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

The Army chief spoke in Ibadan at the opening of a three-day workshop on civil-military affairs held at the 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan.

He described as unfortunate the situation in which the people have refused to give genuine information that could lead to the arrest of members of Boko Haram.

Gen Ihejirika said in spite of this drawback, the army was up to the task. He assured Nigerians that Boko Haram would soon be crushed.

He said people have refused to give information about the sect because of the fear of reprisal.

He recalled that some people in the past who volunteered information to security operatives which led to the arrest of some suspected criminals were later traced to their houses and killed. He said information given would be treated with confidentiality.

Gen Ihejirika was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Muhammad Abubakar.

He said it was pertinent for the military to build on professionalism with emphasis on creating an enabling environment to foster cordial relationship between the civil and military institutions.

He said the military needs a complete re-orientation to mitigate these challenges, saying that the interface between the civil society and the military could not be severed as both depend on each other.

The Chief of Civil-Military Affairs, Major General Bitrus Kwaji, said the objective of the program is to enhance the credibility and integrity of the Nigerian Army as a strategic conflict mediator and resolution stakeholders and to promote cordial civil-military relations.

The University of Maiduguri has been closed down indefinitely as a result of the insecurity caused by the activities of Boko Haram.

Registrar Alhaji Babagana Aji, said the decision to close down the institution was taken yesterday by the Senate of the university.

He said the university will only reopen when the security situation in Maiduguri improves.

[Description of Source: Port Harcourt The Tide in English -- Daily owned by the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation]

Boko Haram Vows To 'Continue' Attacks on Military Bases

FEA20110713019845 - OSC Feature - Daily Trust Online 2300 GMT 12 Jul 11

[Report by Hamza Idris and Yahaya Ibrahim: "Boko Haram Accuses Army of Genocide in Maiduguri"]

The army is carrying out massacre and destruction of innocent people's properties in Maiduguri, members of the Jama'atu Ahlis- sunnah- Lid-da'awati wal Jihad popularly known as Boko Haram alleged in a statement yesterday.

The group also described a story credited to the Chief of Army staff General Azubuike Ihejirika that the group are cowards as an irony.

The statement signed by the spokesman of the group, Abu Zaid, further accused the army of hiding behind women and children to kill innocent civilians; a move the group said only exposes the army as weak, vulnerable and confused.

Zaid also challenged the army to relocate back to their barracks, remove their wives and children to safer locations and see if the group will not confront the army for a showdown.

According to the statement which was written in Hausa, the group said "If you (army) have the capacity to fight us, return to your barracks, remove your children and wives and see if we will not confront you within hours.

"The recent indiscriminate attack on the innocent and destruction of their property in Maiduguri is a sign that you are weak, ungodly and fearful," the statement said.

"We want to tell the Chief of Army Staff General Ihejerika that cowards don't engage a military in a duel as we did in your barracks and on the streets of Maiduguri. But cowards are those who attack women, children in their sleeps and who burn the innocent's property," he said.

He further assured that the group will soon continue with their attacks on military barracks to prove their capacity to the chief of army staff.

"We have attacked you in your barracks in the past, and God willing, we will do it again very soon", the statement added.

Abu Zaid further reminded the army that it was their cowardice that led to an attack on members of the movement during a funeral procession at the Gwange cemetery and in Bauchi where their members were killed defenselessly.

"You attacked us. First in Maiduguri and then in Bauchi where you killed innocent lives who were holding nothing, and now you are busy killing the innocent in Maiduguri and destroying their property. If this is not cowardice, what else is it?

"We consider your description of us as cowards as an affront that will not be left un-replied and we want to remind you to ask the Inspector General of Police what the punishment of the boastful is," he said.

Abu Zaid also referred to an attack on the registrar of ATBU and his wife by the army as another sign of the weakness of the army, adding that the army will soon be dealt with in a ruthless and courageous manner.

Another statement quoted Mohammed Shekau, the overall leader of the group, saying the people of Borno must understand that the house to house search launched by the JTF was meant to kill innocent people.

"It is not the people that live in the town that are fighting the military and therefore why the sudden invasion into the privacy of civilians?

"We want to warn that if soldiers did not withdraw from Maiduguri within two days, we would confront them. We want to advice the civilians to look safer place and stay," the statement 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: Former Borno State Governor Denies Link With Islamic Sect

AFP20110714565005 Lagos Business Day Online in English 1558 GMT 13 Jul 11

[Report by Horatius Egua: "Sherriff Denies Link With Boko Haram; Says he was Not Quizzed by SSS"]

Immediate past governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sherriff, Wednesday denied any link with the Boko Haram sect, saying former Lieutenant-General Jeremiah Useni's claims were unfortunate and out of tune.

