Suspected 'Islamists' Attack Kenyan Coast Town

Suspected Islamist militants have attacked hotels and a police station in the Kenyan coastal town of Mpeketoni, military officials say.

Witnesses reported seeing buildings on fire and hearing gunfire in the town, which is near Lamu island.

It is not yet clear if there are any casualties.

Kenya has suffered a number of militant attacks since 2011 when its forces entered neighbouring Somalia to combat al-Shabab fighters.

Kenya's Standard newspaper said on its website the attackers had stolen weapons and vehicles from the police station, which was on fire.

It said local residents had fled to nearby forests.

The paper also quoted a witness as saying he had counted six bodies in the street, but this could not be confirmed.

Van hijacked

Kenyan army spokesman Major Emmanuel Chirchir said gunmen entered Mpeketoni, a busy trading centre, and started "shooting people".

The "assailants [are] likely to be al-Shabab," Major Chirchir said.

He said surveillance aircraft were looking for the attackers.

Local police chief Hamaton Mwaliko told Reuters that the gunmen had hijacked a van in nearby Witu town to carry out the attack.

"They raided Mpeketoni police station first," he said.

"Some hotels in the town are on fire. We don't know how many casualties are there for now. We understand the attackers have already fled but our officers are pursuing them."

Nearby Lamu island is a popular tourist destination with ancient architecture that is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

BBC

Worshippers Escape Death In Owerri As Police Uncover Deadly Explosives At Winners Chapel- Premium Times

The Police in Imo state, South East Nigeria have arrested six suspects over the discovery of two Improvised Explosive Devices in a church in Owerri, the state capital, Commissioner of Police, Abdumajid Ali, has said.

Worshippers at the Port Harcourt Road branch of Winners Chapel were full of thanks to God for sparing their lives after the police detected the explosives and detonated them.

A worshipper, Onumara Onyekachi, told PREMIUM TIMES, “I was about getting ready for the second service when a friend posted this “Breaking News!!!!!! Police Anti Bomb squad has just detonated two bomb explosives planted at Winner Chapel PH road Owerri”

“I made a few calls and confirmed that it was true.”

The police believe the explosives were planted on Saturday night and timed to explode after worshippers had gathered for worship on Sunday.

-Premium Times

Kidnappers Abduct Briton in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria

The Special Task Force (STF) in-charge of internal security in Plateau State yesterday confirmed the abduction of a foreign national in the state by suspected kidnappers.

The abducted victim identified as a British national working with Rick Rock Construction company was declared missing in Langtang North Local Government Area of the state.

Media and Information Officer of the STF, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, who confirmed the unhealthy development, noted that the incident occurred on Saturday morning, stressing that the Task Force had commenced intensive search for the foreigner in the area. According to him, efforts are on top gear with other law enforcement agents to search the entire area so as to yield desired result.

Sunday Mirror gathered that the Nigerian Police Langtang Division and soldiers last night invaded the LGA at about 8pm in search of the missing victim but were yet to make locate his whereabouts as at the time of filling this report.

Meanwhile, the Berom community in the state yesterday expressed fresh concern over incessant attacks by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen in the state.

The gunmen, they said, are daily stationed in the mountains and rocks from where they launch attacks on identified Berom communities.

The National Caretaker Chairman of Berom Youth Movement (BYM), Mr. Rwang Dantong, in a statement issued in Jos yesterday, maintained that the aim of the attacks which he noted had led to the killing several people and destruction of property was aimed at forcefully ejecting the residents from their ancestral homes.

The statement alleged that the most worrisome aspect of the attacks was the involvement of security agents who connive with the attackers to unleash mayhem on the communities.

He listed some of the communities which had been taken over by the gunmen to include Rakok, Kubong, Dogo, Gyo, Pwa-Beduk, Rantis and Sharu in Barki Ladi Local Government Area of the state. Others, according to him, include Mase, Shong 2, Rakweng and Kampwas in Riyom LGA.

