About that New Boko Haram Video: Experts Reveal Abubakar Shekau's Intentions

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">                                   <img alt="shekau_new_video1.jpg" class="alignnone wp-image-267474" height="314" src="http://cdn-01.naij.com/o/tBQ2HTgFqZkuw9rylrR9dkMS.jpg" width="400" /></span></div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <em style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Abubakar Shekau</em></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />Experts comment on the recent video released by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau where he declares caliphate in Nigeria and express their opinion on the the terrorist’s current intentions.In the fresh Boko Haram video obtained by AFP August 24, the group <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">announced that the captured town of Gwoza was now under an Islamic caliphate</a>, which claim triggered a lot of talks about the actual meaning of the phrase.<br />On numerous occasions analysts have spolen about the similarity between the Nigerian terrorist group and Islamic State (IS) operating in Iraq, and now  they suggest that the pronouncement might be connected with Shekau’s desire to get more media attention like IS.<br />It is believed that IS might have inspired his scandalous claim made in the new video after the IS had recently attracted the international attention by seizing parts of Iraq and Syria in a brutal onslaught.<br /><br />David Cook, a religious studies professor from the United States said:<br /><em>“I think right now Shekau’s moves are coming from a desire to emulate IS”,</em> adding that the terrorist is<br /><a href="" name="more"></a>“<em>trying to get more media attention”</em> after the international focus shifted from the abduction of Chibok girls to the territorial claims of  IS.<br />An expert on the situation in northern Nigeria Shehu Sani supported his colleague’s point of view saying that Shekau’s move was dictated by the IS example. While Boko Haram had many times expressed their intention to created a strict Islamic state in the country, they did not have a direct plan of how to do it, before now:<br /><em>“What is happening in Iraq has given them direction”</em> Sani told AFP adding that previously Boko Haram thought they should <em>“overrun the whole country before they declare their (jihadist) republic”</em>, however now they <em>“they have taken a more gradualist approach”.</em><br /><br />Meanwhile the <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="prev" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Nigerian Defence insist the territory of the country is intact and call Shekau’s claim “empty”</a>. The declaration was also critically estimated by the group Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). The group’s statement read that they “totally and unequivocally reject this declaration. We reaffirm our faith in the unity and indissolubility of Nigeria.”</span></div>

About that New Boko Haram Video: Experts Reveal Abubakar Shekau's Intentions

                                    Abubakar Shekau Experts comment on the recent video released by Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau w...

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Boko Haram turn Police College into Training Camp

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="entry-content" style="overflow: hidden;"> <div class="story-featured-image" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: left; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 15px; width: 368px;"> <br /><img alt="Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau" class="attachment-bigstoryimage" height="224" scale="0" src="http://www.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Boko-Haram-leader-Abubakar-Shekau-360x224.jpg" style="border: none; float: left; margin-right: 10px; padding: 4px;" width="360" /><div class="featured-image-caption" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 5px 10px 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau</span></div> </div> <div id="nrelate_flyout_placeholder"> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The police college overrun by Boko Haram sect over a week ago has been converted into the base of the terrorist group, according to the Director, Catholic Social Communications, Maiduguri Diocese of the Catholic Church, Gideon Obasogie, who narrated the account of a survivor to Saturday PUNCH on Friday.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The clergyman in both telephone chat and e-mail to our correspondent, said, “I am sad, really sad to my bone marrows about this ugly development. The world must know the truth; people were captured and taken to the police training ground for serious training as combatants. It is now one of their strongest bases.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The missing policemen have joined the Boko Haram instructors. The guys are multiplying in number, weaponry and geographical expansion.”</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When asked how he got the knowledge of happenings in the captured police college, Obasogie revealed that he was briefed by a member of his church who was one of the policemen being held captive at the college by the group, but had managed to escape through the hills into Yola, Adamawa State capital.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The college is a riot police academy in Liman Kara, on the outskirts of Gwoza, a hilly town in Borno State, North-East Nigeria. It is one of only two riot police training colleges in Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Boko Haram insurgents had on Wednesday, August 21, 2014 attacked the Police Academy, Gwoza, Borno State, and seized not less than 200 assault rifles from the riot policemen on training.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was learnt that the police authorities resumed the suspended training with the batch of 159 personnel from the Police Mobile Force only for them to be attacked a week into the exercise on Wednesday.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Investigations further revealed the insurgents did not encounter any strong resistance from the police personnel as the riot policemen were directed to keep all their guns at the armoury of the academy before Boko Haram attacked the academy and captured the armoury.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Boko Haram turn Police College into Training Camp

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau The police college overrun by Boko Haram sect over a week ago has been converted into the base of...

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Life in Boko Haram's Republic

