Breaking News: Suspected Boko Haram Gunmen kidnap 8 More Girls in Bornu State

Suspected Boko Haram gunmen have kidnapped eight girls aged between 12 and 15 from a village near one of their strongholds in north-east Nigeria, police and residents say.

"They were many, and all of them carried guns. They came in two vehicles painted in army colour. They started shooting in our village," said Lazarus Musa, a resident of Warabe, where the attack happened on Monday night.

"Many people tried to run behind the mountain but when they heard gunshots, they came back. The Boko Haram men were entering houses, ordering people out of their houses."

A police source, who could not be named, said the girls had been taken away on trucks along with looted livestock and food.

The Islamist rebels are still holding more than 200 girls they abducted from a secondary school on 14 April. The Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau threatened to sell those girls "on the market" in a video released to the media on Monday. He said Allah had told him to sell the girls.

Source:
Guardian UK

Boko Haram Sect Attack Cameroonian Barracks, Kill Two Officers And Free Detained Members

Suspected Boko Haram sect, launched an attack on a Cameroon Gendarmes barracks and killed two personnel in a gun duel in the Northern part of the country. A Cameroonian journalist told SaharaReporters that the militants carried out the attack in the barracks located in Kousseri town.

The Boko Haram insurgents after killing two security personnel freed two of their high profile fighters being held in the barracks detention facility.
The source said that the country’s military are presently strategizing on waging a war on the insurgents operating around its border with Nigeria.

In another development, Nigerian troops this morning had a serious confrontation with the sect militants around the Nigerian border with the Republic of Chad.
A military source in Borno State confirmed the story to SaharaReporters, he did not provide further details.

Source:
SaharaReporters

Boko Haram Admits Abducting Chibok School Girls, Threaten 'To Sell Them Off'

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau sent a video obtained by the AFP news agency, in which he said for the first time that his group had abducted the Chibok  School girls three weeks ago.

God instructed me'
In the video, Abubakar Shekau said the girls should not have been in school in the first place, but rather should get married.

"God instructed me to sell them, they are his properties and I will carry out his instructions," he said.

However, BBC Hausa Service editor Mansur Liman points out that the Boko Haram leader did not state the number of girls abducted, nor where they were taken or are now.

Recall that over 200 girls, aged between 16-18 were taken from their boarding school in Chibok, in the northern state of Borno, on the night of 14 April.

The Associated Press news agency says it is unclear whether the video was made before or after reports last week that some of the girls had been forced to marry their abductors, who paid a nominal bride price of $12 (£7).

Source:
BBC

Suicide-Bomb Attack Foiled In Damaturu…Suicide-Bomber Arrested

An attack by a suicide bomber operating in a pickup vehicle laden with IEDs was this morning foiled in Damaturu, the Yobe State Capital.

The target of the attack was ‘A’ Division of Police Command situated by the main round-about in the heart of the town.

The attempt was however foiled as the culprit was arrested by the police personnel on duty.

A total of 6 already constructed turbine containers loaded with explosives as well as 20 liters of petrol and 11 bags of beans chaff have been recovered from the scene.

The recovered materials are in the custody of the Joint Taskforce Headquarters in Damaturu.

The police anti-bomb squad has safely detonated the explosive.

Press Release By:
CHRIS  OLUKOLADE
Major General
Director Defence Information/Coordinator

Boko Haram Kill 8 Teachers in Bornu, Engage Nigerian Military On Several Fronts

In their latest and daring onslaught, Boko Haram Sect members yesterday broadened the theater of conflict in Borno State by freely and simultaneously engaging Nigerian soldiers in several towns in the state. Sources say the Sect invaded Dikwa killing eight teachers.

Also, the Sect members raided Gwoza and Kalahgde engaging in fierce fight to take control of the townships.
The fighting that started yesterday has lasted till the wee hours of today in some of the places that came under attack.

Source:
SR

Boko Haram: North-East governors Appeal to INEC on 2015 Polls

Governors of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, facing the challenges of Boko Haram insurgency on Wednesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to postpone the 2015 general elections in the states.

The call was contained in a statement jointly issued in Maiduguri by their spokespersons.

The statement urged INEC to disregard calls by some politicians for the postponement of the elections due to the security situation in the states.

It urged INEC to take a cue from war-ravaged Afghanistan where elections were recently held, in spite of threat of attacks by the Taliban terrorist group.

“INEC should take a cue from Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission which courageously held the country’s presidential and provincial election last Saturday despite strong threats issued by the Taliban.

“Afghanistan was celebrated worldwide for liberating herself from the scourge of fear, thereby sending a strong signal that no threat would prevent them from choosing their leaders through democratic processes,” it said.

The statement further pointed out that the Afghan government provided adequate security for the conduct of the polls, urging the Federal Government to do same.

“INEC should as a matter of counter insurgency approach, ensure that no part of Nigeria is excluded from the election.

Source:
The Nation Newspaper