The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boko haram

  • US drones reveal Boko Haram’s movements, new camps

    US drones reveal Boko Haram’s movements, new camps

    Snippets of the findings of the United States surveillance drones and satellites tracking the over 200 students abducted by the Boko Haram sect in Borno State are beginning to emerge.

    Imagery from the drones and satellites shows suspected terrorists setting up temporary camps and moving through isolated villages along bush paths in the Northeast, according to reports from the US.

    However, the exact location of the girls, who were shown in a video released early this week by their captors remains unknown.

    Washington has shared the imagery with security agencies in Abuja, the Los Angeles Times reported ahead of Saturday’s summit of West African leaders in Paris where strategies to improve cooperation in the fight against the Boko Haram would be discussed.

    American officials are said to be frustrated with what they perceived as the inability of Nigeria to act on fresh intelligence about the Boko Haram insurgents.

    A US official familiar with the hunt for the girls said Nigeria’s security forces are hampered by poor equipment and training and have failed to respond quickly.

    U.S. Defence officials confirmed earlier reports by Nigerian media that Boko Haram had split the girls into several groups after the April 14 abduction.

    US officials on Thursday openly expressed their frustration with the planned rescue of the girls at a Senate hearing in Washington DC.

    Senator Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he has written to President Goodluck Jonathan asking him “to demonstrate the leadership his nation is demanding.”

    “Despite offers of assistance from the United States and other international partners, the Nigerian government’s response to this crisis has been tragically and unacceptably slow,” Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, said at a hearing of his panel.

    State Department and Defense Department officials at the hearing said the Nigerian government’s failure to deal with abuses by its own military is a hurdle to U.S. cooperation.

    Alice Friend, the Defense Department’s principal director for African affairs, told the committee that even as the U.S. is providing intelligence and satellite photos to help in the search, officials are being “exceedingly cautious about sharing information with the Nigerians because of their unfortunate record.”

     

  • Nigeria at war with Boko Haram – Clark

    The foremost Ijaw leader and elder states man, Chief Edwin Clark, on Friday said that Nigeria is at war with the Boko Haram sect.

    He said the abduction of over 200 Chibok schoolgirls called for a sober reflection by Nigerians.

    Chief Clark said these in Abuja when Orashi Women Patriotic Front paid him a courtesy visit in his Asokoro residence.

    Clark said he had hoped the declaration of state emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa by President Goodluck Jonathan would curb the killings in the northeast.

    He said: “I thought the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe will curb the insurgence but I have realized that it did not.

    “We are at war with evil forces, our daughters are suffering in the bush, let us pray that the God will deliver them from these evil men.”

    He appealed to his supporters, friends and well wishers not to plan any celebration for his 87th birthday but rather prayers should be made for Nigeria.

    “I know the activities of Boko Haram will soon end. We have no other country, we should love Nigeria and work together as one.

    “In our Constitution, there is no religion that is superior than the other. It is a devilish idea to say one religion must be embraced by everybody,” Clark said.

    He said that despite the defection of Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi to the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party is on course to retain the state in 2015.

    “In 2015, Rivers State is a PDP state. And I do hope that the people of Rivers State will vote for PDP in the next election,” he added.

    Earlier in her address, the President of the group, Joy Nwanochi, called on President Jonathan to seek re-election in 2015.

     

  • Paris summit to rally region against Boko Haram

    Paris summit to rally region against Boko Haram

    West African leaders meet in Paris on Saturday to try to improve cooperation in their fight against the Boko Haram sect, which has kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls and threatens to destabilise the wider region.

    Outrage over the kidnapping has already prompted President Goodluck Jonathan, criticised at home for his government’s slow response, to accept the United States, British and French intelligence help in the hunt for the girls, Reuters reports.

    Last week he asked France, itself a target of Islamist militants for its military intervention against Islamist rebels in Mali, to arrange a summit in Paris with Nigeria’s neighbours – Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin, and Western officials.

