This Sunday, the Boko Haram attacked Maiduguri in what has been the

city's second assault in a week but were stopped by paramilitary

locals. The Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist faction in western Africa,
failed at capturing Bornos capital when citizens put up a fight and
thwarted the terrorist group. Rushing into the capital in large numbers,
Boko Haram was resisted by armed citizens and the Nigerian military.
The armed citizens of northeastern Nigeria, who have been fighting in
collaboration with the Nigerian military, are more typically referred to
as vigilantes.
The vigilantes have been countering the assaults made by the Islamic
extremist group. Made up of ordinary people, such as hunters, the
vigilantes of Nigeria are often equipped with weapons that starkly
contrast Boko Haram's weapons inventory. Reports have revealed that
the vigilantes are battling Boko Haram with everything from cobradipped shanks fashioned from buffalo horns to muskets. Although the
vigilantes are outmatched in terms of their weaponry they have proven
themselves to be an asset to Nigerias military forces who have
endured repeated assaults from Boko Haram.
A 2009 revealed that Boko Harams death count was approximately
3,600, according to an <em>Al Jazeera</em> article. However, this
estimate has since been severely increased, especially as recent
events have unfolded. This past January the Borno city of Baga
suffered a deadly encounter with Boko Haram. Casualty estimates of
the Baga attack were initially in the thousands but were later reduced
to 150. Nevertheless, Boko Haram has been steadily seizing and
occupying villages and cities in northeastern Nigeria.
Boko Haram has not limited their insurgency to Nigeria. The insurgency
of the extremist group has spilled into neighboring countries like Chad
and Cameroon. The neighboring countries are working in collaboration
to combat the Islamic militants who, in Cameroon this past January,
kidnapped approximately 80 people, according to sources. Three of the
people who were abducted died according to a Cameroon journalist,
Saiid Abdulkarim. Additionally, 50 of them were children.
Tweets from Boko Haram have revealed that they are hosting training
camps dedicated toward indoctrinating child soldiers into their
caliphate campaign. These child soldiers are abductees, according to
military officials. Witnesses who have been attacked by Boko Haram
have reported accounts wherein child soldiers have been observed
amongst the militants presence during attacks. The estimates of how
many child soldiers there are is unclear.

Boko Haram currently occupies an area in western Africa the size of

Belgium, according to the <em>Telegraph</em>. The areas of
northeastern Nigeria, that Boko Haram occupies, is home to diverse
geography the Mandara Mountains and the Sambisa Forest most
notably. The geography has presented difficulties for Nigerias military
that are often unfamiliar with the territory. The vigilantes have thus
proven to be an asset to the Nigerian military because they represent
locals who are adapted to the topography.
On Sunday, the combined efforts of the vigilantes and the Nigeria
military drove Boko Haram militants out of Maiduguri that holds a
population of about a million. Many people in Maiduguri are refugees
who have been living in the city due to Boko Harams recent attacks in
nearby areas, accoding to sources. The capture of Maiduguri by Boko
Haram has symbolic implications for upcoming elections in Nigeria.
Boko Haram, who is responsible for suicide bombings, kidnappings and
continuous assaults, has shaken Nigerian citizens trust in their
government, who struggles to combat extremist occupation.
Sundays attack on Maiduguri was the second time in a week that the
militants of Boko Haram have tried to seize control of the city.
Attacking by the thousands, Boko Haram entered into Maiduguri
around 3 a.m., and caused considerable fear amongst the sleeping
citizens. Tweets from Maiduguri were quickly sent which alerted the
media of the attack. The attack represented the first time that Boko
Haram militants and the Nigerian military with its vigilante allies used
mortar rounds. Boko Haram also launched aerial bombs onto
Maiduguri. Eight people have been reported to be dead, according to
sources.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/09/201397155225146644.
html
http://touch.baltimoresun.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82667719/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nige
ria/11337722/Boko-Haram-is-now-a-mini-Islamic-State-with-its-ownterritory.html
http://rt.com/news/228375-boko-haram-attack-maiduguri/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/nige
ria/11337722/Boko-Haram-is-now-a-mini-Islamic-State-with-its-ownterritory.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/21/world/cameroon-boko-haramgerman-hostage/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morningmix/wp/2015/01/21/boko-haram-boasts-of-slaughter-as-it-rampages-incameroon-and-nigeria/
http://www.newsweek.com/boko-haram-release-shocking-images-childsoldier-training-camp-302000
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/11/nigeria-boko-haramuses-child-soldiers-201311291435525502.html
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-82573153/
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/01/18/africa/cameroon-chad-troops-bokoharam/
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-30291040
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/12/boko-haramsurvivors_n_6456452.html
http://www.wsj.com/articles/boko-haram-launches-new-assault-on-keynigerian-city-of-maiduguri-1422784144