The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boko haram

  • Boko Haram responsible for 18 attacks in Nigeria – UN

    The Boko Haram sect is responsible for at least 18 attacks on civilians in northern Nigeria in the past two weeks and the escalating violence threatens the security of West Africa, a senior United Nations official said on Tuesday.

    The U.N special envoy for West Africa, Said Djinnit, told the U.N Security Council that insecurity in northeastern Nigeria, coupled with growing political tensions ahead of planned general elections in 2015, had left the country at a crossroads.

    “The level of violence against civilians in Nigeria continues to escalate,” he said. “It is disheartening to note that within the last two weeks at least 18 attacks attributed to Boko Haram have been conducted, resulting in the tragic death of innocent civilians and displacement of peoples.”

    “The Boko Haram crisis is now affecting security in the sub region,” said Djinnit.

    Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates as “Western education is sinful,” has killed thousands in bomb and gun attacks since 2009 in a bid to carve out an Islamist state, Reuters reports.

    It initially focused on government and security targets, as well as churches and Muslim leaders who rejected its brand of Islam. But it has increasingly targeted civilians, emboldened by global outrage after it kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the remote village of Chibok in April.

    “All efforts should be made to address the insurgency and insecurity,” Djinnit said. “The present situation underscores the paramount need for the Nigerian political class to forge a unified stand in confronting the persisting insecurity.”

  • ‘Our Girls’; World Cup fall- stronger FIFA laws against pitch attacks; Will godfatherism die?

    ‘Our Girls’; World Cup fall- stronger FIFA laws against pitch attacks; Will godfatherism die?

    Our Girls’ are still missing since April 15 with no word, no sigh, no signal of discovery or release or return. And still others are captured in the same area.  As we pray and worry, we ask, is it possible that nothing can be done? We know our Army and other security services are losing their lives unsung in this war against Boko Haram, and we join the armed Forces in their prayers on Army Day for a swifter closure process than we have had so far. Prayer is powerful but prayer and work are even more powerful. Whether dialogue with such a vengeful and vicious enemy will work is questionable especially as there is nothing to bring them to the table with any humility. They will be there in a position of strength and dictatorial. The angry and energetic soldiers in Lagos who burnt buses costing tens of millions of naira damage may want to choose to be redeployed to North-east Nigeria to face Boko Haram to help work off their anger at their unfortunate colleague being killed or dying from a crash with a BRT bus in Lagos. Was he actually riding his motorcycle in the forbidden BRT lane? Whatever the cause the culprits must be apprehended and prosecuted. We all suffer the death of friends from other people’s misadventures but we do not go overboard.

    The World Cup ends this week. There will be only one winning team but may heroes of the moment and some serious casualties. Football can be a dangerous adventure. There have been winners and losers and injuries, some deliberate and one cannot understand injuring another human being, with a family, in the heat of the sporting moment, whether by biting or by kneeing in the back from a great height. FIFA should consider a clean-up of the sport by legislating that in future when such injuries occur, it should be automatic that the perpetrator of the attack as also removed from the pitch for the same length of time as the victim. In addition to that, between the perpetrating person and his club, they should be forced to pay all related medical investigation and treatment charges and also the victim’s salary and allowances for the duration of the victim being off work and unable to train. FIFA should know that with these draconian but long overdue laws, football pitch violence and player-on- player Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH), will come to skidding halt. Just because it is a sport does not allow anyone to attack with intent to cause GBH. GBH is a serious criminal offence which is punishable with several years in prison. Indeed the perpetrating football player should be handed over to the police if it is proved from the multi-video replay that the attack was sufficiently violent and deliberate.

    Still on the subject of the World Cup; is it not tragic that there are more footballs on advertising billboards that at the feet of young ones particularly Nigerian and African youth who paradoxically are the greatest fans of football following every footfall and turn and applauding every goal and even getting haircuts after the style of their idols? That football fools them into a 90 minute sense of security and pleasurable agony with some experiencing the triumph of victory.  After each Wold Cup match, the youth return to their football-less existence. Instead of training to become the next great player, they must content themselves with kicking a plastic substitute for FIFA rated ball as corporate Nigeria ignores the need for footballs and would rather make billboards unplayable balls on them.

