"We are holding your German Hostage," Shekau boasts in a new video

Abubakar Shekau

Boko Haram has claimed in a new video obtained by AFP that a German national is in their custody. Leader of the terrorist group, Abubakar Shekau's boast that "we holding your German hostage," makes it the first claim of responsibility for the abduction, which happened on July 16.

The German foreign ministry in Berlin said it did not want to comment when contacted by AFP.

Armed gunmen kidnapped the foreigner, who was said to be a teacher at a government technical training centre in Gombi, about 100 kilometres (62 miles) from the Adamawa state capital Yola.

Suspicion immediately fell on Boko Haram, which has repeatedly attacked schools teaching a so-called Western curriculum, as well as teachers and students. An offshoot of Boko Haram, Ansaru, has previously claimed the kidnapping of at least eight foreigners in northern Nigeria since 2012 but the group has been largely dormant for more than a year.

The group reportedly broke with Boko Haram to specifically target foreigners instead of Nigerians and executed seven expatriates it seized from Bauchi state in 2013.

In January 2012, Boko Haram kidnapped German engineer Edgar Raupach at a construction site on the outskirts of the northern city of Kano. He was killed during a military raid on a Boko Haram hideout on the outskirts of the city four months later.

Cease-fire Hopes Wane As Boko Haram Abducts More Women

Over forty Women and girls from two villages in Nigeria's north-eastern Adamawa state have been abducted by suspected militants, residents say. 

The abductions have not been confirmed by the authorities, but residents say they took place a day after the military announced it had agreed a ceasefire with the Boko Haram group.

The government hopes the Islamist group will free more than 200 girls seized in April as part of negotiations.

Boko Haram is yet to confirm the truce. Following Friday's ceasefire announcement, the government said further talks with Boko Haram were due to be held this week in neighbouring Chad. 

On Oct. 17, Nigeria’s chief of defense, Air Marshall Alex Badeh was quoted widely as having engineered a ceasefire in “all theaters” of operation against Boko Haram, though the news was taken with some skepticism. Nigeria has seen a number of botched truces with the insurgents.

Nigeria claims deal with Boko Haram on ceasefire, kidnapped girls

Nigeria on Friday claimed to have reached a deal with Boko Haram militants on a ceasefire and the release of more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls but doubts immediately surrounded the purported breakthrough.

But a precedent of previous claims from the government and military about an end to the deadly five-year conflict and the fate of the missing teenagers left many observers urging caution.

Jonathan is also expected to declare his bid for re-election in the coming weeks, with positive news about the hostages and the violence likely to give him a political boost.

Multiple analysts cast doubt over the credibility of a man called Danladi Ahmadu, whom Tukur claimed represented Boko Haram at the two meetings in neighbouring Chad.

"I have never heard of such a man (Ahmadu) and if Boko Haram wanted to declare a ceasefire it would come from the group's leader Abubakar Shekau," said Shehu Sani, a Boko Haram expert who has negotiated with the group before on behalf of the government.

Smuggled $9.3million Cash: Questions for the Nigerian Government

Alleged Pastor-Owner of the Jet and President Jonathan

 I have just read, with some amusement, the position of the Federal Government regarding the cash totaling $9.3million that was seized by the South African authorities as an attempt was made to smuggle it into that country. From my little understanding, the Federal Government’s position can be summarised as follows:

1. That it is aware of the movement of such large sum of money by cash out of the country.
2. That the cash is meant for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency.
3. That the transaction was done by cash to ensure the speed of the transaction.
4. That it resorted to buy from South Africa because of procedural bottlenecks in the purchase of such items from western countries.

The above position of the Federal Government is not only ludicrous, it is laughable, untenable and a story only fit to be told to the marines. The following rhetoric posers are germane to
this issue:

1. Is it really faster and safer to do an international transaction of such magnitude by ferrying cash across the continent or by a simple wire transfer that can go through in a matter of few minutes or few hours?

2. If, indeed, the matter involves security issues like the purchase of arms by a foreign government like Nigeria, why was the South African Government not brought into the picture beforehand? How could the South African Government be sure that the arms were purchased legitimately by the Nigerian government and not by insurgents if they were not officially informed beforehand?

