Compiled by Anthonia Onwuka
Boko Haram has, no doubt, demonstrated its capacity to inflict pain on the people of some northern states.The innocent citizens of Maiduguri, Borno State, have been the worst hit. Here are a few of the group’s recent exploits in the destruction of lives and property, as well as a long list of earlier incidents.

But the daring moves by the sect reached a high point when it conducted a bombing raid on Police Headquarters (in June) and the United Nations House (last month), in Abuja.Below are some of the dastardly acts of Boko Haram.

President Jonathan...Battling Boko Haram

*On May 30, this year, suspected members of the sect shot dead Abba Anas Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, the younger brother of Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi.

*In March, a renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ibrahim Gomari, among other religious scholars, was also shot by the sect members in front of his mosque in Gomari Airport ward.

*On Sunday, July 3, 2011, Islamic sect, Boko Haram, killed five persons including Malam Mustafa Baale, a prominent leader of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and injuring 10 others at a bar close to a police barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State capital. The group had on Saturday shot and killed seven persons in Umarai area of the state capital.

*Monday, July 4, 2011, Boko Haram scare grounded Abuja to a halt as military security check-points were mounted, following fears of possible attack on the residents by members of the sect. This caused serious traffic congestion, forcing commuters to trek long distance while some returned home.

On Tuesday, July 5, 2011, in another fresh assault, the group caused the killing of seven persons in separate attacks in Maiuguri, Borno State. Those killed included two policemen, a soldier, an assistant superintendent of customs (ASC11) and three civilians.

*Wednesday, July 6, 2011, the group set off a bomb on one of the patrol teams of the Joint Military Task Force on Operation Restore Order, JTORO, in the new prison area in Maiduguri in the process killing seven soldiers.

*In the last couple of weeks, dozens have lost their lives in the hands of members of the sect but the following were earlier cases of killings and destruction:

*In January 2010, the group struck again in Borno State, killing four people in Maiduguri metropolis.

*In September of that year, Boko Haram Islamists freed over 700 inmates from a prison in Bauchi State and torched the prison.

*December 2010, the Boko Haram extremists introduced the use of bombs in Maiduguri, as they were blamed for a market bombing.

*An ANPP chieftain was killed barely four hours after some unknown assassins shot and wounded one sergeant Isa Omale and a corporal of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps both attached to the Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Mr. Goni Ali Modu.

Terrorist in Nigeria: Rubble of UN House that was bombed in Abuja

*On January 28, 2011, a gubernatorial candidate of the All Nigeria People’s Party ANPP, Alhaji Modu Fannami Gubio, was assassinated along with Alhaji Goni Sheriff and four police officers. Gubio was executed at his family residence in Maiduguri metropolis, after performing Friday Juma’at prayer.

*There was a December 31, 2010, bomb blast in Abuja where many died, finger was later pointed in the direction of Boko Haram.

*On April 9, a polling centre in Maiduguri was bombed and on April 15, the Maiduguri office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was also bombed, and several people shot in separate incidents that same day.

*On April 20, Boko Haram killed a Muslim cleric and ambushed several police officers in Maiduguri

*On April 22, the group freed 14 prisoners during a jailbreak in Yola, Adamawa State.

*On October 6, 2010. A former state chairman of ANPP, Borno State chapter who was until his death, the National vice-chairman North-East of the party, Alhaji Awagana Ali Ngala, was shot dead by unknown gunmen at his residence in Maiduguri.

Shortly after his funeral, the remains of a brother of Governor Ali Sheriff, Alhaji Goni Sheriff Ngala, former Chairman of Ngala Local Government, who was also killed at the same place alongside other six persons by the assailants were also committed to mother earth that fateful Saturday. Also killed were senior police officers, prison warders including the army who were executed during exchange of gun battle with the sect members, while some officers of some of the security agencies were victims of several bomb blasts that rocked the state almost on weekly basis.

*An attack took place on Tuesday, June 7, when 10 people including members of the Islamic sect were killed in twin bomb blasts that occurred in Maiduguri.

*At a location within Maiduguri, some gunmen suspected to be of Boko Haram, laid siege to Gwange Police Station with another explosion. Police sources said the men had exhibited some measure of courage at the station as they engaged the police in a gun battle after throwing an explosion into the station.