    French diplomats ruled out any Western military operation but said they expected a regional plan to take shape for countering Boko Haram, which has killed more than 3,000 people in a five-year campaign to establish an Islamic state in mostly Muslim northeast Nigeria.

    “The aim is to come up with an action plan this weekend so that these countries, with the support of the West, cooperate in terms of intelligence gathering, information exchange and border control to stop Boko Haram smuggling weapons and moving freely in this zone,” said a French diplomatic source.

    “There is absolutely no dialogue between Cameroon and Nigeria,” said the source. “Until now, Cameroon has not accepted it has a problem – but it has been destabilised in the north by Boko Haram and in the east by the influx of refugees from Central African Republic. It must talk with Nigeria.”

    With about 6,000 troops operating in either Mali to the northwest or the Central African Republic to the east, Paris has a major interest in preventing Nigeria’s security deteriorating, fearing that Boko Haram could spread north into the Sahel, and beyond Cameroon into the Central African Republic.

  • Boko Haram: UN calls for regional cooperation

    The fight to eliminate terrorism requires regional cooperation, United Nations said on Thursday.

    He submitted that the scourge can only be prevented if there is sharing of information among neighboring countries.

    Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Representative of the UN Secretary General for West Africa, Mr. Said Djinnit, also said the global body welcomes the holistic approach used in tackling insecurity in Nigeria.

    Besides, Djinnit assured Nigeria of UN’s support in the efforts to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the Boko Haram sect a month ago.

    He said,” We have welcomed the holistic approach used in tackling insecurity in Nigeria. This scourge can only b prevented if neigbours share information. This requires regional cooperation.

    Besides, he said UN “is committed to do its utmost within its capacity to assist Nigerian authorities in the efforts to secure the girls’ release.”

    As part of the assistance, Djinnit said UN has initiated the preparation of an integrated support package that includes immediate support to the affected families, the

    population and the girls after their release, in particular with psycho-social counseling and facilitation of their reintegration in families and communities.

  • Boko Haram inspires IcePrince’s new single

    Pained by the kidnap of over 200 females students by alleged Boko Haram members and the spate of insurgency that has ravaged the North Eastern part of the country, award-winning rapper and songwriter, Ice Prince Zamani has release a new track titled Tears for Naija. Produced by Sammy Gyang, the sob song was released on Thursday, May 15.
    “More blessings!! The end is near for Boko Haram,” the artiste tweeted a few minutes after its release.
    Packed with a heavy dose of rhetoric, the artiste has a lot of questions for the Boko Haram insurgents. Like why would anyone kidnap his (Ice Prince’) sister when they would not be comfortable with him doing the same to them? Why would one choose to throw a bomb at the spot where he parks his jeep? Does it feel right of one kills a man? Or would there be light (electric power) if one chooses to bomb ‘Nepa’?
    With this particular track, Ice Prince leaves his comfort zone, rap, and delves into a genre that that most find difficulty adapting to, reggae. He relives the good old days when Nigerians lived together in harmony, crooning about how different things are these days. He even offers to apologise for the things he did, if that would help return the country back to normal.

  • FG has hidden agenda against North – Arewa

    The Pan Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Thursday hit hard at the government handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and the abduction of the schoolgirls from Chibok, saying President Goodluck Jonathan’s response is a suggestion of a hidden agenda against the region.

    The northern umbrella body also lampooned the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, for conducting what it called a mock trial of government officials on national television and concluded that the entire episode was a hoax.

    In a statement entitled: “Insecurity and Government Ineptitude” and signed by the body’s Secretary General, Col. John Paul Ubah (rtd), the ACF expressed disappointment at the lack of seriousness on the part of the government in handling of the girls’ abduction and the entire insurgency.

    The ACF noted that the President displayed lack of urgency in the handling of the issue until Nigerians poured out to the streets to demand government action, adding that the first lady on her part has taken steps to disrupt efforts by concerned Nigerians to free the abducted girls by claiming that nobody was missing.

