Boko Haram Takes Over Baga Military Base

Suspected men of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram have seized a military base in the Nigerian town of Baga. The base is used by the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), made up of soldiers from Nigeria, Chad and Niger.

According to Local residents, militants overwhelmed troops after an hours-long battle at the facility near Lake Chad.

Details later...

We've Weakened Boko Haram's Capabilities, Says Air Force Boss

According to Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, the Nigerian Air Force's fighters in the North-East of the country had been able to do considerable damage to the operations of Boko Haram insurgents in the area.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of Course 2/2014 of the Nigerian Armed Forces Re­settlement Centre (NAFRC), Amosu said the efforts of the Nigerian Air Force and the other arms of the armed forces had decimated Boko Haram insurgents, weakened their capabilities and destroyed their supply lines.

He said the Nigerian Air Force had been able to provide strategic and tactical airlift for the armed forces to be able to combat insurgency within the North-East of the country.

Amosu added that the Nigerian Air Force had been able to support the operations of the military through the airlifting of troops and ability to drop supplies where needed.

He said despite the pressure from the civil populace for a quick resolution of the crisis, the officers and men of the armed forces were not relenting in their efforts to flush out the insurgents in the North-East.

Police Repel Boko Haram Attack on French Factory

According to witnesses, Boko Haram militants today (Dec 4) raided a cement facility owned by French group Lafarge as part of an attack on two towns in northeast Nigeria.

A resident of Ashaka in Gombe State said "the gunmen kept shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ and firing guns haphazardly. They went into the cement factory and took away some vehicles."

Acoording to a staff of the company, the factory was evacuated before the raid.

Residents: Boko Haram Raids Two Northeast Nigeria Towns

Gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram islamic sect on Thursday (Dec 4) stormed two towns in northeast Nigeria, raiding banks and burning government buildings as well as political party offices, residents told AFP.

Scores of gunmen dressed in military uniform arrived in Bajoga, 60 kilometres from Gombe city in a convoy of 20 vehicles at about 7:00am (2pm Singapore time). Troops managed to push the attackers out and they then drove towards the town of Ashaka, five kilometres near the border with Yobe State to the northeast.

In Bajoga, residents said the militants shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greater) and fired indiscriminately before burning down a police station in a three-hour battle with troops. "They raided two banks and set fire to offices of political parties. They also set sections of the local government secretariat on fire," said a resident.

Another resident, Sani Dankani, said the sound of gunfire and explosions forced him to flee into the nearby bush. "From where I'm standing, I can see billows of black smoke coming from different parts of the town," he added.

A local schoolteacher Sa'adu Balarabe, said troop reinforcements were sent from Gombe and a military jet which bombed the militants forced them to withdraw.

Residents in Ashaka reported exchange of fire between troops and the gunmen in the town from about 11am. "All we can hear is sounds of guns and explosions," a resident said. "Heavy fighting is now going on between the gunmen and soldiers. A military jet is encircling the town," added another local, Altine Badamasi.

Damaturu Under Curfew After Boko Haram Attacks

Yobe State government has imposed a 24-hour curfew has in the northern Nigerian city of Damaturu, a day after it was attacked by Boko Haram.

On Monday, Boko Haram set a police base on fire and attacked a university and school.

The state governor’s office said the move would allow the security forces to finish their operation to drive out the attackers.

A statement issued by an adviser to the Yobe state governor said the decision to impose a curfew on Tuesday had been "taken… as part of measures to enable the security agents, who did a great job yesterday, repelling insurgent attacks on the town, to conclude their ongoing assignment."

The curfew means that all residents will have to stay at home, forcing the closure of schools, businesses and government offices.

Damaturu has been targeted by Boko Haram a number of times before. At least 63 people were killed in an attack on churches and police in 2011 in what was then the deadliest attack of the insurgency.