    Did you see a World Cup referee spraying some white paint on the pitch to mark the line for the defence to stand behind during a free kick? The commentator informed us that we should not be alarmed as the paint would disappear in two minutes.  This reminded me of the suggestion that disappearing and heat-appearing ink was allegedly used in the Ekiti State election. What is good for football may cause a foul in elections.

    While blaming the past for our myriad woes, we must not let the future escape us or we are doomed as a nation. The outcome of the Ekiti elections has sent a jolt through all other governments because there was an undeniable misreading of the politics. For years we have been warning against ‘Godfatherism’ and were happy when the godfathers began to fall. Unfortunately the last godfather refused to read the writing on the wall and ignored the fate of his archenemy, a military Godfather of Godfathers and merely exploded in negative godfather activity getting relatives elected to every available post and anointing the favoured for every post far and near. Godfatherism may steamroll and win one election. This can and has backfired four years later for the obvious reason that a distant godfather dispatches agents to the distant conquered hinterland to take up all available political offices and presiding over other people’s commissioner posts, contracts and even executing those contracts to the exclusion of most locals. This will cause a backlash at the next election unless the people are spineless. Even giving the elderly an allowance can be misinterpreted by detractors as taking away the responsibility of the children for parents. Is this the end of the Godfather era?

  • Poor governance responsible for Boko Haram

    Poor governance responsible for Boko Haram

    An Islamic scholar, Ustaz Abdulhafeez Salaudeen has attributed the rise of the Boko Haram insurgent to poor governance.

    Ustaz Salaudeen, the Chief Executive Officer Kapel Foods, Abeokuta in Ogun State described as propaganda the linkage of Boko Haram to Islam.

    He spoke at the Annual Ramadan lecture organised by the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA), Alimosho branch in Egbeda, Lagos.

    Ustaz Abdulhafeez said Muslims should not shy away from telling the whole world that Boko Haram represents evil, hence should not be link with Islam.

    He said: “One of the basic things Muslims must do is to spread the information that they (Boko Haram) are not part of us. Never should you have it in mind that Boko Haram is Islam. You know what? Nigerian government gave birth to Boko Haram. First, we are not having good governance; good governance guarantees social security for the people. So, in the event of violence, terror, you should take a cover under the government that is responsible to you.

    “Secondly, there is no social justice which engenders anger, violence, misbehaviour, crime among others;  the home is not secure, the schools are not secure, the job is not secured, everybody is exposed to temptation and what follow is criminal activities, emergence of different horrible and horrific groups,” he said.

    Ustaz Salaudeen said no matter how big is the propaganda, the image of Islam will not be tarnished.

    “Depend on the way you look at it, the Muslim image is not tarnished because tarnishing of an image by a kind of design is what I can call conspiracy. Our image is that we are not trouble makers and as Muslims, we are people who believed in social justice, who believed that everybody must be secured and protected no matter your religion, we are people who do not force anybody to practise our faith, we are people who believe others must be taken care of, so there is no reason to attribute Boko Haram activities to us,” he said.

  • Troops kill 44 in raid on Boko Haram hideout

    Troops kill 44 in raid on Boko Haram hideout

    Six soldiers die in battle with insurgents 

    Girls ’ll soon be rescued, says govt

    Troops have taken the battle to Boko Haram insurgents, destroying their bases in Balmo Forest, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said yesterday.

    Balmo is on the fringes of Sambisa Forest where over 200 Chibok girls are believed to be in captivity.

    The military also confirmed that 44 insurgents were killed in encounters with troops in Kerenoa.

    The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in a statement in Abuja, said the encounters between troops and the insurgents occurred at the weekend.

    The statement said: “Troops have cleared and taken over Balmo forest in a military operation that lasted throughout the weekend.

    “Prior to the operation, Balmo Forest, stretching from Bauchi through Jigawa states, with links to the fringes of Sambisa Forest, was used by terrorists as bases and hideouts for launching attacks.

    “Terrorists and armed gangs operating in the forests were completely routed out while some were captured during the operation.