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bokoharam.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Life in Boko Haram’s Republic"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="bokoharam" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bokoharam-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Life in Boko Haram’s Republic" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Life in Boko Haram’s Republic</span></span></h1> </header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">■ Residents unsure of safety of trapped relations</strong><br /><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">■ As Catholic Church laments siege to parishes</strong></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Musa Yakubu’s biggest worry was the safety of his septuagenarian uncle who has been trapped in the hilly Gwoza town, southeast of Borno since <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>sacked the com­munity and reportedly declared it its territory.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I am very worried about the safety of my un­cle. I’m not even sure he’s alive because the in­surgents may have killed him since he couldn’t flee with other residents,” he told <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Sun </i>in Maiduguri. Interestingly, Yakubu is not the only one that is disturbed about the condition of residents of Gwoza who are trapped in the town. Governor Kashim Shettima also said his biggest headache was the cruel fate that has befallen the residents.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Our major concern now is about those who are still in Gwoza town, those who could not run away when the insurgents came. We don’t know what they are going through now. It is a difficult situation,” Shettima lamented in an emotional speech while addressing thousands of displaced Gwoza residents at an Internally Displaced Per­sons (IDPs) camp at Madagali, Adamawa State.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The new Caliphate</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Caliphate, according to some Islamic schol­ars, is an area under the control of a Caliph, be­lievably a successor of Prophet Mohammad as temporal and spiritual head of Islamic commu­nity. For Abubakar Shekau and his men of terror, the sleepy town of Gwoza is now a new <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram</i>republic since the attack on August 6. It appears unthinkable but <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>has indeed declared the Gwoza town its new “Caliphate” nearly two weeks after the military pushed out the insurgents from Damboa where they report­edly hoisted their flags. A security source said <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>left the town in ruins, describing the destruction at Damboa as massive and heart­broken. The source said the terrorists did not spare even streetlights. “Almost all the houses in the town were burnt; livestocks, public building, everything were destroyed. They finished Dam­boa”, the source disclosed.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A man, who appeared like Abubakar Shekau, leader of the sect in a video footage released last Sunday, claimed <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allah </i>has given them victory in Gwoza town. “Oh people, <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allah </i>has given us victory in the town of Gwoza. Thanks be to <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allah </i>who gave victory to our members in Gwoza and made it part of our Islamic Caliphate,” he said in the video which has attracted outrage from some Islamic scholars who described the claim as unIslamic. Some residents of Maiduguri, who spoke to <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Sun</i>, said the black sport utili­ty vehicles backed by the <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>leader in the video footage may have been taken from the Gwoza Emir’s palace.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Sun </i>gathered that the insurgents in­vaded Gwoza in a fit of rage. For a week, the whereabouts of the Emir, Alhaji Mohammed Timta was unknown until recently when it be­came clear the traditional ruler survived the ter­rorists invasion of his palace. Emir Mohammed succeeded his father, Idrissa Timta who was shot dead in May by <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram</i>. Residents claimed they have reported the rumoured plan by the in­surgents to raid Gwoza to the security forces but wondered why the terrorists were allowed to car­ry out the attack unhindered and thereafter took over the town. “We envisaged a serious attack on Gwoza by <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram</i>. We knew it was a mat­ter of time because of the way they have overrun all the communities in the area. They killed our people and forced us to flee our homes,” said John Goma, a Gwoza resident taking refuge in Maiduguri.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A police source said most of the trapped res­idents are either old men, women, children or those who were sick at the time of the attack. They feared some of the trapped women and teenage girls in <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>“new caliphate” may have been sexually abused by the insurgents or turned to their cooks. “They may be harass­ing the old ones who are too weak to flee to give them information about the military or youth volunteers,” says another resident who preferred anonymity.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Expanded territory</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Apart from Gwoza town, which is the local government headquarters, <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>has since November 2013, annexed most communities in the area. First, they engaged the military at Pul­ka, a small settlement that connects the area with Gwoza, and subsequently proceeded to Attagara, Aganjara, Agapalawa, Chinene, Chikede, Gav­va, Amuda, Barawa and all the autonomous com­munities in the area. Hundreds of people were killed as about 3, 000 fled to different parts of the state as well as neighbouring Adamawa State. After the coordinated attacks on these communi­ties, Gwoza was just a fait accompli for the <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>men, a resident of Maiduguri who did not want his name mentioned in the print, said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">With the entire Gwoza local government fallen into <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram’</i>s hand, the insurgents pushed further eastward to Gamboru/Ngala, a commer­cially thriving town at the Cameroon border to expand its supposed caliphate last Sunday in what analysts described as expansionist move. The move led to fierce battle with the security forces, a development which “saw the Nigerian troops charging through the Cameroon borders in a tactical maneuver,” according to military authority.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Madagali in Adamawa State where some dis­placed Gwoza persons are camped by the Nation­al Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has also been taken over by the insurgents. Mad­agali is the closest town to Gwoza.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As at press time, Gamboru is still under <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>control as fleeing residents said the insur­gents were moving freely. A security source hint­ed that the military was making necessary plan to dislodge the insurgents from the area.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The fate of Buni Yadi, headquarters of Gujba Local Government Area, east of Yobe and about 35 kilomtres to capital Damaturu, is also precar­ious, some Damaturu residents said. The <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>fighters, who are said to be present in the town since late July, are not in a hurry to leave. However, Moh’d Adams, a Damaturu resident whose relations are still in the town, said the in­surgents may have left the area. “A commercial driver in the area told me last week that a few residents have returned to Buni Yadi after <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>left, though their houses and property have been destroyed,” he told <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Sun </i>on phone, adding: “There are no military presence in the area up till now.”</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Catholic Church laments</b></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Maiduguri Diocese of the Catholic Church which covers Borno, Yobe and some parts of Ad­amawa states, said the church and its members have suffered greatly from incessant <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Ha­ram </i>attacks. “It is true that terrorists don’t have friends but it is abundantly clear that Christians are worst hit by <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>insurgency,” Direc­tor of Social Communications, Rev. Fr Gideon Obasogie said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He disclosed that “the whole Madagali town and Catholic parish rectory have been occupied by the terrorists, with many structures and items vandalized.” He said some of the worshippers in the area fled while others were not so lucky.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Why the military authority last week said it was declaring a total war on <i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Boko Haram </i>upon the receipt of technologically-driven weapons procured by the Federal Government, residents expressed the fear of worse attacks as the in­surgents are increasingly expand their control around the eastern and western parts of Borno and neighbouring Yobe State.</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Life in Boko Haram's Republic

Life in Boko Haram’s Republic ■ Residents unsure of safety of trapped relations ■ As Catholic Church laments siege to parishes Mu...

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Convoy of Boko. Haram cause Panic in Maiduguri

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/boko-new.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Boko Haram convoy causes panic in Borno"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="boko new" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/boko-new-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Boko Haram convoy causes panic in Borno" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boko Haram convoy causes panic in Borno</span></span></h1> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></h1> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></h1> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; color: black; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?cat=3" rel="category" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="View all posts in National">L</a></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A convoy of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and mo­torcycles with armed men suspected to be Boko Haram has caused panic in a town located in the central part of Borno, a security source said.</span></h1> </header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <br /></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A gang of wild-looking men in some vehicles paint­ed in military colour and motorcycles chanting<i style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Allah Akbar </i>! (Allah is great) was reportedly sighted by resi­dents of Dikwa, headquarters of Dikwa Local Government Area on Thursday, forcing many residents to flee into the bush.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Reports indicated that there was commotion every­where as people fled into the bush until the men stopped and told some people they didn’t come for them but for security troops,” a police source that is not authorised to speak said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speculation was rife in the state that the Emir of Dikwa, Alhaji Muhammad Masta El- Kanemi may have also fled the town amidst the confusion and panic of pos­sible attack by the terrorists. A source however claimed he was sighted in Maiduguri, the state capital yesterday, adding that he may have ar­rived the capital same yes­terday and didn’t flee his domain as rumoured.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Residents said the insur­gents headed to Marte, north of Borno, once a Boko Ha­ram stronghold, where they unleash violence on villagers in the area but this cannot be verified as at press time due to destruction and break­down of telecommunication facilities in the area. The se­rene Dikwa town is about 80 kilomeetres from Maiduguri and is located along Gum­boru/Ngala road, which has been taken over by the insur­gents since August 24. Marte is on the Nigerian border around the Lake Chad.</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Convoy of Boko. Haram cause Panic in Maiduguri

Boko Haram convoy causes panic in Borno L A convoy of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) and mo­torcycles with armed men suspected to be...

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Boko Haram: Prove you are not a weak president, Wale Oke tells Jonathan

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;">                      <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FTo6LooKAl8ZjK7cMw0M4aFmQiDwqx8giV2827hBD2b0-SxA-wCsgZWFfpKvL0ROzrVFJ5cza_639C0p1tqiMKnFM7WVMgLhPdOHw0pLFLx5OuFIGq3fPh5BCaThlnYkQQb-zxAJr3I/s1600/Wale-Oke.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5FTo6LooKAl8ZjK7cMw0M4aFmQiDwqx8giV2827hBD2b0-SxA-wCsgZWFfpKvL0ROzrVFJ5cza_639C0p1tqiMKnFM7WVMgLhPdOHw0pLFLx5OuFIGq3fPh5BCaThlnYkQQb-zxAJr3I/s1600/Wale-Oke.gif" style="border: none; position: relative;" /></a></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Presiding Bishop, The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke has said President Goodluck Jonathan should prove to Nigerians that they do not have weakling and lame duck as leaders by dealing decisively with the Islamic sect, Boko Haram for declaring a caliphate in Gwoza.<br /><br />Oke said Nigerians it was amazing that since the insurgents had hoisted their illegal flag in Gwoza, the FG had not taken any swift reaction in dealing with the situation and to make matters worse, about 480 soldiers defected to another place.<br /><br />While warning that the FG should go with all its might to stop the insurgents, he said Boko Haram was following the scripts of Islamic State in Iraq and that holding arms akimbo after such a treasonable declaration would be very antithetical to the unity and oneness of the country.<br /><br />The cleric said this ahead of the Holy Ghost convention which begins on Sunday. Bishop Wale Oke further explained the refusal of some military men to confront the insurgents meant that they were ill-equipped.<br /><a href="" name="more"></a><br />He stressed that the military should not be blamed at all for the actions of the soldiers but should put the blame at the doorstep of the authorities adding that the incident was a big shame to our military and the nation.<br /><br />“That some Islamic insurgents would be beheading Christians, take over 300 girls hostage, take over our churches and desecrate the sanctuary of God is totally unacceptable. You begin to ask the question, do we have the government in place? The government should show to us that he is capable of handling the situation”, he said.<br /><br />As part of the church and men of God towards stemming the tide insurgency in the country, he noted that Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Bishop David Oyedepo, Matthew Ashimolowo and other men of God would be at the convention to pray for the country so that God could smile on us again.<br /><br />He said, “The activities of the sect have shown that church is the primary target and as one of the leaders in Christianity, we say no. federal government should protest all its citizens especially the Christians who are being beheaded on daily basis by the hoodlums.<br /><br />If we, Christians are not posing any threat to the nation, then we deserve to be protected. For more than 48 hours, they had declared a caliphate and seized a portion of the entity called Nigeria and we are yet to hear any swift reaction from the government. This is very amazing”.<br /><br />The clergyman who commended the Minister of Health, Prof. Chukwu Onyebuchi and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola for taking decisive steps against the spread of Ebola virus describing their actions as very encouraging.</span></div>

Boko Haram: Prove you are not a weak president, Wale Oke tells Jonathan

                       Presiding Bishop, The Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Bishop Francis Wale Oke has said President Goodluck Jonath...