56 Fishermen Killed In Doron-Baga, Borno By Boko Haram

Some armed men suspected to be members of the Islamic sect Boko Haram attacked and killed 56 fishermen in Doron-Baga, a community in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Vigilante Group in Borno State, Muhammed Gava, while briefing journalists on Sunday said: "According to the reports we have so far received from our members in Baga, the killed fishermen were returning from a fishing expedition they set out for on Thursday night."

"The gunmen forced them off their boats, and, at gunpoint, began to slaughter them one after the other.

“They slaughtered 48 of them whose corpses our members found near the river, while corpses of 8 others whose necks had bruises were found floating near the river bank.

"The bodies that were recovered from the river were of those whom we suspect the Boko Haram terrorists' knives could not pierce through their skins, so they had to tie their legs and hands with ropes, then dropped them into the river to die," he added.

Explosion Rocks Kano

An unknown number of people have been killed in an explosion that hit Kano State this night.

Details still sketchy...

Boko Haram Seizes Chibok; Thousands Fleeing

Nigeria's Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, has seized Chibok, the northeast town from which the insurgents kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in April, a local official said.

Local government chairman Bana Lawan on Friday told AP that thousands of residents are "just trying to escape with their lives."

Lawan says the fighters took Chibok on Thursday afternoon.

According to reports, some of the kidnapped girls escaped in the first couple of days after their capture from a boarding school outside the town, but 219 remain missing.

Boko Haram has taken control of several towns since the military announced a cease-fire on Oct. 17.

Air Force Loses Helicopter to Crash As Boko Haram Mount Raids

According to the Nigerian Air Force on Friday, it had lost another helicopter in the restive northeast, after Boko Haram rebels raided two more towns and vigilantes and hunters clawed back a key militant stronghold.

The second crash in a week happened late Thursday in Yola, the capital of Adamawa, which is one of three states that has been under emergency rule since May last year.

But there was no immediate indication that the armed Islamist movement was responsible for the crash.

a state governor’s office, told AFP.

The chopper crashed near a hall of residence at the Modibbo Adama University of Science and Technology causing panic among students, as weapons said to be on board apparently exploded.

"We heard a huge thundering sound which made us rush out of the hostels, thinking the school was under Boko Haram attack," said one student, Harisu Abdulaziz.

Another student said there was chaos as residents at the hostel tried to flee but were prevented by soldiers guarding the gates.

The university has been under military protection after a spate of Islamist attacks against schools in the region.

Kyari Mohammed, a lecturer at the university and a specialist in Boko Haram, said the helicopter that came down was one of two that flew over the campus.

"The crash was followed by a series of intermittent explosions inside the chopper, which people believed to be from weapons the chopper was ferrying," he said.

Air force spokesman Dele Alonge confirmed that one of its aircraft had crashed but provided no details as to the cause or casualties.

Female Suicide Bomber Hits College in Niger State

(ABUJA)

A female suicide bomber blew herself up on Wednesday at a college in Kontagora in Nigeria’s central Niger State, close to the capital Abuja, a police spokesman said.

The bomb went off as the woman was trying to enter the college’s library, a witness said.

"The female suicide bomber blew herself up before reaching her target," the police spokesman told Reuters by telephone.

- Reuters

US Condemns Incessant Attacks on Schools by Boko Haram

The US has condemned attack on school children in Portuskum, Yobe State, saying it "remains committed to supporting the people of northern Nigeria in their struggle to stop the abhorrent actions of Boko Haram and associated terrorist groups."

In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, US urged the government of Nigeria to investigate the attack in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Italso assured Nigeria of its supporting as the country confront the Boko Haram sect and associated terrorist groups.

The statement reads: "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the incessant attacks on defenseless civilians this past week, including on the occasion of Ashura in Potiskum in Yobe State and in Gombe, Gombe State, on Nov. 3; in Malam Fatori in Borno State on Nov. 6; in Azare in Bauchi State on Nov. 7; and most recently again in Potiskum on Nov. 10 by a suicide bomber who killed many students. While final numbers are not known, scores and scores of persons have been killed or injured in these attacks.

