Nigerian Immigration Officer Confesses To Being High Profile Boko Haram Member, Names Other Security Personnel

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

Boko Haram Not Islamic Sect, Says Sultan of Sokoto

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

Corruption Stalls Nigeria’s war Against Boko Haram –United States

The United States Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Sarah Sewall, has said that corruption is hindering Nigeria’s efforts at ending   insurgency in the North-East.

Sewall, who appeared before a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday, alongside a Pentagon top Africa official, Amanda Dory, added that the military must overcome entrenched corruption and incompetence for it to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram on April 14.

She said that despite Nigeria’s $5.8bn security budget for 2014, “corruption prevents supplies as basic as bullets and transport vehicles from reaching the front lines of the struggle against Boko Haram.”

Sewall, according to the New York Times, also told the committee that morale was low and that desertions were common among soldiers in the 7th Army Division fighting the insurgents.

She sidestepped a question from one lawmaker asking for an update on the abducted girls’ location and welfare, saying, “Given time, I am hopeful that we will make progress.”

Sewall had on May 13 clarified the level of involvement of US personnel in the rescue of the abducted girls, saying it   would not be combative.

She told select journalists   in Abuja that it was up to Nigeria to accept or reject the prisoners exchange offer made by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

In her testimony, Dory said that Pentagon believed that the girls might have been dispersed into multiple smaller groups.

“They may or may not all be in Nigeria,” she added, stressing that Nigerian military’s heavy-handed tactics with Boko Haram risked “further harming and alienating local populations.”

The Chairman of the Committee, Ed Royce, said being trained by the global terrorist sect meant greater terror for Nigerians, and greater challenges for the security forces.

The committee’s hearing on the menace of insurgents was tagged: “Boko Haram – The Growing Threat To Schoolgirls, Nigeria And Beyond.”

Washington had on Wednesday said that 80 US troops were currently in Chad to support the growing international effort to   rescue the abducted schoolgirls.

The military personnel are not ground troops. They are mostly Air Force crew members, maintenance specialists and security officers for unarmed Predator surveillance drones .

“These personnel will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area,” the White House said in a statement formally notifying the US Congress about the deployment.

Culled From:
Punch Newspaper

Report Claims Boko Haram Has Benefited from $70m Overseas Funding

By Senator Iroegbu  with Agency Report  

The deadly militant sect, Boko Haram, has received over $70 million from overseas between 2006 and 2011 to organise its campaign of violence, a media report has said.

The report, which quoted retired Major Chris Moghalu of the US military, also claimed that the sponsors of the insurgency in Nigeria were closely linked to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsular (AQAP) and al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
It noted that in the collaboration with AQAP and AQIM, members of the militant sect had been receiving regular support in cash and kind to maintain the momentum of their sporadic attacks across Nigeria from the two foreign terror groups.

Quoting Major Moghalu, it said trans-national criminal activities including kidnapping for ransom, drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and armed robbery were being used by Boko Haram militants to raise funds to plan and execute attacks in the North-east, an area which has been under constant campaign of violence of the deadly sect.

Though the activities of the violent sect had substantially been restricted to the Northeast,  two recent bomb blasts in Nyanya in the outskirts of Abuja,  have shown how daring the group had become.

The first bomb blast at the Nyanya motor park claimed 75 lives, while the second bomb attack around the vicinity last week claimed 20 lives.

Source:
ThisDay Newspaper

33-Point Recommendation That Will Curtail Pervasive Instability, Insecurity and Terrorism in Nigeria.