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We will get Gwoza back from Boko Haram – Gen Olukolade is now ready to accept reality

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">                                      <img alt="Olukolade" class="attachment-thumbnail-single-image wp-post-image" height="241" src="http://ynaija.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Olukolade.jpg" width="400" /></span></div> <div class="entry"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em><br /></em>On Wednesday, 27 August, the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade said the Nigerian Army will imminently take back the Islamic caliphate of Gwoza from the forces of Boko Haram.<br />After initially being in denial about Abubakar Shekau’s declaration that Gwoza now belongs to the sect, the Army boss has said moves are already in place by Nigerian forces to regain the sovereignty of the town in Borno state.<br />During a telephone conversation with Channels Television, Olukolade said the army is working to reverse Shekau’s proclamation. “We are definitely working to reverse all those tendencies. We are not conceding any portion of this country to a group of terrorists and the required operation to reverse that is ongoing,”<br />Speaking further, he said, “we are working to ensure Gwoza as a town, its surroundings and other portions that terrorists seem to be moving around are secured,” while he assured Nigerians that “we are sure we will accomplish it in a short while.”<br />He also spoke about the $1bn (<del>N</del>162,120,000,000) loan President Jonathan requested for permission to borrow, saying it will go a long way in acquiring equipment to tackle the menace of the sect.<br />He said, “On a regular basis, we require and we are sure we will get the regular upgrade that is required to<br /><a href="" name="more"></a>conduct this operation properly. We are encouraged that political authorities and Nigerians have appreciated the need for the military to be properly equipped to handle this operation.”<br />He added that the military has started to receive upgraded weapons, while imploring the soldiers to also upgrade their response.<br />Meanwhile, he refuted the reports by BBC which suggested that Nigerian soldiers fled to Cameroon after a fierce fire-fight with Boko Haram insurgents in Gamboru-Ngala, Borno State.<br />However, the Defence Headquarters had on Tuesday, 26 August, announced the return of the troops from Cameroon, saying they had gone on a separate counter-terrorism mission.</span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /><br />Read More: <a href="http://kevindjakpor.blogspot.com/2014/08/we-will-get-gwoza-back-from-boko-haram.html#ixzz3BnbR0Ygb" style="text-decoration: none;">http://kevindjakpor.blogspot.com/2014/08/we-will-get-gwoza-back-from-boko-haram.html#ixzz3BnbR0Ygb</a><br />Follow us: <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rw?id=cqsi12R0Gr46eFacwqm_6l&u=kevindjakpor" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">@kevindjakpor on Twitter</a> | <a href="http://ec.tynt.com/b/rf?id=cqsi12R0Gr46eFacwqm_6l&u=KevinDjakporBlog" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">KevinDjakporBlog on Facebook</a></span></div>

We will get Gwoza back from Boko Haram – Gen Olukolade is now ready to accept reality

                                       On Wednesday, 27 August, the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade said ...

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Australian Negotiator Names Ihejirika, Sheriff as Sponsors of Boko Haram

