My Government Failed Because Of Boko Haram

For the first time since assuming office, President Goodluck Jonathan has admitted openly that Boko Haram is the reason why his administration is moving on a snail speed in terms of performance and why he is yet to fullfill his election campaign promises.

 President Jonathan made the open confession at the 60th National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He attributed the security challenges facing the country, most especially Boko Haram insurgents in the Northern region as the major problems which had caused a lot of distraction to his government. 

 He listed job creation and power supply as priority areas that were meant to be addressed in earnest but which have been overshadowed by insecurity. "During campaign, our emphasis was more on job creation, power but now what worries us most is security,” he said. "This is because you must be alive before you will eat food.”

 Mr Jonathan, however, expressed the optimism that the challenges posed by the sect would soon reduce, regretting that the relative peace experienced in the last three weeks was punctured by the recent attacks on mourners in Plateau State. “Security agencies are working hard on the problem in Plateau and God willing, the issue of Boko Haram will soon come down.”

Read More...

British government to fight Boko Haram

Britain yesterday pledged to step up its backing for Nigeria in the battle against the Boko Haram insurgency.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond spoke of the House of Commons while recounting how the raid to rescue a Briton and an Italian held hostage in Sokoto State was carried out.

He spoke of how the British Special Forces that joined Nigerian security personnel killed one of the hostage takers.

Three other captors, he said, were killed by Nigerian forces. One Nigerian soldier was wounded in the operation.

Hammond said: “This was a difficult operation that it was judged had to be carried out at speed, in view of the risks to the lives of Chris and Franco.

“The deaths of Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara were a terrible tragedy but let us be clear, the responsibility for their deaths lies squarely with the people who kidnapped them, held them, threatened them and then murdered them in cold blood.

“Terrorism and kidnapping can never be justified. Many of the groups responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Chris and Franco, including their senior leaders, are either dead or have been detained - an important achievement in reducing the threat of future kidnapping.

“But violent, extremist Islamist groups remain active in Nigeria and so long as they are, we will work with the Nigerian and other allies to fight the scourge of terrorism wherever it manifests itself.”

Boko Haram has carried on with its bloody mission, killing three policemen, one soldier and four others in Kano and Mubi, Adamawa State.

The Kano attack occurred yesterday. The killings in Adamawa took place on Monday night.

McManus and Limolinara were employees of a construction firm. They were abducted from a construction site in Birni Kebbi in May last year and taken to Sokoto. They were killed last Thursday following the storming of the hideout where they were kept by their captors.

Hammond said the British Government supported Nigerian troops in the attempted rescue of McManus and Lamolinara after receiving credible information of their location and “imminent and escalating” threats to their lives.

Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy endorsed the decision to launch the raid last Thursday.

Hammond said: “The assessment on the ground was there was a significant possibility the kidnappers, if present, were already aware their security had been compromised and if they were not, the level of military activity in the town meant there was a real risk of them developing that awareness.

“The military judgment was that the hostages were facing an imminent and escalating threat and while an immediate rescue attempt would inevitably involve risk, it represented the best chance of securing the release of Chris and Franco alive.”

Hammond said British Prime Minister David Cameron gave the go-ahead for British involvement in the assault after a briefing by military and national security advisers.

He told MPs the operation lasted about 90 minutes but that the bodies of the two hostages were found by the troops in a room at the rear of the compound.

The Defence Secretary added: “The early indications are clear both men were murdered by their captors with automatic gun fire before they could be rescued.”

Hammond told MPs a coroner’s inquest into the death of Mr McManus would be held.

He said it continued to be the policy of the British Government not to pay ransoms to terrorist groups who take hostages.

Hammond said it had become clear following the kidnap that it was being carried out by the terrorist group Boko Haram and clear demands had not been issued.

He said the kidnappers made some direct contacts with Mr McManus’s family.

“But at no time during their captivity did the kidnappers make any coherent demands.”

Hammond said the British and Nigerian Government worked closely together to try and establish where the hostages were being held.

