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

Ndume was docked at an Abuja Magistrate's Court last Tuesday, and charged with felony, but he pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was remanded in the SSS custody until December 6, when the matter is expected to come up for hearing again.

At the hearing of the matter, the prosecutor, C.I. Osagie, told the court that the accused persons conspired to commit felony, breach of official trust, criminal intimidation by anonymous communication by sending test messages to some senior public officials including the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) contrary to Section 79, 98 and 398 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

The second accused person (Konduga), who spoke through an interpreter, Mustapha Shehu Ismail, pleaded guilty to the one-count charge and asked the court for leniency as the offence has already been committed.

He told the court that he had sent test messages to Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, Senator Sanusi Daggash, Ambassador Seriki Tafida and the Chairman of the Borno State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, Justice Sabo Adamu.

The first accused person, Ndume, pleaded not guilty to the charge against him and asked for the permission of the court to have access to his lawyers and medication, a request that was granted by Chief Magistrate Oyewumi.

The court, however, convicted the second accused.

While convicting him, Chief Magistrate Oyewumi said: "In view of the plea of guilty by the second accused person and having failed to show why he should not be convicted, he is hereby convicted for the offence of criminal intimidation contrary to Section 398 of the CPC."

In granting the request by the prosecution that the sentencing be stayed since investigation was almost completed and that the accused person be remanded in the custody of the SSS the court said "the accused are hereby remanded in the custody of the SSS with an unhindered access to their lawyers and doctor. Matter is adjourned till December 6 for hearing."

The bid by counsel to Ndume, C.I. Nnaemeka, to secure his bail, failed as the court insisted that a formal application for bail be filed.

Boko Haram had disclosed that it has been able to sustain its activities because it has the financial backing of prominent politicians from Borno State and other states in the North.

Konduga had in his confessional statement disclosed that the group started as a collection of political thugs during the regime of former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, but fell out with the governor when one of their major sponsors, who was a commissioner under Sheriff was dropped from the state cabinet and later killed by security operatives in a crackdown on the sect members.

According to him, the death of the commissioner was responsible for the opposition of the group against Sheriff which culminated in the decision to support any other political party against Sheriff.

The war against Sheriff, he said, was the reason for the escalation of blood-shed in the state.

His confession corroborated the claim made by the SSS that a former Ambassador Pinda, who is now late, became the main financier of the group, when it fell out with Sheriff, as the group was hijacked by opponents of Sheriff, and used to cause crisis in the state while the battle to unseat Sheriff lasted

The Boko Haram spokesman revealed that the late Ambassador took over the running of the group after it fell out with Sheriff.

According to Konduga, Pinda died while on his way to the sect's hideout to deliver the sum of N5 million as part payment of a N10 million running expenses for the group which was contacted to work for his (Pinda) political party.

According to the SSS, it was after the death of Pinda that Ndume took over the running of the group's activities.

Although Konduga in his confessional statements before newsmen however, refused to state categorically, if Ndume was a financier of the group, he admitted that they have a good relationship with him.

He said his text message communication with Senator Ali Ndume was to ask him why he accepted membership of the Federal Government committee on the security situation in the North East.

According to him, the escalation of the activity of the Boko Haram in Borno State was to stop the All Nigerian Peoples Party from winning elections.

He also admitted that a threat text message was sent to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the ground of his relationship with former governor of Borno State.

He admitted that text messages were sent to everybody that had a hand in the emergence of ANPP in Borno State and to the Electoral Tribunal.

Also, threat text messages were sent to Senator Daggash, a former Minister of Works for sabotaging the efforts of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from winning election in Borno State, Al-Zawahiri said.

He, however, corroborated the claim by the SSS that text messages w ere drafted for them with which they threatened important personalities in the country like former Obasanjo and a host of others.

He also admitted that text messages scripted for him was used on many occasion to threaten the Judges of the Election Petition Tribunal in Maiduguri with a view to getting the tribunal scared and eventually get it to sack the present government in Borno State.

According to the SSS, Ndume was responsible for the threat messages sent to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice by the group, in order to compel him (AGF) to influence the judgement of the tribunal against the government of Borno State.

The SSS spokesperson, Marylin Ogar, in her statement, said before Konduga was brought before the press for cross examination, that "analysis of Umar Konduga's (aka Al-Zawahiri) phone has confirmed constant communication between him and the legislator (Ndume)."

According to her, highlights of some of his (Konduga's) admissions are: "That he was recruited by a political party stalwart in Maiduguri, Borno State; that following the compulsory registration of all SIM cards nationwide, he was asked to steal a SIM card which he used in sending threat text messages; and also that the pseudo name, Usman Al-Zawahiri, was given to him by the said politician to portray him as an extremists as well as conceal his true identity.

