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

Dr Bello charged the armed forces and other security agencies to really look inwards; "to look at ourselves, our attitudes, our methods of operation so that we devise means and ways of combating these new challenges, as he also promised to involve the military in internal security operations by bringing them into greater contact with the civil population.

He appealed to senior military officers to consider the civil populace as their friends, brothers and sisters, saying that to a great extent, they relied on them to get some of the information that they used to plan their operations.

According to him, when coming in contact, senior officers should talk to their men to be extraordinarily civil, because military training was geared towards threatening the enemy.

"When you are fighting a war, every citizen of your enemy country is considered an enemy, but internal security operation is different and we have to re-orient our people to think and behave accordingly," he said.

Also, he added that it was the aim of the government to transform the Armed Forces by ensuring that they are always properly equipped and trained.

He said training institutions in the country were of high quality, as evidenced by constant request they received from other countries, even from outside Africa.

The minister said they had set in motion a process for amending the conditions of service for the Armed Forces to increase the age of retirement for various positions.

Meanwhile, against the backdrop for the clamour for state police by some states of the federation, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for South-South, Mr Mustafa Yesufu, has said such a development is unnecessary, as it would promote chaos and anarchy in the society.

The DIG, who stated this in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday, while on a working visit to the state police command, said the pre sent structure of the police force was suitable for the country.

According to him, "Nigeria as a nation has not developed into having state police, those who are calling for the establishment of state police are simply inviting chaos and anarchy."

Explaining further, Yesufu said state governors were the chief security officers of their individual states, even as they had given enough support to their state police commands with the provision of security apparatus like security vans, weapons and financial assistance.

He said allowing state police would mean state government having control over security agencies in their domains, which, he said, would result in mismanagement. "

On the activities of Boko Haram sect, Yesufu said such a crime was relatively new in the system, adding that the steps to stem their activities required a collective effort and should not be left to the security agencies alone.

He, however, called on the members of the public to be vigilant, saying that "note those that buy ammunition, explosives from you, report strange and funny characters around you. The situation requires team work and not to be left in the hands of the police alone."

In his welcome address, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, said the command had concluded arrangements to establish a quick response squad in the state, to ensure that proactive measures were taken to fight crime with all vigour available to the command, to make the state safe for prospective investors and the general citizenry.

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

Nigeria: Adamawa Police Dismiss 2 Officers for Alleged Links With Islamic Sect

AFP20111130598003 Lagos The Guardian Online in English 2300 GMT 29 Nov 11

[Report by Njadvara Musa and Emmanuel Tarfa: "Police Sack Officers for Alleged Links With Bandits; Assure on Safety in Borno"]

For their alleged role in aiding Boko Haram members and other bandits by supplying arms, two serving police officers in Adamawa State, Daniel Eliphas and Abubakar Hali, have been dismissed from the Force.

The move came as the police command in Borno State yesterday assured on the safety of lives and property, including offices of the various political parties.

The police assurance came after recent threat by the Boko Haram sect to set ablaze the offices.

The police officers who were accused of supplying arms to bandits would also be charged to court for allegedly stealing of arms belonging to the Adamawa State Police Command.

The Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, Adenrele Shinaba who stated this yesterday in Yola told journalists that a retired armourer in the command, Abuna Mainasara and one Stephen Tizhe were also in police custody and would soon be charged to court in connection with the looting of the armoury.

Shinaba confirmed that some AK-47 riffles, several rounds of life ammunition and magazines stolen from the armoury were recently discovered from the arrested men.

The police boss who refuted allegations that the armoury was looted by armed robbers, said: "The stealing was rather carried out by the new Sergeant posted to the armoury who was requested to continue the deal after the retired armourer left office".

The Police Commissioner stated that investigations were still on to enable them arrest those who bought some of the stolen arms and ammunition from the armourer and his two Inspector business partners.