He said on a visit to Nigeria in July 2011, Mr Cameron agreed a package of support from Britain for Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Hammond said: “As part of that package, a sustained operation was conducted to identify members of the group responsible for the kidnapping.

“Earlier last week, a number of them were apprehended and during de-briefing late on March 7, credible intelligence was obtained identifying the probable location of the hostages at a house or compound in Sokoto, northern Nigeria.”

Hammond said Foreign Secretary William Hague then briefed Mr Cameron that evening before chairing a Cobra meeting on the new information the following morning at 8.15am. A further full briefing was then relayed to the Prime Minister.

“The location was confirmed and the Nigerian military took up position on the ground and an assault group, including UK support, was put in place.

“Following a further briefing, the Prime Minister gave authorisation to the rescue attempt, which began at 10.58am London time.

“The UK’s ambassador in Rome informed the Italian government an operation was beginning as soon as possible afterwards,” Hammond said.

Read More...

Jos church blast:Boko Haram claims responsibility

he Islamist sect Boko Haram said it was behind Sunday’s suicide bomb attack outside a church in the central city of Jos, and warned of more such assaults.

“We carried out the attack on COCIN church in Jos today and we did what we did as part of our resolve to avenge the killings and dehumanisation of Muslims in Jos in the last 10 years,” spokesman Abul Qaqa told reporters in a conference call.

Gombe State relaxes curfew

Following the bombing of the Gombe divisional police headquarters on Friday by the Boko Haram sect the Gombe State Government has reviewed the 24-hour curfew initially imposed on Gombe metropolis.

This was made known in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Sule Bage, in Gombe on Sunday said the curfew would now be in force from 5p.m. to 6a.m. daily.

The statement quoted Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo as calling on the people of the state to be law-abiding to ensure peace.

12 persons were killed while five others were wounded in bomb attacks in Gombe.

The police have arrested three suspects in connection with the attacks

Read More...

Two held on Nigeria bombing

AS NIGERIAN officials announced arrests in connection with the deadly bombing of a church on Christmas Day, US officials and analysts said the violence underscored the increasing ability of a shadowy Islamist insurgency to carry out complex strikes against multiple targets, complicating the fight against it. 

Nigeria's National Security Adviser, Owoeye Azazi, said two men had been arrested in connection with the bombing. 

They were suspected of being members of the Boko Haram sect, which claimed responsibility for attack. 

They were ''caught in the act'', he said. Mr Azazi said three suspects had driven past the church in Madala, on the outskirts of the capital, Abuja, throwing a bomb into the church ''from a moving vehicle in the glare of everyone''. One of the men died in the explosion, he said.

Read More...

Angry Nigerian Children Write Jonathan Over Christmas Day Blasts

Written by Association of Conscious Nigerian Children (ACNC)

Dear Mr. President: We should say Merry Christmas but we are not your government, we are not in the business of deception. After almost ten hours of gathering your thoughts to speak on the bomb blasts that rocked the nation yesterday, you still fell short of your own very low standards. 

 What did you intend to say when you said Bomb Blasts are a burden we must live with? Why do you bother to budget over a trillion for security if we must live with the burden of insecurity? How come you are still a president? We do not blame you, we blame our older ones who were stupid enough to think that where you come from and your religion was all you needed to be a competent president. 

They are crying now. We all cried yesterday on the darkest Christmas day of our short lives. While we cried and left Christmas postponed for another year, we watched as you danced your life away like there was no tomorrow. Is it true that all you care about is the fact that you are the president so whatever can happen should happen. 

Last night we prayed for you. We prayed that the white men should be able to make common sense so that we can budget for it and then you will have it in abundance. As it is, it is obvious sir that you are grossly lacking in common sense. 

If you weren’t, you would never come out to tell a mourning nation that it should get ready to live with the burden of destruction and insecurity. That was utterly insensitive and even the dumbest of our mates, fellow Nigerian children would never descend that low to an unprecedented level of cluelessness. We understand this is not a sane country, if this was a sane country, your ilk will not be in a job. Your security chiefs, yourself and your cabinet would have been throwing resignation letters left right and centre. 