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-7257366029455013583" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 660px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;">                        <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLWge82SACRftIihICpSdfqtXNrHRcmUkgDy2J2OfvZyHdw0XqyQmSk3JW5Xg5HAOgcAmNrH6pGSloY7Baed4hYwQ7WomsQJN0nD0lGzilTx_FEU2o5c0M23jXUZn2SxZBxQxiRz6PvQ/s1600/190814F-Sheriff-Ihejirika-E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLWge82SACRftIihICpSdfqtXNrHRcmUkgDy2J2OfvZyHdw0XqyQmSk3JW5Xg5HAOgcAmNrH6pGSloY7Baed4hYwQ7WomsQJN0nD0lGzilTx_FEU2o5c0M23jXUZn2SxZBxQxiRz6PvQ/s1600/190814F-Sheriff-Ihejirika-E.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a>                                  </span><i>Senator Ali Modu Sheriff , </i><i>Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Azubuike Ihejirika, and  El-Rufai </i></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />A Perth-based international adviser, Dr. Stephen Davis, who for four months was involved in negotiations on behalf of the federal government with commanders of Boko Haram for the release of over 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by the sect last April, has named a former Governor of Borno State, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, and a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Azubuike Ihejirika, as sponsors of Boko Haram.<br /><br />Davis, who spoke yesterday in two separate interviews to Arise Television, a THISDAY sister company, also disclosed that a man resident in Abuja whose three nephews had been identified as being behind the Nyanya bus station bomb blast that killed 77 people, was one of the financiers of Boko Haram.<br /><br />Davis, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Wednesday had pointedly alleged that one of the primary sources of funding of the terror group was Nigerian politicians, but failed to disclose their identities until his interview with Arise TV.<br /><br />But in reaction to the allegation, Ihejirika and Sheriff angrily dismissed the allegation, saying they had nothing to benefit from the sponsorship of Boko Haram.<br /><br />However, a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasir el-Rufai, has called for their prosecution and expressed hope that the authorities will take the steps necessary to act on this revelation.<br /><br />In his interview with Arise TV, Davis said he had been informed by Boko Haram commanders whom he dealt with that there are prominent politicians who have been sources of funding to Boko Haram, adding: “First thing to do is to arrest the former Governor Sheriff. Former Governor Sheriff has been funding this for years. He is satisfied that he will be picked up and he has now switched to the ruling party, PDP, in the hope this will give him protection.<br /><br />“That guy is really a bad guy and he is known to be corrupt and why the EFCC has not picked him up is anybody’s guess.<br /><br />“There is a former Chief of Army Staff, who retired in January, rightly sacked by the president, who is another sponsor.<br /><br />“Then Boko Haram senior commanders said there are three nephews of one man. The three nephews participated in the bombing of the Abuja bus station early this year that killed at least 77 people. These nephews were living with him.<br /><br />“He has been linked several times to their activities and why that someone, with the interrogation of the nephews who are in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS), doesn’t seem inclined to interrogate these young men to produce concrete evidence against their uncle in whose house they were living in during their activities for Boko Haram.”<br /><br />The Australian negotiator was emphatic that the people he identified are current sponsors of Boko Haram, adding: “Some of them, I had had information from Boko Haram about three years ago; one of them four years ago.<br />“One sponsor particularly was providing money and also in one case provided six (Toyota) Hilux vehicles used for suicide bombing.”<br /><br />Davis said the first thing that should happen in Nigeria is to arrest the sponsors, as this would slow down the fighting dramatically and the military may have a chance of fighting Boko Haram.<br /><br />He recalled that when he was involved in the release of kidnapped oil workers in the Niger Delta region in 2004, “we found repeatedly that candidates for governorship in any of the 36 states often funded gangs and heavily armed them with AK 47, RPGs.<br /><br />“And after the elections and the candidates won, they abandon these people who are heavily armed. This is happening in the north, it is not uncommon.<br /><br />“Yes, I have worked with presidents in the past, one Christian president, one Muslim president. But we are horrified by what is going on today. This is being fuelled by politicians, in my view, who certainly want power in the next elections”.<br /><br />He was of the view that the problem President Goodluck Jonathan was faced with was the fallout if he arrested the politicians.<br /><br />“If he (Jonathan) now arrests prominent politicians who may want to certainly take power in the next election, the US, UK and France may cry foul, saying you are arresting people to the advantage of your re-election.<br /><br />“But the threshold for evidence is very high and I think he will have to keep sufficient evidence to make the Western nations happy before this thing is totally out of hand,” he said.<br /><br />On how he handled negotiations with Boko Haram to secure the release of the Chibok girls, Davis explained: “There had been kidnapping going on since last year. Apart from the 220 Chibok girls, there are over 300 other children that had been kidnapped from villages and towns.<br /><br />“The problem we found in getting the girls was that they had other Boko Haram cells outside the ones we were dealing with, so that became a problem.<br /><br />“President Jonathan had made huge progress with peace discussions over the last two years but as it was leading up to the elections, the sponsors of Boko Haram, the politicians really picked up the tempo and all the discussions – sitting down with leaders of Boko Haram for peace – was sabotaged.<br /><br />“While I was there in the last four months, President Jonathan gave me full logistical support whenever I required it, whenever I requested for it to continue this work.<br /><br />“We were able to get four of the Chibok girls out but what we found was that if we were also able to get 20 or 30 of the girls, the guys will go and kidnap another 50 to replace them.  So we came to the conclusion that freeing Chibok girls was putting them in more callous situation costing the lives of many other people.<br /><br />“So what we have been doing since then is keeping an eye on the girls who were able to escape, picking them up and bringing them to safe havens.”<br /><br />Davis further revealed that the effort to get out 60 girls was botched when another group kidnapped them.<br />“The president gave me a military jet and a military convoy and ambulance from the local hospital. We were waiting for Boko Haram to bring them from the border with Cameroun.<br /><br />“We had a call the previous morning that there were some girls, about 60 of them, so we set out with a number of ambulances and we travelled for four-and-a-half hours to reach them… However, the police had offered a very large reward for the girls 24 hours before then.<br /><br />“So someone connected with the kidnapping of Chibok girls, who had good information about them decided to grab the girls so that they will have the reward.<br /><br />“The Boko Haram commander who was keeping an eyes on the whole situation told me the details the next day of all that had occurred,” he said.<br /><br />Davis warned against the use of force to rescue the girls, stating: “Doing a raid on the villages where the girls are will waste their lives. Getting sponsors out of action will certainly lead Boko Haram adrift for a while.<br /><br />“But they will regroup because ISIS, Al Qaeda will move  in because that will give them the leadership they need. But in that period of time, thy will be adrift and there are commanders in Boko Haram who are willing to hand over the girls and will love a peace deal. They would want to demobilise.<br /><br />“Now, those guys, they have told me clearly that they will not attempt to hand over the girls or hold discussions for peace because the sponsors will get the other guys to kill those who are getting into the peace deal. So without the sponsors, we can’t start a peace deal.”<br /><br />He said another challenge with dealing with the insurgency stemmed from the fact that Boko Haram camps are on the border, “so they slip back and forth between two countries.<br /><br />“They go in convoy to attack a town, they stay for an hour or an hour-and-a-half and get out. That is enough time to hit them. However, on their way from town, they may have 40 or 50 girls on board with them and this is not the time to hit them,” he added.<br /><br />He also questioned the manner of assistance offered by the US, UK and France which had not yielded results.<br />According to him, “France, UK and the US all agreed in Paris to assist Nigeria, Cameroun and Niger to work on this matter. The US, for example, said they would assist with intelligence.<br /><br />"Yet, when Boko Haram members leave their camps they travel without interference to a town, they destroy six villages on their way to a particular town, and no one touches them.<br /><br />“So one wonders if the UK and US are really serious about the matter, and why there has been no collaboration to intercept Boko Haram when they are on their way to these towns.<br /><br />“For goodness sake, it is arid area, you can see a convey six miles away and these guys travel with 20, 40 or 60 vehicles with armed personnel. There is something going on very wrong in the collaboration that was preached.”<br /><br />But in reaction to Davis’ allegation, Sheriff said they were baseless. In a text message he sent to Arise TV, he stated: This is absolutely not true.  I have absolutely nothing to do with them. Boko Haram existed before I became a governor and they killed my family members and they kidnapped my brothers. This is not true.”<br /><br />Ihejirika, on the other hand, told THISDAY that the allegation was diversionary, warning that its timing might be a prelude to an attack or an incident that the authorities and securities should preempt.<br /><br />“This is meant to divert the attention of anyone – the nation, federal government and the international community – who is serious about stopping Boko Haram. If Boko Haram told Davis I am their sponsor, is it not hard to believe?<br />“Anyway, the only reason they can say so is because they suffered the most casualties when I was in charge. They know who gave them the most trouble; that is why they have resorted to telling lies to divert attention.<br /><br />“Remember that when we stepped up our counter-terrorism campaign and they recorded several deaths, they changed tactics to make it appear like the military was involved in human rights abuses, which America and others fell for.<br /><br />“This is diversionary. Why should this come up at this time? Some diversionary issues come up as a prelude to either an attack or an incident that the authorities and security agencies should look out for before it happens. There is history of this as a tactic, so they should watch out,” he warned.<br /><br />However, el-Rufai, who also spoke to Arise TV, called for Ihejirika and Sheriff’s prosecution, stating: “Many of us have made very open allegations that elements within the government and outside must have been financing and directing the affairs of Boko Haram.<br /><br />“The revelations by Stephen Davis are only confirming the suspicion that some of us hold and have held since October 2010 when the first bomb exploded in Abuja and that was the beginning of a new trend in terrorism in our country.”<br /><br />He said right from the onset, the Boko Haram phenomenon pointed to the fact that the ruling party and the government were somehow involved in terrorism.<br /><br />“It began in October 2010 when the first bomb exploded in Abuja and President Goodluck Jonathan declared that it was not MEND that was responsible for the bombing. Now, how would a president, without security briefing, from investigation, declare that a terrorist group which had claimed responsibility for bombing was not responsible unless he knew who was responsible,” he said.<br /><br />He also pointed to the fact that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), the late General (Andrew) Azazi had declared that the promises and selection procedure of the party for offices by PDP were responsible for the insurgency.<br /><br />“We know those who have been linked to the Boko Haram, including a serving senator of the PDP. Today, not one person or official that are connected to the opposition party, APC, has been linked to terrorism. All those that have been arrested and put on trial for terrorism are all members of the ruling PDP.<br /><br />“So it is disingenuous for the Jonathan administration to point accusing fingers at APC when in fact all the sponsors of terrorism so far named are from the ruling party,” he stated.<br /><br />El-Rufai predicted that Nigeria would not get a break from Boko Haram for two reasons: “We have an incompetent government that is incapable of doing anything right, in my opinion.<br /><br />“Secondly, I think the ruling party and the presidency feel that sustaining the insurgency is going to be helpful to them in 2015 elections. As long as the country is getting divided along religious and ethnic lines, Mr. Jonathan thinks that will help him in 2015, which is why desperate efforts are being made by the ruling party to link the APC to the insurgency, to be a Muslim party, to be linked to the Muslim brotherhood and all that.<br /><br />“It is in the government’s shallow and narrow thinking that sustaining the insurgency until 2015 will be useful to them to win the election. The danger is that as time goes on and Boko Haram gets better resources and better organised, they will become better. And it will  become a credible threat to the Nigerian state.<br /><br />“Now our soldiers cannot fight Boko Haram, they are running into Cameroun. People are saying our soldiers cannot face Boko Haram without better arms and ammunition. This is a government that is interested in returning to power at all cost, even at the cost of killing thousands of people."<br /><br />He was of the opinion that the international community would not do much to help Nigeria fight the insurgents, stating that this “is a Nigerian problem, we can solve it by ensuring that our army is well motivated to fight the insurgency."<br /><br />Shortly after the interview, el-Rufai, on his twitter handle, called for the prosecution of Sheriff and Ihejirika, saying: “The kingpins not only finance BH operations but select targets for assassination and execution”.<br /><br />“Finally, the truth about BH is coming out. Hopefully, the murderers of General Muhammadu Shuwa, the abductors of the Chibok girls, those truly responsible for the Nyanya bombings, and attempted assassination of General Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, will be known.<br /><br />“We hope the authorities will take the steps necessary to act on this revelation, and thereby discharge their duty to protect us, the citizens of Nigeria. That is just what it is, a hope!” he said.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the Camerounian army on Wednesday attacked Boko Haram, shelling one of their camps across the border and killing many fighters, a security official said yesterday.<br /><br />The source told AFP that the army had shelled the camp on Wednesday evening, two days after the jihadist group had seized control of the town of Gamboru Ngala on the Nigerian border with Cameroun.<br /><br /><br />“It was tanks stationed on the frontier at Fotokol (on Cameroun's side of the border) that shelled the camp on the other side,” the source said on the condition of anonymity.<br /><br />“Seen from Fotokol this morning, Gamboru looks empty and smells of death,” he added. Nobody knows how many Boko Haram members were killed, but it is obvious that many were,” he added. The shelling was confirmed by a local police officer.<br /><br />“These were abandoned houses that they have occupied since they entered Gamboru. We think they still control the town, because there are many of them and they didn’t all gather in the same place,” he said.<br /><br />Calm had returned to Fotokol by Wednesday following days of panic as residents and Nigerian security forces fled there to escape the Boko Haram attack on Gamboru.<br /><br />After clashes in Gamboru Ngala, Nigeria’s army dismissed suggestions that the soldiers had fled, saying they had been “charging through the borders in a tactical manouevre” and found themselves on Camerounian soil.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/australian-negotiator-names-ihejirika-sheriff-as-sponsors-of-boko-haram/187635/" style="outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Read More</a><br /><br />Culled from Thisday</span><div style="clear: both;"> </div> </div> <div class="post-footer" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(102, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; margin: 20px -2px 0px; padding: 5px 10px;"> </div> </div>