While expressing the helplessness of the people to confront the gunmen, the statement called on the Federal Government to intervene in the situation so as to prevent further loss of lives in the affected communities.

National Mirror

Extradition of Nyanya Bombing Suspect From Sudan Stalled Due To 'Lack of Extradition Treaty and Intervention of a Powerful Northern Monarch'

There were strong indications, yesterday, that Nigeria's security agencies have commenced a high-level investigation of a monarch in northern Nigeria, suspected to have links with Boko Haram.

The investigation followed the intelligence gathered from Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, regarding difficulties being faced by Nigeria in extraditing Aminu-Sadiq Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind of the April 14, 2014, bombing of Nyanya motor-park, near Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, where over 100 lives were lost.

The “situation was so embarrassing that the jet, provided by the Nigerian government to convey the suspect from the Sudanese capital, Khatoum, returned after waiting for three days without making a headway in the extradition process”.
Information made available, late last night, from the base of the traditional ruler, Sudan and Abuja, suggested that the focus of the investigation of the monarch had to do with funding and remittances allegedly made with a view to blocking the extradition of Ogwuche.
It was learnt from the multiple high-level sources that the sudden uncooperative disposition of the Sudanese government in the matter “is not unconnected with the influence which the traditional ruler is known to wield in Sudan, as well as his contacts over the years in that Islamic country”.

It was discovered that the main reason for the “forceful blocking of the extradition of Ogwuche is to stall any possibility of his return to Nigeria and buckle under intense interrogation and possibly reveal the names of the sponsors of the insurgents”, the source said.

'No Extradition Treaty
Sudan whose President, Omar al-Bashir, is wanted by the International Criminal Court, ICC, for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, has no bilateral agreement with any country in the world on extradition of criminals.

Recall that Army deserter, Aminu Ogwuche was declared wanted by the Department of State Services, DSS, after linking him to the deadly blast in Nyanya which claimed over 75 lives.
The Sudanese government is said to uncomfortable with the arraignment of the suspect in absentia and casts aspersions on the genuineness of the allegations against Ogwuche  is arraignment in absentia, saying that he (Ogwuche) could have been framed.

The Police Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, had, shortly after the Nyanya bomb blast, hinted that Interpol had issued a red alert for the arrest of Ogwuche, who was once arrested on suspicion of terrorism but released following pressure from human rights groups and the father of the suspect.

Culled from:
Vanguard Newspaper

United States Slams $18m Bounty on Boko Haram, Ansaru and 3 African Militants

WASHINGTON  (AFP) – The United States posted $18 million in rewards Friday for the capture of four African militants involved in the kidnapping of foreigners and attacks on Western targets.

Some $5 million each was offered for a former member of Nigeria’s Boko Haram and two founding leaders of the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO) based in the Maghreb region.

A fourth reward of $3 million was set for an Egyptian extremist who has plotted against the US, the State Department said.

Khalid al-Barnawi was named as a leader of the Nigeria-based group known as Ansaru that split from Boko Haram in early 2012, the agency’s Rewards for Justice program said in a statement. The group has close ties to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and was behind the kidnapping of seven foreigners in a raid on a construction site in restive northern Nigeria in February 2013. The seven from Britain, Greece, Lebanon and Italy were later executed by their captors.
Barnawi also reportedly helped plan the May 2011 kidnapping by Ansaru of a British and an Italian engineer, who were both killed 10 months later.

“Ansaru originated as a faction of Boko Haram, has close ties to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, and has sought to target Westerners, including US citizens,” the State Department said.

It also named Hamad el-Khairy and Ahmed el-Tilemsi as founding leaders of MUJAO, and former members of AQIM. Tilemsi took part in the kidnapping of two French nationals in Niamey, Niger in January 2011. The men were later executed in Mali after an attempt by French special forces to rescue them failed.
As a military leader of MUJAO, Tilemsi also aided the abduction of three European aid workers in Algeria from a refugee camp in Tindouf, in October 2011.
MUJAO claimed to be behind that kidnapping — the first time that the group emerged to the fore saying it was an offshoot of AQIM.