But then, here is a place where people are satisfied with just being in positions, that they are clueless about what to do in such positions does not matter. Mr. President, Boko Haram defeated you in 2011. 

What plans are you making for 2012? Do you realise they have since improved while your security tactics remain stop and search? Do you realise they are far more coordinated than ever before? Have you thought of engaging more intelligence in curbing this menace instead of just mere brute? Yes, you have issues with concentrating for long, why not budget for a concentrator? That way you are conditioned to at least focus on being the president of Nigeria instead of our national chief chef? You are wondering where that came from? It came from cassava bread sir. 

You chose the menu for 2012 but we hope you realise that Boko Haram certainly has a menu. Please Mr. President, they will look to attack again in the New Year, do what you have never done before, get your security chiefs to prevent that by all means. Contrary to your assertion, we are not prepared to live with the burden of bomb blasts. 

Get yourself to work and stop excusing your inability to deal with Boko Haram on the premise that they are a necessity. What is that? If you cannot lead and be a president, help yourself and resign. Please take your vice-president along. You are a twin set of incompetence. 

 This letter has been written with kind words, not because we are in the mood to be nice to you but because we are children and respect is a value we want to live with but our lack of it sometimes is a burden you must live with as long as you force us to live with your Boko Haram burden. 

 We wrote you a letter on subsidy yesterday but we figured it would be better to send this before you get our other letter. As long as your cluelessness reigns supreme in this country, we will always remind you of our angst and stake in this nation. It is not by force to live in Aso Rock. So if you must, do the right things, say the right things and learn to get the basic things right. 

The Bomb Blasts darkened our Christmas but your response dampened our mood even further. This is not the way to lead a people. If you need help, we will nominate one of us to offer you words of wisdom for free. As it is, you look overwhelmed by the mere job of providing security for Nigeria let alone the other duties you swore to carry out for Nigeria. Action point: Sack yourself sir, and take Arc. Namadi Sambo along. It is a good place to start. Signed: Association of Conscious Nigerian Children (ACNC)

Read More...

Graphic Videos of Boko Haram Christmas Day Bombing

Read More...

7 police officers killed, 3 Churches burnt•As security intensifies patrol in Borno, Yobe

CALM is gradually returning to both Borno and Yobe States after a series of bomb explosions and heavy gun fight between security operatives and members of the Islamic militant Boko Haram which claimed many lives since Thursday. 

 In Maiduguri, there was the presence of security operatives along all roads leading to the state capital as well as aerial patrol by military helicopters. Speaking to sources on phone, NEWSMEN learnt that, the militants had attacked a resident in Dala Bullumkuttu where they slaughtered occupants of the house. 

Also there was report of a final year student of the University of Maiduguri, who was hit by stray bullets along with his father. Speaking with the Police Public Relations Officer in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, Abdulkadir Song told NEWSMEN that “the situation in Damaturu is also gradually returning to normal,” he, however, said that the police could not ascertain the number of death either on the side of the sect or the civilians, but that the police lost seven (7) of its officers in the crisis. 

 According to him, “Now that the situation is returning to normal, we are preparing to go out to see the extent of damage and losses that went with this rather unfortunate attack by the Boko Haram, but what we have at hand now is the number of policemen that were killed; and they numbered up to seven.” 

 Also speaking, the chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Yobe State branch, Rev. Garba Idi told Sunday Tribune on phone that, to his knowledge three churches were affected in the crisis.

Read More...

Christmas Day Bomb Blast at Catholic Church in Niger State(picture)

More than 20 church goers lost their lives this morning as two bombs exploded during Christmas church service at St Theresa Catholic church in Madalla, Suleja, Niger state. 

A car rigged with bomb was parked at the premises of the church, which exploded around 8: 30 AM as church members left the church premises after the Christmas day mass. 

The second blast occurred when a suicide bomber drove a BMW car into the church premises. Apart from those killed in the attack, several others have been taken to the hospital for life threatening injuries. Many cars were also destroyed in the attack.