"That one of his benefactors promised to pay him ten million naira (N10million) to work for his party but by stint of fate, he died on his way to deliver the part payment of five million naira (N5 million) to him;

"That consequent upon this, subject claimed a serving member of the National Assembly took over the running of his activities;

"That he was behind the threat messages sent to the Judges of the Election Tribunal in Maiduguri. His objective was to ensure that the Tribunal sacks the present government in Borno State.

"That he was also behind other threat messages sent to Governor Sule Lamido, Governor Babangida Aliyu, Amb. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and Justice Sabo Adamu, Chairman of the Election Petition Tribunal in Borno State.

"That most of the threat text messages he sent to Justice Sabo Adamu, were scripted and relayed to him by the National Assembly member.

"That, the threat text messages eventually led to the relocation of the election petition tribunal from Maiduguri to Abuja.

"Also that the same legislator promised to send him some telephone numbers of members of the Galtimari committee on Security in the North East before he was arrested; and that the telephone number and content of the text message sent to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice were also given to him by the legislator in order to compel him (AGF) to influence the judgment of the tribunal against the Government in Borno State."

It would re recalled that in press interview he granted shortly after the Galtimari committee had submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan, Ndume said that he was in touch with members of the Boko Haram.

"Let me say that so many members of the Boko Haram come from my local government. One of the local governments that is worst affected is my own, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. And even in Maiduguri, the area they had conflict with the military is called Kalari, Gozari, London Ciki. The majority of the people there are my people. And this is something that affects me, to some extent, directly or indirectly. So, we tried to reach out to them, and the room for dialogue is there. They are not even talking about negotiation. We are talking about dialogue first, to know what the problem is and how we can get to the second stage of negotiation.

"They (Boko Haram) are conscious of their own security situation. They don't just talk to people anyhow. I think they have confidence in me. That is why some of them showed up. And we talked." Ndume said.

Ndume, in the interview, said there was no formal interaction between the Presidential c ommittee and Boko Haram, because the terms of reference of the committee, which initially included the issue of dialogue, was later removed.

But Ndume said: "as a member of the committee and as a Senator from Borno State where the center of the controversy is, we established contact with members of the so-called Boko Haram, and they expressed their willingness to dialogue, although most of them were not very keen or desperate about it. I personally established contacts with some of them. That was the beginning."

Ndume added that what informed the committee's recommendation is based on the information that we received from them (Boko Haram).

"They (Boko Haram) want our committee to be expanded or another committee should entirely be constituted on the issue of dialogue and that it should include these respected traditional and religious leaders.

"This issue of insecurity in the country or the issue of Boko Haram is more complicated than you think. There are now three aspects to Boko Haram issues. There is the original Boko Haram. There is the political Boko Haram. There is the criminal Boko Haram.

"Those who engage in criminality are the criminal Boko Haram. Those who issue political statements are the political Boko Haram. Those who are the original Boko Haram are those are the followers of Muhammad Yusuf, headed now by Abubakar Shikkau. He was the second in command."

After the arrest of Ndume by the SSS, a media report that quoted an undisclosed SSS source said: "Based on the confession of some Boko Haram suspects in custody, we have interrogated Ndume and he has made a statement accordingly.

"With this development, we hope that Nigerians will appreciate that security agencies are doing our best to tackle terrorism."

Meanwhile, the Senate insisted that Ndume will face the law.

According to the Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, "Senate is well aware and has gotten the same information other Nigerians have gotten about an alleged claim by a member of the Boko Haram sect concerning a member of the Senate and a member of the National Assembly.

"The Senate wishes to say clearly that it has always been in the forefront of urging the security agents to do the necessary job to make Nigeria safe for each and every one of us. Senate wishes to urge the security agencies to continue their investigations because they have told us that investigations are continuing. At the end of their investigation, they should come out with their report, if anybody is indicted, they should go ahead and follow the dictates of the rule of law as enunciated in our Constitution."

With the latest development, Ndume becomes the first high profile figure to be arraigned in connection with the violence that has taken hold of the Northern part of the country.

After much vilification, the security agencies appear to have woken up to the reality of stemming the tidal wave of violence and give Jonathan a breather as the president. But, what many Nigerian are asking is: "Is the President now ready to face the monster, called Boko Haram?" For long, Nigerians have waited with bated breath at the seeming lack of readiness on the part of the President and his security agencies to tackle the menace.

