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

According to him, "This becomes imperative when we discover that whereas four years is like four weeks in the life of a nation. Strictly speaking, our son has only three effective years to impact on the lives of Nigerians and leave behind indelible positive footprints in the sand of time.

"Consequently, there is a critical need for the selective prioritisation of the myriad of challenges facing government such that meaningful accomplishment in line with the administration's transformation agenda can be achieved. While addressing the national question for national integration, development and transformation, it may be pertinent to state that the satisfaction of the aspiration of the people of the South-South remains fundamental and relevant to our quest for national rebirth."

Oyegun added that, "Whereas this administration has no doubt made very bold strides in making real the peace that was somewhat elusive in the Niger-Delta region, however, the success the amnesty programme has so far achieve could become mere palliative without addressing the fundamental concerns that ignited the crisis in the first place. Therefore, to make the peace sustainable and enduring should also be a cardinal preoccupation this workshop should address."

A communiqué is expected at the end of the meeting.

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

Nigeria: Army, Islamic Sect Members Clash Reportedly Claims 30 Lives in Borno

AFP20110711565002 Lagos This Day Online in English 10 Jul 11

[Report by Michael Olugbode: "Borno : 30 Feared Killed in JTF/Boko Haram Crossfire"]

No fewer than 30 persons are feared dead as soldiers and members of the Islamic fundamentalist group, Boko Haram, engaged in gun battle in Maiduguri, Borno state capital on Saturday night though the residents claimed that over 30 persons were killed by the soldiers who they alleged went into their homes, brought out people and shot them, the Joint Task Force on its part claimed only 11 persons who are members of the fundamentalist group were killed in a gun duel.

The JTF also in a statement signed by its spokesman, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, revealed that two soldiers were also injured in the shootout.

Thisday gathered that as a result of the battle which was on through Saturday night, residents of Kalari area in Maiduguri are packing out en masse. Some of the fleeing residents of Kalari who spoke with newsmen on Sunday said there had been massive killing of innocent civilians during the rampage which accounted for the death of well over 30 persons mostly male.

According to them, some angry soldiers, who after the attack on them by the members of the Boko-haram sect, attacked many households and many people including an academic staff of University of Maiduguri, were killed by gun shots, while several houses and cars belonging to the residents were burnt to ashes.

But in a press release issued from the headquarters of the JTF code named 'Operation Restore Order (ORO) ', the buildings that got burnt down were destroyed by the bombs detonated by the Boko-haram members.

The release from the JTF reads; "The TJF ORO in Borno state wishes to once again draw the attention of the general public to the danger of allowing residential and business premises to be used by members of outlawed Boko Haram sect as was experienced in London-chiki Saturday. "At about 7:30pm, a patrol team of the JTF was attacked at Kalarin in London Chiki area of Maiduguri metropolis with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and several gunshots from a Bus parked at a building.

The attack was successfully repelled by members of the JTF and 11 members of the sect killed while two members of the JTF were injured. Some buildings and vehicles were however destroyed by the IED.

"The JTF is aware that some members of the general public have prior information on attacks on security agencies and willingly allow their premises to be used for such act without reporting to the security agencies. The public is again reminded of the implication of such collaboration as it will be dealt with appropriately. "In a related development, an IED targeted at patrol vehicles of JTF this morning exploded around Ramat square area. Some of the items used have been recovered by the JTF and investigation is ongoing. However, no casualty was recorded.

"The JTF wishes to assure the general public of its commitment to restoring order in the state and urges law abiding citizens to go about their normal businesses.

One of the residents of Kalari, Mallam Yau, told reporters that "we could not sleep last night because of the bomb blast and gunshots; many people have been killed that I cannot give the number now, many houses and cars have been set ablaze during the battle by some people we saw wearing military uniforms."

"We have seen death, we have seen blood-letting and many of us have left since early Sunday morning. We are in pains; we are between the devil and the deep blue sea, because neither the Boko-haram nor the JTF are making our lives safe here," he added. When our correspondent visited the scene of the destruction alongside other journalists, the scenes of the attacks were seen with several burnt vehicles and houses at different locations of the area. The residents told them that they were set ablaze because they were far away from the spot where the soldiers had battle with the fundamentalists on Saturday night.

Another resident, an aged woman, who spoke to newsmen along the Kalari village told newsmen that one Adamu Abdullahi, a staff of the University of Maiduguri whose burnt house was still smoking as at the time of the visit, was killed when he was "trying to turn back upon sighting his house on fire.'

