The spate of kidnapping of relatives of top political office holders in Bayelsa state continued Monday as gunmen stormed the country home of the Former Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva and abducted his 86-year-old uncle, Pa Benson Adigio-Eseni.
The kidnap of the old man who is the father of the former personal assistant of Sylva and former chief of staff to acting governor who took over from Sylva is coming on the heels of the abduction of the former governor's sister some months ago.
Pa Benson Adigio-Eseni was said to have been abducted at 2am on Sunday night from his seaside residence.
As at the time of filing this report no word has been heard from the kidnappers who would normally ask for ransom.
It would be recalled that his son, Austin Adigio, was one of politicians who abandoned Sylva to return to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) recently. He is known to have the intention to contest for the state House of Assembly election in 2015.
Sequel to the bomb attack on former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, a massive security cordon has been reportedly thrown around former leaders irrespective of political
leanings.
Buhari escaped being killed in a bomb blast in Kaduna on Wednesday, hours after a hot verbal exchange between him and President Goodluck
Jonathan over the impeachment of All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.
Jolted by the possibility of finger-pointing in an event of any eventuality, the Jonathan administration is said to have improved on the existing security around the former leaders, to avoid a repeat of the near-fatal attack on any of the living former leaders.
A couple of the former leaders, especially those of Northern extraction had issues with the president, with Buhari, his defeated challenger in 2011 presidential election, being his most strident critic. Buhari is also the president’s projected challenger in 2015 election.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo also has political differences with Jonathan.
Apart from the normal security in place for them, more soldiers and men of the State Security Service, it was learnt, are to be added to the former leaders’ retinue of security details.
An aide to the president who is currently abroad told Saturday Tribune by phone that the former leaders had always been given a full complement of security details, adding that he was not on ground to confirm if an addition had been made to their security arrangement.
The aide, however, noted that the Kaduna blast was beyond the quantum of security arrangement around the former leaders, adding that the real story behind the blast would soon be known as investigation progresses.
A security source said the move was being handled as surreptitiously as possible to avoid any possible compromise since it has become
difficult to trust even close associates of the said former leaders.
Spokesperson of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said he had no comment when contacted.
He said it was a security issue that should not necessarily be discussed.
Sultan of Sokoto and president-general, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar (III) has declared that life is sacred, thus anyone who bombs himself thinking he will go to heaven is delusional.
The Sultan, who said this on Friday when he hosted security chiefs during the breaking of the Ramadan fast
in his palace in Sokoto, further explained: “For us, one single life lost means a lot to us because life is sacred.
You cannot love God if you do not love your neighbour and if we all agree that you cannot love God if you do not love your neighbour, then why are we having all these problems?” the Sultan asked.
Stressing that Boko Haram has now become a ‘franchise’ used by many to commit series of crimes, the Sultan warned that any attempt to politicise the insecurity that is confronting Nigeria will not bring solutions.
His words: “When we politicise the security issue, there can never be a solution to it. We should not narrow it
down to an ethnic or religious thing. Let us stop pointing accusing fingers and vieweing terrorism as Hausa or Fulani issue. We must all join hands to fight insecurity because by the time you feel relaxed and say they should continue to kill themselves, by the time they finished killing themselves they will now get back to you…
“Therefore, let us collectively fight insecurity. Though, we might not know those behind this insecurity,
but we should take our hands up to Almighty Allah to expose those doing these killings. We must also not
pray and go to sleep. Let us continue to be proactive. Let us continue to work harder and sensitise our people on security matters.”
The chief of army staff gave the assurance during an Inter-Denominational Church Service which was used to mark the 2014 Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Church, Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja.
Minimah, while fielding questions from journalist on security issues at the service titled: "Combating Current National Security Challenges through Collective Effort" said: "We are going through troubled times but they will soon come to an end and we shall be glad at the end. I promise you it will come to an end and we will be victorious. The war against terrorism is a collective effort of all Nigerians and I appeal to all Nigerians to join hands in fighting this new war of terrorism. I want to thank Nigerians for standing by us, for their perseverance. I also appeal to them that terrorism is a new warfare. It requires time and patience for us to defeat it. I am very much optimistic that we will deliver. We will win the war. What we have in the North-East will certainly come to an end soon. Our job is to continue to protect and preserve the unity of this country and making it stable for prosperity. Our job is also to uphold our constitutional role, which is to defend the country’s territorial integrity from insurgency and external aggression, and provide aid to civil authority. That, we will continue to do".
