Politics

Two separate bombing attacks in Nigeria’s northeastern state of Borno have claimed 38 lives while Boko Haram leader has vowed to disrupt the country's upcoming elections. The first attack was carried out on Tuesday at about 1:00 pm local time (1200 GMT) at a checkpoint in Yamarkumi village, near the town of Biu, killing 36 people and injuring 20 others. “Most of the victims were child vendors and beggars that usually crowd the checkpoint,” a source at the Biu General Hospital said on condition of anonymity. Boko Haram has repeatedly assaulted Biu trying to seize the town, but its attacks have been repelled by troops and local vigilantes. In another attack some four hours later in neighboring Yobe state’s Potiskum, a bomber targeted in a popular chain restaurant, killing the manager and a steward and seriously injuring 13 staff and customers. In a video on released on Twitter hours after the attacks, Boko Haram's leader Abubakar Shekau threatened the upcoming elections. “This election will not be held even if we are dead.” The Takfiri terrorists have already forced a delay in the polls, initially set for February 14. Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission shifted the elections to March 28 while the country’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, announced last week that there would be no further postponement of the upcoming votes. Shekau also repeated threats against Chadian President Idriss Deby and Niger’s leaders, vowing that his militants would outlast an 8,700-strong multi-national force.

Boko Haram in Nigeria is a child of Nigerian history and the impunity of Northern Nigeria’s Military establishment. Armed conflict is part of Nigeria history. It is also a business which has enriched many.  People including generations unborn learn from history. The savaged brutality meted on civilians and civilian objects in Nigeria pre-exist Boko Haram. These acts of impunity were some of the methods deployed by successive military regimes, most of them from Northern Generals to accede and sustain power. The ongoing slaughter by Boko Haram follows the same pattern which in 1966 led to the Nigeria/Biafra War. The underlying cause of the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Southerners, mainly of the Ibo ethnic groups in the North was never comprehensively investigated, if at all.  There is no gainsaying that had the crimes been investigated, the result would have pointed to some powerful individuals within the Nigerian Military structure of Northern origin. For these, political power and control of the economy could only be attained through scapegoating communities whom they perceived as serious competitors.

The Nigerian/Biafra War was a curse on the conscience of the nation but a blessing to the Northern Military establishment. Many of these Generals made fortunes from the war and took the opportunity to entrench themselves in power. Olusegun Obasanjo like Good luck Jonathan came to power during that period as a beneficiary of the sad spoils of death. They were considered outsiders or trespassers to their god ordained power. For this reason, the country had to be made ungovernable to prove them and any person outside the North unfit to defend the constitutional order, national cohesion and republican values.  Under these dire circumstances, the Northern Military establishment, their feudal and religious confederacy would step in and take back power through democratic or other means. This is the rationale of the unfolding drama in the election taking place on 14 February 2015.

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Ngwa Bertrand

18.Feb.2015

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An airstrike by an unidentified aircraft has left as many as 30 people dead during a funeral ceremony in a village in Niger close to the Nigerian border. Local officials and humanitarian sources said on Wednesday that the attack had taken place by an unidentified plane a day earlier. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the strike. Nigeria, which is involved in fighting with Takfiri Boko Haram militants, also denied responsibility. “It's not to my knowledge and there has not been any report from our people of such an incident,” Air Commodore Dele Alonge, a spokesman for Nigeria's air force, said. Local officials put the number of the dead at 31 or 32 with 20 others injured. Niger is a party to a regional operation in the area against Boko Haram militants. The Western African country has so far seen several bomb attacks blamed on Boko Haram, whose militancy has spilled over the Nigerian borders and extended to neighboring countries.

On Tuesday, thousands of people staged a massive demonstration in Niger’s capital city of Niamey to protest against the cross-border attacks by Boko Haram Takfiri militants. Niger’s security forces recently arrested more than 160 people suspected of having links to the militant group in Diffa region, an area bordering Nigeria. The five countries of Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Benin have pledged to create an 8,700-strong force to fight the Boko Haram militancy.  In a meeting on February 16, leaders from Niger and other African countries gathered in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, to finalize plans for a joint offensive against the Nigeria-based militants. The meeting, which pledged to create an 86-million-dollar fund to fight the group, called on the international community to provide more support in the fighting against the Takfiri militants. Boko Haram waged its brutal militancy six years ago and the conflict that has killed over 13,000 people. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, nearly 650,000 Nigerians have fled their homes due to Boko Haram violence and are displaced inside the African country, while thousands of others have taken refuge in neighboring countries.

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Ngwa Bertrand

18.Feb.2015

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At least 86 militants of the Takfiri terrorist group Boko Haram have been killed in an operation carried out by Cameroon’s army in the country’s Waza region near the border with Nigeria. Defense Ministry spokesman Didier Badjeck said Monday that five Cameroonian soldiers also lost their lives in the operation. A military official also said that over 1,000 Boko Haram suspects were being held in a prison in the town of Maroua. “At the moment, the prison of Maroua is holding more than 1,000 Boko Haram (suspects),” said Colonel Joseph Nouma. The development came as Nigerien police announced that more than 160 suspected elements of the Nigeria-based terrorist group were arrested near the border with Niger. “We would like to warmly thank the residents of the Diffa region whose assistance has allowed us to arrest more than 160 suspects,” said Nigerien national police spokesman Adily Toro on Monday on a local television network.