    The statement reads: “The Rapid Response Committee of the ACF met on Wednesday, the 14th of May, 2014 at the Forum’s Headquarters, Kaduna. The meeting reviewed the current state of insecurity in the country and resolved to issue the following press statement.

    “That the response of the Federal Government, particularly President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, to the abduction of over 200 students by Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno on the 14th of April, 2014, is disappointing.

    “The President approached the abduction with neither a sense of urgency nor seriousness until ordinary Nigerians poured out on to the streets demanding greater action. The first lady remained characteristically disruptive of all efforts by concerned Nigerians.

    “Her reaction to the street protests was to set up her own panel of inquiry to which she summoned federal and state government officials, including wives of Governors. She conducted a mock trial of the officials on live television and at the end of it, declared that no school girls were missing, suggesting that the entire story was some hoax constructed to embarrass her husband.

    “The approach of the President to the tragic abductions of the Chibok girls is not much different from his handling of the entire insurgency war that has engulfed the North, especially the North East region since 2009. Even the President’s most ardent supporters readily agree that his prosecution of the insurgency war has been hesitant, feeble and half-hearted.

    “The President hardly ever took action until he came under pressure to do so from people outside his government. The mounting pressure from local and international communities is now compelling him to talk of deploying more troops to confront the Boko Haram insurgents. His belated acceptance of help from foreign powers had come only after the abduction of over 200 young girls, stirring worldwide outrage.”

     

  • Nigeria lacks effective campaign against Boko Haram – US

    Nigeria lacks effective campaign against Boko Haram – US

    A top United States Defense Department official criticized Nigeria on Thursday for being too slow to adapt in response to the threat of Boko Haram, but said Washington is committed to the ongoing fight against the group and safe return of more than 200 girls taken from their school a month ago.

    “In general Nigeria has failed to mount an effective campaign against Boko Haram,” said Alice Friend, the Pentagon’s principal director for African Affairs, in testimony provided to the Senate’s Africa subcommittee ahead of a hearing on Thursday and obtained by Reuters.

    “The Department has been deeply concerned for some time by how much the Government of Nigeria has struggled to keep pace with Boko Haram’s growing capabilities,” she said.

    Friend added that Nigerian security forces have been slow to adapt to the threat from the sect.

    “More troubling,” she said, was that atrocities have been perpetrated by some security forces during operations against the group, which means U.S. human rights law would bar providing assistance to them.

    Robert Jackson, acting assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, said in his prepared testimony that Washington has been urging Nigeria to reform its approach to Boko Haram. “When soldiers destroy towns, kill civilians and detain innocent people with impunity, mistrust takes root,” he said.

    16 U.S. Department of Defense personnel with medical, intelligence, counter-terrorism and communications expertise have been assigned exclusively to the mission of advising Nigerian efforts to recover the girls safely, Friend said.

    “Our intent is to support Nigerian-led efforts to recover the girls and help catalyze greater efforts to secure the Nigerian population from the menace of Boko Haram,” Friend said.

    She also said the Pentagon and Department of State were developing a “regional response” to Boko Haram to improve border security along Nigeria’s frontiers with Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

    The intention was to detect and respond to movement of Boko Haram members between Nigeria and its neighbors, she added.

  • Jonathan visits Chibok Friday

    Jonathan visits Chibok Friday

    To see things for himself, President Goodluck Jonathan will on Friday visit Chibok village in Borno State where over 200 schoolgirls of Government Girls Secondary School were abducted by the Boko Haram sect over a month ago.

    Apart from the girls’ abduction attracting global outrage, condemnation and assistance, the President had earlier set up a fact-finding committee to unravel the circumstances surrounding the abduction.

    According to presidential sources, who do not want their names in print, the President will use the visit to access the situation in Chibok and also meet with the parents of the girls and other key officials.

    The President, who is also scheduled to be in France this weekend,will  meet with Heads of State and Government of Benin Republic, Chad, Niger and Cameroon on how to strengthen and intensify collaboration against Boko Haram and other criminal organizations.