[Description of Source: Isheri Nigerian Compass Online in English -- Website of the privately owned newspaper close to former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili; URL: http://www.compassnewspaper.com]

Nigeria: Islamic Sect Reportedly Attacks Northeast Town in Yobe State

AFP20111127565002 New York Sahara Reporters in English 27 Nov 11

[Unattributed report: "Boko Haram Attacks Geidam Township in Yobe State"]

The islamist militant sect, Boko Haram, today staged a dramatic attack in the northeastern town of Gaidam in Yobe state. Our sources described the attacks which was still ongoing as at the time of this report as similar to those of Damaturu three weeks ago.

Those attacks killed over 100 residents as Boko Haram engaged in a campaign of bombing and direct attacks against christians groups and security agencies, particularly the police.

It could not be immediately confirmed if residents were killed in today's attack in Geidam.

[Description of Source: New York Sahara Reporters in English -- Nigerian Diaspora human rights-oriented news website; URL: http://www.saharareporters.com]

Al Jazeera.net: Multiple Explosions Hit Nigerian City

GMP20111127966067 Doha Al Jazeera.net in English 1015 GMT 27 Nov 11

["Multiple Explosions Hit Nigerian City" -- Al Jazeera net Headline]

[ Computer selected and disseminated without OSC editorial intervention ]

(Al Jazeera net) -

Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram have bombed a police station, a bank and a beer parlour in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe state, reports say.

The gunmen, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, bombed the bank and threw explosives into a police station and a beer parlour in Geidam town late on Saturday, they said.

Gaidam is the hometown of Ibrahim Gaidam, the Yobe state governor. Sulaiman Lawal, state police commissioner, confirmed the city came under attack, but declined to offer any further details.

Idrissa Galda, member of a local vigilante group, said the attackers kept firing indiscriminately and residents remained indoors. Details of casualties were still unclear.

"Many people have been trapped in the attacks but it is difficult to say how many have been affected," Galda said.

Another resident, Umar Maina, said the attackers engaged the police in a shootout.

"There were three explosions in all, followed by incessant gunshots," Maina said.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for multiple suicide, gun and bomb attacks earlier this month in Damaturu targeting police formations and churches killing 150 people.

The group also claimed responsibility for the August attack on the UN building in Abuja which claimed 24 lives.

[Description of Source: Doha Al Jazeera.net in English -- Website of the Al Jazeera English TV, international English-language news service of Al-Jazirah, independent television station financed by the Qatari Government; URL: http://english.aljazeera.net ]

Nigeria: Suspected Boko Haram Attack Targets Police Station, Bank, Bar

AFP20111127587033 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 1414 GMT 27 Nov 11

["Three Nigerian Policemen Shot in Sect Attacks: Source" -- AFP headline]

KANO, Nigeria, Nov 27, 2011 (AFP) - Three policemen were shot and injured when suspected members of Islamist sect Boko Haram attacked a police station, a bank and a beer parlour in Nigeria's Yobe state, a security official said Sunday.

The gunmen threw explosives into a police station and an abandoned beer parlour in the town of Geidam, 160 kilometres (100 miles) from the state capital Damaturu, residents had said.

The attackers, armed with Kalashnikov rifles, also bombed a bank near the police station and carted away money from its vault.

Six churches, a shopping complex owned by a Christian and 11 cars parked therein were also destroyed by the assailants, he stated.

During the police station attack the assailants freed detained suspects and set the ;remises ablaze, making off with arms and ammunition, a senior official of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Geidam town.

A resident who stumbled while fleeing the scene of the attacks on Saturday also sustained injury, the source said, adding that the four injured people were being treated on Sunday at the town's government hospital.

"Three policemen sustained gunshot wounds and a civilian resident also sustained injuries when he tumbled as he was scampering to safety," the official told AFP via telephone from Geidam.

Geidam is the home town of the Yobe state governo Ibrahim Gaidam.

Seven other shops were also broken into and looted, the source said.

"It was a miracle that no deaths were recorded given the scale of desstruction resulting from the attacks," said the official.

Police authorities on Sunday declined to comment on the incident.

The Boko Haram sect has claimed responsibility for multiple gun, bomb and suicide attacks this month in Damatur, targeting police and churches and killing 150 people.

The group also claimed responsibility for the August attack on the UN building in Abuja which claimed 24 lives.

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

Nigeria: Suspected Islamic Sect Gunmen Kill Protocol Officer in Borno State

AFP20111128565023 Abuja Daily Trust Online in English 0400 GMT 28 Nov 11

[Report by Nazifi Dawud Khalid: "Gunmen Kill Protocol Officer, Herbalist in Maiduguri"]

Some unidentified gunmen suspected to be members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect have again shot and killed a protocol officer, Kala Boro who was working at the Borno state Government House while he was on his way to his house at the Gwange ward of Maiduguri metropolis at around 9:30pm yesterday.