Australian Negotiator Names Ihejirika, Sheriff as Sponsors of Boko Haram

                                                            Senator Ali Modu Sheriff ,  Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General Azubuike ...

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Boko Haram reportedly ‘beheading’ Christians in Gwoza

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <br /> <div class="comments" id="comments" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 2em; min-height: 0px; position: relative;"> <a href="" name="comments" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></a><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></div> <br /> <div class="post hentry uncustomized-post-template" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting" style="min-height: 0px; position: relative;"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3255754633211016646" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 616px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi040wsPmSjIP8FC9vtlyrLJ26DALGx5zJSKs_QeWUdeOD55M2Dpz9xDxmHg5js3B9QwAKnb6MXqIJK1iBeVnXSN9vkoEsmfzMD7zksjSHja4pwS5nVMyOo-W1JQaB_XsMWIsoHeFcePYN3/s1600/Boko+Haram+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #990000; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi040wsPmSjIP8FC9vtlyrLJ26DALGx5zJSKs_QeWUdeOD55M2Dpz9xDxmHg5js3B9QwAKnb6MXqIJK1iBeVnXSN9vkoEsmfzMD7zksjSHja4pwS5nVMyOo-W1JQaB_XsMWIsoHeFcePYN3/s1600/Boko+Haram+1.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 0px; border-top-left-radius: 0px; border-top-right-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid rgb(153, 0, 0); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></div> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-3255754633211016646" itemprop="description articleBody" style="line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 616px;"> <br /></div> According to reports, Boko Haram militants are beheading young men in the Christian community in Gwoza, the Borno town that the insurgent group recently took over and declared an Islamic caliphate.<br /><br />Sources from the town claim that Christian men who refuse to convert to Islam are being beheaded while the women are being forced into marriages with the insurgents.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"> "It is quite clear that terrorism has no friend, but it is abundantly clear that the Christians are worst hit. The whole town and the Parish rectory have been occupied by the terrorists. So many structures and items have been vandalized. Dozens have been killed and a lot of church structures have been burnt down. Christians in the town are really in a terrible situation, a moment of great persecution. Christian men were caught and beheaded, the women were forced to become Muslims and were taken as wives to the terrorists.” Rev. Fr. Gideon Obasogie, the social communications director of the catholic diocese of Maiduguri said. Continue...<br /><a href="" name="more"></a>“It might surprise you to know that no one knows the state of affairs in this terrorist zone. The houses of Christians that have fled are now occupied by the ‘haramists’. Their cars are used by the terrorists,” Rev Obasogie said.</blockquote> He also said Boko Haram sympathizers in Gwoza showed the militants homes belonging to Christians and even showed them where some of the Christians went to hide when the killing began. They were fished out and killed.<div style="clear: both;"> </div> </div> <div class="post-footer" style="line-height: 1.6; margin: 1.5em 0px 0px;"> <div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-1"> Follow Ebere Samuel (@FAVORD) on Twitter<br /><br /><div class="post-share-buttons goog-inline-block" style="display: inline-block; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.5em; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;"> </div> </div> <div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-2"> <span class="post-labels" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"></span></div> <div class="post-footer-line post-footer-line-3"> <span class="post-location" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;"></span></div> </div> </div> </div>

Boko Haram reportedly ‘beheading’ Christians in Gwoza

According to reports, Boko Haram militants are beheading young men in the Christian community in Gwoza, the Borno town that the i...

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Boko Haram declares sharia in Gwoza •Occupies churches, forces women into marriage •Gunmen attack army base in Bauchi, kill 2 soldiers

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="itemBody" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="itemFullText"> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <img alt="" src="http://www.tribune.com.ng/images/boko-haram4.jpg" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: auto; margin: 10px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">FOLLOWING the take over of Gwoza town in Borno State and the recent occupation of the terrorists in Madagali, in Adamawa State, the Islamic extremists have reportedly taken over churches and declared sharia in the areas.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Director, Social Communications of the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri, gave the revelation on Thursday, in an electronic statement sent to journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, had, last week Thursday, declared Gwoza town seized by his men and, in a video obtained by AFP, said his group would not leave the town.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nigerian military initially denied that Boko Haram had taken over the town but on Wednesday, the military, through the Director, Defence Information, said it would soon reassert Nigeria’s sovereignty in portions that had been violated illegally by Boko Haram.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to a statement by the Catholic Diocese, Boko Haram had advanced in its rampage and had declared a caliphate in Gwoza, a town bordering Borno and Adamawa states.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“As it is well known, the Catholic Diocese of Maiduguri covers the whole of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, the three states under strict emergency rule.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Apart from the churches within Maiduguri that have great share of such attacks by the terrorist group, all the churches on the major road linking Maiduguri and Adamawa State have been closed down due to same act of terrorism,” the statement read.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It further added that “St Timothy’s Bama had been under siege since last year. The parish priest, Reverend Father Timothy Cosmas, had long been relocated to a different parish.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“At the early part of this year, St. Peter’s Pulka was badly attacked. Thanks to God, the Pastor, Fatrher James John was luckily unavailable. The terrorists searched and wanted to kill the holy priest of God.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Lately, precisely on Friday, August 22, 2014, the dreaded group had moved steadily and yet more boldly into Gwoza, which is in Borno State and the neighbouring Madagali Local Government Area in Adamawa State, declaring a caliphate.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The assisting priest of St. Denis Madagali, Father Aiden Ibrahim, fled the parish with some of his parishioners to the mountains, upon hearing serious fire battle from the terrorists.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Report reaching the Director, Social Communications, Reverend Father Obasogie, in Maiduguri has it that the whole town and the parish rectory have been occupied by the terrorists, so many structures and items have been vandalised.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“A lot of church structures have been burnt. Christians in the town are really in a terrible situation. Their houses are now occupied by Boko Haram.”</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reacting to the development, the Borno State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Gideon Jibrin, said he was not aware of the development, but promised to find out.</span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="margin-bottom: 10px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Follow Ebere Samuel (@FAVORD) on Twitter</span></div> </div> </div> </div>

