Nigeria has been pulled apart by conflict, not one but several across the entire country. Militant group Boko Haram is exploiting the situation and President Mohammad Buhari is failing to stop these atrocities. Watch report.

Boko Haram exploits unrest in Nigeria | Using conflicts to spread extremism | World News

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's throne is shaking.

His election in 2015 had brought hope that he would end the violence in the country, but the situation became worse.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nigerian-foreign-minister-geoffrey-onyeama-tests-positive-for-covid-19-314494">Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama tests positive for COVID-19</a>

The entire nation is gripped by multiple conflicts, from the militant group Boko Haram thriving in the northeast to armed bandits laying siege in the northwest and central regions.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/a-man-was-sentenced-to-death-in-nigeria-via-zoom-app-inviting-backlash-297390#:~:text=A%20man%20in%20Nigeria%20was,distancing%20guidelines%20to%20curb%20coronavirus.">A man was sentenced to death in Nigeria via Zoom app, inviting backlash</a>

There are deadly clashes between farmers and herders, organised gangs taking over the streets, Biafra separatists raising their voice in the southeast and oil militants attacking rigs in the Niger Delta.&nbsp;

Buhari's, a former general, inability to resolve these conflicts is emboldening Boko Haram.&nbsp;

In northwest Nigeria, Boko Haram is wooing Fulani militias, who are engaged in kidnapping, banditry and cattle stealing.&nbsp;

The lines between ethnic clashes and terrorism have become blurred.

Boko Haram has claimed more than 36,000 lives in 10 years and forced around two million people to flee their homes.&nbsp;

Lacking state protection, communities in Nigeria are becoming vulnerable.&nbsp;

Between January and June alone, over 600 civilians killed in more than 200 attacks.&nbsp;

Local economies have been hit, first by violence and then by the pandemic.&nbsp;

The United Nations says at least 10 million people in the country are in urgent need of support.

The essential supplies are getting hit with aid convoys and workers being targetted.&nbsp;

In a rare interview, the president admitted that the violence is disturbing, but he blamed the armed forces for it.&nbsp;

As many as 356 soldiers have applied for voluntary retirement, suggesting the morale is low and the risks are high.&nbsp;

The Senate has passed a resolution asking the service chiefs to step down.

However, the army chief has placed the blamed on Nigerians, asking them to stop the violence.&nbsp;

His comments took the country by storm.

Buhari has to decide whether he needs to retain the service chiefs or not, but his own position is in jeopardy.&nbsp;

Still, the question that haunts all the Nigerians and the rest of the world is: how did Africa's most populous and largest economy end up in this situation? 
&nbsp;

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's throne is shaking. His election in 2015 had brought hope that he would end the violence in the country, but the situation became worse.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari's throne is shaking. His election in 2015 had brought hope that he would end the violence in the country, but the situation became worse. Also read | Nigerian Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama tests positive for COVID-19 The entire nation is gripped by multiple conflicts, from the militant group Boko Haram thriving in the northeast to armed bandits laying siege in the northwest and central regions. Also read | A man was sentenced to death in Nigeria via Zoom app, inviting backlash There are deadly clashes between farmers and herders, organised gangs taking over the streets, Biafra separatists raising their voice in the southeast and oil militants attacking rigs in the Niger Delta. Buhari's, a former general, inability to resolve these conflicts is emboldening Boko Haram. In northwest Nigeria, Boko Haram is wooing Fulani militias, who are engaged in kidnapping, banditry and cattle stealing. The lines between ethnic clashes and terrorism have become blurred. Boko Haram has claimed more than 36,000 lives in 10 years and forced around two million people to flee their homes. Lacking state protection, communities in Nigeria are becoming vulnerable. Between January and June alone, over 600 civilians killed in more than 200 attacks. Local economies have been hit, first by violence and then by the pandemic. The United Nations says at least 10 million people in the country are in urgent need of support. The essential supplies are getting hit with aid convoys and workers being targetted. In a rare interview, the president admitted that the violence is disturbing, but he blamed the armed forces for it. As many as 356 soldiers have applied for voluntary retirement, suggesting the morale is low and the risks are high. The Senate has passed a resolution asking the service chiefs to step down. However, the army chief has placed the blamed on Nigerians, asking them to stop the violence. His comments took the country by storm. Buhari has to decide whether he needs to retain the service chiefs or not, but his own position is in jeopardy. Still, the question that haunts all the Nigerians and the rest of the world is: how did Africa's most populous and largest economy end up in this situation?

Nigeria, where most forms of violence thrive and an end looks distant

Chad's government on Monday denied allegations that 44 men who died in a prison in April were not Boko Haram jihadists but civilians who suffocated in a scorching, overcrowded cell.

The government of the semi-desert nation, insisted the prisoners were members of the Nigerian Islamist group that has staged attacks in several sub-Saharan countries.

On Saturday, the Chadian Convention for Human Rights (CTDDH),&nbsp;said the 58 men imprisoned were "farmers and villagers who were arbitrarily arrested ... on last-minute instructions."

The CTDDH said 44 of 58 prisoners died after being held in a windowless cell measuring 6 metres by 3 metres (19 feet by 10 feet).

Despite temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), they were not given food or water, it said.&nbsp;

But Justice Minister Djimet Arabi told AFP on Monday: "We will not give credence to a report that does not correspond to reality at all."&nbsp;

Officials at one point said the men had committed mass suicide and that traces of poison had been found in their bodies.

But the CTDDH said the Chadian authorities had committed several "exactions" and routinely executed Boko Haram suspects.

All the men were captured during a major army operation around Lake Chad launched by President Idriss Deby Itno early in April.

That operation came in response to the deaths of 98 Chadian soldiers in a March 23 attack on a base at Bohoma, in the Lake Chad marshlands -- the worst one-day loss their army has ever suffered.

President Idriss Deby Itno said Boko Haram militants were chased out of the country in the operation carried out between March 31 and April 8.

A Chadian army spokesman said at least 52 soldiers and 1,000 jihadists were killed during the operation.

Chad's government on Monday denied allegations that 44 men who died in a prison in April were not Boko Haram jihadists but civilians who suffocated in a scorching, overcrowded cell.

Chad's government on Monday denied allegations that 44 men who died in a prison in April were not Boko Haram jihadists but civilians who suffocated in a scorching, overcrowded cell. The government of the semi-desert nation, insisted the prisoners were members of the Nigerian Islamist group that has staged attacks in several sub-Saharan countries. On Saturday, the Chadian Convention for Human Rights (CTDDH), said the 58 men imprisoned were "farmers and villagers who were arbitrarily arrested ... on last-minute instructions." The CTDDH said 44 of 58 prisoners died after being held in a windowless cell measuring 6 metres by 3 metres (19 feet by 10 feet). Despite temperatures of more than 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), they were not given food or water, it said. But Justice Minister Djimet Arabi told AFP on Monday: "We will not give credence to a report that does not correspond to reality at all." Officials at one point said the men had committed mass suicide and that traces of poison had been found in their bodies. But the CTDDH said the Chadian authorities had committed several "exactions" and routinely executed Boko Haram suspects. All the men were captured during a major army operation around Lake Chad launched by President Idriss Deby Itno early in April. That operation came in response to the deaths of 98 Chadian soldiers in a March 23 attack on a base at Bohoma, in the Lake Chad marshlands -- the worst one-day loss their army has ever suffered. President Idriss Deby Itno said Boko Haram militants were chased out of the country in the operation carried out between March 31 and April 8. A Chadian army spokesman said at least 52 soldiers and 1,000 jihadists were killed during the operation.

Chad denies claims 44 Boko Haram suspects suffocated to death

April 14 in history: Abraham Lincoln gets shot, Titanic sinks and more

Jihadists have killed 10 people in a raid on a village in northeast Nigeria's restive Borno State, burning homes and looting food supplies, civilian militia sources said Sunday.

Suspected Boko Haram insurgents in trucks fitted with machine guns stormed into Rumirgo village in the Askira Uba district at 1740 GMT on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately and sending residents fleeing into the surrounding countryside.

"They killed 10 people in the indiscriminate shooting which made residents run into the bush" civilian militia member Adamu Galadima said.

The militants burnt a dozen homes, carted away food supplies and two "trailers loaded with foodstuffs," another militiaman, Peter Malgwui said.

Askira Uba lies close to the Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram enclaves dwell and has suffered repeated attacks.

Yet in recent months an Islamic State group-aligned faction of Boko Haram has been waging attacks.

Last month three Nigerian soldiers were killed in clashes with fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction in Askira Uba town.

A decade of Boko Haram violence has killed 36,000 people in the northeast and displaced around two million from their homes, creating a severe humanitarian crisis.

The conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military response to combat the jihadist groups.

Jihadists have killed 10 people in a raid on a village in northeast Nigeria's restive Borno State, burning homes and looting food supplies, civilian militia sources said Sunday.

Jihadists have killed 10 people in a raid on a village in northeast Nigeria's restive Borno State, burning homes and looting food supplies, civilian militia sources said Sunday. Suspected Boko Haram insurgents in trucks fitted with machine guns stormed into Rumirgo village in the Askira Uba district at 1740 GMT on Saturday, shooting indiscriminately and sending residents fleeing into the surrounding countryside. "They killed 10 people in the indiscriminate shooting which made residents run into the bush" civilian militia member Adamu Galadima said. The militants burnt a dozen homes, carted away food supplies and two "trailers loaded with foodstuffs," another militiaman, Peter Malgwui said. Askira Uba lies close to the Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram enclaves dwell and has suffered repeated attacks. Yet in recent months an Islamic State group-aligned faction of Boko Haram has been waging attacks. Last month three Nigerian soldiers were killed in clashes with fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction in Askira Uba town. A decade of Boko Haram violence has killed 36,000 people in the northeast and displaced around two million from their homes, creating a severe humanitarian crisis. The conflict has spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, prompting a regional military response to combat the jihadist groups.

Jihadists kill 10 in northeast Nigerian village

Nine civilians died in western Chad after a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives in an area targeted in the past by jihadist group Boko Haram, the army and officials said on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/how-boko-haram-has-evolved-over-the-past-ten-years-262723">How Boko Haram has evolved over the past ten years</a>

Chad is one of the countries struggling with the jihadist violence that has spilled over from Nigeria's decades-long Islamist insurgency.

The attack took place overnight Sunday in the village of Kaiga Kindjiria.

"A suicide bomber blew herself up yesterday in Kaiga Kindjiria, killing nine people, two women and seven men," an army source said.

The toll was confirmed by Chadian army spokesman Colonel Azem Bermandoa.

"It is Boko Haram, there is no doubt," the spokesman said.

Kaiga-Kindjiria, a village of about 7,000 people, is located near the vast Lake Chad region where militants hideout among islets and marshlands to launch attacks on Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger.

