Niger authorities have urged people living on islands in Lake Chad to leave to avoid new attacks by Boko Haram, after an assault by the Islamists last weekend left at least 74 dead.
The weekend attack was the country’s heaviest loss since it joined a regional offensive against the militants, and saw authorities declare three days of mourning from Wednesday.
“The governor of Diffa invites people living on the islands in Lake Chad to rejoin the mainland,” a statement Thursday said, citing security reasons.
“Measures will be taken to ensure their safety and resettlement,” the statement added.
Diffa is the provincial capital of south-eastern Niger, which borders north-eastern Nigeria, considered the jihadists’ stronghold.
Niger has several islands in Lake Chad, a vast body of water between it, Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, the regular site of deadly Boko Haram raids.
Niger lost at least 46 soldiers and 28 civilians in the Boko Haram attack on the island of Karamga Saturday.
Interior Minister Hassoumi Massaoudou said Wednesday that “156 terrorists” were also killed in the assault on an army base on the island, and that 32 troops were missing.
He said Niger had since retaken control of Karamga.
Niger, along with Chad, Cameroon and Nigeria, has recently launched a joint offensive to end Boko Haram’s six-year insurgency, which has claimed 13,000 lives and caused about 1.5 million people to flee their homes
The Nigerian military has raised concern over careless talks and undue exuberance by some individuals from the military of neighbouring countries involved in the Multinational Joint Task Force, MJNTF, which have the implication of destabilising the spirit of the joint efforts against terrorism within the sub-region.
Reacting to a purported statement in some media by officials from the MJTF that troops from Niger and Chad made deep incursions into Nigerian territory to battle Boko Haram elements, the Director Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, advised that it was necessary for officers from participating countries to beware of the terms they use while speaking with the press and also understand the implications of those terms.
According to him, “The location in question has to be mentioned before one can confirm whether it is part of an assigned or authorised mission or an incursion as described. This campaign against terror only makes provision for collaboration and cooperation; not incursion into territories. I think there is a careless use of terms by some inexperienced people or officials eager to make impression without understanding the implications. There’s no allowance for incursion here.
“The truth is that there were some pre-emptive manoeuvres along an axis in the theatre. Nigerian forces were also involved. It is unfortunate if that is what this young man is reporting in this false and divisive way. He may have to be called to order to stop this exuberant attitude of misinforming people as this is not good for our collective efforts. We will take this up where it matters.”
The Niger Republic Military said, yesterday, that military chiefs from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Niger would meet in N’Djamena next week to finalise strategy for the 8,700 task-force against Boko Haram.
President Jonathan
The Director of Documentation and Military Intelligence of Niger’s Armed Forces, Col. Mahamane Sani, said in N’djamena that all the efforts were aimed at fighting the insurgence to a standstill, reports Reuters.
Sani said the forces are seeking to pin down Boko Haram within Nigeria’s borders ahead of a ground-and-air offensive by a regional task-force due to start from the end of next month.
“All we are doing right now is stopping Boko Haram from entering Niger. If they attack our positions we push them back a certain distance and Nigeria pushes from the other side to contain the situation,” he said.
“There are initiatives by our countries to make sure Boko Haram doesn’t get out of control, but we have a deadline of end-March to put the joint force into practice,” he said.
Sani said the force’s first commander would be a Nigerian and the position would then rotate annually among members.
He said air power would play a key role but ground troops would then be used to neutralise survivors in the wooded and mountainous terrain occupied by the jihadist group.
“Information on their location needs to come from human sources first, then you send technological resources to check it and you maintain observation on them until air strikes arrive,” he said.
Sani said the U.S. military would help with drone intelligence on fighters’ movements.
“This is no longer an issue of national security for Nigeria. It’s a question of regional and international security,” he said.
“If Nigeria implodes then the whole of Africa will feel it. So, we must all be on our feet,” he added.
