement. The division commander had also notified them of the link-up. Despite this knowledge, they had, nevertheless, laid an ambush. His excuse was they thought they were about to be attacked by a mobile Boko Haram force. Asked what the procedures were to determine if a force was friendly or hostile, the commander said he didn`t know, as he had not been taught how to identify friend from foe.
The men didn`t believe him. It was obvious to them that the main force had laid a well-prepared ambush for the strike force. They also suspected there were Boko Haram sympathisers in the ranks of the main force, and that the ambush could have been motivated by these sympathisers. There were other thoughts as well. “ Maybe some foreign government suggested they should wipe out the strike force, “ Harry later cynically suggested.”( Page 374)
The strike force captured a Boko Haram logistics officer en route to the town of Bama. He was questioned as to where Boko Haram got their equipment and money from.
His reply was :”From white men in helicopters who speak Hollywood.”
Boko Haram were better equipped than the Strike Force : “ En route , and after numerous contacts, they captured several more Boko Haram technicals, along with a lot of ammunition, medical supplies, and weapons. An inventory was hastily made on the road of the captured equipment. They noticed that Boko Haram was particularly well stocked with medical supplies, had no shortage of ammunition, and were driving fairy new technicals.”( Page 378)
72 MSF had pushed Boko Haram back into the Sambisa Forest area by the end of March. They had begun operations at the start of the same month.
image: Sambisa Forest: photo VOA
“By the end of march 2015, we were told the contract was in the balance due to the upcoming national elections to be contested between the President Goodluck Jonathan`s ruling People`s Democratic Party, and former military ruler Major General Muhammadu Buhari`s All Progressives Congress. Senior officers warned we would not be welcomed back to Nigeria if Major General Buhari won the elections. They said he was `very close` to the US, and that President Obama`s campaign manager was apparently planning, coordinating, and running the Buhari presidential campaign. According to them, the US had also given a very large cash injection into the campaign to oust President Goodluck Jonathan.”( Page 381)
With their 3 month contact coming to a close and the intervening election period, 72 MSF, was placed on hold. The South African command returned home. There they were met with a barrage of negative media that called them white mercenaries operating illegally in Nigeria. Press reports from certain journalists went so far as to gloat over the death of one of the white command personnel who was killed in the `friendly fire` ambush. No mention was ever made of the black South African STTEP personnel who was killed alongside his comrade or of the other members of 72 MSF killed in the same incident.
It was as if in liberating an area the size of Belgium from Boko Haram terrorists they themselves were the criminals.
As quoted in `War for Africa` from an article at the time by Daniel Greenfield:
“The fact that the Nigerian government felt it necessary to bring them (STTEP) in raises questions about the level of help that it was receiving from the British and US militaries, who offered mentoring packages in the wake of Boko Haram`s kidnapping last year of more than 200 schoolgirls from the north-eastern town of Chibok. We already know the answer. Obama cut off military aid, including Israeli aid, to pressure the election of a new Muslim regime, which he succeeded in doing. The strategy his people were pushing was the same worthless appeasement garbage we`ve been saddled with in Afghanistan at the cost of thousands of lives and a lost war, with a focus on not offending the terrorists.” (Page 386)
Boko Haram regrouped, resurged and is all the stronger since 2015. It continues to terrorise, kidnap, maim, rape and murder from its stronghold in Borno State. In fact it is larger than ever.
Weaponized Human Rights and Trade blackmail
The following is from Eeben Barlow`s military and security blog. The quote is an excerpt from an article `Carving-up the Continent`, 14 June, 2014.
“As a general guideline, the development of tensions along with destabilisation and revolution follows a predictable pattern in resource-rich countries:
“ The escalating violence between contrasting ethnic, religious and/or tribal groups will result in international calls for the situation to be contained. The government will be faced with a growing insurgency supported by acts of terrorism. Calls will be made by foreign governments, international bankers, the United Nations and advocacy groups and NGOs for sanctions, humanitarian aid and assistance and even for armed foreign intervention to establish “democracy” and “stability”. Limited air attacks will be aimed at damaging the economy and destroying the infrastructure. Covert support by the sponsors, including arms, finances and moral support will be channelled to one or more of the clashing factions to ensure a continuation and an escalation of hostilities. Agitators, insurgent leaders and warlords will be the prime beneficiaries of this covert assistance and support. International think-tanks and crisis-resolution groups will be established to mediate the “problem” and envoys will be despatched to negotiate settlements and assist with the establishment of “democracy” and “security” or the “removal of a dictatorship”. Every attempt to bring the problem under the international spotlight will be propagated and exploited. However, the powers that created the destabilisation will be planning on how best to divide the country and gain strategic and economic advantages from such a division”
Image: Boko Haram- ISWAP terrorists
AFRICOM intelligence prior to 2015 on Boko Haram was denied the Nigerian security officials. Reasons given were corruption within the Nigerian intelligence and potential leaking to Boko Haram. In December 2014, former President Goodluck Jonathan sacked the US military training contingent. The Nigerian government had requested to buy American attack helicopters. The request was denied citing inadequate skills to maintain them and concerns over human rights abuses should the attack helicopters be used in civilian areas. The thinking was better that civilians be raped and murdered by Boko Haram.
