Nigeria's Boko Haram pledges allegiance to Islamic State

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Media captionJim Muir: "This makes them look more like a global franchise"


The message, which has not been verified, was posted on Boko Haram's Twitter account and is believed to be by the group's leader, Abubakar Shekau.





The group aims to establish a "caliphate", a state ruled by a single political and religious leader according to Islamic law, or Sharia. Its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is known to his followers as Caliph Ibrahim.

In the audio message posted on Saturday, the Boko Haram leader purportedly said: "We announce our allegiance to the caliph... and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity.

"We call on Muslims everywhere to pledge allegiance to the caliph."

Analysis: Jim Muir, BBC News, Beirut


The step came as no surprise, given evidence in Boko Haram's propaganda output of growing IS influence on the Nigerian movement, whose ideology and harsh practices mirror those of IS itself.

What it will add up to in practical terms, given Boko Haram's local roots and the geographical distance between them, is hard to see. But from a propaganda point of view, it's a boost for IS, whose presence on the ground in Iraq and Syria is generally stalled and on the defensive.

Boko Haram's insurgency has threatened Nigeria's territorial integrity and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

It has carried out frequent bombings that have left thousands dead in Nigeria's north-east and has also attacked targets in the capital, Abuja.


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In January, militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan announced that they were forming an IS "province".



Boko Haram at a glance


  • Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
  • Abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
  • Controls several north-eastern towns
  • Launched attacks on neighbouring states

Why is Boko Haram so strong?

IS shaping Boko Haram media