In August, a suicide bomber killed five civilians and a soldier in the same village.

Militants also killed four Chadian villagers and kidnapped four women near Lake Chad earlier this month.

Boko Haram began in Nigeria but its attacks have spread to neighbouring countries. A faction affiliated with the Islamic State group, ISWAP, is particularly active around Lake Chad.

The suicide attack in western Chad came as French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly visited the Chad capital N'Djamena, where she met her Chadian counterpart on Monday morning.

Countries in the region have banded together to fight Boko Haram and ISWAP with support from civilian defence committees

In early January, 1,200 Chadian troops, deployed as part of the regional force in Nigeria, returned to Chad to be redeployed around the Lake, where attacks have multiplied in recent months.

The jihadist conflict in northeast Nigeria has killed 35,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes as well as spilling over its borders.&nbsp;

The jihadists have splintered into rival factions, with one group loyal to long-time Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and the other pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Nine civilians died in western Chad after a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives in an area targeted in the past by jihadist group Boko Haram, the army and officials said on Monday.

Nine civilians died in western Chad after a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives in an area targeted in the past by jihadist group Boko Haram, the army and officials said on Monday. How Boko Haram has evolved over the past ten years Chad is one of the countries struggling with the jihadist violence that has spilled over from Nigeria's decades-long Islamist insurgency. The attack took place overnight Sunday in the village of Kaiga Kindjiria. "A suicide bomber blew herself up yesterday in Kaiga Kindjiria, killing nine people, two women and seven men," an army source said. The toll was confirmed by Chadian army spokesman Colonel Azem Bermandoa. "It is Boko Haram, there is no doubt," the spokesman said. Kaiga-Kindjiria, a village of about 7,000 people, is located near the vast Lake Chad region where militants hideout among islets and marshlands to launch attacks on Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger. In August, a suicide bomber killed five civilians and a soldier in the same village. Militants also killed four Chadian villagers and kidnapped four women near Lake Chad earlier this month. Boko Haram began in Nigeria but its attacks have spread to neighbouring countries. A faction affiliated with the Islamic State group, ISWAP, is particularly active around Lake Chad. The suicide attack in western Chad came as French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly visited the Chad capital N'Djamena, where she met her Chadian counterpart on Monday morning. Countries in the region have banded together to fight Boko Haram and ISWAP with support from civilian defence committees In early January, 1,200 Chadian troops, deployed as part of the regional force in Nigeria, returned to Chad to be redeployed around the Lake, where attacks have multiplied in recent months. The jihadist conflict in northeast Nigeria has killed 35,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes as well as spilling over its borders. The jihadists have splintered into rival factions, with one group loyal to long-time Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and the other pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Nine killed in suicide attack in Chad; it is Boko Haram, says Army

By: Jideofor Adibe

Last month marked ten years since Mohammed Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram, died in police detention. His death led to the radicalisation of the sect and a declaration of Jihad against the Nigerian state.

In an earlier paper on the sect I argued that before 2009, its operations were more or less peaceful, but that it was radicalised in 2009 after a confrontation with Nigerian security agencies. The police cracked down on the group setting off an armed uprising in Bauchi State, Northern Nigeria.

Opinions differ on the reasons for the government clampdown. But some believe that the government intervened based on intelligence that the group was arming itself.

The crackdown led to an uprising that soon spread to other parts of northeastern Nigeria and 800 members of the group were killed by the Nigerian security services. Yusuf was arrested during this period but died in police detention. The police claimed that he died while trying to escape.

Yusuf’s successor, Abubakar Shekau, vowed to exact revenge on the Nigerian government. A violent campaign against the state was launched. A year later in 2010, Shekau sought to make it a Jihad against Christians.

In a message he reportedly broadcast over the Internet in July 2010, Shekau was reported as saying:

This is a message to President Goodluck Jonathan and all who represent the Christians. We are declaring a holy war! We will fight the Christians, because everyone knows what they have done to the Muslims!

It is now estimated that by 2018 Boko Haram had been linked to the deaths of over 37,000 people.

The United Nations Children’s Fund has reported that the group has kidnapped more than 1,000 children in northeastern Nigeria since 2013 to spread fear and show power. Similarly, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre believes that over two million people have been displaced in the North East as a result of Boko Haram’s terror activities.

Boko Haram has survived thanks to its ability to reinvent itself, change tactics, and adopt different strategies. Going forward, conventional military solutions will not work on their own. Other interventions, such as de-radicalisation and rehabilitation are necessary.

Fighting the sect

The government of Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2015) adopted measures to combat the group including declaring a state of emergency in the three most affected Northern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. It also initiated a four-nation regional force that included Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

These measures had varying degrees of success. They would appear to work initially because Boko Haram would lay low for a while, only for it to adopt a different terror strategy.

The Jonathan government even suggested amnesty but Shekau reportedly mocked the offer, saying, Surprisingly the Nigerian government is talking about granting us amnesty. What wrong have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should grant you pardon.

Before he issued this audio statement the military had claimed to have killed him.

Some of the factors that affected the fight against Boko Haram, especially under the Jonathan government, were pervasive conspiracy theories that played on the country’s fault lines of religion, ethnicity and regionalism.

For instance, many supporters of Jonathan, a Christian from southern Nigeria, believed that Boko Haram was created by the Northern political class to undermine Jonathan’s government.

In the same vein, according to many Muslims in the North, the Jonathan government was either fighting the group halfheartedly or propping it up in order to depopulate the North ahead of the 2015 election.

The conspiracy theories probably played a role in the Jonathan administration’s lethargic handling of the kidnapping of 276 girls from a Chibok boarding school in April 2014.

What was obvious was that Boko Haram had become a menace. By the beginning of 2015, the group reportedly controlled about 20 local government areas, a territory the size of Belgium.

In 2015, when Muhammadu Buhari, a Northern Fulani Muslim and retired Army General, defeated Jonathan in the election, he gave Nigerian military chiefs three months to defeat Boko Haram. This was probably based on the wrong assumption that fighting terrorism was just like conventional warfare.

In December of that year, his government claimed it had recovered all territories previously held by Boko Haram, saying it had “technically defeated” the group. However, there has recently been an upsurge in the sect’s activities. It is now armed with better weapons and controls four of ten zones in northern Borno state near Lake Chad.

What seems obvious is that Boko Haram has shown the capacity to reinvent itself: it has evolved from being a group fighting the Nigerian state, to targeting Christians, attacking Muslims it regards as infidels and collaborators, and now, taking the fight to the military.

For instance, in December 2018, it sacked two military bases – a naval base and a multinational joint task force post – in the fishing town of Baga after a fierce battle.

The group claims that its ultimate aim is to establish a caliphate where it can rule according to its version of Islamic law.

Meanwhile, the Buhari government continues to live in denial, maintaining its posture that it has “technically defeated” the group.

Boko Haram today

Over the years, different factions have emerged. One of the earliest splinter groups was Ansaru, which emerged in 2012 after Boko Haram attacked Kano city killing about 185 civilians, most of them Muslims.

Today, Boko Haram is believed to be made up of at least two main factions, one led by Shekau and the other, known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, led by Abu Abdullah Ibn Umar al-Barnawi who is said to be one of the sons of Boko Haram founder Mohamed Yusuf. However, there appear to be two people with the same name or aliases, one of whom is not linked to Yusuf.

It is obvious that given the nature of Boko Haram, military solutions will not work on their own. A robust programme of amnesty, de-radicalisation and rehabilitation will have to go hand-in-hand with counterinsurgency and military solutions. All told, it will not be an easy victory for the Nigerian government.

(Jideofor Adibe is a professor of International Relations and Political Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi.)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-boko-haram-has-evolved-over-the-past-ten-years-126436">Read the original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp;

By: Jideofor Adibe Last month marked ten years since Mohammed Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram, died in police detention. His death led to the radicalisation of the sect and a declaration of Jihad against the Nigerian state.

By: Jideofor Adibe Last month marked ten years since Mohammed Yusuf, founder of Boko Haram, died in police detention. His death led to the radicalisation of the sect and a declaration of Jihad against the Nigerian state. In an earlier paper on the sect I argued that before 2009, its operations were more or less peaceful, but that it was radicalised in 2009 after a confrontation with Nigerian security agencies. The police cracked down on the group setting off an armed uprising in Bauchi State, Northern Nigeria. Opinions differ on the reasons for the government clampdown. But some believe that the government intervened based on intelligence that the group was arming itself. The crackdown led to an uprising that soon spread to other parts of northeastern Nigeria and 800 members of the group were killed by the Nigerian security services. Yusuf was arrested during this period but died in police detention. The police claimed that he died while trying to escape. Yusuf’s successor, Abubakar Shekau, vowed to exact revenge on the Nigerian government. A violent campaign against the state was launched. A year later in 2010, Shekau sought to make it a Jihad against Christians. In a message he reportedly broadcast over the Internet in July 2010, Shekau was reported as saying: This is a message to President Goodluck Jonathan and all who represent the Christians. We are declaring a holy war! We will fight the Christians, because everyone knows what they have done to the Muslims! It is now estimated that by 2018 Boko Haram had been linked to the deaths of over 37,000 people. The United Nations Children’s Fund has reported that the group has kidnapped more than 1,000 children in northeastern Nigeria since 2013 to spread fear and show power. Similarly, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre believes that over two million people have been displaced in the North East as a result of Boko Haram’s terror activities. Boko Haram has survived thanks to its ability to reinvent itself, change tactics, and adopt different strategies. Going forward, conventional military solutions will not work on their own. Other interventions, such as de-radicalisation and rehabilitation are necessary. Fighting the sect The government of Goodluck Jonathan (2010-2015) adopted measures to combat the group including declaring a state of emergency in the three most affected Northern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa. It also initiated a four-nation regional force that included Niger, Chad and Cameroon. These measures had varying degrees of success. They would appear to work initially because Boko Haram would lay low for a while, only for it to adopt a different terror strategy. The Jonathan government even suggested amnesty but Shekau reportedly mocked the offer, saying, Surprisingly the Nigerian government is talking about granting us amnesty. What wrong have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should grant you pardon. Before he issued this audio statement the military had claimed to have killed him. Some of the factors that affected the fight against Boko Haram, especially under the Jonathan government, were pervasive conspiracy theories that played on the country’s fault lines of religion, ethnicity and regionalism. For instance, many supporters of Jonathan, a Christian from southern Nigeria, believed that Boko Haram was created by the Northern political class to undermine Jonathan’s government. In the same vein, according to many Muslims in the North, the Jonathan government was either fighting the group halfheartedly or propping it up in order to depopulate the North ahead of the 2015 election. The conspiracy theories probably played a role in the Jonathan administration’s lethargic handling of the kidnapping of 276 girls from a Chibok boarding school in April 2014. What was obvious was that Boko Haram had become a menace. By the beginning of 2015, the group reportedly controlled about 20 local government areas, a territory the size of Belgium. In 2015, when Muhammadu Buhari, a Northern Fulani Muslim and retired Army General, defeated Jonathan in the election, he gave Nigerian military chiefs three months to defeat Boko Haram. This was probably based on the wrong assumption that fighting terrorism was just like conventional warfare. In December of that year, his government claimed it had recovered all territories previously held by Boko Haram, saying it had “technically defeated” the group. However, there has recently been an upsurge in the sect’s activities. It is now armed with better weapons and controls four of ten zones in northern Borno state near Lake Chad. What seems obvious is that Boko Haram has shown the capacity to reinvent itself: it has evolved from being a group fighting the Nigerian state, to targeting Christians, attacking Muslims it regards as infidels and collaborators, and now, taking the fight to the military. For instance, in December 2018, it sacked two military bases – a naval base and a multinational joint task force post – in the fishing town of Baga after a fierce battle. The group claims that its ultimate aim is to establish a caliphate where it can rule according to its version of Islamic law. Meanwhile, the Buhari government continues to live in denial, maintaining its posture that it has “technically defeated” the group. Boko Haram today Over the years, different factions have emerged. One of the earliest splinter groups was Ansaru, which emerged in 2012 after Boko Haram attacked Kano city killing about 185 civilians, most of them Muslims. Today, Boko Haram is believed to be made up of at least two main factions, one led by Shekau and the other, known as the Islamic State West Africa Province, led by Abu Abdullah Ibn Umar al-Barnawi who is said to be one of the sons of Boko Haram founder Mohamed Yusuf. However, there appear to be two people with the same name or aliases, one of whom is not linked to Yusuf. It is obvious that given the nature of Boko Haram, military solutions will not work on their own. A robust programme of amnesty, de-radicalisation and rehabilitation will have to go hand-in-hand with counterinsurgency and military solutions. All told, it will not be an easy victory for the Nigerian government. (Jideofor Adibe is a professor of International Relations and Political Science, Nasarawa State University, Keffi.) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