Boko Haram declares sharia in Gwoza •Occupies churches, forces women into marriage •Gunmen attack army base in Bauchi, kill 2 soldiers

FOLLOWING the take over of Gwoza town in Borno State and the recent occupation of the terrorists in Madagali, in Adamawa State, the Isla...

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Dozens killed as Cameroon troops shell Boko Haram camp inside Nigeria

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bokoKiller-use.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Dozens killed as Cameroon troops shell Boko Haram camp inside Nigeria"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="bokoKiller-use" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bokoKiller-use-702x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Dozens killed as Cameroon troops shell Boko Haram camp inside Nigeria" width="702" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Dozens killed as Cameroon troops shell Boko Haram camp inside Nigeria</span></span></h1> </header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Barely 48 hours after Cameroon army killed 27 Boko Haram militants during an attack in a locality near Fotokol in the country’s far-north, the army has again attacked the insurgents, shelling one of their camps across the border and killing “many” fighters, a security official said yesterday.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The source, who spoke to AFP, said the army had shelled the camp on Wednesday evening, two days after the jihadist group had seized control of the town of Gamboru Ngala on the border with Cameroon. “It was tanks stationed on the frontier at Fotokol (on Cameroon’s side of the border) that shelled the camp on the other side,” the source said on condition of anonymity.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Seen from Fotokol this morning, Gamboru looks empty and smells of death,” he added. “Nobody knows how many Boko Haram members were killed, but it is obvious that many were.” The shelling was confirmed by a local police officer.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“These were abandoned houses that they have occupied since they entered Gamboru. We think they still control the town, because there are many of them and they didn’t all gather in the same place,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Fotokol had returned to calm by Wednesday following days of panic as residents and Nigerian soldiers fled there to escape the Boko Haram attack on Gamboru. Boko Haram has faced minimal resistance from the military as it has stepped up attacks across northeast Nigeria, where it wants to create a hardline Islamic state.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">After clashes in Gamboru Ngala, Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters dismissed suggestions that the soldiers had fled and instead said they had been “charging through the borders in a tactical manouevre” and found themselves on Cameroonian soil.</span></div> <div style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; background-color: white; border: 0px; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.857; margin: 0px 0px 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Dozens killed as Cameroon troops shell Boko Haram camp inside Nigeria

Dozens killed as Cameroon troops shell Boko Haram camp inside Nigeria Barely 48 hours after Cameroon army killed 27 Boko Haram mili...

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Boko Haram: Navy puts personnel on alert in Lagos

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108nigerian-navy-sbs.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Boko Haram: Navy puts personnel on alert in Lagos"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108nigerian-navy-sbs" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108homewpcompublic_htmlwp-contentblogs-dir6cf12572403files201108nigerian-navy-sbs-700x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Boko Haram: Navy puts personnel on alert in Lagos" width="700" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boko Haram: Navy puts personnel on alert in Lagos</span></span></h1> </header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nigerian Navy has put its men on the alert following intelligence report that the Boko Haram insurgents are planning an attack on government’s installations in Lagos using disabled persons.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To this end, military personnel have been put on guard to screen physically challenged persons especially those using tricycles around security facilities.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The development, it was learnt, was the reason for the arrest of a physically challenged man suspected to be member of the sect at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos over alleged possession of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were asked to pay attention to physically challenged persons using tricycles, adding that the information was based on intelligence report.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, official confirmation could not be gotten from defence spokesman, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, as calls to his telephone were not answered.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But while fielding questions from journalists at the Naval Air Base, Ojo on the development, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Sanmi Alade, said the military was fully at alert to counter and prevent any act of terrorism.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“I do not know where you got your information from, but what I know, is that we are fully prepared to prevent and counter any act of terrorism, said Alade. Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, has appealed to Nigerians to support the military towards ending insurgency in the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Obanikoro made the call at the Naval Air Base, Ojo at the end of his two-day familiarisation tour of naval units and commands in Lagos.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The minister said the massive refurbishing of platforms was evidence of the right investments being made in the military.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Expressing hope that things will be better, Obanikoro commended the Navy for putting measures in place to curb the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) at the Navy Reference Hospital, Ojo by isolating those suspected of the disease from the mainstream patients.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">To avoid unnecessary discrimination, people are sat outside and checked to be sure they are not likely carriers after which one can graduate to the main hospital reception to be attended to.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Some of you by now would have formed your own opinion after seeing things for yourselves. Those who thought we have been sleeping all along can now also whisper to others that we are not sleeping. We have been working. We may not be there yet, but hopefully, we will get there.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I am happy with the direction we are going, and so, I plead that we should all find a place in our hearts to support our military and security agencies.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If the military had kept to its core mandate and not dabbled into politics, they would have gone far ahead of the entire society. But in the last 15 years of democracy, they have done quite a lot and deserve our commendation said Obanikoro.</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Boko Haram: Navy puts personnel on alert in Lagos

Boko Haram: Navy puts personnel on alert in Lagos The Nigerian Navy has put its men on the alert following intelligence report that...

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Alleged terror sponsorship: Ihejirika challenges El-Rufai