The three Europeans were finally released in July 2012 in Mali in exchange for three Islamists held by Mauritania.
While still a member of AQIM, Khairy planned attacks in Mauritania and took part in the December 2008 abduction of UN envoy and Canadian Ambassador Robert Fowler in Niger.
He had also ordered the 2011 kidnapping of the three European aid workers in Algeria, in which two people were also wounded.

Khairy has also claimed responsibility for the April 2012 kidnappings of seven Algerian diplomats in Mali. At least one of the hostages were later killed, and three were freed.

Rewards for Justice also offered $3 million for Egyptian explosives expert Abu Yusuf al-Muhajir, a former member of the Tawhid w’al Jihad Egypt, described as an extremist group active in the Sinai Peninsula from 2004 to 2006. "Abu Yusuf was involved in attack planning against a variety of targets in Egypt, including US interests,” the State Department said.

Yahoo News

Borno State Cattle Breeders Association Says Purported Abduction Of Fulani Women Untrue

The Borno State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, known by the acronym MACBAN, on Thursday, denied media reports that Fulani women were abducted by Boko Haram members in Borno last week.

Alhaji Amadu Musa, who is Chairman of the MACBAN in Borno State, in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri, the state capital, said the reported abduction of 20 Fulani women was “not true.”

“We need to tell the world that there is nothing like that. All (of) our women and girls are (safe and) intact. It takes us this long to respond because; we made series of consultations to avoid issuing conflicting statements that will generate tension.

“Though our people are nomads who frequently move in search of pasture, I have representatives in all the 27 local government areas of Borno State. We have lamido’s and Ardo’s in all localities. We took the time to consult all of them, and there was no reported incident of abduction. I believe the whole furor is the creation of some people,” Alhaji Amadu Musa said in his talks with reporters.

He added that, “our representatives in all towns and villages near Chibok, met on Thursday at Askira Uba, and none of the officials had any incident of abduction in his domain. We equally crosschecked with our people coming back with their cows, and families, to the extreme northern part of Nigeria from (the) southern part of the country, and confirmed that all are well,” Alhaji Amadu Musa concluded.

SR

Obasanjo: "I Have Access to Boko Haram, Some Chibok Girls May Not Return", Bemoans Government's 'Cold Shoulder'

LAMENTING the continued detention of the Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram insurgents, former President Olusegun Obasanjo Thursday declared that some of them may never return.

In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Hausa  Service monitored in Kaduna Thursday, Obasanjo  said that perhaps succeeding generations would continue to remember those female students who were abducted by suspected Boko Haram members in April.

He disclosed that only those girls who would later get pregnant and find it difficult to cater for the babies in the forest who might be released by the insurgents.

Obasanjo said that he had ways of communicating with the suspected Boko Haram members but the government had not permitted him to do so.

He noted that the girls might have been separated, and were not kept in the same location.

He said: “I believe that some of them will never return. We will still be hearing about them many years from now. Some will give birth to children of the Boko Haram members, but if they cannot take care of them in the forest, they may release themselves.”

A human rights activist, Mallam Sani, who spoke with The Guardian in an interview, explained that Obasanjo recently revived a plan for dialogue with the insurgents’ family members, but the government had not shown any interest.

According to him, the anti-terrorist laws in the country forbid any individual or group delving into such matters unless the government gives a waiver for such an intervention.

