A man purporting to be a Boko Haram fighter said the Islamist militant group plans to bomb Nigeria&#39;s capital, Abuja, in a video seen by Reuters on Saturday.

&quot;More bombs attacks are on the way, including Abuja that you feel is secured,&quot; said the man in the video, which was obtained by Sahara Reporters, a U.S.-based journalism website, and Nigerian journalist Ahmad Salkida.

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video. The man spoke in the Hausa language widely used in northern Nigeria and held a rifle while flanked by four other armed men.

Nigeria&#39;s state security agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), in April said it had thwarted plans by Boko Haram militants linked to Islamic State to attack the British and U.S. embassies in Abuja.

About 82 girls were freed last Saturday in exchange for Boko Haram commanders after being held captive for three years. They were among about 270 kidnapped by the jihadist group from the town of Chibok in northeast Nigeria in April 2014.

In a second video seen by Reuters, one of a group of four females covered in full-length Muslim veils claiming to be among the abducted girls said she did not want to return home.

&quot;We don&#39;t want to reunite with our parents because they are not worshipping Allah, and I urge you to join us,&quot; she said, holding a rifle and speaking in the Hausa. She added: &quot;We have not been forcefully married to anybody. Marriage is based on your wish.&quot;

Reuters was not immediately able to verify the authenticity of the video.

Mediator and lawyer Zannah Mustapha said some of the abducted girls refused to be released, fuelling fears that they have been radicalised.

Boko Haram has killed about 20,000 people and forced more than 2 million people to flee their homes since 2009 in an insurgency aimed at creating a state adhering to strict Islamic laws in the northeast of Africa&#39;s most populous nation.

The militant group also carries out cross-border attacks in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land in northeast Nigeria about the size of Belgium until the start of 2015.

The army has retaken much of the territory that had been lost to the group, but large parts of the northeast, particularly in Borno state, remain under threat from the militants.

(Reuters)

Nigeria's state security agency, the Department of State Services, said in April it had thwarted plans by Boko Haram militants linked to Islamic State to attack the British and US embassies in Abuja

A man purporting to be a Boko Haram fighter said the Islamist militant group plans to bomb Nigeria's capital, Abuja, in a video seen by Reuters on Saturday. "More bombs attacks are on the way, including Abuja that you feel is secured," said the man in the video, which was obtained by Sahara Reporters, a U.S.-based journalism website, and Nigerian journalist Ahmad Salkida. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the video. The man spoke in the Hausa language widely used in northern Nigeria and held a rifle while flanked by four other armed men. Nigeria's state security agency, the Department of State Services (DSS), in April said it had thwarted plans by Boko Haram militants linked to Islamic State to attack the British and U.S. embassies in Abuja. About 82 girls were freed last Saturday in exchange for Boko Haram commanders after being held captive for three years. They were among about 270 kidnapped by the jihadist group from the town of Chibok in northeast Nigeria in April 2014. In a second video seen by Reuters, one of a group of four females covered in full-length Muslim veils claiming to be among the abducted girls said she did not want to return home. "We don't want to reunite with our parents because they are not worshipping Allah, and I urge you to join us," she said, holding a rifle and speaking in the Hausa. She added: "We have not been forcefully married to anybody. Marriage is based on your wish." Reuters was not immediately able to verify the authenticity of the video. Mediator and lawyer Zannah Mustapha said some of the abducted girls refused to be released, fuelling fears that they have been radicalised. Boko Haram has killed about 20,000 people and forced more than 2 million people to flee their homes since 2009 in an insurgency aimed at creating a state adhering to strict Islamic laws in the northeast of Africa's most populous nation. The militant group also carries out cross-border attacks in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger. Boko Haram controlled a swathe of land in northeast Nigeria about the size of Belgium until the start of 2015. The army has retaken much of the territory that had been lost to the group, but large parts of the northeast, particularly in Borno state, remain under threat from the militants. (Reuters)

In video, purported Boko Haram fighter says group plans to bomb Nigerian capital

Four Cameroonian soldiers, including a general who was coordinating the fight against Nigerian Boko Haram Islamists, were killed Sunday in a helicopter crash, sources told AFP.

&quot;We lost four men, including the general (Jacob Kodji)&quot; and a colonel, a senior military official who is involved in the fight against Boko Haram told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The men were killed when the Cameroonian military helicopter they were travelling in crashed in Bogo region in the far north, said the official, without giving details of the cause of the accident.

&quot;They were on a mission in Waza Park as part of an operation to battle Boko Haram,&quot; he said.

A local government official confirmed the deaths.

General Jacob Kodji was the leader of Emergence 4, the name given to one of the operations launched by Cameroon against Boko Haram.

As the fight against the Nigerian jihadists raged, Kodji was prompted in August 2015 to general by President Paul Biya. He is the first Cameroonian general to die in the battle against Boko Haram.

Boko Haram&#39;s brutal insurgency, launched in northern Nigeria in 2009, has spread across the border to Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

At least 20,000 people have been killed and some 2.6 million displaced in the violence.

Since Nigeria announced a key victory against Boko Haram jihadists in December, claiming the group had been routed from its Sambisa Forest bastion, its ally Cameroon had intensified operations along its northern border.