    “Among those captured were two foreigners who are suspected to be mercenaries. Also captured are several weapons and equipment, including power generating sets, communication equipment, vehicles, motorcycles, foodstuff and kitchen utensils.”

    The statement also confirmed that over 44 terrorists were killed in Kerenoa.

    The statement added: “In another development, over 44 terrorists have died in Kerenoa and adjoining communities, following an encounter with troops who repelled their attack on the communities.

    “Armed with IEDs and other high caliber weapons, a large number of terrorists had carried out a pre-dawn attack on the communities but met with stiff resistance of the troops.

    “During the operation, several of them were captured as well as weapons and ammunition of various calibres.

    “Meanwhile, troops on routine patrol around Banki and Miyanti in Borno State during the weekend fought through an ambush laid by terrorists, resulting in casualties on both sides. Altogether, a total of six soldiers were lost in the various encounters with terrorists during the weekend while those wounded are receiving treatment.”

  • Cameroun’s onslaught

    Cameroun’s onslaught

    •Arrest of 50 suspected Boko Haram sponsors shows it is proactive in its anti-terror war

    Reports that Cameroun’s military authorities have arrested 50 Nigerian businessmen for allegedly collaborating with the Boko Haram insurgents in its attacks on Nigeria, are heart-warming. Yes, we can argue that no prima facia case has been proved against the businessmen since the matter is still in the realm of allegation, the point is that it shows the Camerounians have now woken up to the sad reality of the dangers posed not only to Nigeria but also to their own country as well, by the Boko Haram.

    This point is more vividly reinforced when taken alongside the killing of 10 insurgents by the Camerounian soldiers. According to the Voice of America (VOA), the killings took place in Mora, along the Cameroun border with Nigeria. The soldiers also seized vehicles and a large number of weapons from the insurgents.

    Obviously, as confirmed by the spokesman of Cameroun’s military, Chioka Pierre, who spoke with the VOA,  the businessmen’s arrests and the killing of the insurgents were the result of sweeps conducted as part of an intensified crackdown on persons suspected to be involved in violent incidents in Cameroun, and believed to be connected to Boko Haram. About three weeks ago, Cameroun’s soldiers also detained 40 suspected Boko Haram militants in Maroua, and sealed off a market where they suspected terrorist could be hiding arms.

    These actions, on the part of Cameroun are proactive, given that Boko Haram has not become a major threat to that country. But the signs are manifesting that it could be, so it is better to keep the insurgents in check before they become a malignant tumour or a festering sore in Cameroun.

    The first question that comes to mind from the Camerounian onslaught against the insurgents is why is it that it was Cameroun, and not Nigeria, that arrested the businessmen? After all, Boko Haram has its roots here in Nigeria where it had wreaked unquantifiable havoc. So, Nigeria should naturally be the major country pursuing the bandits.

    From Pierre’s account, locals have been of tremendous help to the Camerounian soldiers in fishing out the insurgents. It is the locals that have been reporting the strange faces in their communities to the authorities, thereby facilitating arrests. It would appear things went out of hands in Nigeria’s war with terror because locals and the government were hardly on the same page. The locals did not trust the government; that is if they ever believed it was serving their interest.

    Another point to note from the developments in Cameroun is the fact that the country recognised that it is vulnerable to terror attacks because of the widespread unemployment in the country. “We are seeing most of our graduates every year having no jobs. Tell me, if somebody comes and proposes a high sum of money to join this organisation, most youths are desperate, they will be forced to do everything to get into these extremist activities,” Bipong Dennis, a Camerounian said.

    These are issues we have raised in several editorials on Boko Haram – the need to carry the locals along in the terror war; and the need to provide a conducive environment for business.

    Also, the point has been severally made that Boko Haram cannot be defeated by Nigeria without the active participation of its immediate neighbours, particularly Cameroun. The Camerounian onslaught has proved just that.

    We commend Cameroun for these efforts. Indeed, it should probe the arrested businessmen thoroughly and thereafter unmask them. We need to know those funding the terror group and block the sources of funding. When this is done, it is only a question of time before it dies. It is in the mutual interest of both counties that Boko Haram is exterminated and this is why we plead with Cameroun to do more by way of assistance to stamp out the sect.