The army chief while expressing optimism that terrorism would definitely end cited the Niger-Delta, Abia and Benue States, which had similar crisis before but have now become peaceful. He said the army would overcome terror as it has always done in the past.
Minimah revealed that in order to achieve victory over insurgents, it has started purchasing new equipment, training its personnel as well as the provision of a good welfare packages for its troops. He explained that the army decided to have a low-key celebration for NADCEL 2014 following the immerse security challenges currently bedeviling the nation.
"A man does not celebrate his birthday if he is bereaved. He has to just mark his birthday. I want to salute the gallantry of our troops, who have paid the supreme price in the course of defending their fatherland. These officers and soldiers had died in their duty posts and we will not forget them" he said.
Similarly, Rev. Dawuk Danfulani, the Director, Army Chaplain (Protestant), in his sermon, expressed the need for Nigerians to faithfully unite and seek God’s support in order to end terrorism.
The army chaplain urged citizens to collectively condemn and expose evil deeds in the society, noting that even if the person executing such did was a close relation.
"If a person is pulling down the system that is supposed to stand, you have the right to expose him or her. If we condemn collectively and expose evil-doers, they will be afraid to do evil" he said.
Danfulani, who took his reading from the second book of Corinthians, chapter 2, verse 11, urged Nigerians not to be ignorant as children of God.
"So, we should unite and fight these perpetrators of evil. As Nigerians, as Christians and as members of the Armed Forces, since we have known the source of our problem, we should unite spiritually to fight the enemy. We must patriotically defend what God has given us,and God will ask us and punish us if we fail to defend it" Danfulani said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army which was established in 1863, celebrated its 151 years of existence. Prayers were offered for the country, President Goodluck Jonathan, the Armed Forces as well as deceased military personnel. The name "Nigerian Army" was first used 100 years later when Nigeria became a republic in 1963.
It would be recalled that the Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt.- General Kenneth Minimah, on Friday March 20, 2014, gave an assurance that the Nigerian Army will not rest until terrorism was brought to an end.
Courtesy:
naij.com
The Federal Government has introduced machine-readable cards at the country’s five international airports for passengers.
The airport are in Lagos, Kano, Enugu, Abuja and Port-Harcourt.
It said the measure was intended to create a database for the movement of persons across borders in the face of challenges.
The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), David Paradang, said at the launch of the cards at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, last weekend, that the cards would ensure accurate data on movement, boost security profiling, and ensure easy facilitation of passengers at the airports.
He said it took the organisation some time with its partners to design the cards, which would ensure Nigeria joins other global players in deploying new technology for passenger facilitation at airports.
He said the number of international migrants and security threats have increased over the years, hence, the need for the cards.
Paradang added that with the development, Nigeria had responded to emerging trends, adding that for the cards to remain relevant, NIS has to look for experts who are proficient in French and Spanish languages.
He said: “The need to accurate data of foreigners coming into the country and those going out, easy analysis of data, easy facilitation and sharing of data among sister agency.”
He said the cards would also make simultaneous scanning of passengers possible, and could attract tourists and business organisations into the country.
Paradang said: “The machine readable cards are completely different in general from what we used to have before. It was quite a long list, scan them and make facilitation very difficult. The key issue about the current cards is to have facilitation matched with security and the machine readable passports are working with the machine readable cards .
“It makes it faster for people to move through the airport processes and it can generate information that would be used and shared with all security agencies. “Facilitation and security now marry very seamlessly and the question of procurement is not an issue at all because we as immigration service are very key in attracting tourism and investment into this country. We want as many people as possible to choose Nigeria and that would make our airport faster in processing passengers and in getting the right information faster. More people will like to come to Nigeria.”
