Nigeria: Report Gives Details, Says Terrorist Groups Gaining Foothold in Nigeria

The suspects have been taken to the police headquarters in Nigeria's capital Abuja for further investigation, he said.

Boko Haram, also known as the Nigerian Talibans, launched an uprising in 2009 which was put down by a brutal military assault that left hundreds dead.

The sect, which has pushed for the creation of an Islamic state, has been blamed for shootings of police and community leaders, bomb blasts and raids on churches, police stations and a prison.

[Description of Source: Paris AFP (World Service) in English -- world news service of the independent French news agency Agence France Presse]

Nigeria: Borno Government Says Islamic Sect's Faction 'Ready' To Hold Dialogue

AFP20110615565001 Lagos This Day Online in English 15 Jun 11

[Report by Michael Olugbode: "'Borno Govt, Boko Haram Ready for Dialogue'"]

Borno State Government Tuesrday said progress has been made in the planned dialogue with the notorious Islamic fundamentalist group, Boko Haram as one of its factions has indicated interest in dialogue.

Speaking to journalists, in Maiduguri, the State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha said the state government has also put everything in place to end the onslaught of the group on the state with the donation of ten Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the police.

The deputy governor while revealing that the group is currently factionalized into three said this has made it difficult to know who is who among the group adding that since one of the factions has shown willingness to talk to government, they do no have a choice but to keep their doors opened.

He however said the government was making the offer to dialogue because it is interested in bringing peace and harmony to the state and this should not be seen as a sign of weakness.

Mustapha said the government will not accept some unreasonable publicized conditions touted by unidentified persons.

He said if government will go into dialogue with the Boko Haram group it has to be in the interest of majority of the people of the state and not based on some difficult conditions of the fundamentalists.

He emphasized that the dialogue has to be on the conditions of government and not that of the Boko Haram even as he reassured the people of the state that the government will not do anything that will undermine their security.

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Hafiz Ringim who was in the state to take delivery of the APCs said the task of the police in curbing the excesses of the Boko Haram was made difficult because his men were not assisted with the right information.

The police boss, who emphasized the fact that the task of security of lives and property is that of everyone, insisted that the only way the police can push the Islamic fundamentalists out of Borno is when it is given the right information to work with.

Ringim however assured that with the latest additions into the police armouring the group would be haunted and driven out of Borno.

He disclosed that he has told his men that their task is to ensure peace and order and that they have assured him they are ready to comb all the nooks and crannies of the state for the Islamic fundamentalists.

[Description of Source: Lagos This Day Online in English -- Website of the independent daily; URL: http://www.thisdaylive.com/]

Nigerian Islamists Threaten More Violent Attacks; Angry at Government Statements

AFP20110615642002 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 15 Jun 11

KANO, Nigeria, June 15, 2011 (AFP) - A Nigerian Islamist sect that staged a series of deadly attacks mainly in the country's north on Wednesday threatened "fiercer" attacks and said it would not enter into talks with the government.

The Boko Haram group, which had two days ago laid down conditions for any talks with government, also disclosed for the first time that it had links with Islamists in Somalia.

"Dialogue with President (Goodluck) Jonathan has collapsed," because of the statements made by the inspector general of police and governor of northern Borno state, the group said.

It said it was angered by the police chief Hafiz Ringim's declaration that "the days of Boko Haram are numbered".

"Very soon, we will wage jihad...We want to make it known that our jihadists have arrived in Nigeria from Somalia where they received real training on warfare from our brethren who made that country ungovernable...," said the group in a handwritten statement.

"This time round, our attacks will be fiercer and wider than they have been," it said, adding it will target all northern states and the country's capital Abuja.

The statement in Hausa, a widely spoken language in the north, was anonymously delivered to journalists in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, where the attacks are concentrated.

The sect admitted links with a foreign Islamist group connected to Al-Qaeda, although security experts had already speculated that it had established ties with Islamists in north Africa.

The statement purportedly emanated from "Jama'atu Ahlis-sunnah lidda'ati wal Jihad", another name the sect calls itself.

Boko Haram had on Monday issued a statement setting conditions for ceasefire and dialogue with the government, which included the strict application of sharia law in the 12 predominately Muslim states in the north.

Also known as the Nigerian Talibans, the group launched an uprising in 2009 which was put down by a brutal military assault that left hundreds dead.

The sect, which has pushed for the creation of an Islamic state, has been blamed for shootings of police and community leaders, bomb blasts and raids on churches, police stations and a prison.

[Description of Source: Paris AFP (World Service) in English -- world news service of the independent French news agency Agence France Presse]

Suspected Suicide Bomb Hits Nigeria Police Headquarters

AFP20110616646003 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 1140 GMT 16 Jun 11

["Suspected suicide bomb hits Nigeria police HQ" -- AFP headline]

ABUJA, June 16, 2011 (AFP) - A powerful bomb blew up inside the Nigerian police headquarters in the capital on Thursday, killing a suspected suicide bomber although other casualties were not immediately clear, officials said.