     

  • Certificates, broken sim cards recovered from suspect’s house

    Several school certificates and sim cards were recovered from the Boko Haram suspect killed during a gun battle with security agents in Kaduna at the weekend, it was learnt yesterday.

    A source said the suspect moved into the area two months ago and has lived peacefully with his neighbours while attending to his religious worship with diligence.

    The source said: “If they had arrested him before the gun battle, we would have believed that he was innocent. It was the gun battle that gave him away and we have cause to believe that he had superior gun power.

    “They actually wanted to take him away alive. Unfortunately, he refused to come out when the soldiers came. He climbed into the ceiling where he engaged the soldiers until he was killed.

    “He lived in the house with his family. It was when members of the family came out that the soldiers had courage to enter the compound.”

    It was gathered that the soldiers were said to have initially gone to the landlord’s house before coming to the house to arrest him.

    The soldiers went away with his body; his family were said to have packed out of the house after he was killed.

    The magnitude of the exchange of fire almost caused crisis between the police and soldiers because the police were not aware of the operation.

    Residents said: “We never knew that the man was a member of the organisation. A lot of certificates belonging to their members and a large number of SIM cards were recovered from the house.

    “When we heard the gunshots, we thought that it was robbers and so we called the police. The police headed to the place. When the soldiers heard the siren, they quickly identified themselves. A blood fight was prevented because the police would have engaged them thinking they were robbers.”

    The District Head of Ungwan Muazu, Aliyu Idris, called on landlords to be security conscious and ensure the true identity of their tenants.

    When our reporter visited the scene, there were blood stains and several bullet holes on the wall and ceiling, part of which was also pulled down while several broken sim cards, empty cylinders littered the compound.

    There are two versions of the whereabouts of the family. One version said they moved out of the house after he was killed; the other says that they were taken away by the soldiers.

    There has been no official statement from either the Army or the police.

  • ‘How we deal with Boko Haram scare in Bayelsa’

    The Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa State, Mr. Hilary Opara, has said his command is dealing with Boko Haram scare in the state.

    Opara in an exclusive interview in Yenagoa, the state capital, said he had taken many proactive measures to secure the state and prevent insurgents from using any part of it to launch attack.

    “Boko Haram happens to be an arm group. The proliferation, transformation and sophistication of various arm groups all over the world is a reflection of the character of the 21st century.

    “It is not peculiar to Nigeria. People should know this. These things are powered by various variance of globalization. If you look round in the world today, you see this kind of thing happening.

    “But that is not to say we are not actually doing something to curtail the menace of these arm groups,” Opara said.

    He said as part of the proactive measures, his command had embarked on widespread enlightenment campaign to sensitise and create security consciousness among the people.

    He said the police convened an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting where owners of business, social and religious places were mandated to form localised security committees.

    According to him formation of such committees were made compulsory for churches, hotels, mosques, supermarkets and others whose business attracts people.

    “We told them to be vigilant and to police their environment to complement what we the security agencies do. So, for instance the people are now aware that somebody can come and drop something that can harm them and they are now looking out for such people.

    “It is no longer something meant for security agencies alone. This is what we have achieved already in Bayelsa. We have made jingles on radio and television. This is in form of sensitisation of the public so that they will know that the issue of security is the business of everybody,” the police commissioner said.

     

  • Boko Haram suspect killed in gun battle

    Security operatives killed yesterday a suspected Boko Haram member in an early morning raid in Kinkinau area of Kaduna metropolis.

    The Nation gathered that the suspect was an insurgent leader, who escaped from Borno State.

    The suspect was said to have engaged security operatives, who were acting on a tipoff, in a gun battle which reportedly lasted for over one hour before he was gunned down while trying to escape.

    Although they were said to be two occupants in the rented apartment, it was not immediately clear what happened to the second occupant.

    The incident created panic in the area as residents claimed that the security operatives, comprising plain cloth personnel and armed soldiers, arrived in the area at 2am and surrounded the building; their leader ordered the occupants to come out.

    Rather than obeying the order, the suspects opened fire on the security operatives, who responded promptly.

    Sources said the security operatives had been on the trail of the suspect for sometime.