Fielding questions from State House correspondents, shortly after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Sheriff also denied being quizzed by the state security service (SSS).

He told reporters that he was actually the one who called the director general of the SSS for an appointment to see him and not the other way around.

"There is no responsible government in Borno State or Nigeria that will allow a young man carrying arms to sell on the street. So, that report is most unfortunate and I am surprised that somebody like Useni will make public statements like this because of his age. I respect him and I also believe that he should always be cautious when speaking in public, otherwise the age he has earned and the position he has earned would be in question".

Debunking the story further, Sheriff said: "He said he saw people selling petrol on major streets of Maiduguri. But the NNPC depot in Maiduguri did not receive petrol from the Kaduna refinery for over 15 years and marketers go to Kaduna and Lagos, get petrol and people buy it and sell. So, innocent people cannot be Boko Haram".

"Boko Haram and these boys selling petrol are two different things. In any case, I did not even introduce the sale of petrol in jerry cans in Borno State. It has been in existence before I came. If all the past military and civilian governors in Borno State did not ban the sale of petrol outside petroleum stations, why should I come and ban people who are legitimately earning a living?"

[Description of Source: Lagos Business Day Online in English -- Website of the privately owned Nigerian online business news portal; URL: http://www.businessdayonline.com]

Nigerian Islamists Say no Ceasefire Until Troops Withdrawn from North

AFP20110714646003 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 2158 GMT 13 Jul 11

["Nigerian Islamists say no ceasefire until troops withdrawn" -- AFP headline]

KANO, Nigeria, July 13, 2011 (AFP) - Nigerian Islamists blamed for a raft of bombings will not halt their attacks unless troops are withdrawn from the epicentre of the violence, a man claiming to be their spokesman said Wednesday.

"We can cease fire if soldiers are withdrawn from Maiduguri because there is no way we can accept any peace deal when thousands of soldiers are being deployed to the city," Abu Zaid told journalists on a conference call.

"If government is really sincere in the restoration of peace, let all soldiers from the streets go back to the barracks."

President Goodluck Jonathan has deployed hundreds of troops to the northeastern city of Maiduguri, which has seen the brunt of the violence blamed on a sect known as Boko Haram.

Thousands of residents have fled the city, fearing more violence linked to Islamist attacks and soldiers' response.

Troops were accused of targeting civilians last weekend and burning their homes after accusing them of complicity with the sect, which the military denies.

The state government in Borno, where Maiduguri is the capital, issued a statement on Wednesday pledging that military operations would be conducted responsibly.

"Adequate measures have now been taken by government to ensure that security operations would henceforth be undertaken with a human face and with absolute respect for the freedom of movement ...," it said.

Bomb blasts and shootings blamed on the sect have intensified in recent weeks and now occur almost daily. The group has claimed to be fighting for the establishment of an Islamic state.

Nigeria is roughly divided in half between Christians and Muslims.

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

Nigeria Leaders, Military Trade Accusations Over Alleged Killings in Borno State

AFP20110715581011 Abuja Daily Trust Online in English 0404 GMT 15 Jul 11

[Report by Hamza Idris and Yahaya Ibrahim: "Borno Elders, JTF Trade Blames"]

Borno Elders and Leaders of Thought (BELT), a group of eighteen prominent people in Borno State yesterday traded accusations with the leaders of the Joint Task Force (JTF) code named Operation Restore Order over the alleged killing of innocent young men and raping of married women and young girls by soldiers as a fall out of the new security measures now in force in Maiduguri.

While the JTF insisted that all the people that were killed at Kaleri London Ciki last Saturday during a raid following a bomb blast were members of the Yusufiyya movement, popularly called Boko Haram, the BELT said the people killed were innocent civilians and not sect members.

In a separate statement issued to newsmen in Maiduguri yesterday, the JTF debunked claims made by BELT that soldiers have also raped innocent women, saying that they have arrested the actual people that carried out the nefarious act.

The JTF statement, signed by Colonel Victor Ebhaleme on behalf of the commander, Major General Jack Nwaogbo said, "The JTF wishes to draw the attention of the public over some allegations against its personnel in some national dailies. One of such allegations was that hundreds of youth have been shot and killed by soldiers for no known reason other than they are youth. This allegation is not true as those killed were members of the Boko Haram sect as was experienced during the recent attack (at Kaleri)."

It added that "the JTF wishes to reiterate that its members are professionals and are in the state to restore peace and order. On the issue of rape, the JTF wishes to state categorically that no member is involved in such act as claimed.

The cordon and search carried out are properly supervised by members of all security agencies. This (allegation) is the handiwork of sponsors, sympathizers and members of the sect aimed at discrediting the task force so as to have a field day to operate."