(AFP)

The soldiers were killed when the military helicopter crashed in Bogo region during an operation against the Boko Haram

Four Cameroonian soldiers, including a general who was coordinating the fight against Nigerian Boko Haram Islamists, were killed Sunday in a helicopter crash, sources told AFP. "We lost four men, including the general (Jacob Kodji)" and a colonel, a senior military official who is involved in the fight against Boko Haram told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity. The men were killed when the Cameroonian military helicopter they were travelling in crashed in Bogo region in the far north, said the official, without giving details of the cause of the accident. "They were on a mission in Waza Park as part of an operation to battle Boko Haram," he said. A local government official confirmed the deaths. General Jacob Kodji was the leader of Emergence 4, the name given to one of the operations launched by Cameroon against Boko Haram. As the fight against the Nigerian jihadists raged, Kodji was prompted in August 2015 to general by President Paul Biya. He is the first Cameroonian general to die in the battle against Boko Haram. Boko Haram's brutal insurgency, launched in northern Nigeria in 2009, has spread across the border to Cameroon, Chad and Niger. At least 20,000 people have been killed and some 2.6 million displaced in the violence. Since Nigeria announced a key victory against Boko Haram jihadists in December, claiming the group had been routed from its Sambisa Forest bastion, its ally Cameroon had intensified operations along its northern border. (AFP)

Four soldiers killed in Cameroon helicopter crash

The United Nations children&#39;s agency on Thursday warned that the growing famine-like conditions in northeast Nigeria could kill 75,000 children over the next year.

The UN said about 400,000 children aged under five could suffer from acute malnutrition in the former stronghold of Boko Haram militants, if they do not receive immediate aid.&nbsp;

The agency has called for military escorts for aid workers, fearing attacks from the Islamist militant group, to reach areas affected by the crisis.

&quot;The 75,000 is from the three states &ndash; Borno, Yobe and Adamawa,&quot; said UNICEF spokesman Patrick Rose.

More than four million people are facing severe food shortages in the region, which has been exacerbated by soaring food prices and scarce reserves from the last harvest.

UNICEF also said it had increased the sum sought in its humanitarian appeal to help malnourished children in the region, where food supplies are close to running out, to $115 million - more than double the previous amount of $55 million.

The UN said it had so far received just $28 million, which it said &quot;presents a serious obstacle to UNICEF&#39;s scale up plan&quot;.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
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UNICEF sought an increase in humanitarian aid to tackle the severe food shortages that are putting thousands of children at risk

The United Nations children's agency on Thursday warned that the growing famine-like conditions in northeast Nigeria could kill 75,000 children over the next year. The UN said about 400,000 children aged under five could suffer from acute malnutrition in the former stronghold of Boko Haram militants, if they do not receive immediate aid. The agency has called for military escorts for aid workers, fearing attacks from the Islamist militant group, to reach areas affected by the crisis. "The 75,000 is from the three states – Borno, Yobe and Adamawa," said UNICEF spokesman Patrick Rose. More than four million people are facing severe food shortages in the region, which has been exacerbated by soaring food prices and scarce reserves from the last harvest. UNICEF also said it had increased the sum sought in its humanitarian appeal to help malnourished children in the region, where food supplies are close to running out, to $115 million - more than double the previous amount of $55 million. The UN said it had so far received just $28 million, which it said "presents a serious obstacle to UNICEF's scale up plan". (WION with inputs from agencies)

75,000 children could starve to death in Nigeria's hunger crisis: UNICEF

Nigerian troops on Wednesday claimed they had recaptured a town on the shores of Lake Chad from Boko Haram militants.&nbsp; 
 
The regional troops have been fighting the militant group over control of Mallam Fatori.&nbsp; 
 
Army spokesman Sani Usman said a fierce battle ensued backed by air support that resulted in the deaths of several Boko Haram militants.&nbsp; 
 
He said its troops and counterparts from the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had captured the town.&nbsp; 
 
The MNJTF is made up of soldiers from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin. 
 
But the terrorists moved in with reinforcements around the border with Niger while the troops were consolidating on the success.&nbsp; 
 
The militant group claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;This offensive led to the death of more than 40 soldiers and left tens of others injured,&quot; it said in a statement posted on social media. 
 
The town of Mallam Fatori in the Borno state was liberated in March last year as part of a regional counter-offensive against the militants.&nbsp; 
 
There have been an increasing number of attacks in southeast Niger in recent weeks, an indication the rebels have regrouped and switched focus. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The Nigerian army launched an offensive to capture the town of Mallam Fatori when Boko Haram militants moved in with reinforcements

Nigerian troops on Wednesday claimed they had recaptured a town on the shores of Lake Chad from Boko Haram militants. The regional troops have been fighting the militant group over control of Mallam Fatori. Army spokesman Sani Usman said a fierce battle ensued backed by air support that resulted in the deaths of several Boko Haram militants. He said its troops and counterparts from the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had captured the town. The MNJTF is made up of soldiers from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin. But the terrorists moved in with reinforcements around the border with Niger while the troops were consolidating on the success. The militant group claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties. "This offensive led to the death of more than 40 soldiers and left tens of others injured," it said in a statement posted on social media. The town of Mallam Fatori in the Borno state was liberated in March last year as part of a regional counter-offensive against the militants. There have been an increasing number of attacks in southeast Niger in recent weeks, an indication the rebels have regrouped and switched focus. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Nigerian army battles Boko Haram militants to retake town in northeast