The group was founded by Malam Mohammed Yusuf , a charismatic preacher who was murdered by police in 2009 in a public episode that went viral on the internet . John Campbell : ' Boko Haram engages in kidnapping of Nigerian ##s . He says the Nigeria - based group opposes democracy , science , Western education . If Nigeria , could unite in ` ` war on terrorism , '' the group is ripe to for al - Qaeda ties . Campbell : Nigeria pushes back hard at Boko Haram , but it does n't seem to be going away .
John Campbell : ' Boko Haram engages in kidnapping of Nigerian ##s . He says the Nigeria - based group opposes democracy , science , Western education . If Nigeria , could unite in ` ` war on terrorism , '' the group is ripe to for al - Qaeda ties . Campbell : Nigeria pushes back hard at Boko Haram , but it does n't seem to be going away .