3. If indeed the manufacturer(s) of such equipment was/were expecting such large amount by cash, why did they not make adequate arrangements with the authorities in South Africa to declare and clear the cash on arrival?

$9.3 million cash for arms: Group Calls for Investigation

Eyal Mesika, Israeli Abuja Security CEO
Arrested in South Africa

A Nigerian watchdog group Friday demanded an international investigation into the Nigerian government for flying $9.3 million in cash to South Africa to buy weapons.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project petitioned the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force "to investigate admission by the government of Nigeria that it hired a private jet to convey $9.3 million in cash to procure arms from South Africa."

South African customs officials last week seized the money in $100 bills in three suitcases that arrived on a private jet from Nigeria at Johannesburg's Lanseria airport. Police said they questioned two Nigerians and an Israeli who did not declare the money.

15 Killed As Explosion Rocks Federal College of Education Kano

15 persons have been reportedly killed as explosion rocked the campus Federal College of Education in Kano, north-west Nigeria this afternoon.

Eye witnesses confirmed that sporadic gunshots were heard almost immediately after the explosion that occurred within the premises of the institution. Many of the dead victims, mostly students were shot while escaping from the bomb which was detonated by suspected militants who stormed the campus today.

Kano State Police Commissioner, CP Adenrele Shinaba who visited the scene confirmed that fifteen bodies have been counted so far and that security agents on duty shot and injured one of the militants who later escaped.

No-one has claimed responsibility for the today's attack, but Islamist militants have been behind a recent campaign of violence in the mainly Muslim north. The Islamist Boko Haram group, whose name means "Western education is forbidden" have been responsible for a wave of attacks on educational institutions in Northern Nigeria.

Nigerian jet Missing in Battle with Extremists

A Nigerian air force jet has been missing for two days after disappearing in the country's far northeast, where troops are fighting Boko Haram insurgents, the military has said.

A search and rescue operation was under way for the Alpha jet which was on a routine operational mission on Friday over Adamawa state when contact was lost with the aircraft, the Nigerian armed forces said in a statement.

The aircraft, with two pilots on board, left its base in Yola, Adamawa, at about 0945GMT on Friday and had been expected back by midday the same day.

"Since then all efforts to establish contact with the aircraft have not yielded any positive result," military spokesman Chris Olukolade said in a statement, without providing further details.

BOKO HARAM: Military on ‘High Alert’ Over Maiduguri Threat

Nigeria’s military spokesman says national army soldiers have been placed on high alert in Maiduguri and its surrounding areas following reports that violent Islamist Boko Haram militants have taken over nearby towns and soon would attack the northern city. The reports are creating panic among residents about the alleged imminent Boko Haram attack.

But, Major Gen. Chris Olukolade said “alarmists” are to blame for the panic among the population, following what he said were false reports being peddled, which were intended to create tension.

“Most of these claims are intended to be alarmist and to cause fear in the public, but we are not taking it lightly,” said Olukolade. “We have firmed up and upgraded all the defense arrangements around Maiduguri city and the environs to ensure that terrorists and their allies don’t find it easy to assault that town.”

Olukolade said the military is not dismissing the reports, despite what he said is an attempt by some people to create chaos.

Video of Boko Haram Leader, Abubakar Shekau promising to sell abducted girls and carry out more attacks

In a 57-minutes-long video obtained by Agence France-Presse, the leader of the group Abubakar Shekau appears dressed in a military uniform and speaks while standing in front of an armoured personnel carrier and two pickup lorries mounted with submachine guns. Six armed men stand beside him with their faces covered.

Shekau addresses the viewers in the Hausa, Arabic and English languages.For the first 14 minutes, he criticizes democracy, Western education, efforts for Muslims and Christians to live in peace and condemns Islam non-believers. Further, he says he could marry a 9 or a 12-year-old girl."I abducted a girl at a Western education school, and you are disturbed," he says. "I said, Western education should end. Girls, you should go and get married."He says, "I abducted your girls" and vows to "sell them in the market, by Allah".Shekau promised more similar episodes in the nearest future. He also claimed they are holding the girls "as slaves".Watch video below....

