11 Mar 2015
Implications of Boko Haram's alliance with Islamic State
In a recording released on twitter, Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau has pledged his loyalty to Islamic State, saying, "We announce our allegiance to the caliph... and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity." EJ Hogendoorn of the International Crisis Group regularly travels to Nigeria to report on Boko Haram - he says corruption and poverty in Nigeria have made people more sympathetic to the group's call for an Islamic state.