He noted that all NIS staff have been adequately trained on the new system, maintaining that the migration to the latest technology began as early as 2007.
Commenting on the cards, the Assistant Comptroller-General, NIS, Zone A, Lagos, Mr. Nuhu Ibrahim, said the cards were designed to complement operations at borders and enhance security.
He explained that the service would continue to take advantage of new technology in order to boost security points across the country.
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
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
An officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Ahmed Grema Mohammed, has confessed to being a high profile member of the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram.
In his confession, Mohammed named some security personnel whom he said are members of the sect.
He was arrested by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital in August 2012 while on his way to kill a former special adviser to the immediate past governor of the state.
Before his apprehension, Mohammed, was attached to the Nangere office of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Yobe State, he was involved in many terrorists attacks including hits on primary schools in Damaturu.
A statement by the JTF signed by its spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, gave the news of Mohammed’s arrest:
“Mohammed confessed to be actively involved in the killings of some senior civil servants, security agents, and politicians in Damaturu who spoke against the activities of Boko Haram, particularly the former chairman of Damboa Council, Alhaji Lawal Kawu.
“He also took part in the attack on the old Police Headquarters in Damaturu, where some policemen were killed and large quantity of arms and ammunition carted away.
“In addition, he was among the terrorists that attacked Damaturu Prison, burnt some primary schools, the State CID office and the Police Safety Vehicle, among others.
Source:
metronaija.com
Barely five days after an explosion rocked the ever busy Jos Main Market and its environs, there has been another explosion.
The nature of the explosion is yet to be ascertained., however, the explosion reportedly hit Bauchi road area of the state.
According to NTA, the explosion occurred near a football viewing center and has been confirmed by a Police spokesperson, Felicia Anselm.
The explosion was reportedly set off by a suicide bomber. Premium Times reported that a resident said the suicide bomber died 20 metres from a viewing centre where football fans gathered to watch the ongoing final of the UEFA Champions League between Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid. That could not be independently verified at this time.
Other than the suicide bomber, no other casualty has been reported.
More details ...
Source:
Nigerian Bulletin
Three persons, including a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, and a corporal, Abu Haruna, Solomon, respectively have been arrested for illegal trafficking of arms and ammunition.
The third suspect, Onuwa Attaka, is the driver of the arms laden vehicle.
DailyPost gathered that their confession showed alleged involvement in supplying of arms to insurgents in the Northern Nigeria.
The three suspects, who were heading to the North from Imo State, were intercepted in Nsukka by officers and men of the Nigerian Army while traveling in a bus.
Items recovered from them include- 40 AK47 magazines, 4 boxes of AK47 live ammunition, 100 pieces of live cartridges, one piece of Denin Mopol khaki and charms concealed in a cap.
One of the army officers who spoke to DailyPost under anonymity disclosed that a police corporal serving in Imo State Police Command was also involved in the arms running.
He said, “When we asked the occupants of the vehicle to come down, we discovered a police corporal in uniform among them. The corporal on getting down pretended to be pressed; he later ran away”, he said.
It was gathered that the suspects were taken to Nsukka Police Division before their transfer to the state CID.
The retired DSP, Abu Haruna, confessed that he had been in the business of arms dealing since he retired from the police.
He said their mission was to supply the ammunition to their buyer in Taraba State.
Our source said Haruna further confessed that they decided to go on the supply after the buyer complained that the first batch was incomplete.
The Police corporal’s identity has been traced to Imo State Police command; his name was simply given as Solomon, even as efforts are still being made to effect his arrest.
Meanwhile, the Nsukka Police Area Commander, ASP. Ros-Amson Haladu has praised the gallantry of the soldiers in combating crimes in the area.
“I want to commend the Army Officers for their vigilance in tracking down these illegal arms dealers.
“At the same time, I warn criminals to leave this vicinity or risk being apprehended by security operatives”, he said.
Source:
Daily Post
The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Abubakar Sa’ad, on Friday, urged Nigerians to be united in their condemnation of terrorism in all ramifications rather than placing religious tag on the terrorists’ insurgency as either Islamic or Christian.
