Cameroon Kills 102 Boko Haram Fighters in One Week

As the militant Islamic sect, Boko Haram continues its incessant attacks in Nigeria; Cameroon has successfully been resisting the sect in its territory.

Reuters reported on Sunday that Cameroonian troops killed two members of the sect on Saturday.

The number of the sect members killed barely within one week in Cameroon has increased to 102.

Cameroon had deployed 1,000 troops along its border with Nigeria after more than 200 girls were kidnapped by the sect at Chibok Borno State.

It had killed 40 members of the sect on May 31, 2014 shortly after two Italian priests and a Canadian nun were released in the town of Kousseri.

On Wednesday, Cameroon also killed 60 members of the Boko Haram in its territory 24 hours after the sect raided three villages of Danjara, Agapalwa and Antagara in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State killing more than 300 people.

According to the VOA, the 60 sect members were killed by Cameroonian troops in the villages of Dabanga in far northern Cameroon, when they crossed from over from Borno State, Nigeria.

The sect members were ambushed by Cameroonian soldiers the report said.

Fonka Awah, the governor of the far north region of Cameroon, said his office had received information that some Boko Haram members might be hiding in Cameroonian villages, and asked for specialized troops to be deployed.

“Of course yes, without mincing words, after such a situation you reassemble the forces and map out strategies, you galvanize them and put them back into action and I think that is what we have just done,” he had told the VOA.

On Sunday, Reuters reported that suspected Boko Haram militants from Nigeria attacked a town in Cameroon’s far north on Saturday but local security forces fought them off, killing at least two gunmen, Cameroon’s government said.

Cameroon deployed 1,000 troops to the far north and the attack in the Mayo Tsanaga Division in the Far North Region is the latest in a series of clashes between Cameroon security forces and the group.

Cameroon government spokesperson Issa Tchiroma Bakary said a raid was carried out early on Saturday morning by 50 well-armed gunmen believed to be members of Boko Haram.

“Our defence and security forces fought back immediately. (They) killed two of the assailants, seized one of their vehicles and a Kalashnikov war weapon, forcing them to run back crossing the border into the Nigerian territory,” he said.

He did not say if any government troops were killed or wounded in the fighting.

Nigeria’s head of counter-terrorism said last month Cameroon was the weakest link in the regional fight against the group.

Before Cameroon deployed troops along its borders, the sect had been fleeing to the West African country after carrying out attacks in Nigeria.

Source:
Punch Newspaper

Female Suicide Bomber, Soldier Die as Bomb Explodes at Gombe Army Barracks

A female suicide bomber and one soldier died while another soldier was wounded when a bomb exploded at a Nigerian army barracks in Gombe, on Sunday.

Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, confirmed that a bomb exploded at the barracks on Sunday.

Olukolade, who told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview from Abuja, on Sunday, however, said normal activities had, thereafter, been ongoing at the barracks.

“Intelligence deduced from credible information earlier received on this plot confirms the vigilance of some members of the public,” Olukolade said.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Fwaje Atahiri, had earlier told NAN that he heard of the incident but did not have details.

NAN gathered that the female bomber, riding on a motorcycle and on approaching the quarter-guard of the 301 Battalion, disembarked and hugged a soldier, a development that led to the explosion, killing both of them.

The source said the explosion also injured other soldiers, who were rushed to the military hospital for treatment.

Immediately after the explosion, soldiers cordoned off the road leading to the barracks, while shops and other business centres were hurriedly closed by their owners.

Source:
Tribune Newspaper

United States Set To Launch "Counterterrorism TV Channel" in Northern Nigeria

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is financing a new 24-hour satellite TV channel in northern Nigeria meant to counter insurgencies by the militant Islamist Boko Haram and other groups in the region, the New York Times reported on Friday.

A U.S. official confirmed the project was under way but did not give full details. The official said the United States would "support Nigerian efforts to provide an attractive alternative to the messaging of violent extremists."

The project is a result of discussions with Nigeria dating back to late 2012 on ways to cooperate against Boko Haram and the content of the channel will be produced by Nigerians in Nigeria, the official said.

The United States has in recent months increased its collaboration with Abuja in response to violence from Boko Haram, including surveillance and communications help after the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in April.

The Times said the TV channel, which is not yet broadcasting but is near to completion, is financed by the State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and is expected to cost about $6 million.