In a statement signed by the Borno State Police Commissioner, Simeon Midenda yesterday and made available to The Guardian in Maiduguri he said:

"Law abiding citizens are hereby advised not to panic on receiving such threats from the sect. But report to the police immediately without any delay,"

He also assured that prompt action would be taken irrespective of where the threat emanated from.

[Description of Source: Lagos The Guardian Online in English -- Website of the widely read independent daily, aimed at up-market readership; URL: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/]

Nigerian Police Arrest Scam Gangs Seeking To Profit From Islamist Fears

AFP20111130309006 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 1857 GMT 30 Nov 11

["Nigerian scams seek to profit from Islamist fears: police" -- AFP headline]

ABUJA, Nov 30, 2011 (AFP) - Nigerian authorities have arrested members of criminals gangs that profited from fears of Islamist attacks through scams that involved sending threatening text messages, secret police said on Wednesday.

Authorities said they had arrested members of four different gangs involved in the scams, which included sms messages sent to victims informing them they would be assassinated unless they transferred money to a certain bank account.

Other messages said money must be donated "for the propagation of Islam" or the victims "risk being bombed", secret police spokeswoman Marilyn Ogar said in a statement which named seven suspects.

The arrests come amid a wave of bomb blasts and shootings blamed on the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram, including the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in the capital Abuja which killed at least 24 people.

Prominent politicians and community leaders as well as soldiers and police officers in the country's northeast, where most of the violence has occurred, have been targeted in assassinations.

Ogar, describing the activities of one of the gangs, said "their sole intent was to instill fear and cause panic with the aim of defrauding unsuspecting members of the public".

Providing an example of a text message, she said: "Someone wants me to assassinate you, but I will spare your life if you pay a ransom to my Intercontinental Bank account."

"Many highly placed Nigerians have been victims of the syndicate," she said.

Another gang was operated by someone claiming to be the "secretary of Boko Haram", she said. Threats were sent to a range of politicians, including a senator, according to Ogar.

"He threatened them to donate money for the propagation of Islam or risk being bombed," she said.

"He received various sums of money ranging from 30,000 naira ($186, 138 euros) to 100,000 naira through a Union Bank account."

She also claimed secret police had arrested the person responsible for threats that led the US embassy to issue a controversial warning in early November of potential attacks on hotels and other locations in Abuja.

But an email message allegedly from the suspect that Ogar quoted from was vague and seemed at odds with the specific and credible threat a US diplomat said had led to the warning.

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

Nigeria: Northern Group Calls Activities of Islamic Sect as 'National Malaise'

AFP20111201598014 Isheri Nigerian Compass Online in English 2300 GMT 30 Nov 11

[Report by Godwin Isenyo: "Why We Can't Tame Boko Haram, by Northern Leaders"]

The pan-Northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), yesterday said it lacks the capacity to tame the dreaded Boko Haram "because their activities are beyond us".

The ACF also told President Goodluck Jonathan not to be sentimental in his handling of security isssues in the country.

According to the ACF National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, "the ACF cannot handle Boko Haram because it is beyond us, it is a national malaise."

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, Sani noted that the activities of the sect were beyond that which the ACF could handle just as he admitted that "it has been difficult to make any headway in reaching a truce with members of the Muslim group because, you are dealing with boys who are ready to kill themselves."

"The ACF does not receive allocations from government to tackle Boko Haram. We can only make recommendations and put pressure on government to take action.

"Insecurity in Nigeria is not restricted to the North and people in terrorism are not sponsored because they are ready to kill themselves.

"So, there is nothing the ACF can do because it is not a regional problem and people should also talk to the boys and not to continue to blame Northern elders," Sani said.

Speaking further, Sani said that Nigerians should blame themselves for the perceived failures of the President because "Nigerians voted for him during the April general elections".

"Jonathan became President following the outcome of the elections, so, if he fails or succeeds, it will be as a result of the voting and not because of any Boko Haram or insecurity in the North.

"It is common place knowledge that our nation is facing difficult times characterised by the spate of kidnappings, militant activism, ethno-religious crises and recent high incidences of bombings by Boko Haram," Sani said.