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

[Description of Source: Lagos The Guardian in English - independent daily]

Nigeria: Islamic Sect Confirms Carrying Out Bomb Blasts in Abuja, Borno State

AFP20110617598001 Abuja Daily Trust Online in English 2300 GMT 16 Jun 11

[Report by Hamza Idris and Yahaya Ibrahim: "Boko Haram: IG Was Our Target"]

Members of the Jama'atu ahlus Sunnah lid da'awati wal Jihad, popularly called Boko Haram, said yesterday that they were responsible for the suicide bombing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. They also said they did not accomplish their mission because their prime target was the Inspector General Hafiz Ringim.

A statement from a senior member of the group, Abu Zaid said the attack at the police headquarters was to prove a point to all who doubt the capabilities of the sect. The statement came barely two hours after another bomb exploded in Damboa town, about 87 kilometres from Maiduguri the Borno state capital, which killed four children and injured two others.

The bomb, which exploded around 1pm, was buried in between a residential building and a church, the Eklisiyyar Yan Uwa a Nigeria (EYN).

Police spokesman in Borno State Lawan Abdullahi who confirmed the incident said the children were playing around the area when the bomb exploded. "The victims were small children...I can't estimate their ages but they are children. They were caught unawares while playing around the area," he said.

He said two others that sustained injuries have been taken to the hospital, adding that no arrest was made so far. "We are investigating the matter and we need serious cooperation from the people in order to succeed. Security is the responsibility of all," he said.

The statement signed by sect leader Abu Fatima said, "Of recent, he (Ringim) has been going to places and making unguarded utterances to the effect that he will crash us in a number of days...This is unfortunate. We attack his base (police headquarter) in order to show him that action speaks louder than words."

He also said the sect members will continue to launch attacks at the police headquarters. "We would not relent and by the grace of God, we shall see who is on the right track," he said.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in Maiduguri and environs. Our correspondents who went round the town saw many stop and search points mounted by members of the Joint Task Force.

At London Ciki, Costain, Westend, Post office and Lagos Street, Okada riders and their passengers were being directed to disembark from the motorcycles and push them to at least 50 metres away from the checkpoint before they can continue with their journey. "This is a very difficult and trying moment for us," Jummai Stephen, a school teacher said.

[Description of Source: Abuja Daily Trust Online in English -- Website of the independent pro-North daily; URL: http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php]

Nigeria: Sambo Resolves To Hold Talks With Islamic Sect Following Abuja Blasts

AFP20110617598003 Abuja Daily Trust Online in English 2300 GMT 16 Jun 11

[Report by Mohammed S. Shehu and Abbas Jimoh: "We're Ready for Dialogue, Says Sambo"]

As Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo was reiterating the federal government's resolve to dialogue with members of the Boko Haram sect yesterday, bomb blasts rocked the headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, some few kilometers from where he was speaking.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the blasts.

The Vice President, who cautioned clerics against provocative statement, said notwithstanding the national security threat pose by Boko Haram the Federal Government was determined to handle the resurrection through dialogue. He said the unity of the country would not be negotiated.

Sambo spoke yesterday while declaring open the meeting of the National Executive Council of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) at the National Mosque, Abuja.

Sambo, who called for prayers for the continued unity of the country, said, "The unity of the Nigeria is none negotiable," noting that the issue of Boko Haram which is now a national security threat would be handled in "the spirit of dialogue, negotiation and national reconciliation."

He urged the Council to inculcate the virtues of tolerance and accommodation among their members and desist from actions capable of inciting the youths and noted that Islam is a religion of peace that abhorred violence.

He reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to build 100 Almajiri schools yearly to give about 9.6 million children western education.

In his remark, the President-General of the Council and Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar lamented that "it is so unfortunate that a mere political protest would descend into such an orgy of violence," adding that nothing can justify the wanton killing and maiming of innocent lives in the post election violence.

While calling for succour to those who have lost their breadwinners in the crisis, the Sultan said he has authorized the establishment of a special fund to cater for the needs of the affected persons.

