Terrorists Kill Five Soldiers In Northeast Nigeria-Defence HQTRS

Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters has announced the loss of five soldiers, including an officer, during an ambush by the terrorists today, Tuesday 08/04/2014.
In a Statement, the Director of Defence Headquarters, Maj. General Chris Olukolade, indicates that the incident occurred during an assault on terrorists’ enclaves in Sambisa forests and surrounding locations.

“Operational activities around Wala, Gwoza, Pulka and environs have been intensified.  Encounters resulting from air and land strikes and an ambush of troops on patrols in the area have resulted in the death of scores of terrorists and loss of 5 soldiers including an officer."
Olukolade stated that a timely distress call saved communities besieged by terrorists in search of food around the Lake Chad area.
The heavily armed terrorists, on sensing the approach of troops before they could carry out their mission, scampered for safety, General Olukolade said.

"The troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force on patrol of the area have so far recovered some arms and ammunition left behind by fleeing terrorists.  Cordon and search of the area is continuing with a view to apprehending any of the terrorists that could be lurking around.”

Source:
SR

The National Human Right Commission's Report on the Apo massacre vindicates our Press Release Titled: Apo, Abuja, (Nigeria) Indiscriminate Killing: Part 2, Scene 2?

The Nigerian National Human Right Commission's Report on the Apo indiscriminate killing of squatters in an uncompleted building in Abuja vindicates our Press Release on the issue then.

To refresh your memory, about 8 people were on Friday 20/09/2013 indiscriminately killed in an uncompleted building at Bamanga Tukur Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja, by Nigeria’s Security Operatives. The SSS justified this wanton massacre claiming those killed were Boko Haram members. We issued a Press Release then condemning the circumstances surrounding the killings. The Nigerian National Human Rights Commission released a report indicting the Department of State Security Service. Recall that this déjà vu played out 8 years after the infamous unprovoked extra-judicial killing of some Igbo traders by overzealous Policemen in what became popularly known as ‘’Apo 6 massacre’’.

While we hold no iota of brief for the activities of Boko Haram and their ilk’s, we strongly decry a penchant for Government Security Operatives to wantonly gun down supposed suspects without first ascertaining their culpability or extracting sensitive information from them.  The issue of the 60 bodies that were reportedly sighted floating on Ezu River in Amensea, Anambra State is yet to be unraveled. Who knows whose turn it will be tomorrow? We profoundly believe in the sanctity and right to life of innocent Nigerians irrespective of their ethnicity, religious and political affiliations. Life expectancy in Nigeria will continue to shrink if such blanket killings are not checked.

A penchant for extra-judicial killing of suspects and innocent people invariably creates mutual distrust, hate and dichotomy between the security agencies and the citizenry that are supposed to volunteer nuggets of sensitive information. Such a proclivity is definitely counter-productive to the fight against insecurity and terrorism. No wonder people failed to volunteer useful information aftermath of the killing of SSS and Police officers by the Ombatse.

We immensely appreciate and commend the sacrifices, unconventional and precarious nature of the onerous task that Nigeria’s Security Agencies are encumbered with in their fight against insurgents and terrorists. We respectfully implore them to stick to international best practices, be less pugnacious, very discerning and surgical, more proactive and invest more resources in intelligence gathering so as to nip insecurity and terrorism in the bud. Due diligence and utmost care must be factored in before embarking on such operations so as to forestall indiscriminately gunning down innocent people or operatives endangering their own lives in the guise of fighting terrorism. With all due respect, Nigeria’s Security Establishments must not metamorphose into terrorists in the guise of fighting terrorists.

Beyond the NHRC indictment, recommendation for monetary compensation, in the interest of justice and in line with global best practices, those responsible for this killing should also be made to face the wrath of the law.

How France Will Support Nigeria’s Anti-Terror War’

FRANCE intends to help Nigeria overcome terrorism and insurgency by amongst other measures, providing high-calibre intelligence reports leveraging on its special relationship with Nigeria’s French-speaking neighbours like Cameroon.