He said the implementation of the force has been delayed by tensions between Nigeria and Cameroon over the right to pursue militants across the border into each other’s countries.
Sani said Niger and Chad already have agreements in place covering that with each other, including Nigeria. “Nigeria and Cameroon would be under pressure to iron out their differences,” he said.
He said Niger’s military had carried out air strikes against Boko Haram positions and used ground forces to mop up the survivors.
Sani however, denied a report that the Niger air force was responsible for an attack on Tuesday that killed re than 36 civilians at a funeral in the border village of Abadam in Niger.
The Nigerian military has accused Niger’s Defence Ministry of aiding Boko Haram activities in the country by supplying the terror group with mercenaries.
Chris Olukolade
In a series of tweets on Thursday, Nigeria’s Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, described soldiers from the neighbouring country as looters who collaborate with terrorists “as a way of surviving the poverty in their country.”
The military spokesperson was reacting to a comment credited to Niger’s Defence Ministry, suggesting that Nigeria’s troops are cowards.
In one of the tweets, Olukolade said, “Welcome our friends from Niger. No way for your infamous looting here. How the poor country compensates its soldiers and claim they don’t run. Our soldiers have been defending our people and nation’s wealth from mercenaries supplied to Boko Haram by those who boast that they don’t run.”
Olukolade criticised the comment made in a statement signed by Niger’s Defence Minister, Mahamadou Karidjo, which said, “Our soldiers are not like Nigerians. They don’t run.”
Olukolade said, Nigerian soldiers are “brave” and “patriotic”, adding that it was unacceptable for a foreign government to accuse them of running away from duty.
Olukolade’s tweets read, “Our soldiers have remained professional and sacrificial in protecting their fellow Nigerians, preserving the nation’s assets despite these jeering, insults and ill wishes from within or without Nigeria, the Nigerian soldier has not and will not be deterred.
“He remains the gallant, brave and patriotic Nigerian soldier. Although these battles continue and others are now joining him, never mind, very soon, it will be victory for Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Military remains a great asset and the envy of other nations.
“The Nigerien Defence Ministry’s irresponsible comment is noted. It is sad a few partisan elements join the poor country to insult our troops.
“We don’t cross our boundaries. It is unacceptable for any foreign government to say our soldiers run. This is your Motherland! Defend her!
“Poor Niger! Treacherous ones among us accorded them effrontery to insult our troops to gain bad press. Don’t compromise your Patriotism!”
At least, 750 Nigerien soldiers are among the 7,500 regional joint force currently fighting against the Boko Haram insurgents.
The leader of the Boko Haram terror group, Abubakar Shekau, had in a 36 minutes video released via Youtube, in January 2015, described Nigerian soldiers as cowards.
He said, “Your army kept deceiving the world that you can’t fight us because you have no arms. Liars! You have all that it takes; you are just coward soldiers. You forgot that it is God that arms.
“Is it not amazing that we, who started with sticks and machetes, are today the biggest headache to the almighty Nigerian soldiers? What a shame!!”
In the video, a turbaned member of the group, who was with a camera, boasted about its collection of ammunition.
He said, “All these arms and ammunition you see in their thousands are gotten from Baga. As you can see, we have thousands of AK 47 rifles; we have so much that we are still conveying them to our camp here.
“We have AA, we have different kinds of them that can be mounted on vehicles. We have Shell Car; we have RPGs; we have mag and so on. We cannot just mention them. We have dozens of vehicles and thanks to God that has given us.”
However, a Nigerien journalist, Patrouillle Fan MaliI, described his experience with the Nigerian military as great, as reported by Nigerien online newspaper, nigerdiaspora.net.
Malil said he stayed with the Nigerian soldiers deployed in his locality in the war against the Boko Haram terrorist group in North-Eastern Mali.
He said, “Kudos to you, Nigerian soldiers deployed in Gao and Ansongo! Good luck for the fulfilment of your mission to restore the territorial integrity of Mali and population security!