The project is run in Nigeria by Equal Access International, a San Francisco-based government contractor that has managed media programs sponsored by the State Department in Yemen and Pakistan meant to encourage youth participation in politics and counter Islamist extremism, it said.

The paper quoted foreign policy experts saying the project faced several challenges in a region with low levels of infrastructure, public services, literacy and security. Access to electricity is limited and few people own televisions.

In addition to the broadcasts, the Times said the project would provide training to journalists in the region.

Source:
Reuters

Reuben Abati Denies Jonathan's Purported Amnesty Offer to Boko Haram

A sharp disagreement and confusion emerged on Saturday over the offer of amnesty by the Federal Government to members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

The Minister of Youth Development, Boni Haruna had on Thursday during a programme to mark the nation’s Democracy Day titled ‘A day with young leaders of Nigeria.’ announced that the President had offered amnesty to the insurgents in his determination to bring the ongoing violent attacks to an end.

President Jonathan, who spoke at the occasion after Boni Haruna made the comment, did not make any reference to the Minister’s remarks.

Haruna, at the function said: “President Goodluck Jonathan has also declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect. Series of integration programmes have been lined up for the members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace.”

“Let me use this opportunity on behalf of the Federal Government, to call on the members of the Boko Haram sect to embrace the government’s gesture and key into the amnesty programme,” he stated

But speaking with State House correspondents on Saturday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati maintained that the President did not offer amnesty to members of the sect.

Stressing that he would not say anything about the ‘amnesty’ announcement, he said that he would rather refer Nigerians to the Democracy Day nationwide broadcast by the President where he never used the term “amnesty.”

He said: “Let me refer you to the speech by the President. If you read the speech line by line, you will see that it contains the very message that the President wanted to put across and in that speech if you look at it I don’t think the President used amnesty, instead he spoke about those who are willing to renounce terrorism, those who are willing to embrace, opportunities have been created for them through the fact-finding committee, through the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolutions of Conflict in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.”

“So I will refer you basically to the speech by the President,” Abati stated.

On the murder of the Emir of Gwoza on Friday, he said: “The President got the news and he was sad about it because what it means is that  these terrorists who are threatening peace and stability in Nigeria, are desperate and they continue to show that desperation.”

“But as the President made it clear in his democracy day broadcast, that was his main message to Nigerians, that at the end of the day it is the people of Nigeria that will prevail, no matter how desperate terrorists may be and that his government is determined to rid the country of terrorism.

“And the support solidarity the cooperation, the expression of partnership that we are receiving from our neighboring countries, the whole of the West African sub-region, Africa and the entire world shows that this is the battle that the whole world is prepared to fight. So the days of peace as the President said in his speech is assured because this battle will not end until it is won and sustainable development is fully guaranteed,” he said.

Source:
The Nation Newspaper

90-year Old Mother-In-Law Of Bayelsa Speaker Kidnapped By Gunmen

Madam Ogboro Dark, 90, the mother-in-law of the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Kombowei Benson, has been kidnapped by armed gunmen.

Dark, fondly called Obololo, was reportedly abducted by unknown gunmen operating along the waterways of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

She was abducted in her hometown, Korokorosei Community of Southern Ijaw, at about 2.00 am on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the armed men entered the community through the waterside in three speed boats.

A community source, who witnessed the incident, said: “the gunmen came at about 2.00 am.

“They shot sporadically before making their way to the woman’s home; we were all afraid because of the gunshots.

“They seized her and took her away to an unknown place.

“They showed no pity at the age of the woman,” the source, who did not want his name mentioned, said.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Hilary Opara, confirmed the development and said the police had ”swung into action” to free the victim.

Opara, who vowed to make the state uncomfortable for criminals, said the anti-kidnap squad of the police had been directed to rescue the woman.

“The divisional police officer in charge of the area alerted me early in the morning about the development.

“It is wicked and we will ensure we rescue the woman,” he said. (NAN)

Source:
Leadership Newspaper

US Secretary of State, Kerry Says an 'All Out Assault' to Rescue Chibok Schoolgirls ‘Very Risky’

US Secretary of State John Kerry warned that a Nigerian offensive to go after Boko Haram and attempt to free 219 kidnapped schoolgirls “could be very risky.”

John Kerry, in an interview with PBS NewsHour’s Gwen Ifill, was responding to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan’s vow to free the abducted students by ordering a “full scale-operation” against Boko Haram Thursday.