The religious leader, who insisted that members of the Boko Haram sect are not Muslims, spoke at the commissioning of Mosque and Islamic Centre built by Bodija Estates and Environs Muslim Community in Ibadan.
The Sultan said their deeds and actions were contrary to Islamic tenets, while lamenting the dastardly act of the Boko Haram insurgents.
The Islamic and traditional leader said: “There is nothing Islamic in the activities of the group and I feel bad when people ascribe them to Islamic religion which is why I’m charging all of us, irrespective of our religious belief, to rise in total condemnation of the sect.”
He charged Muslims to see themselves as one, stressing; “There is no tribe, language or colour in Islam. We are one, brothers and sisters and that’s how we should see ourselves and relate.
“There is no compulsion in Islam; everybody is free to practise his or her religion. What is expected of us as Islamic faithful is to, through our relationship with others, bring people to light and peace, which Islam is all about. That should be our concern to make Islam progress”, Sultan added.
The community’s chairman, Tiamiyu Giwa, condemned the bombing, abductions and killings in some northern states in the last couple of years.
While condoling with the victims of the insurgency and sharing the grief of the affected families, he said: “Islam is a religion of peace which abhors violence in any form.”
“We urge all to be more security conscious so as to protect public institutions from terrorist attacks,” he said.
Source:
Daily Independent Newspaper
Director, Defence Information in the Army, Major-General Chris Olukolade, in a press statement on Friday said “the online report titled ‘Second Mutiny in Maimalari Barracks as Soldiers Manhandled Commander’ is not true.”
The Nigerian Military has been under fire in recent times for a seeming incapability to bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end.
A media platform online had reported a second mutiny in Maimalari Barracks, but according to Olukolade, “what the online outlet garnished and dubbed as ‘mutiny’ was just a presentation of complaints by representatives of personnel families who wanted the ban on motorcycles as a means of public transportation in the barracks reversed.”
The statement further read that “soldiers were not involved and there was no single shot fired by soldiers throughout the period as claimed in the report.”
The Major-General explained that the ban was part of security measures put in place for the safety of the soldiers and their families. “The Acting General Officer Commanding obliged their request and directed a suspension of the ban pending when the planned alternative transportation arrangement is put in place. He was not insulted or manhandled as reported.”
“The imputation of mutiny was concocted by the online medium ostensibly to raise false alarm and create the impression of disquiet in the military. It is very obvious that a section of the media is feasting on the current security challenges and is desperate to sustain the tempo of the crisis through sensational reportage. Mutiny is a very grievous breach that attracts severe sanctions in the military and should not be trivialized by those who do not understand its ramifications.”
“The general public is therefore requested to discountenance the rumours as no such incident took place. The mass media is again requested to beware of lifting stories on the military from online media as this has become the main channel of disseminating falsehood on happenings in the system.”
Source:
Channels TV
The Federal Government has decided to stop the use of soldiers and other personnel of the Armed Forces as escorts by political office holders in the country.
A security source in the Presidency said the Federal Government would no longer allow soldiers to be in the entourage of governors and members of the National Assembly, among others.
The source said that the “men of the Armed Forces would henceforth serve the purpose for which they were recruited.”
It was stated that it was the position of the top security chiefs in the country that the Army was being saddled unnecessarily with responsibilities that could not be said to be essential.
It was further gathered that all soldiers in the escort of politicians would be withdrawn and deployed to duties in consonance with their statutory responsibilities of defending the territorial integrity of the country.
The source added that the security leadership was of the opinion that the deployment of the troops of the Nigerian Army in 32 out of the 36 states of the Federation had foisted the traditional responsibilities of the police on the Army.
He said, “A decision has been taken that there would be no more military escorts for politicians in the country.
“These involved governors, senators, and other persons who move about with soldiers in their entourage.
“The government is withdrawing all such troops because they are not essential services; they have to use the troops for their statutory services, they have to be used for the services for which they were recruited.
“Anything that has to do with policing should be handled by the police. You know that they have imposed a lot of police responsibilities on the Army and it is affecting performance.
