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Boko Haram is started
Boko Haram is founded by Mohammed Yusuf, used a mosque called Markaz as the headquarters for the movement, after being banned from two other mosques for his radical views. -
Hundreds die in Maiduguri
Boko Haram launches a short-lived uprising in parts of the north, which is quelled by a military crackdown that leaves more than 800 dead - mostly sect members, A mosque in the capital of Borno State (Maiduguri) that served as a sect headquarters is burnt down. Mohammed Yusuf was captured by the army, and taken by police for interrogation, he died in custody. -
Freeing Prisoners
The group frees 721 prisoners, of which 105 are suspected sect. members, from a Bauchi jail in northern Nigeria. -
New leader, Same BH
BH regroups under Abubakar Shekau, and bombs Jos, which is in central Nigeria killing 86. Also blamed for a New Years Ever attack on the Abuja barracks, this makes the beginning of a killing spree, targerting the groups critics. -
Another Abuja Bombing
Police headquarters are bombed in Abuja, killing six people. United Nations headquarters in the capital are targeted just two months later, destroying the lower floor of the building. Eighteen people are killed and dozens injured. -
Christmas Day Attacks
Multiple bomb attacks on Christmas Day kill dozens, including 35 at St Theresa's church in Madalla, near the capital. A second explosion shortly afterwards hit a church in the central city of Jos. Three attacks in northern Yobe state kill four people. Two further attacks hit the town of Damaturu, and a third strikes Gadaka. -
180 dead
A series of assaults on Christian churches and businesses occurred in northeastern Nigeria on 5 and 6 January 2012, followed by attacks on police stations and government offices in the north on 20 January. Over 180 people were killed. -
100 more dead
Offices of ThisDay newspaper are bombed. Later in the month, more than 100 people die in attacks on three churches in Kaduna, a city on the border of the Muslim north and the predominantly Christian south. -
156 Arrests made, weapons seized.
156 arrests were made at a major Boko Haram base/hideout in Adamawa state. A key commander of Boko Haram, Abubakar Yola was killed in the raid. Found was 300 improvised explosive devices already primed, 25 brands of rifles, mostly new AK-47's and SMG's. Also over 2,000 daggers, swords, bows, and poiseed arrows were recovered from the hideout. -
Attack Halted
The Nigerian military averted what could have been a bloody Independence Day celebration as it stopped attacks planned by the Boko Haram terrorists in Borno. The military also said they have arrested an unspecified number of security officers who were working for the group