Pointing at the deceased car, she said: "His car which is over there hit the wall of the house of his neighbor, then he was shot and his car set ablaze. His corpse was not picked by the soldiers until this morning, when his relatives came and carry it".

As at the time of filing this report Sunday night, over 2000 residents of kalari and some in other parts of London-Chiki have deserted the area, leaving their houses under locks and keys. Maryam Habu, an indigene of Gwoza local government area of Borno state, who was sighted dragging two of her kids out of the embattled area said "we are on our way to our village now; this madness is enough".

On Sunday many churches could not hold services as armed soldiers ordered worshippers to return back to their homes as some major streets were condoned off as gunshots were held throughout town on Sunday morning.

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

Nigeria: People Flee Borno Capital Following Army Action To Tackle Islamic Sect

AFP20110712581009 Abuja Daily Trust Online in English 0405 GMT 12 Jul 11

[Report by Hamza Idris and Yahaya Ibrahim: "Thousands Flee Maiduguri - Boko Haram Threatens Unimaid - Varsity Shuts Down - JTF Explains Mission"]

People were leaving the Borno State capital in droves yesterday following weekend's scorched-earth policy launched by the Nigeria Army to uproot the Boko Haram insurgency that has crippled the city with targeted assassinations and near-indiscriminate bomb attacks.

When our reporters visited various motor parks in Maiduguri yesterday, hundreds of people were seen trying to board vehicles to leave the town, a situation compounded by the shortage of commercial vehicles plying the Maiduguri route. Among the fleeing people were immigrants from neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon who said they wanted to go back to their countries because of the prevailing situation.

Also yesterday, authorities of the University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) directed all its students to go home following the indefinite suspension of academic activities on the campus as a result of what the authorities described as "the security situation" in Borno State. Students were expected to commence their first semester examinations on the 15th of August, but the students have been directed to vacate the campus latest by 12noon today (Tuesday).

A statement signed by Malam Ahmed Mohammed, Unimaid's Chief Information Officer said the decision to close the university was reached after a meeting of the Committee of Provosts, Deans and Directors, on behalf of the University Senate. "The meeting took place today (yesterday) and was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Mala and it was resolved that the institution should be closed until security situation improves," Ahmed said.

Daily Trust reports in the last three days, speculations were rife in the university community that members of the Jama'atu Ahlis-Sunnati Lidda'awati Wal Jihad, popularly called Boko Haram, had sent a letter to Unimaid's Muslim students directing them to vacate the campus because of an imminent attack on its strategic buildings.

A student of the university said, "The letter was also pasted on popular buildings like the El-Kanemi Hall. It directed Muslims to vacate the university because the Senate building (popularly known as Abuja), the exams and records building and other vital departments will be bombed."

Rumours also spread on the campus alleging that a female student was recently caught with an explosive at the gates of the university, but a credible source debunked the claim.

When contacted on phone yesterday, Unimaid's spokesman said "authorities have made it clear that learning and scholarship will be more rewarding when students and teachers are free. There is restriction of movement in Maiduguri and most of our students are staying off campus...as soon as the situation improves, normal academic activities would resume."

However, spokesman of the Yusufiyya Movement Abu Zaid told Daily Trust yesterday that the group did not send any "warning letter" to the university, adding that there was no plan to attack Unimaid's campus. He said, "Let me make it categorically clear that we are not targeting the University of Maiduguri. Our aim is to establish Sharia system under an Islamic government and then sanitize the whole system, including education." He also said, "The letter must be the handiwork of some people but it is definitely not from us."

One of the letters dated 10th July, 2011 which was written in English and pasted at the walls of the university, had no address or the name of the signatory. The only thing written on top of the letter was "Boko Haram, Central Boden Maiduguri." Our correspondent reports this was anomalous because almost Boko Haram's correspondences are written in Hausa and Arabic.

Responding to the closure of the university, spokesman of the JTF Colonel Victor Ebhaleme said it was "abrupt and unnecessary". According to him, the university authority was heating the polity because there are no verifiable reasons to think the institution was a target.

On their part, students of the university said they received the announcement with mixed feelings. President of the st udents union government (SUG) Musa Terrang said he hopes the action taken will be in the best interest of the students. Fatima Sa'idu, a business administration student said "I am personally happy with the action taken by the university because we have been living under fear. In the last forty days, I have not been concentrating because whenever I heard a blast, it takes me long to recover."