"The United States offers its sincere sympathy to the injured and to the families of the murdered. We urge the government of Nigeria to investigate these and other attacks to bring the perpetrators to justice. The United States remains committed to supporting the people of northern Nigeria in their struggle to stop the abhorrent actions of Boko Haram and associated terrorist groups."

- WorldStageGroup

Explosion At Bauchi Bus Station

A bomb blast occurred last night in a popular bus station in Bauchi State.

The explosion which is suspected to be a Boko Haram attack has been reported to have left five people dead and twelve injured.

The State Police confirmed the incident, making it known that it occurred at about 9:45pm yesterday in Azare town.

The bomb was planted in a parked car which denoted remotely.

Boko Haram Attacks Adamawa Community

Inspite of the ceasefire deal between the Nigerian Government and Boko Haram, gunmen suspected to be insurgents attacked Sina, a village in Michika area of Adamawa State.

A community leader in Michika, Dr. Caleb Filli, who is at present taking refuge in Yola, disclosed that the insurgents burnt down houses in the village, and created panic which compelled residents of the town to flee for safety.

Filli said the information he received revealed that hundreds of insurgents invaded the village in the afternoon yesterday and shot sporadically and burnt several houses. He added that he could not ascertain the number of deaths as at the time of filing this report.

A great number of residents of Michika and Madagali areas have been under attacks by Boko Haram since September, in spite of the alleged impressive efforts by the military to take control of the area from the insurgents. The community leader however appealed to the Federal government to ensure that the ceasefire agreement encompasses the withdrawal of Boko Haram fighters from the areas they are presently occupying, observing that the ceasefire would not be meaningful unless it paves way for residents to return to their homes.

Filli empathized with thousands of displaced residents who are living as refugees in other places after leaving behind their farms and businesses.

Nigeria's Missing Girls 'to be Released by Boko Haram' - Government Aid Claims

More than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria could be released after a ceasefire was agreed with the Islamist group, the country's government has claimed.

An agreement between Nigerian officials and Boko Haram reportedly reached to secure a ceasefire and the return of 219 schoolgirls missing for more than six months.

Nigeria's military and an aid to President Goodluck Jonathan reached an agreement with Boko Haram leaders to introduce a ceasefire, and reportedly guaranteed the return of the 219 girls.

In a clip from NTA News24, the presenter, Ronke Kolawole, says the deal follows a meeting between a federal government official and Boko Haram representatives and Chadian government officials.

The ceasefire has been agreed in the hope of getting the group to release the 219 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped six months ago, Ms Kolawole says.

The agency also quoted the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, as ordering his troops to immediately comply with the agreement.

The news comes as another official confirmed there had been direct negotiations this week in neighbouring Chad about the release of the Nigerian schoolgirls.

Boko Haram Beheads Nigerian Airforce Pilot, Posts Video (PHOTOS)

A new video reportedly released by terrorist sect, Boko Haram is said to show the apparent beheading of a Nigerian pilot.

According to a source, Boko Haram has released a new video which shows "the beheading of a man who identifies himself as the pilot of a missing Nigerian Air Force jet".

The video is also said to show the wreckage of a plane with Nigerian military markings, which the leader of the sect, Abubakar Shekau claimed his fighters shot down.







The source reports that "the man beheaded with an axe identifies himself as a wing commander, saying he has not seen his second pilot since the jet was shot down".

The pilot reportedly said before he was killed:

"I'm a pilot of the Nigerian air-force. On September 11th, I was assigned on a mission to Kawuri, Borno -tate. During the mission we were shot down and our aircraft crashed."

"To this day, I don’t know the whereabouts of my second pilot. I was taken into the care of (Boko Haram). At the time of the crash, I sustained cuts and broken hand and some other injuries to the head."

Two pilots and an Alpha jet belonging to the Nigerian Air Force were declared missing on September 11, 2014 after the aircraft was reportedly used in an operation against the sect in Borno State.