Guardian Newspaper

Al-Shabab Attack on Somali Parliament; Lessons For Nigeria, Please Stop The Buck-Passing, Take Responsibility and 'Step Aside'

Written By Don Okereke

Date: Saturday, 24th May 2014; Incident: Al-Shabab launched a kamikaze attack on Somali Parliament Building while scores of politicians were meeting killing at least 17 people; Consequence: Somalia's National Security Minister, Abdikarim Guled threw in the towel aftermath of the daring assault by Al-Shabaab fighters. Tendering his resignation, Mr. Guled said: "You are aware of the cowardly attack that the violent elements carried out on the Parliament. I extend my condolences to the families of the diseased...considering the current situation of the country, I officially hereby announce my resignation".

In South Korea, erstwhile Prime Minister Chung Hong-Won apologized to South Koreans on National Television and subsequently resigned due to a Ferry mishap that claimed the life of about 200 South Koreans. For sure the Prime minister is not directly responsible for the mishap but he took responsibility. In his resignation, Mr. Chung said: "I should take responsibility for everything as the prime minister... So I will resign as prime minister". And he did. If Mr. Chung were to be a Nigerian, some jesters from his clan, his in laws and those benefiting from the status quo will take to the street, threatening fire and brimstone why he must continue in office. What a country!

In India, the then Home Minister, Shivraj Patil and the National Security Adviser, M.K Narayanan both tendered their resignation in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.

Juxtapose the aforementioned random case studies with the wanton insecurity, terrorism, insurgency miasma in Nigeria that has become an international embarrassment, yet those directly responsible for Nigeria's security are clinching to their  lordly positions at all cost and without shame.

It took three weeks of global media frenzy and outrage for the Nigerian government to even come to terms and acknowledge that nearly 300 Chibok School girls were abducted by Boko Haram. Then they started running helter skelter, bandying alibi's, blaming everyone else but themselves. As if this faux pas is not enough, the Presidency reportedly issued a statement asking #BringBackOurGirls protesters to channel their protests to Boko Haram and not to the Presidency. May I with utmost sense of responsibility remind the Presidency that the primary responsibility of any government is the protection of life and properties.
Aso Rock should be aware that the buck stops at the table of whosoever is the current President and Commander-in-chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Nigerians did not vote for Boko Haram, but for the President and gave him the mandate and the power to do all that is necessary to guarantee the safety of life and properties.

The President have a potpourri of Security and Intelligence agencies at his disposal to contain this ugly situation stifling the country. It is unbecoming off-loading his frustrations on  disenchanted innocent Nigerians whose only sin is daring to remind his government to sit up. If anything, he should blame, hold his security echelon responsible for their ineptitude and failure to maintain the peace.

A botched Immigration Service recruitment exercise by Nigeria's Ministry of Interior snuffed life out of 20 promising Nigerian youths. It took a lot of heckling before the Minister of Interior tendered a half-hearted apology, yet he clinched to his plumb job. Till date the Minister refused to reimburse applicants of this ill-fated exercise, the N1,000 they paid as application fee. A committee was assembled to look into the matter and that was it.

Sequel to a paper-tiger "rebasing" of the nation's economy, we are told Nigeria is now the "biggest" economy in Africa. The government of the day ascribed with pageantry, this titular achievement as part of their "transformation agenda". They bask in taking credit for good things even though they may have no hand in it, but play the ostrich, blaming phantom enemies when something sinister happens and for wanting to bring down the government.

A very conservative Amnesty International estimate says the Boko Haram menace may have snuffed life out of 1,500 innocent Nigerians. In a country where we have a National Security Adviser, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, I.G of Police, D.G of State Security Service, D.G of National Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, etc, etc, none deems it fit to take responsibility for the current state of insecurity in Nigeria.

Two months after the Chibok school girls were abducted by Boko Haram, discordant opinions emanating from the seat of government is neither inspiring nor encouraging. All we hear every day is finger-pointing, buck-passing, a penchant for policy summersault and doublespeak. One of them bandies a "soft approach", another tells us the government is negotiating, yet another refutes the preceding assertion. A spin doctor issues a trite press release assuring Nigerians 'the government is on top of the situation'. A wishy-washy committee is swiftly assembled, monetary allocations (a piece of the national cake) is doled out to the geezers, the issue peters out and it is business as usual again. Off they globetrot on their chartered/private jets.