Nigeria also said that its army retook the control the strategic garrison town of Monguno in the northeast from Boko Haram. “Troops in a military operation spearheaded by highly coordinated air assaults have completed the mission of clearing terrorists from Monguno and environs this morning,” Nigerian Defense Ministry spokesman Chris Olukolade said. Boko Haram issued a statement on Monday threatening Niger and Chad with bomb attacks. The Takfiri group criticized Niger for joining the military campaign against the militants. “If you insist on continuing the aggression and the coalition with the government of Chad, then we give you glad tidings that the land of Niger is easier than the land of Nigeria and moving the war to the depth of your cities will be the first reaction toward any aggression that occurs after this statement,” it said.

The warning came as leaders from Niger and other African countries gathered in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde, to finalize plans for a joint offensive against the militants who have stepped up their attacks in recent weeks. The Monday meeting, which pledged to create an 86-million-dollar fund to fight the group, called on the international community to provide more support in the fighting against the Takfiri militants. “We have to eradicate Boko Haram,” said Cameroon’s President Paul Biya. A multinational force with soldiers from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, Benin, Burundi and the Central African Republic is expected to be formally launched in the coming weeks to fight Boko Haram. Nigeria-based Boko Haram has widened its attacks into neighboring countries, notably Cameroon and Chad, in a conflict estimated to have claimed a total 13,000 lives since 2009. The Boko Haram terrorist group has claimed responsibility for numerous deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of Nigeria. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), nearly 650,000 Nigerians have fled their homes due to Boko Haram violence and are displaced inside the African country, while thousands of others have taken refuge in neighboring countries.

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Ngwa Bertrand

17.Feb.2015

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More than 160 suspected elements of Nigeria-based Boko Haram terrorist group have been arrested near the border with Niger, according to Nigerien police. "We would like to warmly thank the residents of the Diffa region whose assistance has allowed us to arrest more than 160 suspects," said Nigerien national police spokesman Adily Toro on Monday on a local television network. Earlier this month, the border area came under attack by the notorious Takfiri terror group. Toro added that the suspects were being interrogated and face charges of conspiracy and terrorism. The arrests came hundreds of people, displaced by the persisting battles, keep arriving at Zinder, Niger's second largest city. According to local officials, there are numerous elements of Boko Haram militants among the people fleeing the Diffa region, in an attempt to infiltrate into Niger's territory.

Boko Haram in Nigeria is a child of Nigerian history and the impunity of Northern Nigeria’s Military establishment. Armed conflict is part of Nigeria history. It is also a business which has enriched many.  People including generations unborn learn from history. The savaged brutality meted on civilians and civilian objects in Nigeria pre-exist Boko Haram. These acts of impunity were some of the methods deployed by successive military regimes, most of them from Northern Generals to accede and sustain power. The ongoing slaughter by Boko Haram follows the same pattern which in 1966 led to the Nigeria/Biafra War. The underlying cause of the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Southerners, mainly of the Ibo ethnic groups in the North was never comprehensively investigated, if at all.  There is no gainsaying that had the crimes been investigated, the result would have pointed to some powerful individuals within the Nigerian Military structure of Northern origin. For these, political power and control of the economy could only be attained through scapegoating communities whom they perceived as serious competitors.

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Ngwa Bertrand

17.Feb.2015

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The Nigerian Islamic sect, Boko Haram has killed 4 soldiers of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bir) this morning at Fokotol. The four soldiers were shot on the axis of the Waza-Kousseri highway by Boko Haram fighters. Boko Haram in Nigeria is a child of Nigerian history and the impunity of Northern Nigeria’s Military establishment. Armed conflict is part of Nigeria history. It is also a business which has enriched many.  People including generations unborn learn from history. The savaged brutality meted on civilians and civilian objects in Nigeria pre-exist Boko Haram.

These acts of impunity were some of the methods deployed by successive military regimes, most of them from Northern Generals to accede and sustain power. The ongoing slaughter by Boko Haram follows the same pattern which in 1966 led to the Nigeria/Biafra War. The underlying cause of the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Southerners, mainly of the Ibo ethnic groups in the North was never comprehensively investigated, if at all.  There is no gainsaying that had the crimes been investigated, the result would have pointed to some powerful individuals within the Nigerian Military structure of Northern origin. For these, political power and control of the economy could only be attained through scapegoating communities whom they perceived as serious competitors.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

16.Feb.2015

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The extraordinary summit of the Council for Peace and Security (COPAX) Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of Central African States, which opened today in Yaounde, has agreed an emergency aid package of 50 billion CFA francs as support for troops engaged in the fight against the Nigerian Islamic sect Boko Haram and also for the development of instruments relevant to the restoration of peace and security in the Central African sub region. President Biya and his wife offered lunch to the 200 delegates who attended the forum at Unity palace. At the time of writing this report, our correspondent in Yaounde hinted that President Idriss Deby is presently visiting wounded Chadian soldiers receiving treatment at the military hospital in Yaounde.

Boko Haram in Nigeria is a child of Nigerian history and the impunity of Northern Nigeria’s Military establishment. Armed conflict is part of Nigeria history. It is also a business which has enriched many.  People including generations unborn learn from history. The savaged brutality meted on civilians and civilian objects in Nigeria pre-exist Boko Haram. These acts of impunity were some of the methods deployed by successive military regimes, most of them from Northern Generals to accede and sustain power. The ongoing slaughter by Boko Haram follows the same pattern which in 1966 led to the Nigeria/Biafra War. The underlying cause of the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Southerners, mainly of the Ibo ethnic groups in the North was never comprehensively investigated, if at all.  There is no gainsaying that had the crimes been investigated, the result would have pointed to some powerful individuals within the Nigerian Military structure of Northern origin. For these, political power and control of the economy could only be attained through scapegoating communities whom they perceived as serious competitors.

Details

Ngwa Bertrand

16.Feb.2015

Hits: 1083