[Description of Source: Abuja Daily Trust Online in English -- Website of the independent pro-North daily; URL: http://dailytrust.dailytrust.com/index.php]

Nigeria's Islamists Claim Responsibility for Police Headquarters Bombing

AFP20110617309001 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 0813 GMT 17 Jun 11

["Nigeria's Islamists claim suicide bombing" -- AFP headline]

KANO, Nigeria, June 17, 2011 (AFP) - A radical Islamist sect has claimed responsibility for Nigeria's first suicide bombing, saying the attack that killed two at Abuja's police headquarters targetted the country's police chief.

"We are responsible for the bomb attack on the police headquarters in Abuja which was to prove a point to all those who doubt our capability," the group known as Boko Haram said after the attack late Thursday.

The powerful explosion ripped through the car park inside the police headquarters compound, killing a police officer and the bomber, wounding several others and destroying dozens of cars, according to police. Local media said the death toll could be higher.

Security experts said it was the first suicide bombing in Nigeria, a country of 150 million people facing a growing threat from Islamic militants.

Boko Haram said it regretted missing its target, "inspector-general of police, Hafiz Ringim."

In the statement signed by spokesman Abu Zaid, the group said the police chief had recently been making "unguarded utterances to the effect that he will crush us in a matter of days."

Witnesses said the motorcade of a senior police officer had driven into the headquarters just minutes before the attack.

Police said the bomber drove into the car park and set off the bomb when he was about to undergo a routine search. Local media say the bomber was trailing the police chief as he drove into the compound.

Shortly after the attack police blamed Islamists who a day earlier had threatened to step up a campaign of violence that has already seen scores of deadly attacks.

Boko Haram, sometimes called the Nigerian Taliban, had warned Wednesday of "fiercer" attacks saying it was angered by a police declaration that its days were "numbered."

The sect, believed to be based in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, this week admitted links with a foreign Islamist group connected to Al-Qaeda, saying some of its members had just returned from training in Somalia. Security experts earlier speculated that it had established ties with Islamists in north Africa.

"We will continue to launch similar attacks on the police headquarters. We will not relent," said the group which has warned it will wage a "jihad" or holy war.

The explosion, the latest in a series of blasts in recent months, adds to the levels of insecurity in Nigeria just weeks after President Goodwill Jonathan's election late April for his first full term.

Several people were wounded in the explosion, according to a Red Cross official Umar Abdul Mairiga, who said volunteers had picked up pieces of human remains, but were unable to tell the numbers killed.

Boko Haram, whose name means Western education is sin, 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.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for a spate of bombings near Abuja and in the north after Jonathan's inauguration about two weeks ago that killed 18 people.

But until now there had been no suicide bombings in Nigeria, although a would be Nigerian suicide bombier attempted to bring down an American airliner on Christmas Day 2009.

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

Nigeria: Boko Haram Islamic Sect Threatens 'Fiercer' Attacks

AFP20110617606003 Lagos Daily Sun in English 16 Jun 11 p 2

[Corrected version: amending headline, upgrading precedence, adding topic country; Report by Juliana Taiwo: "Boko Haram Vows Fiercer, Wider Attacks"]

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 talk 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 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 would 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 North-eastern city of Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, where the attacks were 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 predominantly 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 had pushed for the creation of an Islamic state, had been blamed for shootings of police and community leaders, bomb blasts and raids on churches, police stations and a prison.

[Description of Source: Lagos Daily Sun in English -- Privately owned daily close to former Abia State Governor Orji Kalu]

Nigeria's Islamists Claim Responsibility for Police Headquarters Bombing

FEA20110617019020 - OSC Feature - AFP (World Service) 0813 GMT 17 Jun 11

["Nigeria's Islamists claim suicide bombing" -- AFP headline]

KANO, Nigeria, June 17, 2011 (AFP) - A radical Islamist sect has claimed responsibility for Nigeria's first suicide bombing, saying the attack that killed two at Abuja's police headquarters targetted the country's police chief.

We are responsible for the bomb attack on the police headquarters in Abuja which was to prove a point to all those who doubt our capability," the group known as Boko Haram said after the attack late Thursday.

The powerful explosion ripped through the car park inside the police headquarters compound, killing a police officer and the bomber, wounding several others and destroying dozens of cars, according to police. Local media said the death toll could be higher.

Security experts said it was the first suicide bombing in Nigeria, a country of 150 million people facing a growing threat from Islamic militants.