Written By
Don Okereke

Introduction:

The spate of wanton insecurity in Nigeria is to say the least, very worrisome and unpredictable. The remote and immediate causes of insecurity, terrorism/insurgency and instability are intertwined. Experts and Stakeholders agree that a multifaceted, not a piecemeal approach that treats the symptom of the disease or postponing the evil day as is often the case in Nigeria, will go a long way in taming this quagmire. Galvanized by passion, patriotism and disenchantment with the prevailing situation in Nigeria, I set out to brainstorm socio-political, economic, technological, tactical/operational strategies, solutions that will curtail the aforementioned challenges stifling Nigeria. This list is not absolute nor is it omniscient, please feel free to augment my contributions. Perhaps "ogas-at-the-top" (apologies) and relevant authorities, will glean nuggets of information from our humble contributions. In no particular order:

1.         Comprehensive restructuring of the status quo political system of government in Nigeria. Over concentration of political power at the centre (Aso Rock), the States and the kamikaze quest for it by unscrupulous politicians profoundly contributes to the status quo. 'True Federalism' or 'Devolution' of political power as practiced in the United Kingdom will go a long way. National Conference take note.

2.         Urgent need to articulate an all-embracing and coherent counterterrorism policy/strategy as against the penchant for setting up Paper-Tiger committees.

3.         Ongoing Sporadic vulnerability assessment/audit of critical public infrastructures, public places (schools, churches, mosques etc) to ascertain potential security threats.

4.         Deploying a cobweb of intelligence/surveillance network across Nigeria by exploiting the human element of security.

5.         Effective border control, stopping arms proliferation. Deploying avantgarde technologies such as "Unattended Land/Ground Sensors", unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) etc across our vast borders will help. The Nigerian Air Force must play more active role by carrying out intermittent reconnaissance patrol of these hotbeds.

6.         Very Stringent regulation and sales of chemicals such as TNT, Acetone and even fertilizers (precursors) to production of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's).

7.         Deploying efficient access control and 'SENSITIVE' explosives/metal detectors in public places- motor parks, schools, banks, offices etc.

8.         Installing FUNCTIONAL and probably, solar powered Internet-Protocol (IP) enabled CCTV Cameras in the aforementioned public places. CCTV Cameras was instrumental in unmasking masterminds of the Boston marathon bombing.

9.         Provision of a countrywide, preferably a memorable and unique 3-digit National Emergency Phone number for reporting incidents.

10. The government must partner with stakeholders, NGO's, faith-based organizations to ramp up public enlightenment campaigns aimed at de-radicalization and reawakening the security consciousness of Nigerians. Nigerians must imbibe a resilience attitude.

11. Using Social Media, not necessarily the overzealous NSA type, to filter information, trends, events that are potential security threats. Thankfully the bad guys also use Social Media for their propaganda/Press Releases. They will likely leave IP forensic fingerprints behind.

12. Discouraging tribal jingoism, irredentism and whittling down radicalization by run-of-the-mill religious bigots, clerics.

13. Recruitment into military and para military agencies: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Intelligence Agency, SSS, Immigration amongst others, must be transparent, merit-based and for those that are passionate to serve. Merit must never be sacrificed in the altar of godfatherism or 'namu ne' (Hausa word for nepotism). Let's make use of the best and brightest. Government Agencies must not charge fees for employment application.

14. Decentralization of the Nigerian police will reduce Byzantine bureaucracy and improve efficiency. Please revisit, revive 'community policing'. With a population of 160 million people and plausibly 370,000 police staff strength, Nigeria is profoundly under policed. This falls short of UN recommended police-to-people ratio of 1:450. Imagine the plethora of police officers attached to serving and former Presidents, Governors, Ministers, Presidential aids, National Assembly members, Commissioners in all the States, 774 LGA Chairmen, their families/concubines, other VIPs, religious leaders, celebrities. Don't forget that all the bank branches, embassies, telecommunication, multinational firms, hotels, posh real estates, some churches, mosques in Nigeria have 3-5 or more police officers attached to them. Do the math, how many are left on the streets?

15. A concerted effort to tackle abysmal poverty, unprecedented unemployment in Nigeria through capacity building, scholarship opportunities, trickling down wealth. Some form of Social Security (safety net), a variant of the 'amnesty largesse' extended to ex Niger Delta militants, should be extended to unemployed youths across Nigeria.