Our correspondents who visited Borno Express Terminus, Kano Motor Park and Tashar Joni saw hundreds of men, women and children struggling to catch any available vehicle so as to leave the town. Most of them are artisans, housewives, farmers, hawkers, petty traders, okada riders as well as students and teachers of Islamic schools (Tsangaya). They said they had to leave Maiduguri "for fear of the unknown".

Musa Dan Kamisho, one of the agents at Borno Express who was seen helping the fleeing people to secure vehicles, said most of the Maiduguri residents were moving towards Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Zaria, Zamfara and Sokoto States.

Though transport fares were not increased at the state-owned transport company, there was noticeable shortage of vehicles as people were seen waiting. "I would remain until the next bus comes because I don't know what will happen if I go back to our house in the town," Hajara Sama'ila, a mother of four said.

She said her husband brought her to Maiduguri from Misau in Bauchi State. "Unfortunately we didn't see him in the last one week and there is no way we can continue to live here without him. I pray Almighty Allah will restore peace here so that we can come back," she said.

Most of the people interviewed said they were living in suburbs like London Ciki, Gwozari, Platari, Zannari, Koleri, and Gonar Adon -Kolo in the state capital. "I saw more than thirty articulated vehicles fully loaded with people, animals and luggage leaving Maiduguri today," Musa Maina, who said he was heading towards Sokoto, said. "I and my family will remain at the park until we get a vehicle," he said.

According to him, "We are really having a complex situation here, the people are under siege. I want to plead with all those that have conscience to talk. The problem in Maiduguri is beyond the comprehension of man but that does not mean that the state should be treated as a pariah state."

Some of the fleeing people said the mass exodus was because of the dimension the security situation has taken in recent days. It would be recalled that following a bomb blast at Kaleri London Ciki, many people were reportedly killed and houses burnt, allegedly by members of the Joint Task Force.

But commander of the JTF Major General Jack Nwaogbo while responding to the allegations yesterday said that his men were not responsible for the mass exodus. He said, "Even before the military came here, people were leaving. The fact is that soldiers are not animals who will be killing people indiscriminately."

He said the soldiers, who were in Maiduguri to restore peace and order were not targeting civilians. "Security is a collective responsibility because the military cannot do it alone. We need the cooperation of everybody to succeed," he said.

Daily Trust also learnt yesterday that most of the people fleeing from Maiduguri were intercepted along the Borno/Yobe border, where soldiers and policemen had set up che3ck points to screen the fleeing people.

Ibrahim Farinloye, the spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the agency was inundated with several phone calls from the people that were "intercepted".

"Yes, we heard of the development and at our own level we have mobilized our men to the place with water and few other basic things," he said.

As at the time of filing this report last night, our reporters could not reach the commander of the JTF. He did not respond to a phone call. There was also no official statement from the Borno State government.

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

Nigeria: Ethnic Group Condemns Violent Activities of Islamic Sect

AFP20110713598013 Isheri Nigerian Compass Online in English 2240 GMT 12 Jul 11

[Unattributed report: "Tackle Boko Haram Now, Igbo Group Tells Govt"]

Condemnation has also come for the Boko Haram sect from the Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) over the former's violent activities in parts of the country.

It urged the government to take decisive steps to stop Boko Haram on its tracks.

The group also called on every Nigerian to condemn the actions of group, saying, "it is not proper for anybody or group to go about killing and bombing fellow citizens and cause destruction of properties in the name of religion.

"If the group has any genuine thing which it agitates for, it should engage dialogue rather than violence because no religious leader will advise the faithful to use violence to achieve their goals... it must be through dialogue and not war because violence does no good to anybody."

The NUF said if it was economic deprivation that pushed the Boko Haram sect into violence, "what the Igbo who have been marginalised since the end of the Civil War in 1970 till date... do they go out and bomb the country to agitate for better basic amenities that other geo-political zones are enjoying?

"Both military and civilian administrations have perfected the act of treating the Igbo with disdain, promising to redress the imbalance in the distribution of the common wealth that has always been skewed against the zone, only to worsen the deprivation that has been the lot of the people.

"Their area was plundered and laid waste by Nigerian soldiers during the Civil War between 1967 and 1970. Today, there is no meaningful development in the South-East. We bear it without taking arms and bombs to kill or destroy anybody or government properties and other strategic areas.

"But now the northern leaders are pointing at the economic angle as reason for this group which is doing everything possible to make the country ungovernable for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan."

It therefore called on the Federal Government to equip the police and other security agencies to tackle this "terrorist group whose demand is total madness and something that should not be given a second thought. Nigeria is a secular state, so nobody or group can turn it into an Islamic country as demanded by this terrorist which called itself Boko Haram."