How Boko Haram has evolved over the past ten years

This segment of WION brings to you top stories of the morning from across the globe. Watch this video to get updated with the latest information.

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - July 30th, 2019

An attack this weekend by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria has left 65 people dead, almost triple the initial toll, a local official said Sunday.

Dozens more bodies were discovered following the assault Saturday by gunmen on a village close to the regional capital Maiduguri.

"It is 65 people dead and 10 injured," local government chairman Muhammed Bulama said.&nbsp;

Bulama said more than 20 people died in the initial attack on a funeral gathering. Dozens more were killed as they tried to chase after the jihadists.

The leader of a local anti-Boko Haram militia confirmed the death toll, while giving a slightly different account of the attack.

Bunu Bukar Mustapha told AFP 23 people were killed as they returned from the funeral and "the remaining 42 were killed when they pursued the terrorists".

AFP journalists at the scene saw houses burnt in the attack. Relatives collected the bodies of those slain for burial.&nbsp;

Bulama said he thought the latest attack was in retaliation for the killing two weeks ago of 11 Boko Haram fighters by local residents when the jihadists approached their village. The residents also captured 10 automatic rifles.&nbsp;

Boko Haram fighters have repeatedly attacked the surrounding Nganzai district.

In September last year, the group killed eight people and stole livestock in two villages in the area after residents tried to stop them from taking their animals.

Boko Haram has waged a decade-long campaign of violence in northeast Nigeria that has killed around 27,000 people and displaced more than two million.

There are persistent attacks despite repeated claims from the Nigerian government that it has broken the insurgency.&nbsp;

The jihadists have splintered between the Boko Haram faction loyal to historic leader Abubakar Shekau and an affiliate of the Islamic State group.&nbsp;

Shekau's group tends to hit softer targets including civilians, while the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has since last year ratcheted up its campaign against the Nigerian military.

In June, 30 people were killed by a triple suicide bombing targeting football fans in Konduga, 38 kilometres (24 miles) from Maiduguri. The attack had the hallmarks of Shekau's faction.&nbsp;

Late Thursday, the group attacked a camp for displaced people outside the state capital, killing two residents and looting food supplies after burning a nearby military base.

Communities have increasingly turned to self-defence groups to protect themselves against the jihadist attacks.&nbsp;

Vigilantes and local hunters have taken up arms to safeguard local residents amid widespread complaints that the military does not do enough to defend them.&nbsp;

An attack this weekend by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria has left 65 people dead, almost triple the initial toll, a local official said Sunday.

An attack this weekend by Boko Haram fighters on a funeral in northeast Nigeria has left 65 people dead, almost triple the initial toll, a local official said Sunday. Dozens more bodies were discovered following the assault Saturday by gunmen on a village close to the regional capital Maiduguri. "It is 65 people dead and 10 injured," local government chairman Muhammed Bulama said. Bulama said more than 20 people died in the initial attack on a funeral gathering. Dozens more were killed as they tried to chase after the jihadists. The leader of a local anti-Boko Haram militia confirmed the death toll, while giving a slightly different account of the attack. Bunu Bukar Mustapha told AFP 23 people were killed as they returned from the funeral and "the remaining 42 were killed when they pursued the terrorists". AFP journalists at the scene saw houses burnt in the attack. Relatives collected the bodies of those slain for burial. Bulama said he thought the latest attack was in retaliation for the killing two weeks ago of 11 Boko Haram fighters by local residents when the jihadists approached their village. The residents also captured 10 automatic rifles. Boko Haram fighters have repeatedly attacked the surrounding Nganzai district. In September last year, the group killed eight people and stole livestock in two villages in the area after residents tried to stop them from taking their animals. Boko Haram has waged a decade-long campaign of violence in northeast Nigeria that has killed around 27,000 people and displaced more than two million. There are persistent attacks despite repeated claims from the Nigerian government that it has broken the insurgency. The jihadists have splintered between the Boko Haram faction loyal to historic leader Abubakar Shekau and an affiliate of the Islamic State group. Shekau's group tends to hit softer targets including civilians, while the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has since last year ratcheted up its campaign against the Nigerian military. In June, 30 people were killed by a triple suicide bombing targeting football fans in Konduga, 38 kilometres (24 miles) from Maiduguri. The attack had the hallmarks of Shekau's faction. Late Thursday, the group attacked a camp for displaced people outside the state capital, killing two residents and looting food supplies after burning a nearby military base. Communities have increasingly turned to self-defence groups to protect themselves against the jihadist attacks. Vigilantes and local hunters have taken up arms to safeguard local residents amid widespread complaints that the military does not do enough to defend them.

Death toll in Nigeria Boko Haram funeral attack rises to 65

Nigeria attack: Suspected Boko Haram left At least 65 killed, 10 injured. Watch video to know more.

Nigeria attack: Suspected Boko Haram left At least 65 killed, 10 injured

WION Speed News: Watch top national and international news of the morning - July 29th, 2019

At least <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/30-dead-in-nigeria-triple-suicide-bombing-report-227911">30 people were killed in northeast Nigerian state</a> of Borno on Monday after three suicide bombers targeted a place where villagers had gathered to watch a football match on a large screen; news agency Reuters reported.

Three bombers detonated their explosives outside a hall in Konduga, 38 kilometres (24 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri, where football fans were watching a match on TV.

So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Boko Haram group and its Islamic State splinter group have often carried out attacks targeting civilians and the military in Borno state. Their attacks have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people.

According to the report, the death toll may rise further. Forty people were also injured in the attack.

Boko Haram regards football&nbsp;as un-Islamic and the ultimate demonstration of corrupting Western influence.

Konduga is located some 25km (15 miles) from Maiduguri, the state capital of Borno state.

The Nigerian government says the Boko Haram insurgency, and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province group, have been largely defeated, but they continue to launch attacks on civilian and military targets.

The decade-long insurgency has killed more than 30,000 people and displaced millions of civilians in northeast Nigeria.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 30 people were killed in northeast Nigerian state of Borno on Monday after three suicide bombers targeted a place where villagers had gathered to watch a football match on a large screen; news agency Reuters reported.

At least 30 people were killed in northeast Nigerian state of Borno on Monday after three suicide bombers targeted a place where villagers had gathered to watch a football match on a large screen; news agency Reuters reported. Three bombers detonated their explosives outside a hall in Konduga, 38 kilometres (24 miles) from the Borno state capital Maiduguri, where football fans were watching a match on TV. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack. The Boko Haram group and its Islamic State splinter group have often carried out attacks targeting civilians and the military in Borno state. Their attacks have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions of people. According to the report, the death toll may rise further. Forty people were also injured in the attack. Boko Haram regards football as un-Islamic and the ultimate demonstration of corrupting Western influence. Konduga is located some 25km (15 miles) from Maiduguri, the state capital of Borno state. The Nigerian government says the Boko Haram insurgency, and the rival Islamic State West Africa Province group, have been largely defeated, but they continue to launch attacks on civilian and military targets. The decade-long insurgency has killed more than 30,000 people and displaced millions of civilians in northeast Nigeria. (With inputs from agencies)

Nigeria: 30 people killed, over 40 injured as three suicide bombers target 'football fans'

She is the host of popular morning radio show 'Hakki Num None' which means 'Know Your Right' in the Kanuri language. Fatima discusses human rights, land laws and also, the radical Islamic views of militant group Boko Haram in local languages and dialects.

Radio host defies threats from Islamic insurgents, stays on air

Islamic State (IS) killed 10 Nigerian soldiers in an attack on the northeastern town of Magumeri, the group claimed through its news agency AMAQ on Saturday.

The jihadist organisation said the attack on the soldiers took place in the town in northeastern Borno state on Friday. It published pictures of burned barracks and dead bodies it claimed belonged to the soldiers. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Several sources in Nigeria, including one military source, confirmed the claim. They said the fighters stormed the town at roughly 1745 local time (1645 GMT), overran military personnel and raided local shops.

The fighters fled after the military called in air force support and reinforcements from a battalion in Gubio, a neighbouring town.

Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has carried out a string of attacks in Nigeria in recent months.

The group split in 2016 from Nigeria-based Boko Haram, which has waged a decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria that has killed some 30,000 people and displaced a further 2 million.

Islamic State (IS) killed 10 Nigerian soldiers in an attack on the northeastern town of Magumeri, the group claimed through its news agency AMAQ on Saturday. The jihadist organisation said the attack on the soldiers took place in the town in northeastern Borno state on Friday.

