Tag: boko haram

•Pressure on FG to resume talks with sect
•Why we quarantined troops in Liberia

There was fresh anxiety on the fate of the abducted 219 Chibok girls following the reported payment of ransom to Boko Haram by the Republic of Cameroon to secure the release of the girls.

The negotiators of the federal government and the sect have not agreed on a date for the resumption of talks.

But the release of the Cameroonian hostages might hasten the resumption of the backdoor negotiation by the two parties.

It was learnt that some of the facilitators of the federal government are already pushing for a return to the negotiation table.

A statement from the Office of Cameroonian President confirmed that the sect released the 27 hostages including Francoise Agnes Moukori, who is the wife of the Deputy Prime Minister, Amadou Ali.

Although the Cameroonian Government was not specific if any ransom was paid or not, a highly-placed security source said: “We were aware of demand for ransom, they might have paid to secure the release the hostages. But I cannot tell you the amount involved.”

Following the release of the hostages, some of those involved in talks between the federal government and Boko Haram were said to have called for resumption of talks with the sect by the federal government.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that some of the negotiators had been mounting pressure for the resumption of talks.

The two parties had planned to reconvene after the just-concluded Eid-el-Kabir Festival.

Before adjourning talks, Boko Haram had released the list of its key 19 commanders, to be swapped with 30 Chibok girls, to the federal government and its facilitators.

The 30 girls, comprising 15 Christians and 15 Muslims, were to be used by Boko Haram to test the federal government’s commitment to the swap deal before 189 others can be released.

But the government was adamant on the release of all the 219 Chibok girls still in Boko Haram custody for what a source described as a “meaningful swap deal.”

It was gathered that the way the Cameroon got reprieve for the 27 hostages might add impetus to the ongoing negotiation with Boko Haram by Federal Government facilitators.

One of the facilitators of the ongoing talks with Boko Haram, who spoke in confidence, said: “With what Cameroon has done, it shows that there is nothing bad in continuing dialogue with Boko Haram.

“If the same country waging war with Boko Haram can facilitate talks to release 27 hostages, led by the wife of its Deputy Prime Minister, we also have a window of opportunity to negotiate the release of the 219 Chibok girls.

“This is not the first time Cameroon will be doing it; we should follow the same course. Ours is easier, the sect is not asking for ransom, the thrust of the talks is about swapping some Boko Haram members with the girls.

“And it was a good thing that President Goodluck Jonathan had set a tone for the ongoing talks when he said Nigeria will not pay any ransom.”

Another source said: “Some of us calling for negotiation have been vindicated by Cameroon. Only God knew what Cameroon offered in return for the release of the 27 hostages.

“It is time to compare notes with our neighbour and set free the Chibok girls. The government needs to get over the abduction as fast as possible.

“We have to look beyond those opposed to talks with these insurgents for the sake of these girls.”

Feeling for the abductees, a former Minister of Education and one of the coordinators of BringBackOurGirls campaign tweeted: “Day 180 and as we commemorate the 2014 International Day of the Girl Child, our hearts ache for our Chibok girls. Our girls are still not back. It is International Day of the Girl Child and our daughters know it not. We must Act.

“It is Day 180 and as we celebrate child protégé Malala for historical win of Nobel Peace Prize, we are reminded that our girls also CAN.”

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters yesterday explained why it quarantined Nigerian troops in Liberia against Ebola Virus Disease.

It said the quarantine was a preventive measure following the manifestation of EVD by a Sudanese UN Staff.

The DHQ in its twitter handle said: “No Nigerian soldier in Liberia has so far tested positive to the Ebola Virus Disease. The troops, however, remain confined to their camp for preventive purposes and medical observation following the case of a Sudanese UN staff who was reported to have manifested the disease.

“All necessary steps are also being taken to ensure that none of the Nigerian troops is being affected while serving in Liberia.”

The United States has denied undermining Nigeria’s battle against Boko Haram.

