CALABAR, Nigeria—When Abu Musab al-Barnawi announced in 2016 that he had taken over the infamous Boko Haram organization in the name of the so-called Islamic State, his first message as the group’s leader was clear and concise: On his watch, it would be targeting Western charity organizations.
He claimed they “strongly seek to Christianize the society.” As such, he said, they “exploit the condition of those who are displaced under the raging war, providing them with food and shelter and then Christianizing their children.”
What al-Barnawi didn’t say then was that the Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP as he wants Boko Haram to be known, was going to target women working for these charities by abducting them, demanding ransom for their release, and executing them when the group’s demands were not met.
As a result, over the last few weeks and days we have seen a tragedy unfold that was set in motion almost eight months ago.
