December 12, 2011:
Government efforts to destroy Boko Haram are crippled by the fact that the Islamic terror group is supported by popular anger at decades of lawlessness and corruption. While officials have made efforts to deal with the bad government and disrespect for the law it's not enough to make a dent in Boko Haram's popularity. The Islamic radicals promise a cure for corruption (Islamic law). This has been tried and failed several times in the last few decades but most Nigerians are desperate for some help here. This Boko Haram, which seeks to emulate the 1990s Taliban and take over the country, continues to grow. But unlike the Taliban Boko Haram is operating in a country where only about half the population is Moslem.
December 10, 2011: In the Niger Delta a bomb went off in a mosque. This was the first attack on a mosque in the south but there was doubt that it was retaliation for the many attacks on churches in the north. The bombed mosque had been in the midst of an internal dispute about how prayers should be conducted. Islamic conservatives demanded that all prayer be in Arabic, while the chief cleric wanted to pray in local languages and Arabic.
In the central Nigerian state of Jos three bombs went off near where people had assembled to watch sports on television. Boko Haram considers such recreational activities un-Islamic. There was one death and over a dozen wounded.
December 8, 2011: In the Niger Delta dozens of former rebels barricaded a key bridge holding up traffic for hours. The former rebels were protesting the poor treatment they have received since accepting the amnesty. Even though the government has screwed up their end of the amnesty deal they insist that the rebels keep the peace. But corruption and mismanagement have kept many rebels from getting the amnesty benefits and the government is seen as unreliable, corrupt, and a hostile force.
December 3, 2011: In northern Bauchi State Boko Haram terrorists attacked a police station, leaving a soldier, a policeman, and a civilian dead.
December 2, 2011: In the northeastern city of Maiduguri Boko Haram gunmen used a bomb and gunfire to attack a police post. There followed several hours of fighting.