Islamic State (IS) killed 10 Nigerian soldiers in an attack on the northeastern town of Magumeri, the group claimed through its news agency AMAQ on Saturday. The jihadist organisation said the attack on the soldiers took place in the town in northeastern Borno state on Friday. It published pictures of burned barracks and dead bodies it claimed belonged to the soldiers. Several sources in Nigeria, including one military source, confirmed the claim. They said the fighters stormed the town at roughly 1745 local time (1645 GMT), overran military personnel and raided local shops. The fighters fled after the military called in air force support and reinforcements from a battalion in Gubio, a neighbouring town. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has carried out a string of attacks in Nigeria in recent months. The group split in 2016 from Nigeria-based Boko Haram, which has waged a decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria that has killed some 30,000 people and displaced a further 2 million.

Islamic State claims it killed 10 soldiers in northeastern Nigeria

Islamic State (IS) has recorded 69 casualties from the Nigerian Army and troops from an African anti-militant force in attacks over the past week, the Jihadist group said in its weekly paper on Thursday.

Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Nigeria-based <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/five-years-after-boko-haram-kidnap-112-chibok-girls-still-missing-210266&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiiwtfvzdvhAhXG7nMBHZ4HAWoQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0aMCBTCF1BliebV77xOL5T">Boko Haram </a>in 2016, has carried out a series of attacks in the last few months.

In its newspaper, Al-Nabaa, IS said its fighters killed a number of African coalition soldiers in attacks on a military barracks, a military post and a town in northeastern Borno state and the Lake Chad region.

It said its fighters detonated explosives on Saturday on a tank of the African alliance near the town of Tomer in Niger, killing all soldiers on board. ISIS did not specify the number killed.

The militants said over the past week troops from Nigerian and Cameroon were either killed or injured, without providing details.&nbsp;

A Nigerian military spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Boko Haram has waged a decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria which has killed around 30,000 people and forced about 2 million to leave their homes.

Islamic State (IS) has recorded 69 casualties from the Nigerian Army and troops from an African anti-militant force in attacks over the past week, the Jihadist group said in its weekly paper on Thursday.

Islamic State (IS) has recorded 69 casualties from the Nigerian Army and troops from an African anti-militant force in attacks over the past week, the Jihadist group said in its weekly paper on Thursday. Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which split from Nigeria-based Boko Haram in 2016, has carried out a series of attacks in the last few months. In its newspaper, Al-Nabaa, IS said its fighters killed a number of African coalition soldiers in attacks on a military barracks, a military post and a town in northeastern Borno state and the Lake Chad region. It said its fighters detonated explosives on Saturday on a tank of the African alliance near the town of Tomer in Niger, killing all soldiers on board. ISIS did not specify the number killed. The militants said over the past week troops from Nigerian and Cameroon were either killed or injured, without providing details. A Nigerian military spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. Boko Haram has waged a decade-long insurgency in northeast Nigeria which has killed around 30,000 people and forced about 2 million to leave their homes.

Islamic State cites 69 casualties from Nigerian army and African troops

How Boko Haram's terror split  Niger, Chad and Cameroon

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/five-years-after-boko-haram-kidnap-112-chibok-girls-still-missing-210266&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjD68nfh9zhAhVOinAKHSyjBkwQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3MuMl23umumdDJi65N-egK">Boko Haram</a> fighters torched a village in Cameroon's troubled Far North Region overnight and killed 11 civilians in their sleep, security sources told AFP on Friday.

"Boko Haram made an incursion at night in the Tchakamari area. The toll is 11," a source close to security services in the area said, confirming a report from a member of a local self-defence militia.

It was the deadliest Boko Haram raid in recent months in Cameroon. The bodies were "charred", the source close to security services said, adding that the attackers had burnt the village.

The dead included both children and the aged and began at around 10 pm and lasted until about 1 am Friday.

The Boko Haram conflict began in 2009 in neighbouring Nigeria and has killed more than 27,000 people and left 1.8 million homeless in the country's northeast.

The violence has spilt into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Boko Haram fighters torched a village in Cameroon's troubled Far North Region overnight and killed 11 civilians in their sleep, security sources told AFP on Friday.

Boko Haram fighters torched a village in Cameroon's troubled Far North Region overnight and killed 11 civilians in their sleep, security sources told AFP on Friday. "Boko Haram made an incursion at night in the Tchakamari area. The toll is 11," a source close to security services in the area said, confirming a report from a member of a local self-defence militia. It was the deadliest Boko Haram raid in recent months in Cameroon. The bodies were "charred", the source close to security services said, adding that the attackers had burnt the village. The dead included both children and the aged and began at around 10 pm and lasted until about 1 am Friday. The Boko Haram conflict began in 2009 in neighbouring Nigeria and has killed more than 27,000 people and left 1.8 million homeless in the country's northeast. The violence has spilt into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Around 11 civilians killed in Cameroon Boko Haram attack

Aisha Musa Maina digs through an old bag looking for memories of her daughter Hauwa, one of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped five years ago by <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/boko-haram-targets-nigeria-troops-in-dawn-raid-on-polling-day-199186&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiTssTLlc_hAhWPiHAKHbTnCOgQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-5bs-2ElNg6vt58oTPxJo">Boko Haram</a> jihadists in northeastern Nigeria.

All she has left are old papers damaged by dust and humidity, a school diploma and a small photograph.

The kidnap had caused the family such suffering and sadness it feels as if they were all abducted, Hauwa's mother told AFP.

On April 14, 2014, gunmen stormed the Chibok girls' boarding school, kidnapping 276 pupils aged 12-17, 57 of whom managed to escape by jumping from the trucks.

Their plight moved the world and became a key election issue for President Muhammadu Buhari who was elected a year later on the promise of defeating Boko Haram and returning the girls safe and sound.

After negotiations with Boko Haram, 107 of the girls either escaped, were released in exchange for prisoners or were recovered by the army. 
Living in hope

Hauwa is one of the 112 girls of whom there has been no news.

Her family wonders if their daughter is still alive or if she was killed in a Nigerian army bombing, a claim made by the jihadist group.

She might have died of hunger or disease, given the army's long-term policy of blocking the group's supplies. She might even have been converted to the group's radical beliefs.

In a propaganda video broadcast by Boko Haram in January 2018, 14 women claiming to be Chibok girls, three of whom held babies, warned their families they would not be coming home.

Thanking the leader of the group Abubakar Shekau, who "married us off" they added: "We are the Chibok girls that you cry for... (but) by the grace of Allah, we will not return to you."

The news is scarce in this small, remote town where the literacy rate is very low.

Hauwa's father Musa Maina has no idea what has happened to his daughter, although he insists he has not lost hope.

"We heard that some parents were reunited with their daughters but ours (is) still yet to come back home," he said.

"We aren't losing hope but we are appealing to the government to invest more effort to bring back our girls and reunite us," he added.

Elsewhere in the country, the passage of time seems to have lowered expectations of finding the girls.

At a big traffic junction in the centre of the economic capital Lagos, drivers no longer pay attention to their pictures hung along the railings.

Over 1,000 children kidnapped

Five years ago the "Bring back our girls" slogan — fuelled by social media — became a powerful rallying cry.

Now, the girls' plight takes its place alongside the many other tragedies in this country of 190 million plagued by crime and conflict.

Boko Haram has also grown in strength over the past year, after being weakened during the first years of Buhari's presidency — he was reelected for a second term in February.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the IS-linked faction of Boko Haram, has increased its deadly attacks on military bases, killing several hundred Nigerian army soldiers.

Last year on the fourth anniversary of the Chibok kidnapping, the UN Children's agency said more than 1,000 other children had also been kidnapped by jihadists since 2013.

In 2016, Human Rights Watch put the number of young boys — some as young as five — in the hands of the group at up to 10,000.

Some of these children are believed to have been released and sent to deradicalisation centres as the Nigerian army made inroads into Boko Haram territory.

Whatever their fate, and that of the Chibok girls, a decade of conflict has taken a heavy toll.

The Boko Haram insurgency has claimed 27,000 lives in Nigeria where nearly two million people still cannot return to their homes and also spilt over into neighbouring countries Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Aisha Musa Maina digs through an old bag looking for memories of her daughter Hauwa, one of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped five years ago by Boko Haram jihadists in northeastern Nigeria.

Aisha Musa Maina digs through an old bag looking for memories of her daughter Hauwa, one of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped five years ago by Boko Haram jihadists in northeastern Nigeria. All she has left are old papers damaged by dust and humidity, a school diploma and a small photograph. The kidnap had caused the family such suffering and sadness it feels as if they were all abducted, Hauwa's mother told AFP. On April 14, 2014, gunmen stormed the Chibok girls' boarding school, kidnapping 276 pupils aged 12-17, 57 of whom managed to escape by jumping from the trucks. Their plight moved the world and became a key election issue for President Muhammadu Buhari who was elected a year later on the promise of defeating Boko Haram and returning the girls safe and sound. After negotiations with Boko Haram, 107 of the girls either escaped, were released in exchange for prisoners or were recovered by the army. Living in hope Hauwa is one of the 112 girls of whom there has been no news. Her family wonders if their daughter is still alive or if she was killed in a Nigerian army bombing, a claim made by the jihadist group. She might have died of hunger or disease, given the army's long-term policy of blocking the group's supplies. She might even have been converted to the group's radical beliefs. In a propaganda video broadcast by Boko Haram in January 2018, 14 women claiming to be Chibok girls, three of whom held babies, warned their families they would not be coming home. Thanking the leader of the group Abubakar Shekau, who "married us off" they added: "We are the Chibok girls that you cry for... (but) by the grace of Allah, we will not return to you." The news is scarce in this small, remote town where the literacy rate is very low. Hauwa's father Musa Maina has no idea what has happened to his daughter, although he insists he has not lost hope. "We heard that some parents were reunited with their daughters but ours (is) still yet to come back home," he said. "We aren't losing hope but we are appealing to the government to invest more effort to bring back our girls and reunite us," he added. Elsewhere in the country, the passage of time seems to have lowered expectations of finding the girls. At a big traffic junction in the centre of the economic capital Lagos, drivers no longer pay attention to their pictures hung along the railings. Over 1,000 children kidnapped Five years ago the "Bring back our girls" slogan — fuelled by social media — became a powerful rallying cry. Now, the girls' plight takes its place alongside the many other tragedies in this country of 190 million plagued by crime and conflict. Boko Haram has also grown in strength over the past year, after being weakened during the first years of Buhari's presidency — he was reelected for a second term in February. The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the IS-linked faction of Boko Haram, has increased its deadly attacks on military bases, killing several hundred Nigerian army soldiers. Last year on the fourth anniversary of the Chibok kidnapping, the UN Children's agency said more than 1,000 other children had also been kidnapped by jihadists since 2013. In 2016, Human Rights Watch put the number of young boys — some as young as five — in the hands of the group at up to 10,000. Some of these children are believed to have been released and sent to deradicalisation centres as the Nigerian army made inroads into Boko Haram territory. Whatever their fate, and that of the Chibok girls, a decade of conflict has taken a heavy toll. The Boko Haram insurgency has claimed 27,000 lives in Nigeria where nearly two million people still cannot return to their homes and also spilt over into neighbouring countries Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

Five years after Boko Haram kidnap, 112 Chibok girls still missing

One soldier was killed and 20 others wounded Saturday in a Boko Haram rocket attack in the northeast, just hours before <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/polls-open-in-nigerian-election-after-a-week-long-delay-199130">voting began in Nigeria's presidential election</a>, security sources said.