Whilst #OgasAtTheTop in Nigeria carouse, ensconce themselves in their multi-billion naira fortified fortresses, travel on their armoured plated SUV's, poor Nigerians are the pawns in the ongoing brinkmanship, chess game they play.

Just recently, President Barrack Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, yet Aso Rock spin doctors are busy bandying hogwash alibi's aimed at exonerating the immense insensitiveness and the inability of the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to visit Chibok, a section of the country he governs. If not for any other reason, such a visit will improve the battered image of the President as well as bring some succour and encouragement to families of the abducted girls and also boost the morale of our soldiers fighting the insurgents. Take a cue from the Americans, such a visit does not have to be announced, it's called a "surprise visit".

Our security agencies must do more work and less talk (propaganda). Are they not endangering the lives of the abducted Chibok girls by insinuating they have discovered where the girls are held up? Until Osama Bin Laden was killed, American security, intelligence agencies, particularly the Navy SEAL Team 6 that carried out the operation refrained from unguarded utterances.

Now we don't need to travel to Europe, the United States or South Korea for global best practices. Folks at the helm of affairs in Nigeria should take a cue from Somalia's National Security Minister.

Is it not a shame that a so-called rag-tag Sect is not just holding plus or minus 300 Chibok girls and now women hostage but the entire country of 160 million people comprising Generals, world-acclaimed high-flying Spiritual/religious juggernauts? How many more innocent Nigerians will be abducted, hacked to death by these bloodletting goons before geezers at the echelon of leadership take responsibility?

Please take responsibility, walk the talk or 'step aside' if you are bereft of ideas or your wishy-washy idea is not fit for purpose.

Don Okereke
Ex-Serviceman, Passionate, Versatile Security Analyst/Consultant, Writer/Blogger, Change Agent, Advocate.

www.donokereke.blogspot.com
donnuait(a)yahoo.com

Insecurity in Nigeria: United States Imposes Fresh Conditions on Nigerian Vessels

The U.S. Government on Thursday imposed Conditions of Entry, COE, on vessels originating or calling from Nigerian ports.

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria said in a statement that it was henceforth required that Nigerian vessels met certain security measures before entering U.S. ports. The statement said that only 22 Nigerian port facilities would be exempted from the COE.

“The United States Government has imposed Conditions of Entry on vessels originating or calling from Nigerian ports. This requires these Nigerian vessels to meet certain security measures prior to entering U.S. ports. Twenty two port facilities in Nigeria are however, exempted from the COE as they have been found to have adequate security measures in place,” it said.

The statement said that the 22 port facilities had demonstrated effective anti-terrorism measures and would no longer be subjected to additional security precautions.
It, however, said that the COE was not meant as trade sanctions or ban on Nigerian ships from entering U.S. ports.
The statement added that COE was also to make Nigerian ships to have additional security measures while non-exempt Nigerian port facilities were to be verified by the U.S. Coast Guard.

“The U.S. Coast Guard has worked cooperatively with the Government of Nigeria to identify and address port security deficiencies observed during the assessments. Nigerian ports have not fully implemented the provisions of the International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) Code and do not have effective anti-terrorism measures in place. Only 22 Nigerian port facilities have demonstrated effective anti-terrorism measures and will not be subject to additional security precautions,” it said.

The statement said that the U.S. Coast Guard would continue to consult with the Nigerian Government in achieving full ISPS Code compliance and removal of the COE.

(NAN)

Boko Haram Crisis: UK Boosts Nigeria Military Aid

The UK will increase its military and educational aid to help Nigeria tackle Boko Haram, Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced.

He said Nigeria's army would receive extra training, especially in counter-insurgency, and a million more children would be given schooling.

This is the latest promise of Western help since Boko Haram abducted some 200 schoolgirls in April.

