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.

Google Halt Sales of Hi-tech Fire Alarm Due To Safety Concerns

Google-owned Nest has halted sales of its Nest Protect fire alarm after the firm found out that users could accidentally disable the device by waving their arms.
The company said the feature, Nest Wave, which allows users to wave their arms to deactivate the alarm, could be activated unintentionally.
In a blog post, the company said current users should disable Wave.
Google bought Nest Labs for $3.2bn (£1.9bn) in January.

The firm, which is primarily known for its hi-tech thermostat, launched in the United Kingdom this week after strong sales in the US.

Self-discovery
Nest chief executive Tony Fadell emphasized "We identified this problem ourselves and are not aware of any customers who have experienced this, but the fact that it could even potentially happen is extremely important to me and I want to address it immediately.
"We're enormously sorry for the inconvenience caused by this issue."

All current users of Nest Protect who have their device connected to the internet via wi-fi will have the feature disabled automatically.
He said that all current owners of Nest Protect alarms would be offered refunds, and added that he thought a fix could take between two and three months.

Culled from:
BBC

Toddler Discovers Xbox Security Flaw

A five-year-old boy who worked out a security vulnerability on Microsoft's Xbox Live service has been officially thanked by the company.
Kristoffer Von Hassel, from San Diego, figured out how to log in to his dad's account without the right password.
Microsoft has fixed the flaw, and added Kristoffer to its list of recognised security researchers.
In an interview with local news station KGTV, Kristoffer said: "I was like yea!"

The boy worked out that entering the wrong password into the log-in screen would bring up a second password verification screen.
Kristoffer discovered that if he simply pressed the space bar to fill up the password field, the system would let him in to his dad's account.

"I got nervous. I thought he was going to find out," Kristoffer told television station, KGTV. "I thought someone was going to steal the Xbox."

Dad Robert - who works in security - sent details of the flaw to Microsoft. In a statement, Microsoft said: "We're always listening to our customers and thank them for bringing issues to our attention.
"We take security seriously at Xbox and fixed the issue as soon as we learned about it."
Kristoffer's name now appears on a page set up to thank people who have discovered problems with Microsoft products.
The company also gave him four free games, $50 (£30), and a year-long subscription to Xbox Live.

Culled from:
BBC

Israel Revs Up Cyber-Security Defences

Worried by imminent fears of a cyber-attack by Palestinian activists, Israel has blocked international data from reaching government sites. By blocking traffic, Israel hopes to limit activists' ability to knock out official sites. In addition, government workers are being instructed to be wary of email messages from beyond the nation's borders.

The precautions are expected to be in place over the weekend.
The measures involve filtering traffic so only data originating within Israel reaches the sites. Systems that accept payment for government services made by people outside the country are also being put on hold.

Israeli web news site Walla said the precautions were being taken to deal with a "huge attack" being prepared by hacktivists acting for pro-Palestinian groups.
Reuters reported that Israeli government security teams were also carrying out work on official websites to make them more resistant to attack.
Israeli officials have declined to comment on the action the country is taking.
The precautions come a couple of months after security company Seculert revealed that activists had managed to breach Israeli government defences using a booby-trapped email.
The attack reportedly left the perpetrators in control of 15 computers that were used to manage some of Israel's armed forces.

BBC

Egypt to Pass New "Anti-terrorism" Law: Ministers

CAIRO: Senior Egyptian ministers said they would pass legislation on Thursday "connected to confronting terrorism", in a statement released hours after three explosions killed two people in Cairo.

The statement from a high-level security committee including the prime minister and ministers of defence and interior, did not go into further details on the contents of the law. It said the bill would be presented to the cabinet for approval.

Egypt's government already has wide-ranging security powers and has detained thousands of supporters of former President Mohamed Mursi, ousted by the army in July. Cairo declared Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation in December.

Source:
Daily Star Lebanon

Beyond Nigeria's Newfound ''Soft Approach'' Towards Terrorism and Insurgency.

Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), Nigeria's National Security Adviser

Colonel Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) succeeded late Lt. Gen. Patrick Azazi as Nigeria's National Security Adviser in June 2012. After nearly two years of painstakingly reappraising the Boko Haram miasma, he recently unveiled a 'Soft Approach' towards combating terrorism in Nigeria. The NSA proceeded to say, "my approach has been to understand the problem in order to apply the appropriate solutions. What we have learned is that there is not any particular path that leads to terrorism. Rather there are many, often complicated, paths that lead to terrorism". According to Dasuki, "the strategy would complement, not replace, military efforts to fight the Boko Hiram Sect. He continues, 'the Soft Approach will encompass de-radicalization of terrorists and revamping economy of Northern States'. He reeled out Poverty, social injustice, isolation and sectarianism amongst the factors causing terrorism and Insurgency in Nigeria. 

State Security Service (SSS) Accuse Suspended Central Bank Governor-Sanusi of Financing Terrorism

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Suspended CBN Governor

A new twist has been added to the ongoing travails of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Lamido Sanusi, as the Department of State Security Service, SSS, has accused him of financing terrorism. The SSS stated this at the Federal High Court, Lagos, while defending its decision to seize Mr. Sanusi’s international passport.

Mr. Sanusi’s passport was seized on February 20, as he arrived the Lagos international airport, hours after he was suspended as Central Bank Governor by President Goodluck Jonathan.

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

United Kingdom Launches CyberSecurity Team

United Kingdom's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UK), which will co-ordinate the country's cybersecurity defence, has been formally launched. The body will deal with "cybersecurity incidents" of national significance. It will also provide advice and alerts on cyber-threats to government, industry and academia.

Speaking at the launch, Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude said that 93% of large corporations had had "a breach" over the past financial year. The attacks cost on average between £450,000 and £850,000, he added.
The minister also repeated the claim that one London-based company had suffered a security breach which cost it "£800m worth of revenue".