The JTF spokesman also exonerated members of the task force on the allegation of raping married women and girls. He said, "Some youths that were responsible for raping women have been reported and arrested with the assistance of people in Gwange area and are currently in our custody while one (of the rapists) was seriously beaten by the people and admitted at UMTH."

He also said the call for the withdrawal of the JTF was a misnomer. "Those calling for the withdrawal of the JTF are advised to appeal to the conscience of the sect members to give peace a chance as they are in constant contact with them," Colonel Ebhaleme said.

But in their statement yesterday, the BELT, under the chairmanship of Shettima Ali Monguno, insisted that the JTF had done more harm than good in Maiduguri.

According to their statement, "the attention of this committee has been drawn to a widely circulated press release by the spokesman of the JTF in Maiduguri. The statement was to the effect that the spokesman of the soldiers was denying the involvement of their men in the mass killing of innocent people and destruction of houses, vehicle among others.

"This committee will want to re-echo its stand and state without an iota of doubt that the soldiers have engaged themselves in extra judicial killing of people and other ungodly acts unbecoming of their role as those who are supposed to safeguard the lives, property and dignity of Nigerians."

It added that "We have incontrovertible evidence to prove our claims. For example even at the most recent incident at Kaleri over 40 persons were killed while the Task Force claimed they killed only eleven as if the eleven human beings are nothing. So many houses and cars were burnt."

Last Tuesday, JTF said it killed 3 members of the Boko Haram who allegedly tossed a bomb at soldiers along Baga Road. But witnesses said the JTF killed four innocent people who were on their way to the farm.

The BELT therefore said, "In any case, the affected communities are there and the remnants of items destroyed are also there. These are very easy to assess and verify. The commu nities affected know who did the damages. Those fleeing Maiduguri are still alive to give evidence. It is very unfortunate that the JTF has been trying to justify their unacceptable and outrageous acts instead of showing remorse and checking the excesses of their men.

"Once again we demand for the immediate withdrawal of all soldiers on the streets of Maiduguri. To do otherwise would mean the intent to destroy the city of Maiduguri," the group said.

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

Xinhua: Over 40,000 Residents Flee Nigeria's Restive City: Military

CPP20110716968041 Beijing Xinhua in English 1016 GMT 16 Jul 11

[Xinhua: "Over 40,000 Residents Flee Nigeria's Restive City: Military"]

[Computer selected and disseminated without OSC editorial intervention]

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, July 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 40,000 residents have fled a northeastern Nigerian city in less than one week amid the worsening security situation in the state, according to the military.

The bustling capital of Maiduguri in Borno State has been deserted, a military source told Xinhua on Friday on condition of anonymity.

The violent activities of the Boko Haram sect forced the state government to evacuate local residents, he added.

He said bank, shops, schools and some market places have been shot down in the city with a population of 1.2 million.

"Most of the residents relocated to nearby states and some moved to their state of origin," the military officer told Xinhua.

The exodus was coupled with a bombing attack on Friday on a police patrol van on routine exercise, injuring five policemen.

The explosion occurred at about 8 a.m. local time. There was no death, according to the spokesperson and operations officer for the Joint Task Force (JTF), Victor Ehbeleme.

He said arrests were made, but declined to confirm if the suspects were all Boko Haram sect members.

Another source in the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) told Xinhua that most of the residents have fled the state capital.

Maiduguri has been hit by almost daily bomb blasts, shootings and serial killings in recent weeks blamed on the Islamist sect known as Boko Haram, which launched an uprising in 2009.

Boko Haram is an Islamic fundamentalist group pursuing the doctrine of hatred for Western form of civilization with the force of arms, including bombs, to propagate the mission.

More than 50 persons, mostly security personnel, have so far been killed by suspected Boko Haram militants since July 2009, when they launched attacks on individuals.

[Description of Source: Beijing Xinhua in English -- China's official news service for English-language audiences (New China News Agency)]

Ethnic Group Calls On Nigerian Government To Declare Emergency in Borno State

AFP20110716598005 Lagos This Day Online in English 16 Jul 11

[Report by Kunle Akogun, Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode and John Shiklam: "Boko Haram: Igbo Leaders Demand State of Emergency"]

The pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Friday called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in Borno State in order to checkmate the security threat posed by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Boko Haram, an extremist Islamic group, has virtually brought Borno State to a standstill, following series of bomb attacks targeting security agents and civilians.

The call for the imposition of a state of emergency in Borno State came on the day a fresh explosion by the extremist group injured five policemen in Maiduguri.

Lawmakers from the state, however, said in a statement that the use of force was not the solution to the crisis.