 Continue to see more photos of the bomb blast...viewers discretion advised please...

Read More...

We ‘ll continue to wage war against Nigeria...

A wave of attacks in northern Nigerian cities attributed to a radical Islamist group killed 46 people, medical sources said Saturday, raising the death toll sharply from an earlier seven.

The two days of attacks which saw three cities rocked by explosions and gunfire were carried out by the Boko Haram group, according to a purported spokesman, Abul Qaqa, who spoke to AFP.

“We are responsible for the attacks in Maiduguri, Damaturu and Potiskum. We carried out the attacks to avenge the killings of our brothers by the security forces in 2009,” he said.

“We will continue to wage war against the Nigerian state until we abolish the secular system and establish an Islamic state”.

Nineteen bodies were taken to the morgue of a hospital in Damaturu while another 20 were counted at a morgue in Maiduguri, the sources said.

“So far, we have 19 bodies at the morgue, including three soldiers, three policemen and 13 civilians, they all have gunshot wounds on them. Among the soldiers, one was brought on the first day of the attack (Thursday),” said an official at the hospital in Damaturu.

Those reported killed earlier included senior police officers and a soldier in Damaturu, and police and a civilian in Potiskum.

Police in the region said officers had battled the attackers while truckloads of soldiers were seen arriving in Damaturu on Friday before authorities gave residents 30 minutes to evacuate one neighbourhood.

A Damaturu resident said suspected members of Boko Haram took to the streets on Thursday shooting and setting off explosions at random.

Residents in Maiduguri reported six explosions which sent people fleeing.

Maiduguri has borne the brunt of the violence attributed to Boko Haram, which has claimed responsibility for scores of attacks in the north as well as the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in the capital Abuja that killed at least 24.

A military task force has been deployed in Maiduguri in a bid to stop the sect, but it has in turn been accused of major abuses, including shooting civilians and burning their homes in the wake of bomb attacks.

Damaturu was hit by coordinated attacks in early November claimed by Boko Haram which left some 150 people dead.

Earlier this week, blasts at a house in Damaturu rented by suspected members of the sect left one dead and several wounded.

Boko Haram launched an uprising in 2009 put down by a brutal military assault which left some 800 dead as well as its mosque and headquarters in Maiduguri in ruins.

It went dormant for about a year before re-emerging in 2010 with a series of assassinations. Bomb blasts have since become frequent and have grown in sophistication.

There has been intense speculation over whether Boko Haram has formed links with outside extremist groups, including Al-Qaeda’s north African branch.

The group is believed to have a number of factions with varying aims.

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation with some 160 million people, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south.

Read More...

Police Executes Suspected Boko Haram Terrorists (Video)

What do you guys think about this act,was it right?

Read More...

"We Will Bomb Jos On Christmas Day"

Special Task Force (STF) on Jos crisis known as Operation Safe Haven has placed its men on red alert following fresh threat of violence by an unnamed Muslim group. 

The group has issued a threat letter to bomb places of worship and merriment before December 26. The letter reads: “We, the entire Muslim of Plateau State, will never give up until we have our rights, we will use your boys to destroy you. Nothing can stop us from bombing these areas before December 26, 2011.” The letter was signed by one Idris Musa. 

The group named the targeted places to include Archbishop Court, ECWA churches, West of Mines, Civil Service Club, Lamed Pharmacy, Living Faith Church, Saminaka Viewing Centre, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Alheri, and St. Mulumba Church, Alheri. 

Others include Melody Guest House, El-Kasim Guest House, Rukuba Road, Kowa Guest House, among others. However, STF Media Officer, Capt. Charles Ekeoha, has advised residents to discountenance such threats as they were intended to create panic. 

He said the task force had placed its men on a 24-hour surveillance to counter any threat. “I am assuring you that this Christmas will be the freest and most peaceful the residents will celebrate in recent times. We gave the same assurance during the Sallah celebrations and I am repeating the same assurance now. 

