The rise of Jihadist ideology in Africa

By Lewis Arisi (@LewisArisi)

Over the recent years, Kenya has witnessed terror attacks from the Islamist militants Al-Shabaab who have links to Al-Qaeda. They recently claimed responsibility of the attacks launched at the coastal town of Lamu saying that it is a revenge for the Kenyan forces being in Somalia and the killings of radical Muslim clerics at the coast, with the Mpeketoni attack being the worst that saw over 65 lives lost, economic sabotage and torching of houses.

In Nigeria, similar attacks have been carried out by Boko Haram- a terror group which is based in Northern Nigeria that abducted over 200 school girls. In Nigeria, villagers of the farming community of Daku vividly explain how they were surrounded by at least 20 gunmen who indiscriminately opened fire and torched houses using petrol bombs. The Mpeketoni attack was almost similar to that in Nigeria, they set ablaze banks, business premises, vehicles and also houses belonging to the villagers living in that community.

Both Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab are Islamist terror groups that have set a platform for the rise of Jihadism and emboldened terrorism which may hinder the economic growth that Africa has set to achieve.