The video was retrieved by AP and is believed to show the same Shekau who appeared in previous videos released by the group.

The Nigerian military confirmed the death of Shekau on September 24 saying he had been killed in Borno state but the Boko Haram leader resurfaced in a video released yesterday, October 2, dismissing claims of his death.

Police Arrest Boko Haram Suspect, Foil Bomb Attack In Lagos (PHOTOS)

There was an attempt by a suspected member of Boko Haram to bomb NAMA office in Lagos.

The suspect was arrested just few minutes ago and the explosives with him recovered.






He is currently in police custody.

Details later…

Why Boko Haram Now Use Female Bombers, Police Explains

The Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, on Wednesday in Abuja said international terror organisations use female suicide bombers in attacks because they are less suspicious.

Mba, who spoke at the National Information Centre, said though unfortunate, the use of females in suicide attacks was not new.

"Established international terror organisations use female suicide bombers, the major reason is because women generally raise fewer suspicion."

"If you have been following the trend of terrorism worldwide, you will understand that the use of a female suicide bomber is not new."

"But, it is a new trend in our own part of the world," he said.

The force spokesperson, however, said a new counter-terrorism strategy was being developed to address the new trend in the country.

"We are developing counter-terrorism strategies to deal with that. By our rules of engagement and by our culture too, male security operatives generally are not allowed to search females."

"You will see increase in female security personnel on roads and in other places where stop and search exercises are being carried out."

"Nigerians should be prepared to see more female police officers, bomb disposal experts, DSS operatives and soldiers in combat operations," he said.

Mba appealed to parents and local government authorities across the country to support efforts to stamp out street hawking by young girls, particularly among minors.

Earlier, the coordinator of the centre, Mike Omeri, said the insurgents had resorted to using young girls because something went wrong with their strategy.

"This trend of using young people clearly shows that there is something wrong with the main recruitment arm of the insurgents."

"Citizens are becoming more aware and so the tendency is to recruit those who do not know what they are doing, young people as young as 10 years."

"Boko Haram is so deadly and this underscores the seriousness of the campaign that our country is engaging in order to flush out the insurgents," he added.

Cameroon Rescues Wife of Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali kidnapped by Boko Haram

Security operatives in Cameroon have rescued wife of Vice Prime Minister Amadou Ali who was kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect on Sunday along with a traditional ruler of Kolofata town, reports BBC Hausa Service.

The reports say that 16 people lost their lives in the rescue operations, although Cameroon information minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary said government was still investigating the matter to ascertain the actual number of people killed.

The Boko Haram members carry out attacks in northern part of Cameroon from Nigeria where they established their base in the Sambisa Forest.

Last week, a Cameroonian court sentenced 14 members of the sect to 20 years imprisonment after they were arrested with weapons in March around Marwa in northern Cameroon, says the BBC Hausa report.

A local religious leader and mayor, Seini Boukar Lamine, was also kidnapped in a separate attack on his home.

Three people were killed during the daring raid.

Boko Haram fighters clashed with the Cameroonian army in cross-border attacks twice since Friday, killing four soldiers.
Cameroon has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers along its border to help combat the Nigerian armed group.

Chibok Girls: Rescue Operation Gets Tougher As Boko Haram Fortifies Sambisa With Mines, Snipers

Boko Haram insurgents currently holding 219 schoolgirls hostage in their hideout in Sambisa Forest, North East, have laced the vicinity with sophisticated landmines and posted snipers on tree tops to look out for intruders, thus preventing the military from rescuing the girls.

This disclosure was made yesterday in Abuja by the spokesman of the Nigeria Police, ACP Frank Mba, while briefing newsmen on some of the factors militating against the rescue operation.

However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, yesterday assured that the Federal Government would eradicate all forms of terrorism and violence in the country.

Mba, who spoke at the National Security Information Centre, Abuja, at the briefing presided over by the Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri, added that another factor is the desire of the military to strictly observe the rules of engagement, reduce casualties among soldiers and bring back the girls alive.