“I think an all-out assault — I’m not sure what that means; I’d want to know what that means — it could be very risky to the young women. And there may be a time and place for that but we need to look at this very closely,” said Kerry during the interview at the State Department.

Kerry said he hope to be speaking with Jonathan some time “over the course of today or tomorrow” and said he was not aware of any requests for the U.S. to participate in any such operation.

Source:
PBS Newshour

BREAKING NEWS: Boko Haram Kidnaps Two Prominent Emirs

The extremist Boko Haram sect has kidnapped two first class traditional rulers in Borno state – the Emir of Uba, Ismaila Mamza and the Emir of Gwoza, Idrisa Timta, security officials aware of the incidence have told PREMIUM TIMES.

The two emirs were seized by gun-wielding insurgents at 10 AM Friday near Shaffa while they were travelling to Gombe to attend the funeral of the Emir of Gombe, Shehu Abubakar, who died on Tuesday evening at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, where he was undergoing treatment for cancer.

The two abducted emirs were elevated to First Class traditional ruler status only in January.
The Borno state government is yet to issue an official statement on the abduction.
The abduction came 46 days after the Boko Haram sect whisked away over 250 schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok.

Source:
Premium Times

Once again, Jonathan Dangles Amnesty to Boko Haram Members

To end insurgency in  the country, the  Federal Government has indicated  its willingness to grant amnesty for members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni Haruna while speaking on youth’s position in the present administration’s transformation agenda during a programme to mark the nation’s Democracy Day titled ‘A day with young leaders of Nigeria.’

According to him, President Goodluck Jonathan has given approval for the amnesty to be given as soon as the sect lay down their arms.

Stressing that series of programmes are in the pipeline for members of the sect, he called on them to embrace government’s gesture.

He said: “President Goodluck Jonathan has also declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect. Series of integration programmes have been lined up for the members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace.”

“Let me use this opportunity on behalf of the Federal Government, to call on the members of the Boko Haram sect to embrace the government’s gesture and key into the amnesty programme.” He added

On the youth restiveness in the Niger Delta, the Minister said that the government introduced a development programme which gave the youth an opportunity to have a meaningful life.

According to him, over 30,000 youths have benefited from the amnesty programme which he recalled was a result of a bitter national security experience.

Noting that the effect of the amnesty has been great, he said that beneficiaries have transformed from militants to wealth creators, employers of labour and skilled citizens.

During interactive session with the youths on Thursday, President Jonathan said that terrorism cannot succeed in any community without support from the local people.

Calling on those who are respected by the insurgents to join hands with the government in order to encourage them to lay down their arms, the President said that military alone cannot stop terrorism.

He said: “Terror succeeds with local support. It will be difficult for terror to thrive where people reject it. It is a major challenge to all of us.”

“Military alone cannot stop terror or any radicalism. Terrorists have people they respect, they have community, traditional and opinion leaders they respect. All of us can deradicalise them.

“We will through persuasive activities encourage people to shun violence,” he added

As part of efforts to ensure youths are reorientated and not misled, he said that his government is already working out modalities to reintroducing moral education in schools.

Source:
The Nation

President Jonathan Orders Operation to Put an End to The Impunity of Terrorists

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed to wage a "total war" against militant Islamist group Boko Haram.
Speaking on the the 15th anniversary of the end of military rule, he said "international terrorism" threatened Nigeria's democratic gains.

'Hard-earned lessons'
"With the support of Nigerians, our neighbours and the international community, we will reinforce our defence, free our girls and rid Nigeria of terrorists," Mr Jonathan said, in a televised speech to mark Democracy Day.
He added that he was determined to protect Nigeria's democracy.
"I have instructed our security forces to launch a full-scale operation to put an end to the impunity of terrorists on our soil," he said.

Source:
BBC

BREAKING NEWS: Explosion Rocks Abuja Outskirt, Residents Panic

A loud explosion occurred on Thursday morning in Kurudu, a community on the outskirts of Abuja.
The cause of the explosion is still unclear as a resident said it could have been caused by a bomb or dynamites used in blasting rocks in the area.
The explosion has caused panic in Kurudu, Jikoyi and other adjoining areas as residents scampered for safety.

A resident of an Army Estate in Kurudu, told PREMIUM TIMES that soldiers simply locked the gate and prevented anyone from going out upon hearing the loud explosion.

Details coming...