[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: Radical Islamic Sect Dares Soldiers

AFP20110713686004 Port Harcourt The Tide in English 13 Jul 11 p 3

[Report by Uju Amuta: "Soldiers are Cowards, Says Boko Haram"]

Boko Haram hurled some verbal missiles at the military task force yesterday. It described soldiers deployed to keep the peace in Maiduguri, as cowards.

The group vowed to attack the army and warned army chief Gen. Azubike Ihejirika, saying he should ask Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim what happened after he boasted that he would defeat Boko Haram.

The group accused the Joint Task Force [JTF] of carrying out massacre and destruction of innocent people’s property.

Borno elders also yesterday called for the immediate withdrawal of the soldiers from Maiduguri. It accused them of terrorizing the people and committing rape. They said well-trained policemen should be deployed as replacement.

But in Abuja, the Arewa Consultative Forum [ACF] endorsed the military action against Boko Haram.

Members of the Jamaátu Ahlis- Sunnah-Lil-daáwatti wal jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram, in a statement signed by Abu Zaid and circulated to newspapers in Maiduguri yesterday, accused soldiers of hiding behind women and children.

They said this move portrays the soldiers as weak, vulnerable and confused. They challenged the army to relocate to their barracks, remove their families, and wait to see whether they would not be attacked.

Zaid said: "If you 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."

In the statement written in Hausa and Arabic, Abu Zaid alleged that the recent attack on the innocent and destruction of their property is a sign that "you are weak, ungodly and fearful". He criticized a statement credited to the Chief of Army Staff that Boko Haram members are cowards. "We want to tell the Chief of Army Staff, General Ihejirika, 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 sleep and who burn the innocent property," the statement said.

Zaid said attacks on military barracks would continue to prove Boko Haram’s capacity to the army chief.

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

"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?

"We consider your description of us as cowards as an affront that will not be left unreplied and we want to remind you to ask the Inspector General of Police what the punishment of his boast was."

Abu Zaid described the attack on the registrar of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University [ATBU] and his wife by the army as another sign of the weakness of the army.

The ACF yesterday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where the organization offered possible solutions to the spate of bombings in parts of the country.

Chairman of the ACF, General Jerimiah Useni (Rtd), a former minister of the FCT, who spoke to state house correspondents after the meeting, said the organization condemns in strong terms violence in whatever form. He said they were at the Villa to congratulate President Jonathan and to discuss very serious national issues bothering on security. "We feel that we should come as a group to greet him and give him our respect. In my speech to both the president and his vice, I touched on the issue of insecurity and that we as an organization condemn violence in whatever form, and our position is that we should always try to seek redress through normal processes," he said.

The ACF chairman said that they also met with Vice President Namadi Sambo to discuss similar issues.

Vice President Sambo, according to General Useni, assured that government was doing everything possible to arrest the situation.

He said the ACF has agreed to instruct some of its members, who have been trained in security matters, to work closely with government in combating the spate of bombings. " We have agreed that there are Nigerians even within ACF that have been trained in security matters and we, as a group, will send a small team to come and discuss with him and find out the best thing we think can be done to handle the problem."

He continued; " it is not enough to be issuing statements like "Boko Haram your days are numbered or Boko Haram you are this or that, we need to look at it in-depth.

One of the solutions to the present crisis is good governance at state, local and federal levels.

He said the Boko Haram issue started like a Borno affair but now it is becoming a national problem. "I remember when I was the deputy national chairman of the All Nigeria peoples party [ANPP], I went to the state to commission some projects and when we were driving along one of the major streets, I saw young boys selling petrol in jerry cans and I asked the governor, why did he allow them to be selling on a major road like that, and he said, "no, no, leave them, they are very useful, general elections, we can use them" General Useni narrated.

General Useni insisted that members of the Boko Harram were used in the just concluded general elections. "No matter how good a government at the top is, some politicians at the state and local government will renege on their duties and divert public funds meant for infrastructural development to fund their political ambition," he noted.

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

Nigeria: Army Chief Explains Non Arrest on Sect Leaders

AFP20110713686008 Port Harcourt The Tide in English 12 Jul 11 p 1

[Unattributed report: "Army Chief Bemoans Lack of Information"]

The Chief of Army Staff [COAS] Lt. General Azubike Ihejirika yesterday identified lack of information as the reason for the failure of security agencies to arrest leaders of Boko Haram.