    Officials from the United States, Britain and the European Union are also expected to attend the Paris meeting to discuss a coordinated response to Boko Haram and terrorism.

    The President last week Tuesday accepted the offer by US President Barrack Obama to deploy security personnel and assets to assist Nigerian troops in the search and rescue operation for the Chibok girls.

    Other world leaders and Heads of State and Government, who have indicated interest in the search for the girls include British Prime Minister, David Cameron; French President Fancois Hollande, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.

    The Israeli government also promised to send its counter-terrorism experts to support and assist Nigerian security agencies in the effort.

    Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, expressed his country’s commitment to help Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and also condemned the abduction of the girls.

     

  • ‘Boko Haram is a bad ideology’

    ‘Boko Haram is a bad ideology’

    There is no verse in the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet Mohammed that encourages Muslims to kidnap people for any reason, Ustaz Muhammad Jamiu Trimidhi, Imam, Sadaqat and Zakat Foundation, said last Friday at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Community Islamic Complex in Idi-Araba, Lagos.

    The Islamic scholar made the point during the special Jumat Service to open the 24th edition of Islam Propagation Week and Great Procession, organised by the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) College of Medicine University of Lagos/Lagos University Teaching Hospital (CMUL/LUTH) Branch.

    The cleric condemned the abduction of the 276 school girls in Chibok, Borno State, saying the act was against the teaching of Islam and Sunnah (examples) of the Prophet. He described Boko Haram sect as a bad ideology that is out to tarnish the image of Muslims and the religion.

    Ustaz Trimidhi said: “The resolve of Boko Haram to sell out the abducted girls in the ‘Will of Allah’ is not appropriate in Islam. It was never reported that any prophet of Islam or their disciples abducted a group of people and sold them out. It is never in the history of Islam. Boko Haram members are not representing Islam; they are representing another ideology entirely different from the teachings of the religion.

    The cleric prayed that the sect’s power should be weakened, so that peace could return to the affected area. Speaking on the MSSN activities, Ustaz Trimidhi praised the executives and members of the Society for portraying good image of Islam on the campus.

    He said: “We thank Allah for making us have this group of youths, calling people towards true path of Allah and showing good morals. This portends good future for Islam.”

    The cleric, in his sermon, spoke on Tawasul (closeness to Allah), it was only through good deeds and piety that human could reach Allah.

    After Asri (late afternoon) prayer, all members of the society trooped out to participate in the procession  organised to sensitise people about Islam.

  • Jonathan overwhelmed by Boko Haram – Obasanjo

    Jonathan overwhelmed by Boko Haram – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said President Goodluck Jonathan is overwhelmed by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The former president, who spoke in Nairobi, Kenya, said he took it upon himself in 2011 to go on a fact finding mission when the insurgency became uncontrollable to see how to mediate.

    “I met people especially families who knew them. I wanted to find out if it was an organization which has aims and objectives and if they have a foreign backing,” he stated.

    He said the group has leaders, adding that there was somebody who acted in proxy as a lawyer to the sect.

    “The lawyer who was acting in proxy told me that Mr. President if you want to meet their leaders give me three hours. I will gather their leaders, not in Nigeria but outside Nigeria. Obviously they have leaders,” Obasanjo said.

    When asked if carrot and stick approach will work in dealing with the sect, he said: “Well, if you had tried stick and stick alone and has not worked, is there anything wrong to try something along with the stick?

    “I doubt it very much if you will consider that as wrong because in your introductory statement in this programme, you made the point that no matter how well meaning the President might have been his assertion that he will be on top of Boko Haram has not been achieved,” the former president said rhetorically.

    Human rights activist, Shehu Sanni, said Boko Haram is a sect that has a theocratic agenda.

    Sanni said the sect is unlike others in the north, adding: “There are sects in the north that say Nigeria should adopt Islam but they are not as fundamental.”

    He said the use of force has not been able to yield any result.

    He cautioned the Federal Government to get the girls out first before using force to subdue the sect.