The gunmen were also said to have killed one Malam Garba Abdullahi, an herbalist in the same attacks.

A resident of the area, Bello Kukawa told Daily Trust that: "The gunmen trailed Kala Boro on his way to his home and fired several shots at him in his car, killing him at once. After that they proceeded to the house of an herbalist and also shot him many times in the chest."

Residents were said to have scampered into their homes after hearing sporadic gunshots after which the operatives of the Joint Task Force quickly deployed to the area and launched a house to house search for the assailants.

The Borno state Police Commissioner, Mr. Simon Midenda who confirmed the attacks said that the attackers were three in number and had Kalashnikov rifles with which they perpetrated the crime.

"The killing of the protocol officer brings to three, the assassinated officers who were attached to the Maiduguri Government House, while a herbalist was equally killed by the sect last March in the series of killings by the Boko Haram Sect", he said.

The Commissioner urged residents to remain calm saying that security has already been strengthened in the area and that the police are on the tail of the assailants.

[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 Boko Haram Sect Claims Weekend Bombings

AFP20111128637018 Paris AFP (World Service) in English 1334 GMT 28 Nov 11

["Nigeria's Boko Haram claim weekend bombings: 'spokesman'" -- AFP headline]

KANO, Nigeria, Nov 28, 2011 (AFP) - Nigeria's Islamist Boko Haram sect was responsible for a string of weekend bombings targeting government buildings and churches in Geidam in the northeast, its purported spokesman said Monday.

Abul Qaqa, who claims to speak for Boko Haram, said in an emailed statement that the sect carried out Saturday's attacks to protest the "continued arrests" of its members.

"We are responsible for the attacks in Gaidam and such attacks will continue as long as our members arrested by the Nigerian authorities remain in detention," he said.

Witnesses said sect members armed with Kalashnikov rifles hurled explosives at Geidam police station, freed suspects and stole arms.

The gunmen then rampaged through town attacking six churches, a high court, a shopping complex, a local government secretariat, and robbed a bank.

They also bombed an abandoned beer parlour and looted shops, according to a Nigerian Security and Civil Defence official in the town.

At least three policemen and a civilian were injured in the attacks, according to a security source.

Geidam is the hometown of the Yobe state governor Ibrahim Geidam, and is close to the border with Nigeria's northern neighbour, Niger.

Earlier this month the sect launched multiple suicide and bomb attacks on police stations and churches in Yobe's state capital Damaturu, killing at least 150 people.

Police have not given the total number of suspects arrested in connection with recent attacks in Yobe.

"Until all our members in detention are released and the Yobe state government stops intimidating and harassing our members we will continue carrying out attacks in the state," warned Qaqa.

Yobe is also the home state of slain sect leader Mohammed Yusuf, killed during a Boko Haram armed uprising in 2009.

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

Nigerian Government Raises Alarm Over Influx of Arms, Ammunition From Libya

AFP20111130598001 Ibadan Nigerian Tribune Online in English 30 Nov 11

[Report by Chris Agbambu: "Gaddafi's Men Moving Arms Into Nigeria -FG; State Police'll Bring Anarchy -DIG"]

The Federal Government, on Tuesday, raised the alarm on the influx of arms and ammunition from Libya into Nigeria.

The Minister of Defence, Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed, who disclosed this on Tuesday, while on a maiden visit to the Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce headquarters, said that security reports revealed that some of the dissidents of the slain former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, were moving with heavy equipment and arms into the northern part of the country.

"We are very much aware of the movement of arms and explosives that were stolen from Libya. And I discussed with the Minister of Defence from Niger recently and he confirmed to me that arms were coming in. Recently, about 10 trucks entered from Libya and they had to fight them. They killed six people and seized all the 10 trucks and all of them were loaded with weapons."

He said that anxiety was being expressed on the issue of security of the country's borders, as fears had heightened about arms coming from Niger and lack of military representation in that country.

Subsequently, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, has directed the deputy concierge to move to Niger, while the government is to set a process in motion to ensure that the government approves the establishment of Defence attaché for Niger.

The minister disclosed that the fears were genuine but that they were up and doing. "We are doing something about it; we are working to set up a memorandum of understanding with Niger. And the EU has just approached that they would also like to work with us. They have fears also of disruption in our sub-region, if these weapons are allowed to proliferate without challenge. And Mali, Central African Republic, Mauritania Niger are all coming together to set a joint operation to fight movement of these weapons."

He said that the government was doing a lot in this area and that with the support of the armed forces which are the field operators, and with their dedication, "we are going to face the situation and we will not allow it to deteriorate the security situation in our sub-region."