"The police force headquarters has been bombed, everywhere is bombed," deputy national police spokesman Yemi Ajayi told AFP from Abuja.

"A suspected suicide bomber died in the incident. Many vehicles were destroyed," emergency services spokesman Yushau Shuaib said.

The bomb exploded in a car park inside the police headquarters.

Roads leading to the attack site were cordoned off at least a kilometre away as a thick plume of smoke rose from the area.

Another emergency services spokesman said the bomb was in a car in the parking lot.

The explosion is the latest in blasts to have hit the capital since October last year.

The police headquarters is situated less than a kilometre from the presidential offices and residence.

The blast came a day after an Islamist sect behind other deadly attacks, mainly in the country's north, threatened Wednesday "fiercer" action and said it would not enter into talks with the government.

The Boko Haram group, which disclosed for the first time that it had links with Islamists in Somalia, said dialogue with President Goodluck Jonathan has collapsed.

It said it was angered by a police declaration that "the days of Boko Haram are numbered".

"Very soon, we will wage jihad ...," the group said in a handwritten statement.

The sect admitted links with a foreign Islamist group connected to Al-Qaeda, although security experts had already speculated that it had established ties with Islamists in north Africa.

Also known as the Nigerian Taliban, the group launched an uprising in 2009 which was put down by a brutal military assault that left hundreds dead.

The sect, which has pushed for the creation of an Islamic state, has been blamed for shootings of police and community leaders, bomb blasts and raids on churches, police stations and a prison.

[Description of Source: Paris AFP (World Service) in English -- world news service of the independent French news agency Agence France Presse]

Nigeria: Islamic Sect Boko Haram Rules Out Dialogue with Jonathan

AFP20110616614002 Lagos Ray Power in English 1100 GMT 16 Jun 11

In the meantime, members of the Islamic sect popularly called Boko Haram say the dialogue which President Goodluck Jonathan is proposing would not hold in spite of everything.

In a handwriting letter in Hausa language circulated to newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the group sect member said the collapse of the dialogue is as a result of the statement made by the inspector general of police, Abubakar Hafiz Ringim and the governor of Borno State, Kashim Shetimah during the handover of 10 armored personnel carriers and other security patrol vehicles by the Borno State government.

They therefore urged all civilians to restrict their movements in Maiduguri and environs as well as all Northern states and the FCT [Federal Capital Territory]

The group said the reason why they resolved to take such action is because they don’t want to shed the blood of civilians this time around.

The group also threatened to frustrate the efforts of all security agencies in the country despite the purchase of the armored personnel carriers saying they already have trained warriors who have arrived the country from Somalia.

Lagos Ray Power Correspondent Ifeanyi Mark reports that Governor Kashim Shetimah had at the event said his administration would ensure that peace is restored in the state.

[Description of Source: Lagos Ray Power 2 Radio in English -- Privately owned independent radio]

Nigeria: Islamic Extremist Boko Haram Threatens Jihad

AFP20110616614003 Lagos NN 24 Television in English 1300 GMT 16 Jun 11

An explosion took place Thursday morning at the Louis Edet House of Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in the Central District Area 11 of Abuja.

Security men have now mounted all roads leading to the Police Headquarters.

There is no indication of the casualties as at the time of this report and no responsibility has been claimed. There is also no report of any injuries.

News Network 24 would keep you update on this incident as we get more information.

Meanwhile, the Islamic extremist, Boko Haram, has threatened more attacks and refused to enter into talks with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The group said the planned dialogue with President Jonathan collapsed because of the statement made by Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police and also by the current governor of Borno State in the Northern part of the country.

Boko Haram said they were provoked by the declaration of the inspector general of police, Hafiz Ringim that the days of the group were numbered.

The group has also disclosed for the first time that it had links with the Islamic groups in Somalia.

In a written statement that was released to journalists in the North Eastern city of Maiduguri where the attacks had been concentrated, the group said there would be a jihadist war against the federal government and that jihadist have already arrived from Somalia where they received training on war fare tactics.

Meanwhile, police in Northern state of Kaduna are still investigating another bomb scare that took place on Wednesday.

The incident took place at the staff quarters of the Nigeria state oil company, NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation] in the North central state of Kaduna.

According to Kaduna State police, a security guard noticed the device at around 6 AM [0500] and raised the alarm.

The security team was called to detonate the explosion two hours later.

No injury was reported.

This is the second attempt of bomb attempt in Kaduna in the 24 hours.

Kaduna police says the explosive was not too far from the venue of the Wednesday scene.

But it is not clear as at press it the attacks were deliberated targeted at the oil company.