“I know there are apprehensions and it’s written all over the faces of people. But they should not be afraid and allow some misguided people to spoil their day. We are equal to the task,” he assured. 

Meanwhile, three people are feared dead following an early morning attack on Saturday by unknown persons in Jwol and Foron, all in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was gathered that some unknown persons set fire to the surrounding villages and as the unsuspecting residents came out to put out the fire they were shot by the assailant.

This resulted in the death of two people, and at the time of filing this report one of the bodies was yet to be recovered. According to director of a faith-base foundation, the Stephanus Foundation, Engr. Mark Lipdo, some people set fire “on surrounding bushes in Jwol, when people in the area came out to put off the fire, they were shot and two were killed, while a body is still missing.” 

He further confirmed that one other person was also killed in Foron in a separate night attack. The missing person in the Jwol attack was identified as Mr. Dung Danjuma. When contacted, Captain Charles Ekeocha said he was not briefed on the matter, while Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, ASP Jacob Apev, promised to make enquiry and call back. But at the time of filing this report the PPRO was yet to call.

Read More...

SSS Arrests Serving Senator Over Boko Haram Link

Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) says it has arrested an alleged spokesman for the Boko Haram Islamist sect, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, aka Usman Al-Zawahiri.

Announcing Konduga’s arrest at a news conference here Monday, SSS Deputy Director for Public Relations Marilyn Ogar said he was picked up on Nov 3 in Borno in northeastern Nigeria during a joint security operation.

She alleged that Konduga was behind several recent threatening text messages and added that he was also a former political thug. Ogar said his arrest confirmed the position of the SSS that some of the Boko Haram extremists had political patronage and sponsorship.

She said Konduga had confessed during questioning that he was recruited by a party stalwart in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, and that it was the politician who gave him the pseudonym “Usman Al-Zawahiri”.

Ogar also said that the suspect confessed that one of his political sponsors promised him 10 million Naira (US$1 = about 159 Naira) but that he died while in the process of delivering the first tranche of N5 million.

She added the suspect claimed that consequently, a serving member of Nigeria’s National Assembly, took over the running of his activities.

Read More...

Boko Haram Gives Conditions For Dialogue, Ceasefire

Boko Haram, has said that until its members arrested by the police and detained in various prisons are released unconditionally, dialogue with the Federal Government may not be feasible.

Spokesman of the sect, Abul Qaqa, gave the demands in a phone in interview with newsmen on Thursday in Maiduguri on the “dialogue and implementation” of the Ambassador Galtimari security report on the North-East sub-region of the country.

“We cannot cease our fire and bombings in the North while our arrested members are still in the various prisons,” Qaqa said, stressing that they must all be released before the sect can accept and fully take part in the dialogue with the Federal and Borno state governments.

He added: “The recipe for peace in the North is the unconditional release of all our members in Nigerian prisons. Let me repeat what I said: all our arrested members must be released, before any attempt of going into negotiations with the Federal Government.

“All the top government officials and traditional rulers in the country are however sleeping in the comfort of their rooms and singing the songs of dialogue and cease fire, while our members are being persecuted. This is unacceptable and we will not condone it.”

While taking responsibility for the attacks and bombings of Joint Task Force (JTF) Headquarters in Maiduguri; and Damaturu and Potiskum in Borno and Yobe states respectively on November 4, 2011, he said: “I am calling on President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke to expedite action on the immediate release of all members of the sect.

He gave the name of the suicide bomber who attacked and bombed the anti-terrorism building in Damaturu as Mohammed Usman, alias Baana.

“We see him as an exceptional martyr because it was barely four days after joining the Muslim sect when he pleaded that we should allow him to carry out the attacks and bombings of military and police formations.

“He used a Honda Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and that was the very day that he learned how to drive. He was a successful businessman and is survived by a wife and son.”

Qaqa said 26-year-old Abi Yusuf was responsible for the bombing of the JTF headquarters in Maiduguri, adding: “Yusuf was also a martyr who we are going to miss a lot because of his outstanding mastery of how to improvise explosive devices used in targeting some of the military and police formations in the North.”

Read More...