A 2010 Pew poll of Nigerian Muslims showed 49% approval for Al Qaeda

[muriel_volestrangler]

Pew did polls in some significant Muslim countries in 2010. Among their findings:





http://www.pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims-around-the-world-divided-on-hamas-and-hezbollah/

So it's not entirely surprising that an extremist Islamist movement can thrive in Nigeria.

[seveneyes]

1. Bad people are educating the young to be abusive to those different than them and to women

It will continue until the teaching of bad thinking is eliminated. Many will suffer and die due to ingrained ignorance and religious intolerance.

[riderinthestorm]

2. Interesting. And sad. K&R nt

[okaawhatever]

3. Northeastern Nigeria is a vulnerable population to begin with. There is high illiteracy, very low

school participation and high unemployment. The trifecta for extremist recruiting. One of the good things about the int'l awareness is other countries putting the pressure on Nigeria to invest more money in education (currently only 1% of GDP) and in the Northeast.

Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man and the world's 24th richest person, with an estimated net worth of $24.5 billion according to Forbes, plans to fight militant Islamist group Boko Haram in northern Nigeria with a $2.3 billion investment in the rice and sugar industries. "For example we are even in the northeast … where there is Boko Haram. The only way to stop Boko Haram is to create jobs," he said to applause.

[pampango]

4. Another Pew poll in 2012 shows Muslim desire for democracy and against misogyny.

http://www.pewglobal.org/2010/12/02/muslims-around-the-world-divided-on-hamas-and-hezbollah/

Unfortunately Nigerian Muslims were not polled so it does not help much with this OP.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. There was a question about democracy in 2010

(which your link goes to, by the way). And one about geneder segregation at work:




Nigeria is in the middle of the pack on several questions, such as these. I was surprised to find it so in favour of Al Qaeda.

[Mosby]

6. Pew 2013: Muslim Publics Share Concerns about Extremist Groups

This last one is pretty depressing:




http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/09/10/muslim-publics-share-concerns-about-extremist-groups/

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Wow - thanks for finding the update

That's a big difference.

[Mosby]

8. Almost too big of a difference

I'm not saying I don't believe the 2013 numbers re al Qaeda but this big of a change over a relatively short time creates methodological questions about the surveys imo.