He explained that the entire forest, especially areas occupied by the insurgents, were ringed with dangerous landmines and sharp-shooters who pick out approaching targets with ease even though the practice of using landmines has been banned by international laws.

"We are fighting what can be described as unconventional warfare. There are obvious challenges, since we are operating at unusual times and fighting unusual war," he said.

"The security agencies and the Nigerian military are guided by some rules of engagement which must be strictly obeyed. The insurgents, because they are criminals, do not observe any rules and do not operate within the confines of the law."

"The Boko Haram insurgents are not regulated by any rules of engagement. So, they engage in acts that are clearly criminal and even their modus operandi are criminal. So, oftentimes, legitimate military forces are faced with challenges when dealing with such criminal situations. You will recall that the use of landmines has been clearly prohibited by international laws and the use of landmines in war theatres was banned. Most countries of the world have stopped using it. Nigeria is a signatory to that treaty but the criminal group uses landmines against the laws."

"In the police, for example, because we are guided by laws, no matter how much we want to arm our policemen, we cannot turn them into soldiers or infantrymen. The weapons the police use must fit the establishment, because it is still the police force and not a military unit."

Adding to the statement of the police officer, Omeri, assured Nigerians that the Federal Government has done everything necessary to properly equip its soldiers and stationed sufficient military personnel on the ground in the northeast to bring to a conclusive end the insurgency, apart from rescuing the Chibok girls.

He also disclosed that the military has intensified patrols, with local groups, around the communities near Chibok, following reports of renewed attacks on villages by Boko Haram insurgents.

Omeri assured that the government will never waiver in its commitment to protect citizens of the nation no matter how remote their communities may be located.

Minimah gave the assurance in a keynote address at the Armoured Vehicles West Africa Conference held in Abuja.

"The army, indeed the armed forces had taken adequate measures in collaborating with relevant government ministries, departments and agencies to stem the tide of insecurity and ensure public safety and human rights."

"We have also partnered with these bodies to ensure the rule of law, in line with our constitutional roles."

"One of these measures is the modernisation of equipment to enhance our operational capabilities in line with contemporary threats," he said.

Minimah said that these measures were complemented with improved training, enhanced troops welfare and relevant doctrinal review.

He said the measures would also regenerate the military force and strengthen their posture to deal with national and global security challenges.

"This conference is therefore important to us as it will afford us the opportunity to interact with a wide array of equipment experts to discuss trends of advancement of technology especially for armoured platform."

"Our interactions over the next two days would enable us to gain strategic insight into innovation that could increase the mobility and survivability of our troops in both internal security and peace support operations."

The army chief re-emphasised the importance of closer interface between the producers and end-users of defence and security related platforms and equipment.

He said this was critical because innovations in the defence and security continuum were driven by threat dynamics which in turn shaped the needs of each nation’s armed forces.

Minimah explained that this closer interface would bring about the ability to federate and incubate ideas that would not only boost confidence and engender deeper partnership between stakeholders, but would also speed up innovation and enterprise within the entire chain.

Explosion Rocks Maiduguri Market

A car bomb exploded in a market in Nigeria’s northeastern city of Maiduguri on Tuesday morning, and dozens of people are feared dead, witnesses said.

They immediately blamed Boko Haram, the Islamic extremist group whose birthplace is Maiduguri and which is accused of a series of recent bomb attacks in the West African nation.

Tuesday’s explosives were hidden under a load of charcoal in a pickup van, according to witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

Trader Daba Musa Yobe, who works near the popular market, said the bomb went off just after the market opened at 8 a.m., before most traders or customers had arrived.

Other witnesses said they saw about 50 bodies, and that five cars and some tricycle taxis were set ablaze by the explosion.

They said the toll could have been worse but fewer than normal traders and customers were around because most people stay up late to eat during Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting from sunrise to sunset.

A security official at the scene confirmed the blast, saying many casualties are feared. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not permitted to speak to the press.