Since then, the Islamist group has stepped up its attacks.

Mr Hague was speaking at a summit in London.

It follows last month's summit in Paris where regional powers pledged to share intelligence and co-ordinate action against the group and its five-year insurgency.

BBC

'Bomb threat' Curtails Nigeria World Cup Viewings

Authorities in Nigeria's north-eastern state of Adamawa have ordered all venues planning to screen live coverage of the football World Cup to close.

They say they have received intelligence of planned bomb attacks during the competition, which opens in Brazil on Thursday.

Adamawa is one of the states badly affected by Islamist violence.

Open-air viewing centres - where people pay to watch live football - are popular throughout Nigeria.

"Our action is not to stop Nigerians... watching the World Cup. It is to protect their lives," Brig-Gen Nicholas Rogers was quoted by the AFP agency as saying on Wednesday in Yola, the capital of Adamawa.

Earlier this month, the US embassy in Uganda urged people to exercise caution when attending venues that may attract large crowds during the World Cup, saying there was a continued threat of terror attacks in the East Africa nation.

Somali Islamists bombed two restaurants in Kampala which were showing the World Cup final four years ago, killing more than 70 people.

North-eastern Adamawa state has often been targeted by Boko Haram Islamist militants.

On 1 June at least 14 people were killed in a bomb attack on a bar that was screening a televised football match in Adamawa. No group claimed responsibility for the blast, but Boko Haram were the main suspects.

The state is one of three in Nigeria that have been placed under emergency rule because of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Many people were also killed in two explosions blamed on Boko Haram while watching football in a video hall in the north-eastern town of Maiduguri in March.

Correspondents say many fans have no means other than the viewing centres to watch the Nigerian team - or Super Eagles - in action.

The Nigerian team's first World Cup match in Brazil is against Iran on 16 June.

They then play Bosnia-Hercegovina and finish their Group F campaign against Argentina as they attempt to reach the last 16, as they did in 1994 and 1998.

Source:
BBC

Nigeria, US, UK, 5 Others Set Up Intelligence Response Unit

Nigeria, United States, Britain and five other countries have set up an External Intelligence Response Unit, EIRU, to fast track the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the country.

This was even as 18 Sudanese and 30 Nigeriens, some Chadians and Libyans were said to be among about 1,000 Boko Haram insurgents currently being detained at the various detention facilities across the country.

Other members of the EIRU are France, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic.
A statement by the Coordinator of the National Information Centre, NIC, in Abuja yesterday, Mr. Mike Omeri, said the EIRU was set up following a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed by all the member countries in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon.

Omeri’s statement, entitled Terrorism: Nigeria, US, others set up External Intelligence Response Unit, read: “As a fall out of the Paris summit, an EIRU has been established by Nigeria, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, United Kingdom, France and the United States.
“This followed the signing of an MoU in which member countries committed themselves to sharing all forms of information on security, particularly terrorism challenges, a move initiated by Nigeria.

“The development is a major achievement in the fight against insurgency in the West African sub-region and Nigeria in particular.
“The member countries met in Abuja last month to establish the framework that led to the signing of the MoU in Yaounde.

Source:

Vanguard Newspaper

My Life Under Threat Over Sanusi, Says Kwankwaso

Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso said yesterday that his life is under threat. President Goodluck Jonathan should be held responsible, if anything happens to him and his family, he told reporters in Abuja.

He also said the President would be accountable for any breakdown of law and order in Kano State over the choice of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the Emir.
Kwankwaso said All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders did not dictate to him who to appoint, adding that Sanusi’s choice was final.
Kwankwaso said contrary to the Presidency’s posture, Sanusi’s choice was popular.

“I want to say that I think they are playing a lot of games. We don’t know their intention; we don’t know what they are going to do next,” the governor said, adding: “But I have to say, like all other people in this country, everybody is concerned about the insecurity. On the other hand, our lives are in the hands of Almighty God.