France sees terrorism largely as a regional problem, one that needs not just the collaboration of neighbours but also development partners.

The French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jacques Champagne de Labriolle, stated this in an interview with The Guardian at the weekend.

It is believed that the shared intelligence reports such that France is now offering, is largely responsible for the recent breakthrough by the Nigerian counter-terrorism team and the military joint task force in foiling bomb attack plans by members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect in parts of the North-East.

France has defence pact with her former colonies which surround Nigeria. Cameroun and Niger have lately been fingered by intelligence reports of harbouring some terrorist cells apart from the provision of what appears to be safe havens for insurgents who have been striking at both soft and hard targets in North-East of Nigeria.

Last month, during a visit to Nigeria, French President Francois Hollande pledged his country’s support in the war against terrorism and insurgency by extremist group Boko Haram as France’s way of defending democracy.

Hollande told delegates at a security summit in Abuja ahead of Nigeria’s unification centenary celebrations: “Your struggle is also our struggle.”

Although Labriolle fought stridently against exposing the nitty-gritty of the French support for strategic reasons, he stressed that the role intelligence reports sharing in the fight against terrorism can never be underestimated.

He said: “This is not a matter which is meant to be public. But it includes intelligence, intelligence sharing, strategic information and data. Things like these are not meant to be public as you can see; help is going on, you know in a very useful way which is also that we have good relations with the neighbouring countries and we can share views and bring assistance on what is going on.”

He added: “The regional dimension is what I believe is where we can help best. You were saying that the terrorists are coming from Cameroon. They are not coming from Cameroon, they are just coming and going very easily because the borders were not really secured. It is a matter of exchanges, legal and illegal that have gone on for decades that now have a consequence, that is very difficult to prevent people crossing the border which is the problem because security forces of one country cannot go after them in another country, this is not the state of international relations as we speak...”
On the collaborative nature the French involvement in the days ahead, he said: “Our ideal which is drawn from the lessons we learnt in the Sahel is that for a long time, terrorists have been hiding in neighbouring countries, sometimes having deep-rooted shelters and things like that, it is part of the action against terrorism to address this so we came to think that instead of just speaking of borders and trying to see that the specific line between two countries be not crossed, a deep analysis would now be put at the centre of the thinking that it’s a regional wide action that is needed, it’s a borderless region which is at stake with people from both side that may have problems that have to be addressed for terrorism to recede. I have said earlier that terrorism is also a consequence of a certain state of things in terms of economic, social and political development and this has to be addressed within the frame-work of inclusive strategies. That is something that we can help and as we have a good record working with the neighbouring countries, indeed we have been discussing with them and with Nigeria on how best is the way out of this crisis.”

Source:
Guardian Newspaper

Army, Boko Haram Working Together in Parts of Nigeria?

By Pamela Dockins, Voice of America

A Nigerian soldier says he has witnessed incidents that suggest some Nigerian military commanders are working with Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group blamed for thousands of deaths since 2009.

In an exclusive interview with VOA's Hausa service, he described how his military unit, based in the northeastern Borno State region, was ambushed by Boko Haram fighters.

The soldier, who did not want to be identified, said the commander of a nearby military unit, based in the town of Bama, recently sought assistance from his unit in carrying out a raid.

The soldier said when the two military units joined up, they were given different uniforms. The Bama unit commander gave his own troops green uniforms. The soldier said his unit received tan "desert camouflage" uniforms.

When the troops reached the battle area, the soldier said the commander of the better-equipped Bama unit suddenly withdrew his forces, leaving the remaining troops to fend for themselves against Boko Haram fighters.

Speaking in Hausa, he said, "We had only light arms and our men were being picked off one after the other."

The soldier also said he recognized some of the Boko Haram fighters as his former military trainers in Kontagora, a town near the capital, Abuja.

"We realized that some of them were actually mercenaries from the Nigerian army... hired to fight us," he said.

This soldier and others have said that too often, commanders have pocketed money that was supposed to be used to help equip units.