A civilian militia source in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, told AFP "at least 13" blasts were heard throughout the city at dawn, some two hours before voting opened at 0700 GMT.&nbsp;

Residents also reported hearing the explosions.

"Boko Haram terrorists attempted to enter the city but were intercepted," a security source told AFP.

"They resorted to firing RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) on the city. Attempts have been made to locate the source of the firing."

A second source said one of the explosions occurred at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army 7th Division as troops were preparing to go out on operations.

"One soldier was killed and 20 were injured. There were other explosions at Maimalari barracks but there was no casualty," he added.

A fighter jet was seen flying over the city, and the source said troops were searching for the source of the fire.

Three mortar shells fell into an open rice field in the Teachers Village camp for people displaced by the conflict but there were no immediate reports of casualties.

But the army denied there had been any attack, saying the city was "calm and peaceful".&nbsp;

Borno state police commissioner Damien Chukwu acknowledged the sound of gunfire but said it was "for security purposes", insisting there was "no threat to public peace and order".

There have been growing fears of a major Boko Haram attack in the run-up to the election, given the jihadists' previous pledges to disrupt the poll.&nbsp;

Maiduguri is the birthplace of Boko Haram and has been repeatedly attacked during its nearly 10-year insurgency that has devastated the remote region.

Wave of attacks

Voters were on Saturday casting their ballots in Nigeria's presidential election, with incumbent <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nigerias-buhari-promises-security-for-delayed-presidential-election-199066">Muhammadu Buhari</a>, a former army general who has vowed to defeat the jihadists, seeking a second term in office.&nbsp;

At about the same time as they attacked Maiduguri, the jihadists also moved on Geidam, north of the Yobe state capital Damaturu, but were repelled by troops who were alerted by locals, security sources said.

There were also clashes in Auno and Goniri, on both sides of the border between Borno and Yobe.

Elsewhere in Borno, which has been worst hit by the conflict, Boko Haram fired rockets at the town of Gwoza, injuring three people and partially damaging a mosque.

There was also an attack late on Friday on Zabarmari village, 10 kilometres (six miles) outside Maiduguri.

In the Borno town of Gamboru, on the border with Cameroon, Chadian troops in about 50 vehicles, including tanks, arrived at about 11:30 am on Saturday, while voting was in progress.

The Chadians are part of the regional force fighting Boko Haram. N'Djamena said on Friday night it had deployed more than 500 soldiers to support their Nigerian counterparts.

Boko Haram's insurgency in northeast Nigeria has killed more than 27,000 people and left 1.8 million homeless, creating a humanitarian crisis.

But the government and military have repeatedly said the jihadists are weakened to the point of defeat, despite persistent hit-and-run raids and suicide bomb attacks.

Recent months have seen an increase in attacks against troops, blamed on or claimed by Boko Haram's Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction.

The IS-backed group is active in northern Yobe state and around the border with Borno while the faction led by Abubakar Shekau mostly operates east and south of Maiduguri.

One soldier was killed and 20 others wounded Saturday in a Boko Haram rocket attack in the northeast, just hours before voting began in Nigeria's presidential election, security sources said.

One soldier was killed and 20 others wounded Saturday in a Boko Haram rocket attack in the northeast, just hours before voting began in Nigeria's presidential election, security sources said. A civilian militia source in Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, told AFP "at least 13" blasts were heard throughout the city at dawn, some two hours before voting opened at 0700 GMT. Residents also reported hearing the explosions. "Boko Haram terrorists attempted to enter the city but were intercepted," a security source told AFP. "They resorted to firing RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) on the city. Attempts have been made to locate the source of the firing." A second source said one of the explosions occurred at the headquarters of the Nigerian Army 7th Division as troops were preparing to go out on operations. "One soldier was killed and 20 were injured. There were other explosions at Maimalari barracks but there was no casualty," he added. A fighter jet was seen flying over the city, and the source said troops were searching for the source of the fire. Three mortar shells fell into an open rice field in the Teachers Village camp for people displaced by the conflict but there were no immediate reports of casualties. But the army denied there had been any attack, saying the city was "calm and peaceful". Borno state police commissioner Damien Chukwu acknowledged the sound of gunfire but said it was "for security purposes", insisting there was "no threat to public peace and order". There have been growing fears of a major Boko Haram attack in the run-up to the election, given the jihadists' previous pledges to disrupt the poll. Maiduguri is the birthplace of Boko Haram and has been repeatedly attacked during its nearly 10-year insurgency that has devastated the remote region. Wave of attacks Voters were on Saturday casting their ballots in Nigeria's presidential election, with incumbent Muhammadu Buhari, a former army general who has vowed to defeat the jihadists, seeking a second term in office. At about the same time as they attacked Maiduguri, the jihadists also moved on Geidam, north of the Yobe state capital Damaturu, but were repelled by troops who were alerted by locals, security sources said. There were also clashes in Auno and Goniri, on both sides of the border between Borno and Yobe. Elsewhere in Borno, which has been worst hit by the conflict, Boko Haram fired rockets at the town of Gwoza, injuring three people and partially damaging a mosque. There was also an attack late on Friday on Zabarmari village, 10 kilometres (six miles) outside Maiduguri. In the Borno town of Gamboru, on the border with Cameroon, Chadian troops in about 50 vehicles, including tanks, arrived at about 11:30 am on Saturday, while voting was in progress. The Chadians are part of the regional force fighting Boko Haram. N'Djamena said on Friday night it had deployed more than 500 soldiers to support their Nigerian counterparts. Boko Haram's insurgency in northeast Nigeria has killed more than 27,000 people and left 1.8 million homeless, creating a humanitarian crisis. But the government and military have repeatedly said the jihadists are weakened to the point of defeat, despite persistent hit-and-run raids and suicide bomb attacks. Recent months have seen an increase in attacks against troops, blamed on or claimed by Boko Haram's Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction. The IS-backed group is active in northern Yobe state and around the border with Borno while the faction led by Abubakar Shekau mostly operates east and south of Maiduguri.

Boko Haram targets Nigeria troops in dawn raid on polling day

Over 30,000 people fled the Nigerian town of Rann and across the border to Cameroon over the weekend amid fears of renewed attacks by Boko Haram jihadists, the UN said Tuesday.

"All the population seems to be panicking and they are on the run as a preemptive measure to save their lives," UN refugee agency spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva.

Rann, near the border with Cameroon in northern Borno state, already saw an exodus of some 9,000 people earlier this month after a Boko Haram attack on January 14 left 14 people dead.

Baloch said that Cameroon had sent back the 9,000 refugees and had initially sent in troops that are part of a multinational task force to protect the town.

"It was a bit peaceful, but as far as we understand now, that multinational taskforce has left," he said.

Refugees had told aid workers that Boko Haram militants had "promised to return to Rann," he said, explaining the panic.

He said UNHCR was reiterating its call to Cameroonian authorities "to keep the borders open, as we see thousands fleeing every day."

Baloch said that a recent upsurge in violence in northeastern Nigeria had already driven more than 80,000 civilians to seek refuge in already crowded camps or in towns in Borno State, "where they are surviving in tough living conditions."

Rann, he said, had already been housing some 80,000 displaced people.

"The escalation in the conflict has thwarted people's intention of returning to their homes," he said, adding that some refugees who had attempted to return home from Cameroon had been displaced multiple times inside Nigeria or forced to become refugees again in Cameroon.

"The hostilities have strained humanitarian operations there and forced aid workers to pull out from some locations," he said.

Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency, meanwhile told reporters that we have "260 aid workers who were withdrawn from three locations in Borno state" since early December.

Over 30,000 people fled the Nigerian town of Rann and across the border to Cameroon over the weekend amid fears of renewed attacks by Boko Haram jihadists, the UN said Tuesday.

Over 30,000 people fled the Nigerian town of Rann and across the border to Cameroon over the weekend amid fears of renewed attacks by Boko Haram jihadists, the UN said Tuesday. "All the population seems to be panicking and they are on the run as a preemptive measure to save their lives," UN refugee agency spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters in Geneva. Rann, near the border with Cameroon in northern Borno state, already saw an exodus of some 9,000 people earlier this month after a Boko Haram attack on January 14 left 14 people dead. Baloch said that Cameroon had sent back the 9,000 refugees and had initially sent in troops that are part of a multinational task force to protect the town. "It was a bit peaceful, but as far as we understand now, that multinational taskforce has left," he said. Refugees had told aid workers that Boko Haram militants had "promised to return to Rann," he said, explaining the panic. He said UNHCR was reiterating its call to Cameroonian authorities "to keep the borders open, as we see thousands fleeing every day." Baloch said that a recent upsurge in violence in northeastern Nigeria had already driven more than 80,000 civilians to seek refuge in already crowded camps or in towns in Borno State, "where they are surviving in tough living conditions." Rann, he said, had already been housing some 80,000 displaced people. "The escalation in the conflict has thwarted people's intention of returning to their homes," he said, adding that some refugees who had attempted to return home from Cameroon had been displaced multiple times inside Nigeria or forced to become refugees again in Cameroon. "The hostilities have strained humanitarian operations there and forced aid workers to pull out from some locations," he said. Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN humanitarian agency, meanwhile told reporters that we have "260 aid workers who were withdrawn from three locations in Borno state" since early December.

30,000 fled Nigerian town in two days amid Boko Haram threat: UN

The Nigerian military on Friday lifted a suspension of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund activities in the northeast of the country, hours after it was imposed amid accusations that UNICEF staff spied for Islamist militants in the restive region.

Nigeria's northeast has been torn apart by a decade-long insurgency by Boko Haram and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa, in which more than 30,000 people have been killed and many more driven from their homes. With millions displaced, the northeast is largely dependent on international aid.

Earlier on Friday, the Nigerian military said UNICEF had been training people to sabotage troops' counter-insurgency efforts by uncovering alleged human rights abuses by the military.

In its statement, the Nigerian military said UNICEF staff "train and deploy spies who support the insurgents and their sympathisers".

These were "unwholesome practices that could further jeopardise the fight against terrorism and insurgency", it said, adding that UNICEF's operations were being suspended in the northeast until further notice.

But in a second statement hours later, the military said it held an emergency meeting with UNICEF representatives late on Friday.

