Nigeria is battling an Islamist insurgency that has claimed many lives since 2011 . Boko Haram is fighting for stricter Sharia law in Nigeria 's predominately Muslim north . Opposition groups have blamed both Boko Haram and the military for atrocities against civilians . Oil - rich Nigeria is a key U.S. partner and the economic powerhouse of West Africa .
Nigeria is battling an Islamist insurgency that has claimed 3,000 lives since 2009 . Boko Haram is fighting for stricter Sharia law in Nigeria 's predominately Muslim north . Rights groups have blamed both Boko Haram and the military for atrocities against civilians . Oil-rich Nigeria is a key U.S. partner and the economic powerhouse of West Africa .