    A resident, who described the incident as fire-for-fire, said: “The soldiers and police woke up us with shooting, when we tried to find out what was happening they drove us away,” he said.

    An Islamic organisation, Concerned Muslim Professionals (CMP), has expressed concern over Boko Haram activities.

    It advised the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, to dialogue with members of the sect.

    The CMP said several Boko Haram members would have laid their arms and many wouldn’t have joined, if the Muslim leadership had engaged the sect in a dialogue.

    Its President, Mohammed Saidu, in a letter entitled: “Echoing the message of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd): A call for action on Islamic leadership of Northern Nigeria”, said: “There have not been any visible or invisible efforts by the Muslim leadership to convene such engagements at even a single location, let alone covering the whole troubled region. That could be why demand for action on the leadership is repeatedly made by well meaning citizens.”

    The group regretted that the sect’s activities have become an embarrassment to Islam.

    The CMP said: “The biggest task before our Muslim and Islamic leaders in the North is to reconcile the warring communities of Muslims and Christians through forgiveness, healing and genuine social integration and coexistence; similar to the one referred to by General Gowon on the Muslims of the Southwest.

    “The other task is to make Boko Haram come out of hiding, denounce terrorism and embrace government’s overtures.”

  • Boko Haram suspect kiled in gun battle

    Security operatives on Sunday killed a suspected Boko Haram member in an early morning raid on a hide out in the Kinkinau area of Kaduna metropolis.
    Although details of the operation were not known at the time of this report, The Nation gathered that the suspect is one of the leaders of the insurgents who escaped from Borno state to live in Kaduna.
    The suspect was said to have engaged the team of security operatives who were acting on a tip off in a gun battle that reportedly lasted for over one hour before he was killed while trying to escape.
    The incident caused panic  in the area as  residents claimed that the security operatives comprising plain cloth personnel and armed soldiers arrived the area at about 2:am and immediately surrounded the building while their leader ordered the occupants to  come out.
    Rather than obeying the order, the suspects opened fire on the security operatives who responded.
    Sources  informed The Nation that the security operatives who acted on a tip off had been on the trail of the suspect for sometime.
    A resident of the area described the incident as fire-for-fire saying “the soldiers and police woke  us up with shooting.”

    “When we tried to know what was happening they drove us away,” he said.

  • Boko Haram took us unaware, says Jonathan

    Boko Haram took us unaware, says Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan Friday admitted that the current insecurity in the country especially the intensity of the Boko Haram crisis in the North East caught the government and the security agencies unaware.

    The President also admitted that issues of ethnicity and religious intolerance poses one of the greatest danger to the survival of the corporate existence of the nation especially if left unchecked.

    The President who spoke through his vice! Mohammed Namadi Sambo at the graduation ceremony of the Senior Course 36 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna state however assured that the government will continue to equip the armed forces to ensure that, the activities of the insurgents are brought to a permanent end.

    President Jonathan said: “Nigeria is faced with contemporary security challenges that were not envisaged some decades ago, as exemplified by the various terrorists attacks currently being experienced in some parts of our country”.

    He told the officers who are of the rank of Major and ifs equivalent in the Airforce and the Navy that as members of the armed forces, they have a crucial role to play in ensuring that the lives and property of the citizenry are protected from all forms international and external threats.

    According to him: “We must remember that, the greatest danger to our collective security as a people and a nation lies in the issue of ethnicity and religious intolerance.

    “These twin evil, if not checked are capable of threatening our corporate existence as one sovereign and indivisible nation. You must therefore discourage such sentiments and encourage our men to view themselves as comrades in the pursuit of a common destiny.

    “Furthermore, you must continue to anticipate and reflect on the noble idea of the membership of the armed forces; you would be judged by your roles and actions of your men. Therefore, the military must remain apolitical and neutral in performing her constitutional roles”.

    Commandant AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal John Chris Ifemeje said, the 147 gut adjusting officers include 12 allied officers from 11 sister African countries went through 48 weeks of intensive training in the college.

    He charged them to take along with them as they return to their various services, everything they have learnt from the college, which he said will go a long wY to assist them in the assigned areas of operations.