“For your remarkable work, done with professionalism and bravery, you honour our country, Niger Republic appreciates you. Certainly, this is what I saw, but I know also elsewhere, you do your assignments professionally and live in harmony with the people you keep safe.”
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday promised that the nation’s security forces would completely wipe out members of the violent Boko Haram sect from Adamawa and Yobe states before the March 28 and April 11 rescheduled dates of general elections.
He also promised that in the case of Borno State, at least 70 per cent of the state would be recovered before the elections.
Jonathan made the promise during a cocktail he organised for members of the diplomatic corps at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the security forces would carry out the operation in order to ensure that elections hold in the three affected states.
He said, “This period will give them (security forces) the opportunity to clean up the three states. If at all they cannot clean up the three states, at least two states will be recovered completely and more local governments even from the remaining state so that elections could be conducted even in Borno State.
“Even if we don’t take over all the territories in Borno State, definitely in Adamawa and Yobe states, we will take over completely. Even if we don’t take over Borno State, the headquarters of Boko Haram, completely, at least 70 per cent of that state will be free for elections to be conducted.
“This is because democracy can only be meaningful if people are allowed to select who rules them.”
Jonathan boasted that his administration would defeat insurgency the same way it defeated the Ebola Virus Disease.
He said the whole world would see his administration’s achievement in that area very soon.
The President said his administration recognised the real threats terrorism poses to the nation’s development and national security.
He said insurgency had become the biggest manifestation of terrorism not only in Nigeria but also in the region.
He said the activities of the sect had further shown that no single country could effectively tackle terrorism and insurgency alone.
He explained that that was why the Federal Government is collaborating with neighbouring countries, sub-regional allies and other partners beyond the region to deal with what he described as mortal challenge to Nigeria’s security and development.
‘We are already beginning to turn the trend. Let me reassure you very clearly that we will surely win the war against Boko Haram. We are moving faster now, in the next few weeks the whole world will know that we are totally committed and that we are in position to save our people,” he declared.
On the rescheduled elections, the President insisted that it was a decision taken in the best interest of the country.
He said it was a potential security threat to have gone ahead with the elections on the earlier scheduled dates with about only 30 per cent of people having Permanent Voter Cards.
The President restated his position that poll shift would not affect the May 29 handover date.
He added, “Let me use this platform to clarify this issue, that the adjustment is within the constitution and not just the electoral law.
“Elections will be conducted as scheduled by the electoral body on March 28 and April 11.
“On May 29 this year, the President will be inaugurated. You should convey this to your countries.”
Jonathan said apart from insurgency, there were other security issues that were noticed during the period of campaigns which if not properly handled, the country might go up in flames
Meanwhile, at least 21 people were killed in two separate Boko Haram attacks on villages near the key city of Maiduguri in North-East Nigeria, a community leader and a witness said on Friday.
“They killed 12 people in Akida village and nine others in Mbuta village during a raid,” community leader, Mustapha Abbagini, told Agence France Presse.
A witness to the attack in Mbuta gave the same death toll while both said that the insurgents destroyed shops and homes in the raids, which happened on Thursday morning.
The Boko Haram Islamic sect also attacked a village in Chad on Friday, the first known lethal attack in the country, which killed several people including a local chief, according to residents and security forces.
The fighters arrived by motorised canoe at the fishing village of Ngouboua on the shores of Lake Chad early in the morning, setting houses ablaze and attacking a police station before being driven back by the army.
“Over here, one of my neighbour’s throat was slit. Over there, a woman burned to death inside her house,” a local mechanic who gave his name as Mallaye told Reuters.
Among those present in Ngouboua, located about 20 km (12 miles) east of the Nigerian border, were thousands of refugees who fled there in early January after an attack on the Nigerian town of Baga.
Niger Republic and Chad had last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria in its fight against the militant group and had also sent about 7,500 troops to support the mission.