A Nigerian newspaper reported at the time:
“Nigerian officials did not provide reasons for the decision Monday, but the United States government said it regretted the move.“ At the request of the Nigerian government, the United States will discontinue its training of a Nigerian Army battalion,” the U.S. government, through its embassy in Abuja, said in a statement.
Relations between the two countries have been at a record low with Nigeria accusing the United States of not providing sufficient support for its fight against Boko Haram. After months of informal allegations, the Nigerian Ambassador to the U.S. Ade Adefuye, had in November openly accused the United States of refusing to sell arms and equipment to Nigeria to help defeat Boko Haram.”
The U.S. said its laws disallow sales of arms to countries with such human rights record.
The two countries are not also relating well economically after the U.S. fully suspended buying Nigerian crude oil in July, a decision that helped plunge Nigeria into one of its most severe financial crises as oil price falls to a seven-year low.”
Is the Nigerian military being trained to fail: Giving Free Reign to Terrorism
“Furthermore, Boko Haram has close ties to two Al-Qaeda affiliated organizations namely Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG). Both of these organisations were covertly supported by Western intelligence organisations and NATO forces during the war to effect regime-change in Libya. More recently, Boko Haram has reached out to the Islamist group in Central African Republic known as Seleka ,Al-Shabaab in Somalia , and the Islamist Allied Defence Force in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Whereas the initial intention of the US and its allies in supporting Boko Haram may have been to destabelise Nigeria, trigger sectarian divisions and violence, and then rush in to ‘save’ Nigeria under the banner of military assistance and humanitarian aid, reality has dictated otherwise. Boko Haram has continued to spread its tentacles of terror and has engulfed an entire region in conflict, and killed, maimed, kidnapped and displaced thousands of people. It has additionally, worked at spreading its influence and expanding its arc of instability across an entire region.”
Source: THE RISE AND FALL—AND RISE AGAIN OF BOKO HARAM By Eeben Barlow
Boko Haram Resurgent in Northeastern Nigeria
Since 2015 Boko Haram has burgeoned adding fuel to the larger ISIL network operational across West Africa. In 2025 it has overrun the Nigerian armed forces in numerous offensives proving itself more adaptive and capable.
Whether it operates under the name Boko Haram or ISWAP is irrelevant. It continues to kill and maim civilians in Al Shebaab style suicide bombings. According to the security related counter terrorism website, Critical Threats:
“Boko Haram has strengthened its territorial control, finances, and manpower over the past year.
Boko Haram may be trying to inspire surrendered or defected Boko Haram fighters to remobilize. Between 2021 and 2023, several thousand Boko Haram members surrendered to authorities in Nigeria and Cameroon. Most defectors left because the group was weaker following Shekau’s death. With Boko Haram regaining strength, some of them may be tempted to go back. Some defectors say they were better off under Boko Haram than in government-controlled areas. The highly visible attack is a show of strength and appeal to these disgruntled ex–Boko Haram fighters, which would help both the Mandara Mountains and Lake Chad factions.”
The sinister deduction is that AFRICOM, working alongside its UN mandates, is more than simply ineffectual. By employing non-African military strategy it is carving itself a permanent niche in West Africa to counter a war of attrition of its own making. The implications are not unsubstantiated and the reason the Alliance of Sahelian States, Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali, have expelled all French forces and United Nations missions.
The UN is now seeking a permanent position in Abuja in order to conduct ‘counterterrorism’.
The head of AFRICOM, Gen. Michael Langley, visited Nigeria in January 2024.
https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/35387/us-africa-command-head-advances-us-nigeria-cooperation
“The leaders discussed opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two nations, efforts to counter violent extremism in the region, and Nigeria’s leadership when addressing regional security. Langley reaffirmed the United States’ long-standing cooperation with Nigeria, which has the largest population, economy, and democracy in Africa.”