Government has no comment

VOA has made repeated attempts to get reaction from the Nigerian government for this story but no officials have been willing to speak on the record.

However, in a January 2012 speech, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said Boko Haram members have infiltrated his government's executive, legislative and judicial sectors, as well as the police and armed forces.

Multiple Explosions Rock Kenyan Capital, 5 Feared Dead

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Officials in Kenya say that an explosion in downtown Nairobi has killed at least five people.

The National Disaster Operation Center said on Twitter that explosions had occurred Monday evening in a neighborhood known for its large Somali population. Sometimes called Kenya's "Little Mogadishu," Eastleigh has seen several grenade attacks over the last year.

The agency said five people were killed and several injured. Officials did not immediately say what caused the blasts.

Kenya has suffered from a long string of grenade attacks presumed to be thrown by Somali militant sympathizes. Officials also recently discovered a large, undetonated car bomb in the coastal city of Mombasa.

Associated Press

Suspected Boko Haram Weapons Suppliers Captured by Cameroonian Authorities

Cameroon said on Thursday it had arrested three suspected arms dealers believed to be linked to Nigeria’s militant Islamist group Boko Haram.

Also some other suspected terrorists were also arrested while attempting to escape into Cameroon through Taraba and Gumti, Adamawa State by the Nigerian Joint Military Task Force.

The men were caught in the far north of the country on Wednesday, near the border with Nigeria where the group has been waging a brutal armed insurgency.

“Members of the BIR (an elite rapid-response unit of Cameroon’s army) and the police found a significant stock of arms including a kalashnikov and rocket launchers near Goulfey,” a Cameroonian police official told AFP, on condition of anonymity.

Benue State Governor Escapes Death By The Whiskers

The spate of wanton insecurity in Nigeria is worrisome, unpredictable and shows no sign of abating anytime soon. A while ago, plausibly 50 kamikaze armed men were said to have attacked the Enugu State Government House. The latest is the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam who was said to have escaped death by the whiskers on Tuesday 11/03/2014 when armed men purported to be Fulani herdsmen opened fire on his convoy in North-Central Benue state in Nigeria.

The Fulani herdsmen were said to be grazing on some farms around Umenger village as well as burning houses. On sighting the Governor's convoy, they opened fire and the Governors escort responded.

The Governor was traveling with the House of Assembly Speaker, Barr. Terhile Ayua, and the Commissioner of Police, Adams Audu visiting villages recently raided by the Fulani herdsmen.
The Governor visited the Ukpam village of Mbabaai in Guma Local Government before the shoot out where there were reports of yet another attack on the residents.

28 people allegedly died from an early morning raid; the Governor was visibly upset on being shown four corpses.

A Ukpam resident, Iorhen Mbaiorga, said the women and children left the village before the raid, leaving just the men.

"We would have confronted them but we were empty handed, while the people have very sophisticated guns…”

He added sobbing, "We are being attacked, our foodstuffs including yam barn and farms burned and destroyed without anyone coming to our aide. Some of our people were killed and taken away while some captured and taken alive."

Source: SaharaReporters

United States Fears Boko Haram Onslaught May Hamper 2015 Elections

The United States Consular-General in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins has expressed fears that Boko Haram terrorist activities in the northern part of Nigeria may hamper the 2015 polls.

Mr. Hawkins however assured that the U.S. will continue to support Nigerian government to fight the terrorist group. The diplomat opined during an interactive session with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, South West Nigeria, that the U.S. government had given in form of aid the sum of $15 million to the Nigerian government to strengthen the electoral process.

He expressed optimism that the 2015 elections will mark the watershed of credible election in Nigeria if the stakeholders can eschew violence. Mr. Hawkins decried the killings of innocent school students in Yobe State by Boko Haram and described the activities of the religious sect as worrisome that may mar the conduct of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria if not checked.

He also commended the Federal Government’s efforts for deploying military to engage the terrorists group, stressing that the war against terrorism was a must-win for the country to secure lives and property of the citizenry.

Culled from:
Guardian Newspaper Nigeria