David,

This is a trap 99% of Western analysts fall into, "economic inequality" did not cause Boko Haram, religious fundamentalism did.

Anywhere from 30 - 40% of the population of Borno State (the epicenter of Boko Haram) is Christian, there has been no equivalent group from that population.

Poverty, alienation & economic disparity are a constant in human history - they probably led to the French Revolution. Having said that, very few scholars focus on poverty and alienation when discussing the French Revolution.

What matters is the narrative the poor accept - that is what drove the French Revolution, what is driving Boko Haram and what prevents the Christian community from adopting a similar stance.