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header class="post-header cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 21px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="featured" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 14px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/el-rufai.jpg" itemprop="image" rel="prettyPhoto" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Alleged terror sponsorship: Ihejirika challenges El-Rufai"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="el-rufai" class="attachment-main-slider wp-post-image no-display appear" height="336" src="http://sunnewsonline.com/new/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/el-rufai-700x336.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; opacity: 1; padding: 0px; transition: all 0.4s ease-in-out; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Alleged terror sponsorship: Ihejirika challenges El-Rufai" width="700" /></span></a></div> <h1 class="post-title" itemprop="name" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 35px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 18px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Alleged terror sponsorship: Ihejirika challenges El-Rufai</span></span></h1> </header><div class="post-container cf" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content-right" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="post-content description" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px -1.857em; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Former Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika (retd), has challenged former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to provide Nigerians with evidence of his alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram terrorists.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Mallam El-Rufai, had told an online medium, point blankness.com, that Gen. Ihejirika and former governor of Borno State, Alimodu Sheriff, were the sole sponsors of the insurgents. The former minister also alleged that the former COAS, and his counterpart, selected people to be killed by the terrorists group.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But in a swift reaction, the former army chief, who spoke to Daily Sun, from his village in Abia State, described the allegation, as diversionary and a deliberate attempt by the former minister to distract the attention of the international communities, government and the security agencies from focusing on the ways and means of curbing the activities of the terrorist group.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Gen. Ihejirika, who said he was not surprised that such comments were coming from the likes of El-Rufai, also stated that he was yet to understand what those sponsoring the terrorist group really wanted from Nigeria.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said: “Those supporting the Boko Haram group, I am yet to understand, whether they are doing it for political reason or for what. But what I want to clear is that a lot of people have taken various steps, ways and means to support the Boko Haram group and scuttle genuine efforts to curb the problem and that is the issue.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“So, for me, the statement by El-Rufai, which he did not deny as far as I am concerned, is diversionary and a trick to distract the international communities, the nation, government and the security agencies from focusing on the ways and means of curbing the menace.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“And if you ask me, this way of distracting the security agencies from doing their job is not new by the Boko Haram supporters because, when the Boko Haram group struck in Adamawa and killed some Igbo traders and Yoruba businessmen, the version which some prominent politicians sold to Nigerians was that the traders were fighting over business and killed themselves.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“So, that is to tell you how these diversions come.” He, therefore, advised El-Rufai and his likes to stop deceiving Nigerians by diverting attention, saying that when Boko Haram started, their supporters like El-Rufai, said there was nothing like Boko Haram, and that the army was just killing innocent youths.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Again, some of them, including El-Rufai, said I was revenging the killing of the Igbo during the Biafra war.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Apart from that, the likes of El-Rufai started the campaign of human rights abuses, in order to divert the international attention of the heinous crime being committed by these terrorists,” he said.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Gen. Ihejirika said he was not surprised that the allegations were coming from the likes of El-Rufai, who started the campaign that he took away N48 billion,  which is still in the coffers of the Ministry of Defence and could be verified by anybody.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said that this is how the likes of el-rufai have been supporting Boko Haram, adding that this same group was what made the army not to get the requested equipment to deal with this menace once and for all, as they used their likes to tell the government that these equipment were not necessary.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Gen. Ihejirika, said that “At the onset of this crisis, I was the first person to declare that the country was at war, these same group of el-rufai disagreed, that it was not true”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is the same group of el-rufai that started the human right abuses, in order to block any international assistance and that gave Boko Haram respite to build up.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.857em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He revealed that when the United States was to declare Boko Haram, as a terrorist organization, the same groups of el-rufai mounted pressure on the international community, using human right abuses as campaign strategy to frustrate the move.</span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Alleged terror sponsorship: Ihejirika challenges El-Rufai

Alleged terror sponsorship: Ihejirika challenges El-Rufai Former Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Onyeabor Azubuike I...

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Gunmen attack army camp in Bauchi, Commander killed

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OVBRV_dzXGF7njDg5qqw6AUgI6GeAI2dN1SBxYzRKRah4pgh9pIEiNGLJQXjESknt5QjV52vTVMIV0HKqotVnOXxTtiixk0zBSEUm0o12hg4y19FgWVlir9M1f8igpakGn7zYgRi5W_o/s1600/boko-haram1.jpg" width="400" /></span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br />Unknown gunmen at about 5:20am this morning August 28th attacked an Army camp manned by six armed soldiers at Wunti -Dada, a suburb of Bauchi state, killing the commander of the camp and a soldier.<br /><br />According to reports by The Nation, the unknown gunmen arrived the camp in two motorcycles immediately after the early morning Muslim prayers and opened fire, killing the commander and the soldier.<br /><br />Wunti-Dada has been one of the known security challenge points within the state capital with a lot of unusual incidents. Both the Bauchi state Police Public relations officer and the the 33 Artillery Brigade spokesman have refused to comment on the development.</span></div>

Gunmen attack army camp in Bauchi, Commander killed

Unknown gunmen at about 5:20am this morning August 28th attacked an Army camp manned by six armed soldiers at Wunti -Dada, a suburb of Ba...

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El-Rufai is an Executive Commander in Boko Haram Terrorist Group

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Former Chief of Army Staff, General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika on Thursday opened a can of worms by declaring that the former minister of the Federal Capital Territory and APC Chieftain, Mallam Nasir El-Rufia is one of the frontline Commanders of the Boko Haram terrorist group.</span><br /> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ihejirika-elrufai.gif" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="ihejirika-elrufai" class="alignnone wp-image-461675" height="185" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ihejirika-elrufai-300x170.gif" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="326" /></span></a></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speaking with Vanguard over allegation by the former minister that he (Ihejirika) and former Governor Modu Sheriff of Borno State were fingered as terrorists sponsors, General Ihejirika said he is not surprised that this unimaginable allegation is coming from ‘one of the Boko Haram Commanders’.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The (Commanders) including El-Rufai know where the problem is. He should stop deceiving Nigerians by trying to divert attention”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to Ihejirika, “When the Boko Haram operation started, supporters of the sect like El-Rufai said that there was nothing like Boko Haram and that the army was just killing innocent youths”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“If you also remember, not too long ago, some of their supporters including El-Rufai said that I was re-inventing the killing of the Ibos during the Biafra war following government’s determination to rid the country of terrorism.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ihejirika who was obviously angry while speaking on phone, also said, “The likes of El-Rufai started the campaign of human right abuses, in order to divert the international attention of the heinous crime being committed by the Boko Haram terrorists”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Gen. Ihejirika then recalled recent allegations against his person indicating that that he took away N48 billion, an amount of money which is still in the coffers of the Ministry of Defence, which can be verified by anybody adding that he was not surprised that these allegation is coming from the likes of El-Rufai who started the campaign.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Continuing the former Army Chief said, “The likes of El-Rufai have been supporting Boko Haram. In fact, El-Rufai and his likes are the same group of people that ensured the army did not to get the requested equipment to deal with this menace once and for all, as they used their cohorts to tell the government that procuring modern equipment were not necessary”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Recalling that the same El-Rufai went to Thisday Newspaper premises to grant interview to condemn security forces for the efforts at ridding the country of these senseless mayhem by the terrorists, Ihejirika said, “At the onset of this crisis, I was the first person to declare that the country was at war but group of sponsors led by El-Rufai disagreed, that it was not true”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It is the same group of El-Rufai that started the human right abuses campaign. It was done in order to block any international assistance after the state of emergency was declared and the sect was initially tamed. That gave Boko Haram time and respite to build up again”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Furthermore, General Ihejirika said that when the United States was to initially declare Boko Haram a terrorist organization, the same El-Rufai and his group mounted pressure on the international community, using alleged human right abuses as campaign strategy.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The former Army Chief revealed that this same group including El-Rufai have taken further steps in support of Boko Haram, “which I cannot disclose for now”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It will be recalled that shortly after his tenure came to an end as COAS, some Northern political elites started the crusade for General Azubuike Ihejirika to be summoned before the International criminal Court in the Hague claiming that he killed their sons and daughters innocently whereas it is on record that no other military leader but Ihejirika did a lot in helping the nation contain the rapid spread of Boko Haram insurgency in the country.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He not only established the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army with headquarters in Maiduguri, he established new Army Brigades, Counter Terrorism Schools in Kachia and Jaji as well as the Terrorism Training School.</span></div> </div>

El-Rufai is an Executive Commander in Boko Haram Terrorist Group

Former Chief of Army Staff, General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika on Thursday opened a can of worms by declaring that the former minister of ...