Boko Haram said it regretted missing its target, "inspector-general of police, Hafiz Ringim."

In the statement signed by spokesman Abu Zaid, the group said the police chief had recently been making "unguarded utterances to the effect that he will crush us in a matter of days."

Witnesses said the motorcade of a senior police officer had driven into the headquarters just minutes before the attack.

Police said the bomber drove into the car park and set off the bomb when he was about to undergo a routine search. Local media say the bomber was trailing the police chief as he drove into the compound.

Shortly after the attack police blamed Islamists who a day earlier had threatened to step up a campaign of violence that has already seen scores of deadly attacks.

Boko Haram, sometimes called the Nigerian Taliban, had warned Wednesday of "fiercer" attacks saying it was angered by a police declaration that its days were "numbered."

The sect, believed to be based in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, this week admitted links with a foreign Islamist group connected to Al-Qaeda, saying some of its members had just returned from training in Somalia. Security experts earlier speculated that it had established ties with Islamists in north Africa.

"We will continue to launch similar attacks on the police headquarters. We will not relent," said the group which has warned it will wage a "jihad" or holy war.

The explosion, the latest in a series of blasts in recent months, adds to the levels of insecurity in Nigeria just weeks after President Goodwill Jonathan's election late April for his first full term.

Several people were wounded in the explosion, according to a Red Cross official Umar Abdul Mairiga, who said volunteers had picked up pieces of human remains, but were unable to tell the numbers killed.

Boko Haram, whose name means Western education is sin, 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.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for a spate of bombings near Abuja and in the north after Jonathan's inauguration about two weeks ago that killed 18 people.

But until now there had been no suicide bombings in Nigeria, although a would be Nigerian suicide bombier attempted to bring down an American airliner on Christmas Day 2009.

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

Nigeria: Global Security Agencies Reportedly Probing Abuja Police HQ Bomb Blast

AFP20110619565001 Ibadan Nigerian Tribune Online in English 18 Jun 11

[Report by Taiwo Adisa, Odidison Omankhanlen, Dachi Maduakor, Tunde Sanni and Shola Adekola: "FBI, Coalition of Security Operatives Probe Abuja Blast"]

A coalition of security operatives around the world is said to be probing Thursday's bomb blast which rocked the Police Headquarters, Abuja.

Information at the disposal of some agencies indicated that a number of operatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States of America (USA), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) also of the United States and officials of Saudi Intelligence Agency are already working with Nigeria to unravel the sources of the bombs used by Boko Haram sect for the attack.

It was gathered that Nigerian officials have decided to cooperate fully with international agencies because of the widespread belief that the dreaded Al-Queda group is behind moves to destabilise countries of the world, using different groups.

Sources confirmed that Boko Haram operatives who carried out the attacks were trained in Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and Dafur in Somalia and that a wide network of funding has been discovered.

"There is an ongoing alliance involving the Metropolitan Police, the FBI, the CIA and other agencies including the Saudi Arabia intelligence. They are looking at evidence confirming that the Boko Haram sect members were trained in Dafur, Libya, Iraq and Sudan. Some of the people being used for their dastardly operations are believed to come from these countries," a source said.

The Nigerian authorities have also set up a special team which is probing the sources of funding of the Boko Haram sect and pattern of spending of some individuals suspected to be providing cover for the sect.

Ripples of Thursday's attack at the Force Headquarters, Abuja spread accros the country, including Lagos, Kano, commercial city of Onitsha, the Anambra State capital leading to security beef-up by the authorities.

In Lagos, our correspondents, who went round the nation's commercial capital saw stern-looking policemen at strategic points on the Custom Street, where major institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) are located.

Specifically, the CBN gate, which used to be manned by private guards, are now being supervised by fierce-looking riot policemen.

Visitors into the premises are now made to undergo metal security detector check, even after intensive scrutiny by the security guards on duty.

Also, Saturday Tribune noticed that more of the private security guards are now been deployed to patrol in and around the premises to stem any suspicious move.

The story was not different at the stock exchange, as visitors were subjected to extra search before gaining entrance.

Vehicles entering into the compound were subjected to thorough search before being allowed in, while appropriate documentation was being carried out on the visitors.

At Oyin Jolayemi Street on Victoria Island which houses some bank head offices, policemen were on red alert. A bullet proof van was seen stationed nearby, ostensibly to forestall any security breach.