"After extensive deliberations on the need to seek modalities to work harmoniously with the security agencies in the theatre of operation, the Theatre Command has henceforth lifted the three months suspension earlier imposed on UNICEF," the military said in its second statement.

In its second statement, the military said during the meeting it urged "UNICEF representatives to ensure they share information with relevant authorities whenever induction or training of new staff is being conducted in the theatre".

Earlier, after the allegation and suspension, a UNICEF spokeswoman said the organisation was "verifying the information".&nbsp;

In April, Nigeria's military declared three UNICEF employees "persona non grata", in connection with alleged leaks of information about soldiers sexually abusing children in the northeast, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The declaration was rescinded days later after pressure from diplomats, the sources said.

Nigeria's military is highly sensitive to allegations of human rights abuses.

The Nigerian military on Friday lifted a suspension of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund activities in the northeast of the country, hours after it was imposed amid accusations that UNICEF staff spied for Islamist militants in the restive region.

The Nigerian military on Friday lifted a suspension of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund activities in the northeast of the country, hours after it was imposed amid accusations that UNICEF staff spied for Islamist militants in the restive region. Nigeria's northeast has been torn apart by a decade-long insurgency by Boko Haram and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa, in which more than 30,000 people have been killed and many more driven from their homes. With millions displaced, the northeast is largely dependent on international aid. Earlier on Friday, the Nigerian military said UNICEF had been training people to sabotage troops' counter-insurgency efforts by uncovering alleged human rights abuses by the military. In its statement, the Nigerian military said UNICEF staff "train and deploy spies who support the insurgents and their sympathisers". These were "unwholesome practices that could further jeopardise the fight against terrorism and insurgency", it said, adding that UNICEF's operations were being suspended in the northeast until further notice. But in a second statement hours later, the military said it held an emergency meeting with UNICEF representatives late on Friday. "After extensive deliberations on the need to seek modalities to work harmoniously with the security agencies in the theatre of operation, the Theatre Command has henceforth lifted the three months suspension earlier imposed on UNICEF," the military said in its second statement. In its second statement, the military said during the meeting it urged "UNICEF representatives to ensure they share information with relevant authorities whenever induction or training of new staff is being conducted in the theatre". Earlier, after the allegation and suspension, a UNICEF spokeswoman said the organisation was "verifying the information". In April, Nigeria's military declared three UNICEF employees "persona non grata", in connection with alleged leaks of information about soldiers sexually abusing children in the northeast, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The declaration was rescinded days later after pressure from diplomats, the sources said. Nigeria's military is highly sensitive to allegations of human rights abuses.

Nigeria lifts UNICEF suspension hours after accusing staff of spying for Islamists

Nigerian soldiers intercepted a column of Boko Haram fighters on Friday near a military base in northeast Nigeria, triggering a fierce gun battle that killed three civilians, security sources told AFP.

A soldier was injured in the fight, which happened in Jakana village, some 30 kilometres (nearly 20 miles) from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. In July, jihadists raided the military base in Jakana and burnt down a police station.

About 80 people were killed in a previous attack on Jakana and nearby Mainok in March 2013.

On Saturday, military sources said the latest incident saw troops fight a two-hour battle with fighters from the Islamic State-backed Boko Haram faction from 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Friday.

"It was an intense fight. Our troops saw them passing near the village and confronted them," a senior military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"The terrorists were obviously heading toward the bush to congregate and launch an attack somewhere. One soldier was injured and three civilians caught up in the fight were killed."

A member of a civilian militia assisting the military with security said the jihadists fired at troops with anti-aircraft guns and rocket-propelled grenades.

"The terrorists did not intend to attack, they fought soldiers to defend themselves and escape," he added.

The fighting underlined the persistent threat to troops in the remote region, which has seen more than 20 attacks on military bases since July.

Two bases were attacked on Thursday and Friday in the Rann and Bama areas of Borno. Eight soldiers were killed in an attack last Saturday in the Yobe village of Buni Gari.

Most attacks on the military are blamed on, or claimed by, the self-styled Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Friday's fighting disrupted traffic along the main road between Maiduguri and the state capital of neighbouring Yobe state, Damaturu.

Boko Haram is active in the area and have on several occasions barricaded the road, killing motorists and burning vehicles.

Jakana lies near a route linking an ISWAP base in the Buni Yadi district of Yobe and its camps in the Konduga forest area of Borno.&nbsp;

Nigerian soldiers intercepted a column of Boko Haram fighters on Friday near a military base in northeast Nigeria, triggering a fierce gun battle that killed three civilians, security sources told AFP.

Nigerian soldiers intercepted a column of Boko Haram fighters on Friday near a military base in northeast Nigeria, triggering a fierce gun battle that killed three civilians, security sources told AFP. A soldier was injured in the fight, which happened in Jakana village, some 30 kilometres (nearly 20 miles) from the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. In July, jihadists raided the military base in Jakana and burnt down a police station. About 80 people were killed in a previous attack on Jakana and nearby Mainok in March 2013. On Saturday, military sources said the latest incident saw troops fight a two-hour battle with fighters from the Islamic State-backed Boko Haram faction from 6:00 pm (1700 GMT) on Friday. "It was an intense fight. Our troops saw them passing near the village and confronted them," a senior military officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. "The terrorists were obviously heading toward the bush to congregate and launch an attack somewhere. One soldier was injured and three civilians caught up in the fight were killed." A member of a civilian militia assisting the military with security said the jihadists fired at troops with anti-aircraft guns and rocket-propelled grenades. "The terrorists did not intend to attack, they fought soldiers to defend themselves and escape," he added. The fighting underlined the persistent threat to troops in the remote region, which has seen more than 20 attacks on military bases since July. Two bases were attacked on Thursday and Friday in the Rann and Bama areas of Borno. Eight soldiers were killed in an attack last Saturday in the Yobe village of Buni Gari. Most attacks on the military are blamed on, or claimed by, the self-styled Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Friday's fighting disrupted traffic along the main road between Maiduguri and the state capital of neighbouring Yobe state, Damaturu. Boko Haram is active in the area and have on several occasions barricaded the road, killing motorists and burning vehicles. Jakana lies near a route linking an ISWAP base in the Buni Yadi district of Yobe and its camps in the Konduga forest area of Borno.

Civilians killed as Nigerian troops fight Boko Haram at flashpoint village

Armed men kidnapped 15 girls overnight in southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday.&nbsp;

Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of Toumour in Niger`s Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about 9 km (6 miles) from the town centre.&nbsp;

On Thursday suspected Boko Haram fighters killed eight people working at French drilling company Foraco`s water well site in Toumour.

Boko Haram has been waging an insurrection since 2009 aimed at establishing an Islamic state in northeast Nigeria. It has launched repeated attacks into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The violence has killed thousands of civilians and forced millions to flee their homes in the large Lake Chad basin region.

Armed men kidnapped 15 girls overnight in southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday. Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of Toumour in Niger`s Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about 9 km (6 miles) from the town centre.

Armed men kidnapped 15 girls overnight in southeastern Niger, the local mayor said on Saturday. Boukar Mani Orthe, the mayor of Toumour in Niger`s Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, said about 50 unidentified armed men seized the girls in a village about 9 km (6 miles) from the town centre. On Thursday suspected Boko Haram fighters killed eight people working at French drilling company Foraco`s water well site in Toumour. Boko Haram has been waging an insurrection since 2009 aimed at establishing an Islamic state in northeast Nigeria. It has launched repeated attacks into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon. The violence has killed thousands of civilians and forced millions to flee their homes in the large Lake Chad basin region.

Armed men kidnap 15 girls in southeastern Niger: Mayor

Hundreds of villagers fled their homes in Nigeria's northeast late on Saturday after an attack by Islamist militants from the Boko Haram group, militia officials and witnesses said.

No casualties were reported but the raid highlighted fragile security in Nigeria's northeast, where the army is still battling to end a conflict that erupted in 2009.

Militants arrived in trucks in Jimmi, 5 km (3 miles) from Maiduguri city, and opened fire, setting homes ablaze and also attacking an informal refugee camp.&nbsp;

"Boko Haram terrorists this evening attacked Jimmi village," militia leader in Maiduguri Musa Ari said. "They burnt homes in Jimmi and tents in the camp."

Military authorities scrambled reinforcements and fighter jets to repel the attack, said militia leader Ibrahim Liman.

Panicked villagers from the area fled to nearby Maiduguri, capital of Borno state which along with neighbouring Yobe state has been at the centre of the jihadist insurgency.

"We left our village to escape Boko Haram who attacked our neighbours in Jimmi," said Bale-Shuwa village resident Suleiman Balarabe.

He said villagers saw military jets flying overhead towards Jimmi.

"The sounds of guns coming from Jimmi terrified us and made us leave our homes because we were afraid they were going to attack our neighbourhood," said Sanda Gini, a resident&nbsp;of Jiddari-Polo area on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

In April, scores of Boko Haram fighters launched a gun and suicide attack on Jiddari-Polo when they advanced on Giwa barracks where hundreds of their militant comrades are being detained.

Insurgents fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at troops before they were repelled with aerial support.

Despite government insistence Boko Haram jihadists are near defeat, in recent months the militant group has carried out major attacks on military targets, killing dozens.

Boko Haram's nine-year conflict has killed an estimated 27,000 people and displaced two million, creating a humanitarian crisis and spilling into Nigeria's northern neighbours.

Hundreds of villagers fled their homes in Nigeria's northeast late on Saturday after an attack by Islamist militants from the Boko Haram group, militia officials and witnesses said.

Hundreds of villagers fled their homes in Nigeria's northeast late on Saturday after an attack by Islamist militants from the Boko Haram group, militia officials and witnesses said. No casualties were reported but the raid highlighted fragile security in Nigeria's northeast, where the army is still battling to end a conflict that erupted in 2009. Militants arrived in trucks in Jimmi, 5 km (3 miles) from Maiduguri city, and opened fire, setting homes ablaze and also attacking an informal refugee camp. "Boko Haram terrorists this evening attacked Jimmi village," militia leader in Maiduguri Musa Ari said. "They burnt homes in Jimmi and tents in the camp." Military authorities scrambled reinforcements and fighter jets to repel the attack, said militia leader Ibrahim Liman. Panicked villagers from the area fled to nearby Maiduguri, capital of Borno state which along with neighbouring Yobe state has been at the centre of the jihadist insurgency. "We left our village to escape Boko Haram who attacked our neighbours in Jimmi," said Bale-Shuwa village resident Suleiman Balarabe. He said villagers saw military jets flying overhead towards Jimmi. "The sounds of guns coming from Jimmi terrified us and made us leave our homes because we were afraid they were going to attack our neighbourhood," said Sanda Gini, a resident of Jiddari-Polo area on the outskirts of Maiduguri. In April, scores of Boko Haram fighters launched a gun and suicide attack on Jiddari-Polo when they advanced on Giwa barracks where hundreds of their militant comrades are being detained. Insurgents fired automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades at troops before they were repelled with aerial support. Despite government insistence Boko Haram jihadists are near defeat, in recent months the militant group has carried out major attacks on military targets, killing dozens. Boko Haram's nine-year conflict has killed an estimated 27,000 people and displaced two million, creating a humanitarian crisis and spilling into Nigeria's northern neighbours.

