Take the fight to Boko Haram

The world’s attention has of late been focused on the threat posed by ISIS in Iraq and Syria and by Russia in Ukraine. But there is another humanitarian catastrophe unfolding, and, happily, some signs that it may soon be addressed.

We refer to Boko Haram, an Islamist group that has been rampaging through West Africa for years. Boko Haram first came to prominence in the West last year, when it abducted hundreds of school girls in Nigeria. The group boasted, openly and publicly, that the girls were now the sexual slaves of Boko Haram soldiers and anyone willing and able to purchase a girl for their own use. Due to the infrequent and generally ineffective resistance of the Nigerian military, Boko Haram has been able to carve out its own territory in northeastern Nigeria.

It hasn’t stayed there. Raids into the rest of Nigeria are too common, and often see the wholesale slaughter of male civilians and the abduction (and presumed enslavement) of the females. Attacks by lone Boko Haram terrorists, including suicide attacks by children (believed to be operating against their will), are common. Boko Haram has also been active in neighbouring countries. Niger, Chad and Cameroon have all been attacked. Indeed, on Monday, a bus almost 20 kilometres inside Cameroonian territory was seized and driven into Nigeria. The fate of the estimated 20 passengers aboard is unknown.

Such wanton violence has spread terror across the region. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes for fear of being the next victims. West Africa’s states are fragile

at the best of times, and are struggling to cope with the influx of refugees. The experience of past conflicts has shown us that many refugee camps, established during a crisis, are too close to the conflict zone and become tempting targets themselves, as well as sites of horrible privation, illness and suffering.

Yet there is a glimmer of hope. For months, the Nigerian military has essentially restricted itself to defending its own bases and outposts — and barely succeeding at that. It has shown little initiative, and what few battles there have been have gone badly for it. Neighbouring countries, however, are mobilizing their forces to take the fight to Boko Haram. Niger, Cameroon, Chad and Benin have agreed to work with Nigeria to establish an African Union combat force of almost 9,000 troops, police officers and civilian staff.

African Union military forces have, at best, a checkered history. Too often, their troops have behaved little better than the thugs and militias they’ve been sent to combat. Still, this represents the first serious and concerted regional response to Boko Haram’s growing threat — a threat that can only truly be addressed by the countries in the region.

Nigeria’s military is poorly trained and under-equipped. The country has asked for help from the West, including technical assistance and training. Canada has contributed to this effort, as has the United States. An African Union force, properly supported by the West, is an imperfect solution to the serious threat posed by Boko Haram. But it may be the first step toward ending the group’s reign of terror.