But the bottom line is we have seen a signal or a sign that there is a level of mischief coming from other places. And I want to put it on record that whatever happens to me, my family and my state, Jonathan should be held responsible.

“We have enough crises in this country and when Kano boils it would be a big problem for this country. He should thank us for working with the security agencies to ensure peace.
“But now we are seeing an attempt by them to induce crises because of Sanusi, our choice and because we have done our duty as stipulated in the law. And as I told the six contenders, I wish I had more than one slot to give but in this case, there is only one slot that had to be filled and that is it. It is not the duty of the PDP or the Presidency to approve such appointment and if there is the post of the Emir of Nigeria, let them appoint that one and leave us alone.”

For more:
The Nation

Concerns over foreign assistance on Chibok girls

ALMOST one month into the deployment of the various foreign assistance teams to Nigeria, there are concerns over the lack of communication between them and their Nigerian counterparts on the fate of the over 200 school girls abducted on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram terrorists. The euphoria that greeted their coming with the high expectations that it will change the dynamics of the search and rescue efforts has ebbed.

They have arrived because the abduction of the schoolgirls attracted worldwide condemnation, with world political leaders, celebrities and activists expressing shock and outrage. It became fashionable to join the campaign for their release under the banner of #Bring Back Our Girls.’

The international outrage forced world leaders to express readiness to assist Nigeria, if they so request. President Goodluck Jonathan had come under fire, facing accusations of inertia. He was also berated for failure to seek international assistance. Faced with the anger at home and abroad, President Jonathan requested for foreign assistance, something the Nigerian military and some political leaders had hitherto been reluctant to do. Their coming was a lease of fresh air to the slow response of the Nigerian military in rescuing the school girls.

Nigeria specifically asked for intelligence and equipment to help trace the location of the Chibok girls. The request for assistance by the foreign militaries was sought because the Nigerian military is down in terms of equipment holdings in the area of sophisticated surveillance platforms.

President Jonathan, spoke with his British Prime Minister, David Cameron on the phone, requesting for the deployment of British Satellite Imaging capabilities and advanced tracking technologies to boost the outcome of the search. Several countries pledged to send military experts, spy planes and intelligence experts to assist the Nigerian military in the rescue mission.

Among countries that pledged assistance were the United States, United Kingdom, France, Canada, China and Israel. The United States deployed an Interdisciplinary Team for Assistance working with their Nigerian counterparts in the areas of security, communications and intelligence. It also deployed 80 troops to Chad. The troops will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area, using at least one drone. The UK also sent a Sentinel spy plane in addition to its team of experts.

Read more here:
Guardian Newspaper

Hilary Clinton, State Dept. Broke Law, Lied About Boko Haram Terror Threat - Senator Vitter

A leading senator has charged that Hillary Clinton’s State Department broke the law by intentionally obfuscating and downplaying to Congress the terror threat posed by the Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram, which recently gained international infamy for violently kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls.

Sen. David Vitter (R., La.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, petitioned Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday to explain why Clinton’s State Department misrepresented and downplayed key information about Boko Haram’s terrorist activities in its annual reports to Congress.

Former Secretary of State Clinton lied to Congress when she said that the State Department lacked the necessary information to designate Boko Haram as a terror group, according to Vitter’s letter, which presents new information about the State Department’s purported efforts to downplay the terror group’s impact.

Clinton’s State Department fought against efforts to designate Boko Haram for nearly two years, a move that likely limited U.S. efforts to confront the group earlier and allowed it to grow in strength.

Vitter charges that officials working under Clinton intentionally manipulated words and mislead Congress in its annual reports to create the impression that Boko Haram posed little to no threat.

Clinton’s State Department “repeatedly stated in the year leading up to the designation that it did not have data available or the necessary understanding to make the determination,” Vitter wrote to Kerry, according to a copy of unreleased letter obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

Read more here:
Washington Free Beacon