The Igbo leaders said following the receipt of a number of distress calls from their people in Borno on the deteriorating security situation there, an emergency meeting of Ime-Obi (Elders Council) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo was held and the decision to call for a state of emergency was adopted.

"We call on the President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, to as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency in Borno State. This will in effect allow federal authorities to directly handle the situation on ground," they said.

The Igbo leaders criticised the activities of Boko Haram and their collaborators "who have owned up to the series of bombings in Maiduguri, Bauchi, Kaduna, Suleja, Abuja and other parts of Northern Nigeria and for the senseless killing of innocent Nigerians and destruction of public and private properties."

They urged members of the extremist group to stop forthwith the spate of bombings and embrace dialogue and other legal means in expressing their grievances.

"We call on the federal government and the military authorities to ensure that the lives of innocent Nigerians and especially the Igbos, who incidentally have the next largest population in Borno State after the indigenes, are protected and their properties protected from organised and unorganised looting," added Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Some of the prominent Igbo leaders who signed the statement were former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Chairman, Ime-Obi Ohanaeze FCT, Eze Ibe Nwosu; Chairman, Ohaneze FCT, Barrister Calistus Nwabueze Obi; former Minister of Education, Prof. Ihechukwu Madubuike, (representing Abia State); former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Agunwa Anaekwe, (representing Anambra); Prof. Fred Onyeoziri and Chief Silas Ilo (representing Anambra State).

Also, the Northern Christian leaders in a statement in Kaduna signed by its chairman, Evangelist Matthew Owojaiye, expressed concern over the activities of the Islamic sect.

The statement called on the government to take concrete and decisive steps to fish out those behind the bomb blasts and bring them to book.

According to NOCEF, Nigeria belongs to Christians, Muslims and traditionalists, stressing that no group should impose its religious beliefs on others by whatever means.

Friday's explosion in Maiduguri occurred at the Bulumkutu area within the metropolis.

The explosion, which happened at about 8 am, further heightened tension in the town and caused people to scamper for safety.

An eyewitness said the explosion damaged some vehicles, which were driving past at that time.

Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the state, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, told newsmen on phone that the bomb was targeted at a police patrol vehicle, which was on routine duty in the area.

According to him, the bomb injured five policemen who were immediately rushed to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) for treatment.

Ebhaleme also revealed that some arrests were made in connection with the incident. He added that the people would be interrogated and anybody found to be innocent would be released immediately.

The plight of the remaining residents of Maiduguri was worsened Friday as all the banks in town have been closed down.

The instruction for their closure, it was gathered, was given from their head-offices over fears that they would be attacked by the fundamentalists.

Meanwhile, for the first time since the escalation of the Boko Haram uprising in Borno State, members of the state caucus at the National Assembly have added their voice to the debate over the propriety or otherwise of the military operation in the state capital.

They said the use of brute force cannot curb the menace.

Addressing journalists after a meeting of the caucus, their spokesman, Senator Maina Maaji Lawan (ANPP, Borno North), maintained that the only solution to the problem is "unconditional amnesty for and dialogue with the group" that has thrown the state capital and some parts of the country into panic in the last couple of months.

Lawan, who was with two other senators and three members of the House of Representatives from the state, said the federal government should rethink its strategy for bringing an end to the Boko Haram menace the same way it resolved the militancy saga in the Niger Delta, which he said was not by military operation but by dialogue and the amnesty programme.

With Lawan at the press briefing were Senators Ali Ndume (PDP, Borno South) and Ahmed Zanna (ANPP, Borno Central) as well as House of Representatives members - Amina Khadi (Jere), Mukhtar Aliyu (Biu) and Kyari Gujubawu (Maiduguri).

Lawan said: "If the US with all its technology and superior arms power was forced to engage in dialogue with the Talibans, we could see that brute force cannot be a solution to this situation."

While urging President Jonathan to order the immediate withdrawal of the military from Maiduguri and its environs, Lawan, who is the immediate past Senate Minority Leader, said the federal government should "honestly and purposely and sincerely engage in dialogue with the Boko Haram people."

He lamented that since the beginning of the military operations in Maiduguri, "innocent citizens who know nothing about the Boko Haram are the ultimate victims of the military crackdown," saying "Borno is in a state of complete siege."

He said it's unfortunate that institutions of state whose operatives are being sustained by the taxes of the people are the ones killing the same people who they are established to protect.

Wondering why the JTF should go about "indiscriminately shooting innocent youths under the guise of looking for Boko Haram," Lawan recalled that a similar situation occurred in Odi and some other Bayelsa communities where houses were ransacked, innocent people killed and whole villages devastated in the guise of looking for militants."