Boko Haram has again kidnapped women and children in Nigeria. We know they’re a terrorist group, but aside from grouping them under the universal term “terrorist,” do we actually know who the Boko Haram are? The answer is a little more complicated than you may think. Learn More: Boko Haram Suspected of New Kidnappings in Nigeria http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/25/world/africa/boko-haram-suspected-of-new-kidnappings-in-nigeria.html “Militants are suspected of having abducted dozens more girls and women in northeastern Nigeria, news reports said on Tuesday, reviving concerns about hundreds of schoolgirls who were kidnapped in the same region in April and have yet to be rescued.” Boko Haram ready to swap 219 girls with 70 detainees http://thenationonlineng.net/new/boko-haram-ready-swap-219-girls-70-detainees/ “Boko Haram has demanded the release of 70 of its members in detention as a condition to free the Chibok girls, it emerged yesterday.” The Rise of Boko Haram in Nigeria https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/the-rise-of-boko-haram-in-nigeria “On August 26, 2011, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a United Nations compound in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, killing at least 21 people.” What Is Boko Haram? http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/resources/SR308.pdf “Boko Haram is an Islamic sect that believes politics in northern Nigeria has been seized by a group of corrupt, false Muslims.” The Etymology of Hausa boko http://www.megatchad.net/publications/Newman-2013-Etymology-of-Hausa-boko.pdf The Hausa term boko, used in the name Boko Haram, is commonly asserted, by journalists and political commentators as well as by academic linguists, to be derived from the English word ‘book’.” ______________________________________________________________ NowThis World is dedicated to bringing you topical explainers about the world around you. Each week we’ll be exploring current stories in international news, by examining the facts, providing historical context, and outlining the key players involved. We’ll also highlight powerful countries, ideologies, influential leaders, and ongoing global conflicts that are shaping the current landscape of the international community across the globe today. More from NowThis: » Subscribe to NowThis News: http://go.nowth.is/News_Subscribe » Like NowThis World on Facebook: https://go.nowth.is/World_Facebook » Tweet @NowThisNews on Twitter: http://go.nowth.is/News_Twitter » Connect with Judah: Follow @judah_robinson on Twitter – Facebook: http://go.nowth.is/LikeJudah » Connect with Versha: Follow @versharma on Twitter – Facebook: http://go.nowth.is/LikeVersha http://www.youtube.com/nowthisworld