However, key players in the oil industry are maintaining a studied silence on the development in Abuja on Thursday, which left several persons dead and more than 70 vehicles destroyed.

A visit by our correspondents to Muritala Muhammed Airport and others airport across the country revealed that security was also beefed-up.

The development came even as the airport police commissioner, Moses Onireti, appealed to airport users to bear with the latest additional security measures introduced, saying the measures were introduced in order not to take chances.

The measures which include adequate screening and patrol, Onireti said, will continue till further notice.

In the commercial city of Onitsha in Anambra State, police vehicles were seen patrolling major flash points in the metropolis.

The police on Friday also cordoned off the road that led to the Area Command Office located at the Enugu road, Onitsha which resulted in gridlock in some of the major streets.

According to one of the policemen, wh o did not want his name in print, the action was very necessary now that the police have known that they are the major target of the terrorists.

"Yes, you may not blame us as such because we are also human beings, the police have realised that they are the greatest enemies of these Boko Haram sect, so the only thing left for us is to device our own means of security as well as that of the country. The bomb at our headquarters did not spare anyone so, if you ask me, why can't we be more security conscious.

Even you journalists should also be bothered by the ugly development," he said.

[Description of Source: Ibadan Nigerian Tribune Online in English -- Website of the privately owned daily; URL: http://www.tribune.com.ng]

Nigeria: Jonathan Pledges To Tackle Masterminds of Abuja Police HQ Bomb Blast

AFP20110619565006 Ibadan Nigerian Tribune Online in English 18 Jun 11

[Unattributed report: "Reactions To Police Headquarters' Bomb Blast..."]

It Is Turning Point - Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan, while reacting to the Thursday bombings of Police Headquarters in Abuja on his Facebook account described the incident as a turning point.

While commiserating with families of victims and assuring them of justice, Jonathan reiterated his commitment to chart an era of transformation and bring about a positive change to the common man, no matter the distractions.

"Dear country men and women, this is not a time for too many words; however, let me say that the unfortunate event that occurred on Friday in Abuja is a turning point. About two months ago, I addressed the nation and said "enough is enough." I meant what I said and the Federal Government will, with level-headedness but urgent priority, take appropriate steps to bring justice to those behind the dastardly attack. I promised an era of transformation and I will not waver in that commitment nor allow any force hamper that resolve to bring about those positive changes that the common man in Nigeria desires and has patiently waited for.

"I commiserate with the families of the victims and assure them that justice will be done and that their loved ones did not die in vain.

"Finally, let me say that everything that needs to be done to fish out the masterminds of the recent bombings will be done," Jonathan stated.

Saraki Calls For Concerted Efforts

Following the spate of bomb attacks and acts of terror spreading across the country, former Kwara State governor, Dr Bukola Saraki, has called on eminent Nigerians across party lines, states, religions and traditional institutions to come together and find a lasting solution to the problem.

"This development, which has become a daily occurrence, has not only put the whole nation on the edge, it has also inflicted untold trauma and severe brutality on the psyche of the Nigerian people," he said.

According to Dr Saraki, there is no gainsaying the fact that the nation and the people are presently going through a trying period, "a situation that is rapidly eroding the modest socio-economic and political gains we have achieved through democracy."

"The situation, if left unchecked," he said, might lead to a general breakdown of law and order, an ill-wind that would blow no one any good.

"To avert this and return the nation to the state of peace and normalcy, there is an urgent need for all of us across party lines, states and traditional institutions not to see this development as Jonathan govern-ment's problem alone, but that of all of us."

Let's Root Them Out - Gov Chime

Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has lent his voice to the widespread condemnations of Thursday's bomb attacks at the police headquarters, Abuja and Maiduguri, Borno State, describing them as unwarranted, cowardly and cold-blooded violence that should never go unpunished.

Noting that the latest attacks had changed the face and tone of terrorism in Nigeria, the governor called for a massive sweep of terror elements in the society with a view to rooting out the cankerworm before it takes firm roots.

Chime, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, expressed particular concern at the novel use of suicide bombing at the police headquarters, saying that all efforts must be made to prevent Nigerian youths from being used in such a cruel and senseless way to advance anti-social causes.