“How can you apply for soldiers to be in your entourage, You use them and you end up vilifying them.
“These people are fighting in many fronts; they are supposed to be used for the purpose of defending the territorial integrity of the country.”
But the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Olajide Laleye, said that the service had always ensured that soldiers were released to those who were constitutionally entitled to them.
He stated also that it was the duty of the Army to protect movement of people that could come under attack in operational areas
“Well, at no time in the past or in the present has the Nigerian army ever given soldiers to anybody apart from those constitutionally empowered to have them
“Like I said, I know that the military cannot be in the entourage of anybody that does not have the constitutional entitlement.
“It is our duty to provide escort to important personalities and indeed anybody if they could come under attack by the insurgents in line with the orders of the President.”
Source:
Punch Newspaper
The Police in Kubwa, one of the most populated satellite towns in Abuja, yesterday afternoon, foiled a bomb attack by suspected Boko Haram members as residents, market women scampered for safety.
A Volkswagon Golf car filled with gas cylinders and jerrycans of petrol was said to have been parked near ElRufai Bus Stop by Channel 8 Junction in Kubwa around 7 AM yesterday morning, Vanguard learnt.
According to eye witnesses, many residents and passersby took to their heels upon noticing the car which they suspected could have been parked to bomb the area. Eventually the area was cordoned off by the police anti-bomb squad invited by the Chief Imam of Kubwa Central Mosque, Sheikh Abdulmumini Ahmad Khalid and other residents of the area.
The Spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command, DSP Altine Daniel told newsmen later, however, that no explosive device was found in the said car. She said the vehicle had been towed by the police of the Kubwa Division, noting that the owner of the vehicle could be a cylinder seller who left the vehicle there after it might have developed a fault.
Daniel further addd that the Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Joseph Mbu had ordered all abandoned vehicles in the area to be scanned. The Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of the police Zonal Command Headquarters, Phase 4, Agabi Godiri said that normalcy had returned to the area.
The U.N. Security Council has officially declared Boko Haram a terrorist group linked to al-Qaida on Thursday and imposed sanctions against the Islamist extremists who have carried out a wave of deadly attacks and the recent abduction of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria.
U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power welcomed the council's action, calling it "an important step in support of the government of Nigeria's efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities."
Nigeria, which is serving a two-year term on the council, asked the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaida to add Boko Haram to the list of al-Qaida-linked organizations subject to an arms embargo and asset freeze.
The 14 other council members had until 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) on Thursday to object and none did. The group was then added to the U.N. sanctions list under the name Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunna Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad, with Boko Haram as an alias.
Quinlan said there's "very clear evidence" that Boko Haram members have trained with al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, particularly in developing improvised explosive devices "one of the main weapons of modern-day terrorism and particularly al-Qaida." There is also evidence that a significant number of Boko Haram members have fought alongside al-Qaida affiliates in Mali, he said.
Quinlan said Boko Haram's current leader, Abubakar Shekau, also made "very, very strong statements of ... terrorist solidarity with al-Qaida in Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia" and other places in November 2012.
Before Boko Haram's addition, the al-Qaida sanctions list included 62 entities and groups, and 213 individuals who are also subject to travel bans.
Quinlan said it's hard to say what the practical impact of sanctions against Boko Haram will be. One possible problem in tracking their finances, he said, is that large parts of the group work in the jungle and probably use cash rather than "substantial or sophisticated financial arrangements for banking but you never know."
He urged all 193 U.N. member states to focus on Boko Haram as a violent al-Qaida related group, ensure that it is included in any national terrorist lists, and check their own country's financial and arms dealings to ensure that the organization isn't getting money or weapons.
Nigeria's U.N. Ambassador, Joy Ogwu said Wednesday "the important thing is to attack the problem, and that is terrorism."
According to the sanctions committee, Boko Haram is responsible for attacks and kidnappings in Nigeria and Cameroon and has also been active in Chad and Niger.
At a summit in Paris on Saturday aimed at hammering out a plan to rescue the 276 girls, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said Boko Haram was acting "clearly as an al-Qaida operation." He only reluctantly accepted outside help after years of insisting that Boko Haram was a local problem.