Many government officials have given indications, though mainly unofficial, that the United States no longer sell arms to Nigeria and that she has influenced her allies against arms sale to Nigeria.

They argue that Nigeria has resorted to buying arms in the black market through intermediaries.

But U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria James Entwistle said yesterday that it was not true. He spoke to reporters in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Entwistle said:  “I disagree completely with these headlines; they are quite inadequate. Our two countries have strong military relationship.

“Over the years, we share a lot of equipment; some of the newest vessels of your navy come from United States, so the idea that U.S. doesn’t support Nigeria is not true,” the envoy said.

He said the support to Nigeria was in many forms, including training of soldiers and information sharing.

On his perception of Boko Haram, the ambassador said he was not sure of the group’s objectives.

“There are still some open questions on who they are, what they want.

“A year ago, I would have said they were religiously motivated. But as they killed more and more Muslims, it’s hard for me to believe that they were motivated by religion.

“Who are these guys and what do they want? I don’t think we really understand them, “Entwistle said.

He observed that Boko Haram had gone beyond being a small insurgent group, with a couple of guns, to very effective collection of conventional force.

“An open question we have to look at carefully is where is the military expertise (for Boko Haram) coming from. How in the last one year they became more effective?”

The envoy, who was in Adamawa to monitor the governorship by-election not put off, held talks with Adamawa Interfaith Committee, an NGO.

He also visited the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola, where he delivered a lecture to staff and students.

He said the U.S. is committed to supporting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) efforts to ensure that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) vote in the 2015 general elections.

“Creative people of good intention should find a way out about that so that Nigerians displaced can vote as much as possible,” Entwistle said.

The ambassador said that to be disenfranchised alongside being displaced would be extremely unfortunate, adding that Nigeria could use what Americans called “absentee balloting”.

The ambassador said the U.S. had been providing support to INEC and civil society organisations, to build the indigenous electoral observation capacity.

He cautioned the electorate against selling their votes, saying the right to vote was something crucial that should not be wasted.

Entwistle said the media needed to make politicians commit themselves to non-violence politics.

“No place for violence in democratic election; each time I come across politicians, I encourage them to commit themselves to not fomenting, supporting or condoning violence before, during or after election,” he said.

Politicians got yesterday a plea – for understanding – from the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, who spoke on the war against Boko Haram.

He said although the military was not begging the media to understand it, the media should see their understanding as a patriotic duty.

Former Managing Director/ Editor-In-Chief of the defunct New Nigerian Mallam Mohammed Haruna, warned the military against extra-judicial actions against the media.

Air Chief Marshal Badeh, who presided over the second session of a three-day retreat on Security/ Media Relations organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) and Trim Communications Nigeria Limited in Abuja, said it was impossible to give accurate casualty  figures in a guerrilla war like the Boko Haram insurgency.

He said the military was prepared to throw its doors open to those willing to go to the Northeast to cover the counter- insurgency operations.

He said: “Seriously, we are not fighting a conventional war where we say the enemy is across there and then we are here . We are fighting guerrilla war.

“Sometimes you say we are not giving you accurate figures the thing is, when we are fighting war, many things are not too clear, but we give you estimates of what we think has happened.”

The CDS urged reporters, political parties and all Nigerians to support the military in its fight against terrorism.

He said: “I want to hit the nail right on the head. Anything you know has ethics and values and I think you people, as Nigerian journalists, will abide by those ethics where you must put the national interest first in whatever you are doing.

“So, we should all admit that this is the only country we have, whether you are from APC, PDP, APGA, whatever platform you belong to, whatever part of the country you come from; we have only one country and it is this one.

“I don’t think there is any of us that can go to America and live. If I go to America, it is only what I have in my pocket that I will spend. First of all, they can’t pay my salary. Secondly, even if they can pay, I cannot do the type of work they will want me to do.

“So if you think you can destroy Nigeria because you have another country somewhere, you will  be a slave there. And after five years you will come back.