TERRORISM: Between Citizenship Lethargy and Governmental Irresponsibility

As the country Nigeria cascades further down the lane of terrorist perplexity and organised chaos, not a few have expressed the hope that perhaps, the pathway to durable peace and security interconnects with the route to active and responsive citizenship. Along this line, the notion is held that citizens must not only complement the efforts of government but must also go beyond the rudimentary and provide useful, intelligent and accurate information required to halt terrorism. This view runs on the heels of the fact that terrorists are human beings who live in the society with neighbours, family and friends hence their ghostly garb must be unveiled by a responsive and responsible citizenry. Any default from the above is considered as lethargical and irresponsive.

Trite as the above may appear, the proponents of this view appear to gloss over the Hobbesian wavelength of reasoning that it is for the avoidance of a state of nature where human life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" that the idea of statehood was built. It is believed that the absence of political order and law leads to unlimited natural freedoms, which include the "right to all things" and thus the freedom to plunder, rape, and murder as terrorists are wont to do.

France will not negotiate with hostage-takers

France will not negotiate with gunmen claiming to be from Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram who have taken a French family of seven hostage, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Tuesday.

In a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ix9rno--RQ) posted online on Monday, the gunmen threatened to kill the three adults and four children unless authorities in Nigeria and Cameroon released Muslim militants held there.

"We do not negotiate on that kind of basis, with these kind of groups," Le Drian told RTL radio. "We will use all (other) possible means to ensure that these and other (French) hostages are freed."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ix9rno--RQ

“You Jonathan cannot stop us like you boasted" - Boko Haram (VIDEO)

“You Jonathan cannot stop us like you boasted, instead we will devour you in the three months like you are boasting. If death is your worldly gain, for us, it is eternal victory to die working for Allah. Our joy is to die in Jihad for Allah against infidels like you…"

“We are also aware of some Muslims using our name to make money, we will say nothing but let them continue, and they will meet Allah in the last day.

“We are not doing physical human service, but Allah’s work and it is clear your aim is killing us. Let me tell you with Allah we will triumph over you and your men in hundreds. We are not boasting rather keeping quiet and working for Allah.

“Allah that finishes Pharaoh and others wicked rulers that you are not even up to them, will finish you and end your government. We are not afraid because we are not doing man work but Allah’s work. And we will see who will carry the day.”

Boko Haram Leader Threatens To "Devour" President Jonathan In 3 Months

In a new video posted on Youtube today, the leadership of the Jama’atu Ahl-Sunnati Lil Da’awati Wal Jihad popularly known as Boko Haram today stated that President Goodluck Jonathan cannot end its insurgency in June as publicly stated. Sheik Abubakar Imam Shekau the leader of the group also boasted that Nigerian security agencies cannot take down the sect by June 2012 as earlier promised by the president recently in South Korea.

The sect leader who appear agitated throughout the video recording was surrounded by several bodyguards. Shekau delivered the message via a Youtube video which lasted for 14 minutes and two seconds. In it Shekau also threatened to consume Jonathan's regime in 3-months.

The video message  was titled “Message To Jonathan”

In the preamble of the message, Shekau vowed that it must destroy  Christians and Christianity in Nigeria particularly those killing Muslims in Nigeria and it will also kill all Muslims aiding the arrest and harassment of its members.

The message as conveyed by its principal Sheik Abubakar Imam Shekau was mainly in Arabic and  Hausa language.

Shekau said, “You Jonathan cannot stop us like you boasted, instead we will devour you in the three months like you are boasting. If death is your worldly gain, for us, it is eternal victory to die working for Allah. Our joy is to die in Jihad for Allah against infidels like you…"

“We are also aware of some Muslims using our name to make money, we will say nothing but let them continue, and they will meet Allah in the last day.

“We are not doing physical human service, but Allah’s work and it is clear your aim is killing us. Let me tell you with Allah we will triumph over you and your men in hundreds. We are not boasting rather keeping quiet and working for Allah.

“Allah that finishes Pharaoh and others wicked rulers that you are not even up to them, will finish you and end your government. We are not afraid because we are not doing man work but Allah’s work. And we will see who will carry the day.”