French President Francois Hollande told the summit that Boko Haram is armed with weapons that came from Libya following the ouster of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and the training took place in Mali before the ouster of its al-Qaida linked Islamist leaders. As for the money, Hollande said its origins were murky.
Source:
The Buffalo News
There was a loud explosion in Jos, the Plateau State capital at about 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
The explosion, believed to have been caused by a bomb, occurred around the ever busy Jos Main Market, between Railway Terminus and the temporary site of the Jos University Teaching Hospital.
The explosion was followed by a thick smoke and is believed to have affected many shops and commercial vehicles. It is not known whether anyone was killed or injured.
The explosion has however created tension in the area with cars colliding as drivers scampered for safety.
Ambulance and other safety providers were seen rushing to the area.
The cause of the explosion and casualty is yet to be ascertained.
UPDATE:
Another explosion sounded at about 3:20 PM around the same area just as our reporter was filing report of the first explosion to his editors.
The Commander of the Special Task Force, STF, on Jos crisis, Major General Dave Enetie, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria but did not give casualty figure.
Source:
Leadership Newspaper
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has cancelled his first visit to the village from which more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Islamist rebel group Boko Haram a month ago due to security fears, senior government sources said on Friday.
Jonathan will instead fly directly from the capital Abuja to Paris on Friday for a regional summit to discuss the Boko Haram insurgency and wider insecurity and will not now make a stop in the northeastern village of Chibok, said one of the sources.
"The president was planning to go but security advised otherwise on the visit," said the source of the last-minute decision to cancel the Chibok part of the trip.
Some Nigerians have criticized the government's initial response to the plight of the girls, who were abducted on April 14, and U.S. officials this week said the government had done too little to adapt to the threat posed by Boko Haram.
Jonathan asked France last week to arrange a security summit with neighbors Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin, and officials from the United States, Britain and the European Union to discuss a coordinated response. The summit will take place on Saturday.
Source:
Reuters
Soldiers from the newly formed 7th Division of the Nigerian Army today mutinied in their barracks against Major General Abubakar Mohammed, their General Officer Commanding.
Maj-Gen Ahmed Mohammed escaped unhurt after soldiers shot at his car at the Maimalari barracks, the sources said.
The soldiers blamed him for the killing of their colleagues in an ambush by suspected Boko Haram militants.
'Internal matter'
Army spokesman Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade described the incident in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, as an internal matter and said there was no need for public concern.
But the shooting shows that morale within the army is low as it battles Boko Haram, says BBC Nigeria analyst Naziru Mikailu.
The Islamist group has stepped up its insurgency, despite a year of emergency rule in Borno and its neighbouring state of Adamawa and Yobe.
President Jonathan has asked parliament to extend the emergency for another six months.
According to sources who were inside the Maimalari barracks, the soldiers accused Maj-Gen Mohammed of putting their lives and the lives of their families at risk by failing to ensure that they were well-equipped to tackle Boko Haram.
They also alleged that the military top brass had failed to give them a promised special allowance for fighting on the front line, they told the BBC Hausa service.
Colleagues of the protesting soldiers were killed in an ambush while driving back on Tuesday from Chibok town, from where Boko Haram abducted the schoolgirls a month ago.
Jonathan Rules Out Freeing Detained Boko Haram Members
Meanwhile, Nigeria's president has ruled out freeing Boko Haram prisoners in exchange for the release of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls.
A government minister had earlier said authorities were ready to negotiate with Boko Haram, but President Goodluck Jonathan insisted on Wednesday that this was out of the question.
"He made it very clear that there will be no negotiation with Boko Haram that involves a swap of abducted schoolgirls for prisoners," said British Africa Minister Mark Simmonds after meeting Mr Jonathan in the capital, Abuja, to discuss an international rescue mission for the girls.
Their kidnapping in Borno state on 14 April has caused international outrage, and foreign teams of experts are in the country to assist the security forces in tracking them down.
Source:
The BBC, SR