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Our rectory, taken over by Boko Haram – Catholic Church

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h1 class="entry-title" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: url(http://www.punchng.com/wp-content/themes/punch/images/dots-horizontal.gif); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-top-color: rgb(255, 1, 1) !important; border-top-style: solid !important; border-top-width: 1px !important; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 9px 4px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Catholic Church on Thursday complained that the Boko Haram insurgents have taken over the parish rectory of its church and other houses of Christians in last week’s attack on Madagali in Adamawa state, Northeast Nigeria.</span></h1> <div class="entry-content" style="overflow: hidden;"> <div id="nrelate_flyout_placeholder"> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The church laid this complaint in an electronic press statement by the Director Catholic Social Communications in-charge of the Maiduguri Diocese, Rev. Fr. Gideon Obasogie who said that though the members of the outlawed sect has been known not to draw a line of demarcation on whom to or not to visit with mayhem but in recent time it seems that Christians and Christian institutions have been at the receiving end of the satanic group.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Obasogie said in Madagali, which is a local government that borders Borno and Adamawa states, and the closest town to Gwoza with a large number of Catholics, and members of other Christian denominations equally with a good number of Muslims, “the Whole town and the Parish rectory have been occupied by the terrorists, so many structures and items have been vandalized. Dozens killed and a lot of church structures have been burnt down.”</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He decried that “Christians in the town are really in a terribly situation; a moment of great persecution.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Christian men are caught and beheaded, the women are forced to become Muslim and are taken as wives to the terrorists. The houses of Christians that have fled are now occupied by the insurgents.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Their cars are used by the terrorists. Some Muslim around identify Christian homes to be occupied and the Christians hiding were also identified and were killed. Strict Sharia Law had been promulgated, as observed by a woman who luckily escaped the death zone.”</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He lamented that: “The situation as it is now has really and truly gone out of control. People are finding it really hard, citizens are been killed in their numbers.”</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He said it is hoped that Nigeria would be real in handling the dwindling state of insecurity that has enveloped the entire North east.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The clergyman said the Catholic Church was compelled to close down all the churches on the major road linking Maiduguri and Adamawa state because of acts of terrorism.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> </div> </div> </div>

Our rectory, taken over by Boko Haram – Catholic Church

The Catholic Church on Thursday complained that the Boko Haram insurgents have taken over the parish rectory of its church and other house...

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Boko Haram members increase to 50,000 in its camp says Mr. Ahmad Salkida

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-9149433587675718455" itemprop="description articleBody" style="position: relative; width: 660px;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: black; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">                   </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC3xTsyly9k_zxRnUeyT7bouN8XlOTV0695LwFTMjhzigq8aRJVtiHaV0yGCa_hZpBYCj_VjjRBPKhuTeXr8ovvFkcdbWnRTCvScKqpMebyk4RIrUlddSdNCso9rkhukEC03TZUzOh-8/s1600/Boko-Haram-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC3xTsyly9k_zxRnUeyT7bouN8XlOTV0695LwFTMjhzigq8aRJVtiHaV0yGCa_hZpBYCj_VjjRBPKhuTeXr8ovvFkcdbWnRTCvScKqpMebyk4RIrUlddSdNCso9rkhukEC03TZUzOh-8/s1600/Boko-Haram-1.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; border: 1px solid rgb(255, 255, 255); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="400" /></a></span></div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nigerian terrorist group (Boko Haram) in the northern parts of country is not giving up their quest for the creation of Islamic states as the sect membership has increased up to 50,000 in its camp. According to reports released by the #bringblackourgrils group which was disclosed in Abuja, yesterday, claimed it was quoting Mr. Ahmad Salkida, a Nigerian journalist said to be close to Boko Haram</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">‘‘According to Mr. Ahmad Salkida, Boko Haram has up to 50,000 people in their camps, most of them are sad and willing to die–as suicide bombers. If we’re not mindful our selfishness in not standing up now will consume us all. For these reasons and others, our advocacy must continue; we must continue telling the truth and demanding for it to be told,’’ the BBOG said.</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The group urged good-spirited members of the public to join the advocacy which it said must continue until the abducted girls were returned unharmed.</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“We must continue telling the truth and demanding for it to be told,’’ the group added</span></blockquote> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It also called on the federal government to increase its effort in tackling insurgency and  terrorism before it gets out of hands and plunge the country into unprecedented famine that would be of harm to its citizens .<br /><br />The group also raised the alarm that Nigeria stands the risk of facing food scarcity, especially beans, which Chibok is the highest producer in the country and called for urgent measures to avert the imminent danger.</span><blockquote class="tr_bq"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">‘‘Chibok for instance is the highest producer of beans in the nation; the north-east the largest producer of livestock and other produce, but due to the insurgency, there has been no farming; in due course there would be food scarcity across the nation,’’ the group said.</span></blockquote> </div> </div>

Boko Haram members increase to 50,000 in its camp says Mr. Ahmad Salkida

                    Nigerian terrorist group (Boko Haram) in the northern parts of country is not giving up their quest for the creation...

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Boko Haram insurgents Relocate from Sambisa Forest

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <div class="story-content"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="Boko Haram members" class="size-full wp-image-281842" height="365" src="http://cdn-01.naij.com/o/JX01tLE9UZi8Zq5yKRRAOwoU.jpg" width="650" /></span></div> <div class="first"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div class="first"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Information coming in from Borno State in northern Nigeria suggest that the Boko Haram insurgents might be changing their base from the Sambisa forest moving towards southern Borno.</span></div> <div class="first"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to a report published by Sahara Reporters today, Wednesday, 27 August, 2014, residents living near Sambisa forest in Borno State have reported seeing a large number of Boko Haram militants leaving the thick forest Tuesday’s morning and moving towards southern Borno.</span></div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was gathered that a security source also confirmed the account of the villagers.<br />The source informed that Nigeria’s intelligence agents were aware that members of the Islamist sect, who had been holed up in Sambisa forest, seemed to be relocating to the large territories they have captured in their recent attacks.<br /><span class="ds-1col block-story-object block-story-object-link block-story-object-link-story pull-right">He added that the insurgent</span>s’ relocation is most likely motivated by the sect’s recent successes in capturing<br /><a href="" name="more"></a>several major towns in northern Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States.<br />According to some villagers, who claimed to witness the militants’ relocation, the insurgents had been moving their families and possibly many of their abductees to safer grounds in towns captured in recent weeks.<br />A villager in Kirawa, a town on the Cameroonian side, also said he had seen some suspected Boko Haram militants moving through Cameroonian territory to Nigeria with large amounts of cargo in tightly secured convoys.<br /><span class="ds-1col block-story-object block-story-object-link block-story-object-link-story pull-left">Many people believe t</span>he alleged relocation of the insurgents may be as a result of about 480 Nigerian soldiers who fled to neighboring Cameroon some days ago in order to escape from a fierce contingent of Boko Haram militants that attacked Gamboru-Ngala, a major town near the border with Cameroon.<br />It was reported after the incident that the militants easily seized the town, and hoisted their flags at a police station and the home of a former governor, Ali Modu Sheriff.</span><br /> <div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_281842" style="width: 660px;"> <div class="wp-caption-text"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boko Haram members</span></div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was reported that the fleeing soldiers, who ran away with civilians, left behind four armored personnel carriers (APCs) and a huge cache of arms that the militants have taken.<br />Only on Tuesday, the absconding soldiers were repatriated to Nigeria by the Cameroonian authorities.<br />Meanwhile,  many villagers that were displaced because of the heavy fighting Gamboru-Ngala are still trapped in Fotocol, a small town near Ngala.<br />At least, 10, 000 people have lost their lives while tens of thousands of others have been internally displaced from their communities in northeastern Nigeria due to Boko Haram insurgency since 2009.<br />The leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau, who has been blacklisted as a terrorist by the United Nations, UN, on Monday released a video where he declared Gwoza town, in Borno state as an Islamic Caliphate.<br />The Nigerian military had since dismissed Shekau’s claim, saying Nigeria remains one indivisible republic.<br /></span><br /> <div class="open-news__source"> <i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span class="open-news__source_caption">Sources:</span> <a href="http://www.naij.com/" itemprop="publisher" rel="" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Naij.com news</a>, <a href="http://www.naij.com/away.php?to=http%3A%2F%2Fsaharareporters.com%2F" rel="" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sahara Reporters</a></i></div> </div>

Boko Haram insurgents Relocate from Sambisa Forest

Information coming in from Borno State in northern Nigeria suggest that the Boko Haram insurgents might be changing their base from t...

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