Confronting the Terrorism of Boko Haram in Nigeria - Resourcedat

JSOU Report 12-5for the next 10 years resulting in many attacks against Nigeria’s oil producinginfrastructure. When Abacha died unexpectedly in 1998, the countrybegan a rapid march toward civilian rule. His deputy, General AbdusalamAbubakar, provided interim leadership during which an open presidentialelection was held and won in 1999 by retired general and former presidentOlusegun Obasanjo.Under the leadership of Obasanjo,Nigeria began to emerge from thetyranny and corruption of the past,though the historical concentration ofnational power in the office of the presidencyremained unchanged. He was reelectedin 2003 with over 60 percent ofthe vote, although “irregularities” werereported among the voting in variousparts of the country. In April 2004,a plot to overthrow his governmentwas discovered and prevented. Fourmilitary officers, led by Major Hamzaal-Mustapha—the former securitychief of the late military dictator SaniFigure 3. Nigerian PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo, 10 June2005. Photo used by permissionof Newscom.26Abacha—and a civilian were chargedwith planning to assassinate PresidentObasanjo. Most of the officers wereHausa, a majority of whom had supportedthe opposition party during the2003 elections in which Obasanjo wona second term. 53 According to the charges read in court, the group had beenactively seeking to purchase a Stinger surface-to-air missile to be used inshooting down President Obasanjo’s helicopter. One member of the grouphad already prepared a draft of a speech outlining the new regime thatwould replace Obasanjo’s elected government. 54Overall, Obasanjo’s two terms in office are seen by many as a positiveturning point in the country’s history. 55 His successor, Umaru MusaYar`Adua—a Hausa from the northern part of the country who was electedin 2008—continued many of Obasanjo’s policies, and was lauded for establishingan amnesty program as an attempt to encourage militants in the