Military Bombs Sambisa Forest: Hundreds of Terrorists Killed, Many Soldiers Missing Due to Operational Blunder

Hundreds of insurgents were said to have been killed in a joint operation by Special Forces and the Nigerian Air Force on Friday and Saturday in the volatile Sambisa Forest of Borno State, which has become a prominent hideout of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

What would have been a great victory for the Special Forces was, however, marred by an operational misunderstanding between the ground troops and the officers in the Air Force Alpha Jet.

It was learnt that mid-way into the operation, the Air Force Alpha Jet radioed the ground forces who had advanced in three companies, that they should withdraw because it was running out of bombs. While the second and the third battalions withdrew, the first company of soldiers did not get the critical operational order hence they had to fight their way in desperation back to their Base.

About 20 soldiers were declared missing from the operation but many of them have rejoined their Base. According to military tradition, a soldier cannot be declared dead unless the corpse is sighted. Where the corpse cannot be found, that soldier will be declared missing in action (MIA).

Defence Spokesman, Major Gen. Chris Olukolade confirmed that the Special Forces bombed the main operational headquarters of the insurgents where many of them were killed in droves.

-Punch

Detained Boko Haram Suspects Stage a Kamikaze Escape From SSS Detention Facility in Abuja

Boko Haram members detained at the facility of the Department of State Security, Abuja staged a kamikaze escape today but were reigned in by officers of the State Security Service and support from the military. Some of the detainees reportedly overpowered their guards, shot several operatives and broke down heavy doors at the detention facility to stage a daring escape. The militants were said to have succeeded in freeing several inmates and almost taking over the complex before reinforcement came from the Nigerian military. SSS operatives, aided by soldiers, went on the offensive after the detainees who had obtained weapons had run out of ammunition. Many of the detainees were said to have been killed in the process while the SSS also sustained casualties.

Beware of Drones That Wirelessly Sniff Information From Your Smart Phone!

Security firm SensePost has unveiled its Snoopy drone that can steal data from unsuspecting smartphone users, at the Black Hat security conference in Singapore. The drone uses the company's software, which is installed on a computer attached to a drone.
That code can be used to hack smartphones and steal personal data - all without a user's knowledge.

It does this by exploiting handsets looking for a wireless signal.

Insurgents attack Kabul guest house

A Taliban attack on a guest house in Kabul has come to an end with police killing the last gunman inside, Afghan military sources have told the Reuters news agency.

At least four people were trapped inside the guest house during the attack, officials say.
Afghan special forces were rushed in to fight the attackers, police said. Fighting continued for much of Friday and the AFP agency has reported that a girl has been killed.
Security has been tight in the Afghan capital, one week ahead of the presidential election. It is unclear how many have been killed or injured in the attack.

It is the latest in a recent spate of attacks on targets in Kabul
Kabul police chief Mohammad Zahir told the BBC that there were four attackers, including one who detonated explosives in his vehicle, allowing the others to get inside the guest house.
It was unclear how many people were trapped in the guest house, which is run by US-based NGO Roots of Peace.
Roots of Peace country manager Hajji Mohammad Sharif Osmani told Reuters news agency that four people were inside the building during the attacks as the rest had all escaped.
But officials also said they had been told by a man rescued from the building that six others were inside.

Police battled the attackers throughout Friday - Kabul is already on high alert ahead of presidential elections on 5 April

The forthcoming elections will be a major test for foreign donors hesitant about supporting the government after most Nato troops based in Afghanistan withdraw later this year.

The Taliban on Friday put out a statement saying they had carried out the attack.
Witnesses described how the initial explosion shattered windows. Mohammed Sadi, a resident in the area, told AP news agency that the force of the blast rattled buildings several blocks away.
"At the beginning a powerful explosion happened, which also broke the windows of our house," he said. "Then gunfire started and the police blocked all the roads."

Afghan special forces surrounded the area, officials said, and television footage showed military convoys headed towards the district.
The attack is the latest in the run-up to the vote to choose a successor to President Hamid Karzai next Saturday.
Three days ago, the Taliban launched a gun and bomb attack on an office of the Afghan election commission in Kabul.
Another attack a week ago left nine people dead when gunmen broke into an upmarket hotel in Kabul.

Source:
BBC

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.

Is Boko Haram Using Helicopters To Ferry Arms, Launch Attacks?

Sometime last year, the Director General of the National Task Force on Illegal importation of Light Weapons and Small Arms, one Osita Osakwe made a stunning revelation that, ‘’The Governors use their private jets to build up arms ahead of the coming 2015 elections’’.

In a related development, reports in some Nigerian dailies suggest the plausibility of Boko Haram employing Choppers to ferry arms as well as launch attacks. A March 18th article in Tribune , a March 23rd article in THISDAY, a March 21st DailyTrust report of a Senate hearing in which Senator Abu Ibrahim alleged the use of helicopters to drop supplies and attackers to attack Katsina; and another March 25th investigative report in DailyTrust all presented shocking details of how helicopters may have been used to ferry terrorists and ammunitions in the recent terror incidents in the north, the attack on 21 Armoured Brigade, Giwa barracks precisely and the massacres in Katsina.

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) oversees the Nigerian Airspace. Is it that NAMA is not living up to expectations or their responsibilities? Recall that NAMA was said to have acquired a state-of-the-art equipment that enables them monitor the entire Nigerian air space.  Could it be that the alleged helicopters flew below the 'line of sight' undetectable by Nigerian radars? Is there a slightest possibility that the supposed choppers are stealth, the type allegedly used by the United States Special Forces when they stormed Osama Bin Laden's house in Pakistan?

Where are the experts. Let's mull over these probabilities, insinuations.