Source:
Premium Times

Obama Calls on Congress To Support New $5 Billion Fund To Fight Terrorism Globally

President Barack Obama Wednesday called on Congress to approve a $5 billion fund to fight terrorism around the world.
Speaking at the U.S. Military Academy's commencement, Obama said the $5 billion Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund would respond to terrorist threats internationally. The fund would also cover the expansion of Defense Department efforts, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and Special Operations activities, according to a White House statement.

Obama said the withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan has given the U.S. the ability to refocus its resources and to work with allies to address new, evolving terrorist threats.
"For the foreseeable future, the most direct threat to America and home and abroad remains terrorism," Obama said, adding that today's principle threat no longer comes from a central al-Qaeda hub, but is decentralized and has expanded to include affiliates that operate in countries across the world.
Obama said the fund would be used to train and build capacity with countries dealing with terrorism. He said the U.S. would support training efforts and peacekeeping forces in such nations as Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Mali.
The class of 2014 is the first class "to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan," Obama said.

Source:
International Business Times

Four more girls escape from Boko Haram camp

Four girls out of the 168 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, that were abducted by Boko Haram in April, have escaped.

The Chairman, Chibok Local Government Area, Mr. Bana Lawan, announced this on Tuesday in Abuja at a one-day stakeholders meeting for validation of draft humanitarian response plan for the abducted girls. The meeting was organised by the National Emergency Management Agency.

Lawan, who was represented by the Director for Personnel and Management, Mr. Musa Elijah, said the number of escapees had risen to 57 as against 53, while 164 girls were still held by the terrorist group.

He said, “The people of Chibok are anxiously waiting for the safe return of their children. Except for the unfortunate situation where two of the parents have passed on. They were known to have BP (blood pressure) issues, although I am not a medical expert, but they will not be opportuned to welcome back their daughters.

“Latest report reaching us is that instead of 53, those that have escaped are now 57 and those remaining are 164 and not 168 as before. This is out of the 221 girls that were abducted.”

Lawan explained that it was not all those who registered for the Senior School Certificate Examination in the school that stayed back.

“Those that registered for the SSCE are not all that sat for the exam. Over 500 registered and those who had relatives around decided to move to various places like Kaduna and Maiduguri to write the exams. Those that were left with no relations decided to stay back to take the risk and among them 221 were abducted.”

Source:
Punch Newspaper

We lost 36 Members to Jos Explosions, Says Igbo Leader

The Igbo said they lost 36 people in the explosions at the Jos Terminus market. No fewer than 42 were injured.

The Eze Igbo in Jos, Prof. Jerome Obilom, unveiled the chilling details at a news conference in Jos.

Many Igbo traders are still missing, he added.

Obilom said: “The May 20 bomb blast in Jos killed 36 of our members and 42 others injured.

“In addition, many others are still unaccounted for while Igbo traders lost goods worth millions of naira.

“But our major problem now is the move by the state government to give mass burial to the victims without informing members of the community, especially we the Igbo. It is our tradition not to bury our own outside our homestead.

“Some hospital authorities were very hostile when the community, led by the Chairman of the Igbo Community Association, Chief Jonah Ezekwueme, visited them to identify victims of the blast who were Igbo.

Obilom said: “There is the need to compensate victims of the bomb blast. In past incidents, Ndigbo were neglected and made to bear the cost of burying and rehabilitating their members alone.

“While recognising the fact that some of the victims were shattered into shreds, which necessitated that some body parts were packed into bags that necessitated the mass burial, we still insist that  Ndigbo in Jos should have been consulted to identify their own because it is not our custom to bury our dead outside our traditional homes.

“We, therefore, condemn such act and implore the authorities to allow Ndigbo access to the bodies so that those missing could be accounted for because if we had been allowed inside the mortuary, we would have been able to identify many of our members who were unfortunately caught up in the bomb blast.”

The Igbo community was able to identify the dead through town and community who took roll calls of their members after the explosions.

The Ezeigbo deplored a situation where Ndigbo were neglected in the distribution of relief materials and urged the authorities to send such materials to aid the victims and their families.

He also asked the Plateau State government to hasten efforts in the relocation of street traders to the Satellite market in Rukuba road area of Jos, adding that the traffic caused by the traders along the busy road was responsible for the heavy losses caused by the bomb blast.

