Because of the time that I spent in northern Nigeria, I also wrote an article about the extremists in 2004 for Christianity Today:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/november/23.60.html
(Note: the links become available when you click on my specific post, rather than just view it from my home page.)
I offer this as a supplement to my post a few days ago, better informed by recent events (and other information published by investigators not available to me in 2004):
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/craig-s-keener/boko-haram-is-not-new_b_5303689.html
Again, there are others who can speak to these matters with greater experience and fuller knowledge than I. But it is important for the world to know that these events have been building for a long time. Those in Nigeria working for peace and restoration (including help for the girls) need our prayers.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.