It is of great interest that Gen. Langley also met with
“… Nigerian alumni of the embassy’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) and other programs, where he shared his perspective on leadership and learned about the alumni’s achievements.”
Young African Leaders Initiative, YALI, is a highly subversive program that trains and then selects suitable candidates for policy implementation.
If African countries are allowing their future leaders to be trained and selected by someone else, they are clearly misguided.
( see articles `Leading the Lambs to Slaughter,British Lawn Jockey Obama Seeks a White Horse` by Ramasimong Phillip Tsokolibane, 21 July 2018 And `The African Union – is something new emerging by PD Lawton ?`12 Feb, 2017on africanagenda.net. )
YALI is Obama`s own creation. He announced it in front of an entranced audience in South Africa in 2013, deluded by the colour of his skin and the alleged birthplace of his mother, South Africans cheered.
see : Remarks by President Obama at Young African Leaders Initiative Town Hall
Catch 22
Without peace, industrial development cannot happen. When it is shown over and over again that insurgencies, war can be stopped by those men with the insight necessary into how warfare should be conducted on the continent with its unique cultures, terrain, and challenges, and when such men are backed politically and backed by the media, only then will transformation come about.
The veteran of African wars, Gen. Barlow issued a stark warning in an article titled :
AFRICA MUST STOP DEMILITARISING ITS MILITARIES
“Anyone who dares criticise the farce of ‘peacekeeping’ is shouted down and viewed as a warmonger. It is, after all, not politically correct to criticise a failed approach that gives violent and murderous threat forces—viewed by many in the West as ‘moderate terrorists’, ‘pro-democracy fighters’ and ‘freedom fighters’—the advantage. Also, ‘human rights’ have overridden common sense as national armies are expected to show tolerance and understanding to the very people trying to kill them, murder and terrorise the populace, destroy infrastructure, and collapse the government.
The ‘peacekeeping’ mantra has become a dangerous cancer that is eating away at the combat effectiveness of African armies—and it is subsequently endangering the populace, destroying societies, and eroding the stability of states.
For Africa to survive in an ever-increasing turbulent environment, be independent, and ensure the safety and security for its people, the concept of ‘peacekeeping’ needs to be given a very serious rethink. “
“Having sat through numerous debates and discussions on ‘peacekeeping’, I have always been surprised and disappointed that this costly and failed approach to security and stability is, for some very (not so) strange reason, still being advocated and encouraged. The truth is that without sustainable peace, Africa will never see real development and prosperity. Economic development and stability is ensured by good governance, law and order, and the application of sound policies. But if the policies and approaches are wrong, no amount of strategy and tactics can provide peace and stability.
Ending a conflict or war can only be assured when the state has the political will and the military might—and will—to engage the enemy. This must result in the enemy or threat being decisively beaten, and begging and pleading for mercy to save it from complete annihilation. This requires a strong and capable deterrent force with strong military policies in place. If a government cannot negotiate from a position of total strength, it is merely giving the adversary time to rebuild and rearm its forces and continue the conflict. Besides, the terms of negotiation must be dictated by the government and not by the enemy or threat. Indeed, it must be an unconditional surrender or nothing at all.”
image: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.The US State Department blamed the Nigerian government for the existence of Boko Haram. Barbaric terrorism is a result of bad governance and lack of respect for human rights according to Ms. Thomas-Greenfield
By 2016, US training of the Nigerian defense force had been re-implemented.
“In apparent reference to Amnesty International’s recent report on alleged war crimes committed by Nigerian soldiers, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield cautioned that the fight against Boko Haram goes beyond the battlefield.
“Equipment and training are only useful when employed by professional forces that respect human rights and earn the respect of the population, our bilateral security discussions will continue to be paired with discussions regarding human rights”, she said, adding that “Nigeria and Lake Chad Basin countries must address the drivers of extremism that gave rise to Boko Haram, these drivers include weak, ineffective governance, corruption, lack of education, and lack of economic opportunities and jobs for the burgeoning young population”. Source:
US resumes training of Nigerian troops for anti-terror war | Premium Times Nigeria
And the dictates of America, continue to this day surreptitiously supporting radical Islam.