Hundreds flee after Boko Haram militant raid in northeast Nigeria

Over two dozens were killed in a twin attack that jolted Nigeria on Tuesday.

The attacks that killed at least 27 and injured about 56 were carried out by two suicide bombers.

One of the blasts took place in Nigeria's Mubi town in Adamawa inside a mosque, while the other&nbsp;bomber exploded the explosive 200 metres outside the same mosque.&nbsp;

The blast is reportedly&nbsp;planted by the Islamist group Boko Haram who is&nbsp;frequently involved in carrying out bombs attacks&nbsp;in various parts of Africa.

Boka Haram has waged an insurgency war against Africa's most populous country since 2009.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(With inputs from Reuters)

One of the blasts took place in Nigeria's Mubi town in Adamawa inside a mosque, while the other bomber exploded the explosive 200 metres outside the same mosque

Over two dozens were killed in a twin attack that jolted Nigeria on Tuesday. The attacks that killed at least 27 and injured about 56 were carried out by two suicide bombers. One of the blasts took place in Nigeria's Mubi town in Adamawa inside a mosque, while the other bomber exploded the explosive 200 metres outside the same mosque. The blast is reportedly planted by the Islamist group Boko Haram who is frequently involved in carrying out bombs attacks in various parts of Africa. Boka Haram has waged an insurgency war against Africa's most populous country since 2009. (With inputs from Reuters)

Twin blasts shock Nigeria, 27 killed

US forces concluded a nine-day military exercise "Flintlock 2018" in Niger aimed at stopping the spread of extremist organizations in the continent.

Reuters quoted colonel Craig Miller, US Air Force special operations Command Africa, saying: "Under-governed spaces might provide an opportunity and certainly that's something that our African partners are concerned about and we are trying to assist them in understanding the human dynamics." &nbsp;

A multinational headquarters was put up&nbsp;in Agadez, Niger to set the exercise in motion which was attended by forces from Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

"We are working by, with and through our African partners to build stability, to provide some training and to help them conduct operations against the violent extremist organizations that are operating inside their territory," Craig Miller told Reuters.

Two US soldiers were killed in Tongo last year after an ambush by Islamic State-linked organization.

The US has ramped up its presence in Niger in order to stop the extremist&nbsp;group from mushrooming in Africa where Islamic State, Boko Haram and AQUIM regularly hit civilian targets.

The US has ramped up its presence in Niger in order to stop the extremist group from mushrooming in Africa where Islamic State, Boko Haram and AQUIM regularly hit civilian targets.

US forces concluded a nine-day military exercise "Flintlock 2018" in Niger aimed at stopping the spread of extremist organizations in the continent. Reuters quoted colonel Craig Miller, US Air Force special operations Command Africa, saying: "Under-governed spaces might provide an opportunity and certainly that's something that our African partners are concerned about and we are trying to assist them in understanding the human dynamics." A multinational headquarters was put up in Agadez, Niger to set the exercise in motion which was attended by forces from Niger, Burkina Faso and Senegal. "We are working by, with and through our African partners to build stability, to provide some training and to help them conduct operations against the violent extremist organizations that are operating inside their territory," Craig Miller told Reuters. Two US soldiers were killed in Tongo last year after an ambush by Islamic State-linked organization. The US has ramped up its presence in Niger in order to stop the extremist group from mushrooming in Africa where Islamic State, Boko Haram and AQUIM regularly hit civilian targets.

Watch: US army exercises in Africa aims to combat extremists

More than a dozen people were killed in a clash between suspected Boko Haram militants and Nigerian soldiers in Northern Nigeria.

Reportedly around 18 militants including suicide bombers, mortars and gunmen targeted two villages namely Bale Shuwa and Alkaranti and a military base near the city of Maiduguri, in Borno State.

A cross-firing took place between the soldiers and the militants which reportedly left 14 civilians and a soldier dead.

Further 83 others sustained injuries in the attack.

As per the government statement, it was the largest attack since it initiated bilateral talks with the Islamist militants to consider a proposed peace process.

Further 83 others sustained injuries in the attack

More than a dozen people were killed in a clash between suspected Boko Haram militants and Nigerian soldiers in Northern Nigeria. Reportedly around 18 militants including suicide bombers, mortars and gunmen targeted two villages namely Bale Shuwa and Alkaranti and a military base near the city of Maiduguri, in Borno State. A cross-firing took place between the soldiers and the militants which reportedly left 14 civilians and a soldier dead. Further 83 others sustained injuries in the attack. As per the government statement, it was the largest attack since it initiated bilateral talks with the Islamist militants to consider a proposed peace process.

14 civilians killed in clash between Nigerian Army, Boko Haram militants

Four teenage girl suicide bombers have killed two people in multiple attacks in northeast Nigeria, residents said today, in the latest assault since the government announced it was in ceasefire talks with Boko Haram.

The suspected Boko Haram attack took place late Friday in the northeast Borno state capital of Maiduguri, the epicentre of the group's Islamist insurgency.

The girls, estimated to be between the ages of 13 and 18, attacked the Zawuya settlement on the outskirts of Maiduguri, killing two people, residents told AFP.

"We lost two people, a woman and a boy, in two of the four suicide explosions," Zawuya resident Musa Haruna Isa said.

One of the bombers blew up while trying to scale a low mud wall outside a house that starting crumbling and detonated her explosive belt, killing the boy, Isa said.

"One of them exploded near an open-air mosque, injuring one person," he said, adding that another bomber "panicked from the explosions from her colleagues and squeezed the trigger in the open, killing only herself."

However, police said that just one person died in the attack.

"They (bombers) detonated the explosives killing themselves and one other person... 13 persons were injured and were taken to a hospital where they are responding to treatment," Maiduguri police said in a statement.

The attack highlighted the challenge the government faces in reaching a ceasefire agreement with the fractionalised Boko Haram.

Last week, when more than 100 schoolgirls were returned to Dapchi after being kidnapped by the jihadist group, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said his government was offering amnesty to "repentant" jihadists.

But senior security officials cautioned that reaching any agreement with the group will be difficult, as it is split into competing factions with different goals.

The Islamic State-affiliated faction reportedly in talks with the government is led by Abu Mus'ab al-Barnawi and is known for attacks on military targets, while another faction led by Abubakar Shekau is notorious for suicide bombings killing civilians.

Zawuya, a settlement of people displaced by Boko Haram mostly from Rann, a town on the remote northeast border with Cameroon, lies close to the Muna Garage area, home to some 40,000 internally displaced people.

Both camps have been repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram attacks.&nbsp

Four teenage girl suicide bombers have killed two people in multiple attacks in northeast Nigeria, residents said today, in the latest assault since the government announced it was in ceasefire talks with Boko Haram

Four teenage girl suicide bombers have killed two people in multiple attacks in northeast Nigeria, residents said today, in the latest assault since the government announced it was in ceasefire talks with Boko Haram. The suspected Boko Haram attack took place late Friday in the northeast Borno state capital of Maiduguri, the epicentre of the group's Islamist insurgency. The girls, estimated to be between the ages of 13 and 18, attacked the Zawuya settlement on the outskirts of Maiduguri, killing two people, residents told AFP. "We lost two people, a woman and a boy, in two of the four suicide explosions," Zawuya resident Musa Haruna Isa said. One of the bombers blew up while trying to scale a low mud wall outside a house that starting crumbling and detonated her explosive belt, killing the boy, Isa said. "One of them exploded near an open-air mosque, injuring one person," he said, adding that another bomber "panicked from the explosions from her colleagues and squeezed the trigger in the open, killing only herself." However, police said that just one person died in the attack. "They (bombers) detonated the explosives killing themselves and one other person... 13 persons were injured and were taken to a hospital where they are responding to treatment," Maiduguri police said in a statement. The attack highlighted the challenge the government faces in reaching a ceasefire agreement with the fractionalised Boko Haram. Last week, when more than 100 schoolgirls were returned to Dapchi after being kidnapped by the jihadist group, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said his government was offering amnesty to "repentant" jihadists. But senior security officials cautioned that reaching any agreement with the group will be difficult, as it is split into competing factions with different goals. The Islamic State-affiliated faction reportedly in talks with the government is led by Abu Mus'ab al-Barnawi and is known for attacks on military targets, while another faction led by Abubakar Shekau is notorious for suicide bombings killing civilians. Zawuya, a settlement of people displaced by Boko Haram mostly from Rann, a town on the remote northeast border with Cameroon, lies close to the Muna Garage area, home to some 40,000 internally displaced people. Both camps have been repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram attacks.

Four teen girl suicide bombers launch deadly attack in Nigeria

Nigeria`s government is in talks with Islamist militant group Boko Haram about a possible ceasefire with the ultimate aim of securing a permanent cessation of hostilities, the country`s information minister said on Sunday.

It is the first time in years the government has said it is talking to Boko Haram about a ceasefire in an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people since 2009. President Muhammadu Buhari`s administration has repeatedly said it is willing to hold talks with the group.

"Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now," said Information Minister Lai Mohammed in an emailed statement outlining the background to the release of more than 100 schoolgirls freed last week by the group.

They had been kidnapped on Feb. 19 from the northeastern town of Dapchi. The kidnap of about 110 schoolgirls was the biggest mass abduction since around 270 girls were taken from the northeastern town of Chibok, in 2014.

Boko Haram fighters stunned Dapchi`s residents on Wednesday when they drove into the town and released the girls, who said five of their group had died in captivity and one had not been freed. 
Mohammed said a week-long ceasefire, starting on March 19, had been agreed to enable the group to drop off the girls. Mohammed said 111 girls were taken from the school - one more than previously thought - and six remained unaccounted for.

The freed girls were returned home to Dapchi on Sunday after meeting Buhari in the capital, Abuja, last week, according to the parents of at least two girls.

FACTIONS

"We were able to leverage on the wider talks when the Dapchi girls were abducted," said Mohammed.

"The ultimate aim is the permanent cessation of hostilities," he later told Reuters by telephone. A presidential spokesman declined to comment. A spokeswoman who purportedly represents the insurgents could not immediately be reached.

Boko Haram aims to create an Islamic state. Its campaign has spread to neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger but the group has been severely weakened in recent years by regional military pressure and it has lost most of the territory it once held.