“Maybe when we die and we go and meet Emperor Bokassa, you can ask him. When there was problem in Central African Republic, he ran to Paris because he had a pension, and they were giving him the pension of a Sergeant because that is what he was. He went back to Central African Republic, he felt  that it was better for him to be in prison in Central African  Republic than for him to be a free man in Paris.”

“So if you want to be embedded with the military, please just come and meet Gen. Chris Olukolade. We shall arrange for you to come to Maiduguri and go and stay at the checkpoint in Maiduguri.”

Haruna, a columnist for The Nation said the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is not in conflict with the security of the nation.

He said: “Of course, the media, as society’s mirror and the channel of public communication, can be sensational, biased and may even fabricate facts. These unethical and unprofessional behavoiurs are even worse in the New Media where news and opinion are often not checked for their accuracy before publication

“These infractions are, however, not enough to see FOIA as being in conflict with the security of a nation.

“First, even though journalists are its greatest beneficiaries, the Act is not meant for only the media; individual citizens too stand to benefit.

“Indeed, in some countries, there are more private citizen applicants than journalists. In the UK, for example, records show that of around 120,00 requests made each year, private citizens account for 60 per cent while businesses and journalists account for 20 per cent and 10 per cent respectively.

“Second, when journalists break laws, there are legal remedies. Unfortunately, the authorities often ignore such remedies and resort to extra-judicial and, at times, even downright illegal ones like seizing newspapers or closing down broadcast stations.”

Troops batter Boko Haram in Borno

The military recorded yet another victory over Boko Haram in Bulabulin Ngaura village of Damboa Local Government Area in Borno State. According to a report, many insurgents were killed in the battle with soldiers which took place between 5pm and 10pm on Monday. A source said: “I cannot tell you precisely how many were killed but they suffered heavy casualty. We killed many of them and others escaped with injuries. “We have secured both Damboa and Bulabulin but they came back yesterday to attack us. I am pleased to inform you that the fighting was fierce but they were repelled. They suffered heavy losses.” He added that following increased pressure around the Damboa-Bama-Gwoza axis, the insurgents were making frantic efforts to create escape routes around Gulani and Gujba axis in Yobe State through Damboa and Bulabulin in Borno State. Bulabulin is a deserted village located 58 kilometers from Maiduguri along Damboa road.

A report has said no fewer than 11,000 people have been killed as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. The affected states are under a state of emergency.

The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in the United States gave the estimate.

It used media reports to compile a database on deadly violence in Nigeria since 1998.

In an article published in The Washington Post, the researchers said the Boko Haram conflict has become one of the deadliest in the world.

They estimated that 7,000 people were killed in the 12 months between July 2013 and June of this year, adding that casualties from the conflict are piling up at a higher rate than those from Iraqi and Afghan wars.

The estimate includes casualties caused by Boko Haram attacks and operations by the military.

Rghts groups have accused the military of using indiscriminate and heavy-handed violence in an effort to stop the insurgents.

A report has said no fewer than 11,000 people have been killed as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. The affected states are under a state of emergency.

The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in the United States gave the estimate.

It used media reports to compile a database on deadly violence in Nigeria since 1998.

In an article published in The Washington Post, the researchers said the Boko Haram conflict has become one of the deadliest in the world.

They estimated that 7,000 people were killed in the 12 months between July 2013 and June of this year, adding that casualties from the conflict are piling up at a higher rate than those from Iraqi and Afghan wars.

The estimate includes casualties caused by Boko Haram attacks and operations by the military.

Rghts groups have accused the military of using indiscriminate and heavy-handed violence in an effort to stop the insurgents.

The researchers said that overall, nearly 30,000 Nigerians have been killed since 1998 in various acts of ethnic, religious, political and economic violence.

The country has seen militant groups in the oil-rich south, clashes between Muslims and Christians in the city of Jos, and frequent acts of violence around elections, in addition to the five-year-old Boko Haram insurgency.