Source:
The Nation Newspaper

Boko Haram Targets Adamawa State University

Over the past two weeks school officials based at the Adamawa State University have been the recipients of written threats directed at them, but the source of the unspecified threats remain a mystery. The origins are unknown. Yet the threats, rather than being cast off as a malicious prank, are being taken seriously, as word of the letters has shaken both the student body and officials at the school. The atmosphere on campus, and in the surrounding area, can be best described as tense. 

A source has said that the letters are believed to be real, with school officials and the student body suspecting it is coming directly from the Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram. 
As word of the letters making undetermined threats have surfaced, rumours, too, have circulated.  Compounding matters is that school officials have largely remained silent. Most of the students at Adamawa State University are fearful of an impending Boko Haram attack. Rumors are being taken seriously.
For example, most of the Adamawa State University students who use the only hostel available to men have not slept there over the past weekend.  The hostel, also known as ‘Barde Hall,’ was nearly empty of students beginning on Saturday evening.  Barde Hall, is also popularly known as "256" by many in the student body. It is a popular ‘hang out’ spot for many of the students attending. It is also seen as a safe space, and resting place, that normally has scores of students milling around outside during the academic year. Many of the students did not sleep, or ‘hang out’ at the hostel on Saturday night. It was ghostly quiet.

A student confirmed that the atmosphere at the hostel worsened on Sunday night. In room A5, a student confided that, he was the only person that slept the night in his room.
Another student said that many of the occupants had fled to the nearby town to seek shelter instead, where they believe it to be a much safer place. Yet, the tension Monday morning picked-up, when students in Barde Hall awoke and found a letter placed on a wall that was written in the Hausa language.

The letter, when translated into English, reads, "Last warning."
But this time around, it had a pound of flesh clipped to the letter. It dripped with blood, and was described as somewhat black in colour, though looking as if it was not long since this section of human flesh it was cut off.
They then openly questioned the  efforts of the university security men, and called them to the hall to remove the grisly letter. The students denied the letter was written and posted by a fellow student among them to the arriving security men. They then demanded to see the schools’ vice chancellor.
The Adamawa State University Vice Chancellor is Dr. Alkassum Abba, who arrived shortly afterwards, and addressed the students in a tense exchange over the letters and this latest note placed on a wall dripping with blood. Abba was peppered with many questions from the assembled students about school security. But to many in attendance Abba’s explanation was neither reassuring, or satisfying.  

As it stands now, many of the Adamawa State University students have packed their bags, and also, reportedly, packing out of the hostel.
The "256" is in a place many of the departing students feel is especially vulnerable, in large part because, physically, it is isolated, and neighbored by bush, with just a few farms located behind the building.

Source:
SR

Kidnapped Chibok Shoolgirls in New Danger as 'Prisoner Swap Deal' is Scrapped at 11th Hour

More than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls held hostage in Nigeria came agonisingly close to freedom before government officials called off a deal to swap them for jailed Islamist terror suspects, The Mail on Sunday has been told.

A Nigerian journalist trusted by both the government and extremists from Boko Haram acted as go-between, risking his life on a one-man mission to enter the gunmen’s lair and broker an agreement, according to security sources.

But last Saturday, at the 11th hour, officials scrapped the exchange in a telephone call from a crisis summit in Paris where Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan met foreign ministers including those from Britain, the United States, France and Israel.

Abubakar Shekau is said to be enraged by the broken deal

President Goodluck Jonathan
It was agreed there that no deals should be struck with terrorists and that force should instead be used against them.

Insiders believe that the cancellation of last Saturday’s plan and the ensuing stand-off now puts the girls’ lives in even greater danger.

An intelligence source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘The next video we see from the terrorists could show the girls being killed one by one.’

Sources in the Nigerian capital Abuja described how Shekau had agreed to bring the girls out of their forest camps in the remote north-east of the country in the early morning and take them to a safe location for the prisoner swap.

‘They would have been dropped off in a village, one group at a time, and left there while their kidnappers disappeared. There was to be a signal to a mediator at another location to bring in the prisoners,’ sources said.

About 2,000 Boko Haram members are currently detained.

One hundred non-combatant, low-level sympathisers were to be freed and the two groups brought together in a convoy of buses accompanied by a hand-picked go-between, respected Nigerian journalist Ahmad Salkida.

The plan had been agreed in tortuous negotiations in response to worldwide outrage over a night-time raid on a school in the town of Chibok on April 14 when the girls were abducted from their dormitories.

Mr Salkida was born in the north-eastern state of Borno, where Boko Haram originated. He has known its leaders all his life and has unprecedented access.

Source:
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