In a related development, one of the prominent issues discussed at the meeting of the Economic Community of Central African States during the week in Yaounde, Cameroon was how military support would be offered to assist Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, according to a French newspaper based in Cameroon, camer.be.
It was learnt that the 10-member organisation, led by a Chadian, Nassour Guelendouksia Ouaido, considered the gesture as its member, Cameroon, is affected by the insurgents’ activities.
The outcome of the meeting, which was concluded on Friday, had yet to be made public.
Nigeria’s Boko Haram fighters launched a new attack in neighbouring Niger on Monday, as parliament in Niamey was set to vote on joining a regional force against the Islamists.
The militants raided a prison in the southeastern border town of Diffa but were repelled after a heavy exchange of fire, humanitarian sources said.
“The attack failed. The assailants were quite easily pushed back,” one source told AFP.
No casualty toll was immediately available after the raid by Boko Haram, which has widened its deadly six-year insurgency in Nigeria with attacks in neighbouring countries.
A journalist in Diffa said he saw the bodies of Boko Haram fighters in a hearse despatched by the town hall, but he was unable to count them.
Some Boko Haram fighters sought to hide out in the town. “The soldiers are looking for them, weapons at the ready. The army has encircled Diffa,” the journalist said.
Another journalist said some of the fighters were being held in the prison they attacked.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed in a new video released on Monday to defeat the military force taking shape to fight the militants in Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger.
Niger’s parliament was expected on Monday to support a proposal to deploy troops inside Nigeria to help in the battle, along with soldiers from Chad and Cameroon.
Niger said 109 Islamists were killed in an attack last week on Diffa and a simultaneous assault on Bosso, also close to the border, the first by Boko Haram in the country.
Four soldiers and a civilian were killed and 17 other troops were wounded.
Boko Haram fighters waged a new attack on Sunday in a southeastern border town in Niger, where a blast killed at least one person and left 10 injured, witnesses and hospital sources said.
The Islamist militants launched their assault around the town of Diffa before dawn, two days after launching its first major attack on Friday in the area bordering Nigeria, witnesses said.
The cause of the deadly blast in Diffa was not immediately known, with some sources describing it as a suicide attack while others referred to a bomb or a mortar shell.
Niger is set to send troops to Nigeria for the multi-national battle against Boko Haram after scores of people were killed in a fresh onslaught by the Islamist fighters in a key border town.
Boko haram in Borno
Intervention from Niger would open a new northern front in the regional fight against the Islamist insurgents who killed more than a hundred people, including 19 soldiers, on Wednesday in a rampage in the Cameroonian town of Fotokol on Nigeria’s border.
The onslaught came a day after Chad sent troops across the frontier to battle the jihadists and recapture the Nigerian town of Gamboru. Chad’s army said it had killed more than 200 Boko Haram fighters in the clashes.
“They (Boko Haram) attacked and burnt three mosques in the attack,” Mele Mohammed, a Fotokol community leader, told AFP. “In the mosque, in the Tashangalau area, they killed 31 people who were praying.”
He added: “Our consolation is that our attackers also suffered heavy casualties, especially when the fighter jets bombed them as they fled.”
A government source said Niger’s parliament will vote Monday on sending its troops to Nigeria to fight the militants, who have killed 3,000 people and forced more than a million from their homes since launching its insurgency in 2009.
“Niger is indeed going to send troops to Nigeria as part of the struggle against Boko Haram,” the source said.
Nothing more than a stream, the Komadougou Yobe marks the frontier between Niger and Nigeria, and the water level has recently dropped considerably, making it easy for troops to cross.
African Union leaders have backed plans for a 7,500-strong five-nation regional force to take on the extremists, who control vast swathes of northeast Nigeria.
The UN Security Council on Thursday urged Nigeria’s neighbours to step up military cooperation, praising Chad’s “swift assistance in the fight against Boko Haram.”
