Title: Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group? - BBC News
Headings: Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group?
Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamist group?
Resisting British rule
Boko Haram at a glance
What is jihadism?
Recruiting ground
Facial marks
Foreign links
Chronic poverty
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AFP
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The violence has forced millions from their homes
Later, Mr Shekau formally pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group, turning his back on al-Qaeda. IS accepted the pledge, naming the territory under Boko Haram's control as the Islamic State of West Africa Province and as being part of the global caliphate it was trying to establish. Chronic poverty
But by March 2015, Boko Haram had lost all the towns under its control as a regional coalition - made up of troops from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger - was formed to fight it. Once again, Boko Haram retreated to the Sambisa forest, where the Nigerian military pursued it, freeing hundreds of captives. image copyright
Boko Haram video
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IS has declared Abu Musab al-Barnawi Boko Haram's new leader
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AFP
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Regional forces have stepped up border patrols to curb infiltration by militants
In August 2016, the group apparently split, with an IS video announcing that Mr Shekau had been replaced with Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be a son of Boko Haram's founder. Mr Shekau disputed this, insisting he was still in charge. And in a big surprise, 21 of the Chibok girls, seen as prized assets for Mr Shekau, were freed in October 2016 following talks involving the militants, the Nigerian and Swiss governments and the International Committee of the Red Cross. But with Amnesty International saying that some 2,000 children remain in captivity, many more are still to be freed. And while many fighters have been killed and weapons seized, some analysts say it is too early to write off Boko Haram. Boko Haram has outlived other militant groups in northern Nigeria, and has built a presence in neighbouring states where it has carried out attacks and has recruited fighters.