Wednesday’s incident comes 48 hours after the leader of an Islamic sect appeared in court charged with plotting a bomb attack during the last presidential election in April.

[Description of Source: Lagos Network News 24 in English-- Privately owned independent television]

Nigeria's First Suicide Blast Kills One in Abuja

AFP20110616646013 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 1439 GMT 16 Jun 11

["Nigeria's first suicide blast hits police HQ, one dead" -- AFP headline]

ABUJA, June 16, 2011 (AFP) - A bomb blew up at Nigeria's police headquarters Thursday, killing at least one policeman and wounding bystanders, officials said, in the first suicide bombing in Africa's most populous nation.

Police blamed the blast on Nigerian Islamists who threatened a day earlier to step up a campaign of violence that has already seen scores of deadly attacks.

The blast tore into a police car park at the compound in the capital Abuja, throwing people to the ground and destroying nearly three dozen vehicles, witnesses and officials said.

"The police force headquarters has been bombed," deputy national police spokesman Yemi Ajayi told AFP by telephone.

National police spokesman Olusola Amore told reporters later it was a suicide attack believed to have been carried out by a radical Islamist sect.

"Definitely we are suspecting a group that goes by the name Boko Haram who have been issuing threats upon threats for which the police are rising up to that challenge," he said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which an AFP reporter said left behind chunks of human flesh.

It was the first suicide bombing in Nigeria, security expert Peter Sharwood-Smith confirmed to AFP.

At least five people were admitted to hospital for wounds from the explosion and two treated at the scene, Red Cross emergency coordinator Umar Abdul Mairiga said.

"Our volunteers were able to pick up pieces of human remains. These have been sent for examination by police forensic experts," he said.

A man in an apartment opposite the compound said he saw blood-stained people on the ground after the blast. He was unable to tell if they were dead.

There were several explosions, he said on condition of anonymity.

"There was a loud bang, my whole house shook as if the roof was about to come down. Then there was another blast," he said.

Abdul Mahmud, who was at a nearby office complex, said: "When we first came to the scene, it was confusion everywhere. People running helter skelter."

Police said 33 vehicles were destroyed and 40 damaged.

Roads leading to the attack site were cordoned off as a thick plume of smoke rose from the area. Fire fighters put out flames from burning cars.

The police headquarters is less than a kilometre from the presidential offices and residence.

The explosion, the latest in a series of blasts in recent months, comes after Boko Haram threatened Wednesday "fiercer" attacks, saying it was angered by a police declaration that its days are "numbered".

"Very soon, we will wage jihad," the group said in a handwritten statement distributed in the northeastern city of Maiduguri.

The sect admitted links with a foreign Islamist group connected to Al-Qaeda, but security experts had already speculated that it had established ties with Islamists in north Africa.

Also known as the Nigerian Taliban, the group launched an uprising in 2009 which was put down by a brutal military assault that left hundreds dead.

It has pushed for the creation of an Islamic state and been blamed for shootings of police and community leaders, bomb blasts and raids on churches, police stations and a prison.

President Goodluck Jonathan last week told reporters in New York that he would support attempts to talk to the Islamic militants in the predominately Muslim north to the deadly unrest.

In other major attacks in the capital in recent months, twin car bombings at Independence Day festivities on October 1 killed 12 people.

New Year's Eve blasts at a beer garden left several dead, and more were killed in a spate of bombings near the city and in the north around Jonathan's swearing into office about two weeks ago, after April elections.

[Description of Source: Paris AFP (World Service) in English -- world news service of the independent French news agency Agence France Presse]

Nigeria: Police Fingers Islamic Extremist Boko Haram in Headquarters' Explosion

AFP20110616614004 Abuja Radio Nigeria-Abuja in English 1500 GMT 16 Jun 11

The police have confirmed that the bomb explosion at its headquarters in Abuja was carried out by a suspected suicide bomber working for the Boko Haram group.

Radio Nigeria correspondent who were at the scene reports that 15 persons were confirmed dead while more than 70 vehicles were seriously damaged.

[Begin recording] [Oyebisi] A total of 73 cars were counted out of the debris of the charred ones.

33 of them damaged beyond repairs while 40 others were seriously damaged.

Confirming the incident at the news conference, the Police Public Relations Officer, Olushola Amure said the suspected suicide bomber gained entrance into the Force Headquarters around 11 O’clock [1000] in the morning through the inspector general’s convoy when a traffic warden intercepted the car.

But in the process of directing the car to the visitors’ car park, the vehicle went up in flames together with the traffic warden and the suspected suicide bomber.

No fewer than other 15 persons were burnt and confirmed dead by rescue operation personnel.

The Force PRO [Public Relations Officer] alleged the Boko Haram group to be prime suspect.