16. Whittling down a growing culture of impunity, arrogance of power by "ogas-at-the-top".

17. Waging a serious fight against corruption and unprecedented profligacy. Poverty is stifling Nigerians, dying of hunger, whereas Nigerian politicians wallow in luxury. Mr. President is reported to have about a dozen Presidential jets at his disposal and his Ministers globetrot on Private jets. Take a cue from the UK where the Prime Minister is not entitled to a single 'Presidential' jet; he flies British Airways first class. Take a cue from the former Premier of the Canadian Province of Alberta who recently resigned over an expenses scandal of $45,000, a paltry 'chicken change' to a  dilettante Nigerian public official. She did not wait to be impeached or convicted before quitting. Public office holders cannot be rubbing in their ill-gotten wealth and expect tranquility, sanity and reason to reign. Similarly, terrorism, insurgency basks on proceeds of corruption. Politicians must justify and judiciously use the 'Security Votes' accruable to them. Same applies to relevant government agencies.

18. Stifling access to funds, finance and other resources to terrorists. Relentlessly go after their sponsors.

19. Dissuading rivalry and encouraging inter-agency synergy and information sharing amongst Nigeria's Security Agencies.

20. Provision of State-of-the-art national forensic laboratory and database of ex felons accessible in REAL TIME across Nigeria by the Security Agencies.

21. Use of satellite-based technology. NigeriaSat-1, NigComSat, NX Nigeria must be deployed towards tracking vestiges of insecurity, terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria.

22. Setting up counterterrorism, first responder and victim support centres across Nigeria, especially in the hotbeds of terrorism/insurgency.

23. Upholding the rule of law, reforming, strengthening the judiciary to dispense justice as quickly as possible. President Obama once said that, "Africa needs strong institutions, not strong men". A popular dictum goes thus, 'justice delayed is justices denied'.

24. Resolving the state-of-origin ("settler" and "indigene") syndrome in Nigeria and resolving the Fulani herdsmen and cattle rustlers wahala. This  contributes to the intermittent communal crises/violence in North central Nigeria (Plateau, Taraba, Benue states.

25. Our so-called politicians, must be patriotic, put Nigeria before their inordinate ambitions. They should take a cue from American politicians who put America first.

26. Partnering and sharing intelligence with the security agencies of neighboring countries.

27. Military, para-military  Personnel deserve all the motivation they can get. Prompt payment of their salaries, hazard allowances, life assurance, decent accommodation and provision of needed equipments, tools will definitely boost their morale.

28. Good perimeter fencing and deployment of military, para military personnel to guard schools round the clock especially in North Eastern part of the country.

29. Infiltrate terrorist cells, their chain of command and plant 'moles' amongst them.

30. Been proactive, preemptive by taking the battle to their doorstep not waiting until they strike then everybody starts running helter skelter. Not forgetting winning hearts and minds of the local populace.

31.  Rein in extra judicial killing of felons, terrorism suspects. Recall how the erstwhile leader (Yusuf) of Boko Haram was summarily killed in broad daylight. A while ago, the State Security Service (SSS) extenuated the killing of some suspected terrorists in its Abuja detention facility on the guise of jail break. SSS is currently struggling to wriggle free from an indictment for indiscriminately killing 8 people on Friday 20/09/2013 in an uncompleted building in Apo, Abuja. Killing suspects without extracting nuggets of sensitive information from them is counter productive.

32. Military and paramilitary formations must weed out dismissed personnel and bad eggs from the barracks. More often than not, wrongfully dismissed folks have an axe to grind with the system and may resort to passing sensitive information to terrorists.

33. The Security Agencies must desist from deploying native-born personnel's to lead or be part of operations in their place of origin because such folks may have divided loyalty and be sympathetic to their kin.

Bio:
Don Okereke is a lover of mankind, a Writer, Security Consultant with over 17 years combined Industrial Security, Military (Air Force), entrepreneurial experience gleaned from within and outside Nigeria. Disenchanted with the unprecedented insecurity situation bedeviling Nigeria, Don brainstormed a spirited campaign: 'SAY NO TO INSECURITY & TERRORISM'

Email: donnuait@yahoo.com
Twitter: @DonOkereke