The UN Security Council issued a statement in 11 June 2015 in which it outlined the need for action to combat insurgencies operating in Central Africa, namely the Lords Resistance Army (LRA ) and Boko Haram.
https://unoca.unmissions.org/sites/default/files/s_prst_2015_12_0.pdf
“The Security Council expresses its concern at the grave security situation in parts of Central Africa within the remit of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), in particular the ongoing crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR) and its regional impact, the continuing threat of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and the continued terrorist activities perpetrated by Boko Haram in countries in the subregion. The Council also expresses its continuing concern regarding maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, the illegal wildlife trade and transnational organised crime. The Council welcomes the local, parliamentary and presidential elections held in the subregion and stressed the need for upcoming elections in the region to be held in a timely, transparent and inclusive manner according to their constitutions, and encourages UNOCA to continue to support States in this regard including through the promotion of women’s political participation.…………….The Council also stressed the critical importance of effective implementation of the sanctions regime ( on CAR)”
In light of the fact that 1 month previous to the issuance of this UNSC Press Release, an area the size of Belgium had been freed from terrorism, no mention of 72 MSF and its STTEP command under Gen. Barlow was made.
Furthermore it is remarkable that the other causes of concern in Central Africa, the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), the illegal wildlife trade ( see` Prince William in Cape Town: opening a new front for AFRICOM in Central Africa?` by PD Lawton ,17 November 2024) and SELEKA insurgency in the Central African Republic all have familiar characteristics to that of Boko Haram. As detailed in Gen. Eeben Barlow`s `War for Africa` all operations that attempt to solve such conflicts and crimes when conducted through legitimate sitting governments and channels are met with nothing but scorn from the international media and policies of obstruction via the United Nations.
For a detailed account of Operation ANVIL : see interview with Maj Gen. Barlow by University of North Georgia,14 Nov 2018
Symposium on Private Military Security Companies Part 1
Catch 22 cont…
In a defense of former president Buhari, he supported two of the region and continent`s most economically transformative mega infrastructure projects.
Buhari made a good attempt to put the Transaqua Plan for the replenishment of Lake Chad back on the table.The replenishment of Lake Chad using the water of the Ubangui River Basin in the DRC would secure the livelihoods of 30-40 million people in the region. It would be the largest engineering project ever undertaken in history and would open up the continents hitherto economically landlocked interior. It could supply electricity through hydro powered turbines to all 12 riparian states. The Italian engineering firm. Bonifica, devised the plan in the 1970s and since then the Lake Chad Basin Commission has kept the idea alive. ( for further information see lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld)
Under Buhari the feasibility study was completed for the partial replenishment plan.
Western foreign policy has for decades, operated solely along Malthusian lines in accordance with Henry Kissinger`s NSSM200. This mind-set is alive and well as Eurocentric energy policy is inflicted on Africa where geography and climate require African solutions. Eurocentric policy continues to demand African states do not make use of their fossil fuels in order to industrialize. In the case of Nigeria fossil fuel is in abundance. The concerted campaign against Dangote is transparently a continuation of anti-industrialization mind-set. Dangote will now set up his fertilizer industry in Ethiopia. Chemical fertilizer is an essential for commercial farming and food security. It is derived from fossil fuel.
Ethiopia stands as the leading light in terms of economic policy for the continent with its energy first policy.
Buhari also supported the AIHSRN , the African Integrated High Speed Railway Network. He wanted Nigeria to extend its domestic section of the north-south line up to Maradi in order to link to Niger . The AIHSRN is not a dream. It is being built and Tanzania will be the first country to fully complete its section of this continental modern railway network. ( see africanagenda for further information) Abuja hosted an important conference recently on the subject.
Image: the African Integrated High Speed Railway Network ,AIHSRN
Nigeria`s own Modernized Master Railway is designed by Rowland Ataguba who is dedicating his career for the fulfilment of the project. Through his efforts constitutional changes are being made to facilitate smoother operation by the National Railway Corporation. (See Rowland Ataguba on Linkedin.)
image: Nigeria`s Modernized Master Railway Plan : courtesy of Rowland Ataguba
In 2020 the African Union commission Rowland Ataguba to devise a Fast Track Proposal for the 6 Pilot projects of AIHSRN. His proposal which can be read HERE ( see africanagenda: Fast Track Proposal and lawrencefreemanafricaandtheworld) and viewed HERE is a profoundly simple and therefore highly workable operation. It has barely seen the light of day within the myopic political sphere The qualitative changes it will bring outweigh the quantitative.