[Amure] The traffic warden who entered the vehicle of the suicide bomber to direct him to the car park was blown off along with the suicide bomber as soon as they got to the car park.

Definitely, we would be suspecting those group go by the name, Boko Haram who had been issuing been issuing threats upon threats.

[Oyebisi] Mr Amure also told newsmen that forensic experts had been invited as part of the full investigations into the bombings.

[Amure] The body of the suicide bomber has been recovered and a full investigation has commenced.

[Oyebisi] The police gave an assurance that together with other security organizations the nation would rise up to the current security challenges.

[Amure] Members of the public are assured that the criminal element behind this dastardly act will be fished out as the government, the police, and other security agencies would not succumb.

[Oyebisi] The bombing has disrupted the public power supply to the Force headquarters and environs while officers and men were seen discussing the remote and the immediate causes of the incident around the cordoned off roads leading to Louis Edet House of police.

I am Kayode Oyebisi, I now hand over to my colleagues for more situation report about the incident.

[Ukpayan] Arriving at the scene, few minutes after the blast, a huge smoke was scene to have engulfed the entire car park of Louis Edet House.

Officers and men of the force and military cordoned off the entire entrance of Force Headquarters.

People in their hundreds crowded the area while policemen continued to restrain them to safeguard the loss of more lives or casualties.

At the POWA [Police Officers Wives Association] School situated just across the road, parents were seen rushing to pick their children.

Although most journalists were prevented entrance to the bomb blast scene, they continued to gather information from afar.

[First Unidentified Speaker] No! No!! No!!! Go there! Go there!!

[Second Unidentified Speaker] Don’t talk like that when am talking, I know what am saying.

[Third Unidentified Speaker] When they say make you comot, comot, don’t expose yourself to danger.

[Ukpayan] Those were interactions among some people outside the Force Headquarters Gate.

Four men were seen at the top of a communication mast who were said to be working before the blast but refused to come down.

Fire service men from FCT [Federal Capital Territory] and the NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation] Towers were also at the scene.

Men of the National Emergency Management Agency [NEMA], Red Cross, Civil Defense, and Federal Road Safety Commission were also on top of the situation during the rescue.

Radio Nigeria spoke with the leader of the FCT Fire Service team, Mr Jerry Tandev

[Tandev] As at the time we heard the explosion, the effort has paid off. In terms of human, we can’t explain but the vehicles were over sixty something that we have lost.

We have up to five trucks all of them were here with two tankers, both our surrounding extension were here.

[Ukpayan] Mr Simeon Nwaobele, the Red Cross Society team leader said they took the casualties to Asokoro General Hospital.

Over now to my colleague, Yusuf Usman who followed the rescue operators to Asokoro General Hospital where most of the corpses and victims were taken to.

[Usman] While at the Asokoro Hospital, six additional dead bodies were brought in at about half past two in the afternoon by officials of the FCT Emergency Medical Service and Red Cross Society.

An official of the FCT Emergency Medical Service and Red Cross Society, Yusuf Dukka, who led the team that brought in the six corpses in two ambulances confirmed the situation.

[Dukka] I say six dead bodies, that is what we just brought here now and then you can see three are there, three was here.

[Usman] Several injured policemen and officers were also receiving treatment at the hospital but refused to comment.

Efforts to get actual details of other casualties already in the morgue or under the intensive care also proved abortive.

However, a drive round the city shows that measures are been put in place to protect other public buildings to avert similar attacks.

I am Yusuf Usman. [End recording]

Nigeria: Borno Shehu denies involvement in Boko Haram Activities

AFP20110616606004 Lagos Guardian in English 16 Jun 11 p 5

[Report by Njadvara Musa: "El-Kanemi denies role in Boko Haram activities"]

The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, has denied involvement in the activities of the Boko Haram sect. He stated that he had been preaching against the serial attacks and killings allegedly perpetrated by members of the sect in the state. The denial was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary of Borno Emirate Council [BOEC], Zanna Lesu and made available to The Guardian yesterday in Maiduguri.

In the statement, the Shehu condemned the call for his prosecution as advocated in a letter allegedly written and distributed to reporters by members of the Islamic sect. The denial, according to him, has become necessary because of the serious concern shown by all communities, citizens and good people of Borno Emirate and the nation in general on the issue of linking the Shehu with the already outlawed sect from the state and the country at large.

The statement further reads in part: "For the avoidance of doubt, at no time was his royal highness or the Emirate Council ever contacted or consulted by any authority within or outside the state on the breach of peace in the city of Maiduguri in particular and the state in general. "The Emirate Council condemns in no uncertain terms all insinuations to its involvement or that of his royal highness. The Shehu since his ascension to the throne has continued to preach peace, harmony, stability and justice which are the greatest and well-known heritages of Borno Emirate from time immemorial."