Antony Goldman, of Nigeria-focused PM Consulting, said it would be difficult to negotiate with the group due to its divisions.

Boko Haram split when Islamic State named Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the group`s leader in August 2016. The other main division is led by Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram`s most recognizable figure. He is known for videos taunting Nigerian authorities and his faction uses girls as suicide bombers.

"There are many factions, some of which have committed terrible atrocities and have a world vision incompatible with the rule of law and constitutional democracy - but other elements may be ready to settle," said Goldman.

Security is a politically sensitive issue ahead of an election next February because Buhari was elected in 2015 in part because of his promise to improve security. For years he has said Boko Haram is defeated.

Nigeria has also seen several recent outbreaks of communal violence and it is trying to maintain a fragile peace in the Niger Delta where militant attacks on oil facilities helped push Africa`s biggest economy into a recession in 2016.

Buhari has in the last few weeks toured areas hit by security problems but has not said if he will seek re-election.

It is the first time in years the government has said it is talking to Boko Haram about a ceasefire in an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people since 2009.

Nigeria`s government is in talks with Islamist militant group Boko Haram about a possible ceasefire with the ultimate aim of securing a permanent cessation of hostilities, the country`s information minister said on Sunday. It is the first time in years the government has said it is talking to Boko Haram about a ceasefire in an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people since 2009. President Muhammadu Buhari`s administration has repeatedly said it is willing to hold talks with the group. "Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now," said Information Minister Lai Mohammed in an emailed statement outlining the background to the release of more than 100 schoolgirls freed last week by the group. They had been kidnapped on Feb. 19 from the northeastern town of Dapchi. The kidnap of about 110 schoolgirls was the biggest mass abduction since around 270 girls were taken from the northeastern town of Chibok, in 2014. Boko Haram fighters stunned Dapchi`s residents on Wednesday when they drove into the town and released the girls, who said five of their group had died in captivity and one had not been freed. Mohammed said a week-long ceasefire, starting on March 19, had been agreed to enable the group to drop off the girls. Mohammed said 111 girls were taken from the school - one more than previously thought - and six remained unaccounted for. The freed girls were returned home to Dapchi on Sunday after meeting Buhari in the capital, Abuja, last week, according to the parents of at least two girls. FACTIONS "We were able to leverage on the wider talks when the Dapchi girls were abducted," said Mohammed. "The ultimate aim is the permanent cessation of hostilities," he later told Reuters by telephone. A presidential spokesman declined to comment. A spokeswoman who purportedly represents the insurgents could not immediately be reached. Boko Haram aims to create an Islamic state. Its campaign has spread to neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger but the group has been severely weakened in recent years by regional military pressure and it has lost most of the territory it once held. Antony Goldman, of Nigeria-focused PM Consulting, said it would be difficult to negotiate with the group due to its divisions. Boko Haram split when Islamic State named Abu Musab al-Barnawi as the group`s leader in August 2016. The other main division is led by Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram`s most recognizable figure. He is known for videos taunting Nigerian authorities and his faction uses girls as suicide bombers. "There are many factions, some of which have committed terrible atrocities and have a world vision incompatible with the rule of law and constitutional democracy - but other elements may be ready to settle," said Goldman. Security is a politically sensitive issue ahead of an election next February because Buhari was elected in 2015 in part because of his promise to improve security. For years he has said Boko Haram is defeated. Nigeria has also seen several recent outbreaks of communal violence and it is trying to maintain a fragile peace in the Niger Delta where militant attacks on oil facilities helped push Africa`s biggest economy into a recession in 2016. Buhari has in the last few weeks toured areas hit by security problems but has not said if he will seek re-election.

Nigeria talking to Boko Haram about possible ceasefire

Nigeria&#39;s government is in talks with Islamist militant group Boko Haram about a possible ceasefire and the talks have gone on for some time, the information minister said on Sunday.

&quot;Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now,&quot; said Lai Mohammed in a statement emailed to Reuters about the background to the release on Wednesday of more than 100 schoolgirls that the group abducted last month.

Nigeria&#39;s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has been meeting more than 100 girls after their dramatic release this week by Boko Haram,&nbsp;a month after they were abducted from their boarding school dormitories in the town of Dapchi in the northeast.

Earlier Buhari&#39;s government said it would pursue negotiations with &mdash; rather than a military offensive against &mdash; Boko Haram to try to secure the girls&#39; freedom. This shift in policy comes a year before key elections in Nigeria and public opinion is crucial, though Buhari has not indicated whether he will seek a second term.

The schoolgirls kidnapped by the Boko Haram jihadist group in Dapchi, northeastern Nigeria, on February 19 and released this week were reunited with their families on Sunday, an AFP journalist saw. 
 
The 105 girls arrived at around 2:30 pm local time (1330 GMT) aboard five buses escorted by the Nigerian army to Dapchi, in Yobe state, where they were greeted by their parents after spending three days with the authorities in the national capital Abuja. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

'Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now,' said Lai Mohammed

Nigeria's government is in talks with Islamist militant group Boko Haram about a possible ceasefire and the talks have gone on for some time, the information minister said on Sunday. "Unknown to many, we have been in wider cessation-of-hostility talks with the insurgents for some time now," said Lai Mohammed in a statement emailed to Reuters about the background to the release on Wednesday of more than 100 schoolgirls that the group abducted last month. Nigeria's president, Muhammadu Buhari, has been meeting more than 100 girls after their dramatic release this week by Boko Haram, a month after they were abducted from their boarding school dormitories in the town of Dapchi in the northeast. Earlier Buhari's government said it would pursue negotiations with — rather than a military offensive against — Boko Haram to try to secure the girls' freedom. This shift in policy comes a year before key elections in Nigeria and public opinion is crucial, though Buhari has not indicated whether he will seek a second term. The schoolgirls kidnapped by the Boko Haram jihadist group in Dapchi, northeastern Nigeria, on February 19 and released this week were reunited with their families on Sunday, an AFP journalist saw. The 105 girls arrived at around 2:30 pm local time (1330 GMT) aboard five buses escorted by the Nigerian army to Dapchi, in Yobe state, where they were greeted by their parents after spending three days with the authorities in the national capital Abuja. (With inputs from agencies)

Nigeria in talks with Boko Haram about a possible ceasefire

No ransom was paid for the release of scores of Nigerian schoolgirls by Islamist militants on Wednesday, Nigeria&#39;s information minister said.

&quot;No ransom was paid to them to effect this release. The only condition they gave us is not to release (the girls) to the military but release them in the town of Dapchi without the military presence,&quot; Information Minister Lai Mohammed told Reuters in Abuja.

Boko Haram insurgents freed the students in the northeastern town of Dapchi, from where 110 girls were taken on February 19 in the biggest mass abduction since Chibok in 2014, witnesses told.

Some of the released students said five of their friends had died in captivity and another was still being held.

The fighters from the Boko Haram group, some of them shouting `God is greatest`, drove the girls back into the northeast town of Dapchi in a line of trucks in the morning, dropped them off then left, witnesses told.

&quot;Five among us taken away were dead. One is still with them because she is a Christian,&quot; one of the freed girls, Khadija Grema, told.

Dapchi resident Muhammad Bursari said his niece Hadiza Muhammed, another of the freed girls, told him the remaining student was still in captivity because she had refused to convert to Islam.

Witnesses said more than 100 of the 110 girls seized in Dapchi on February 19 were returned, though the government issued a statement saying 76 girls had been freed in an &quot;ongoing process&quot;.

Nigeria had secured the release &quot;through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country,&quot; Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said in a statement, without elaborating.

&quot;For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option,&quot; he said.

The kidnapping of the girls aged 11-19 was the biggest mass abduction since Boko Haram took more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in 2014 - a case that triggered international outrage.

There were no immediate details from the government or from Boko Haram on why the girls were taken. Commentators feared the Dapchi girls had been taken for ransom after Boko Haram received millions of euros for the release of some of the Chibok girls last year.

The Dapchi abduction has piled pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power in 2015 promising to crack down on Boko Haram`s nine-year-old insurgency and could face the voters again next year.

Mohammed Dala said he had found his 12-year-old daughter in a crowd of the girls in the centre of town.

&quot;Some motors painted in military colour came with our girls,&quot; he told. &quot;They (the militants) ... said we should not flee. They dropped the girls at the centre of town, near Ali`s tea shop. I found my daughter and left.&quot;

Most of the other girls were taken to a hospital guarded by the military, witnesses said.

Boko Haram insurgents freed the students in the northeastern town of Dapchi, from where 110 girls were taken on February 19

No ransom was paid for the release of scores of Nigerian schoolgirls by Islamist militants on Wednesday, Nigeria's information minister said. "No ransom was paid to them to effect this release. The only condition they gave us is not to release (the girls) to the military but release them in the town of Dapchi without the military presence," Information Minister Lai Mohammed told Reuters in Abuja. Boko Haram insurgents freed the students in the northeastern town of Dapchi, from where 110 girls were taken on February 19 in the biggest mass abduction since Chibok in 2014, witnesses told. Some of the released students said five of their friends had died in captivity and another was still being held. The fighters from the Boko Haram group, some of them shouting `God is greatest`, drove the girls back into the northeast town of Dapchi in a line of trucks in the morning, dropped them off then left, witnesses told. "Five among us taken away were dead. One is still with them because she is a Christian," one of the freed girls, Khadija Grema, told. Dapchi resident Muhammad Bursari said his niece Hadiza Muhammed, another of the freed girls, told him the remaining student was still in captivity because she had refused to convert to Islam. Witnesses said more than 100 of the 110 girls seized in Dapchi on February 19 were returned, though the government issued a statement saying 76 girls had been freed in an "ongoing process". Nigeria had secured the release "through back-channel efforts and with the help of some friends of the country," Lai Mohammed, minister of information, said in a statement, without elaborating. "For the release to work, the government had a clear understanding that violence and confrontation would not be the way out as it could endanger the lives of the girls, hence a non-violent approach was the preferred option," he said. The kidnapping of the girls aged 11-19 was the biggest mass abduction since Boko Haram took more than 270 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in 2014 - a case that triggered international outrage. There were no immediate details from the government or from Boko Haram on why the girls were taken. Commentators feared the Dapchi girls had been taken for ransom after Boko Haram received millions of euros for the release of some of the Chibok girls last year. The Dapchi abduction has piled pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari, who came to power in 2015 promising to crack down on Boko Haram`s nine-year-old insurgency and could face the voters again next year. Mohammed Dala said he had found his 12-year-old daughter in a crowd of the girls in the centre of town. "Some motors painted in military colour came with our girls," he told. "They (the militants) ... said we should not flee. They dropped the girls at the centre of town, near Ali`s tea shop. I found my daughter and left." Most of the other girls were taken to a hospital guarded by the military, witnesses said.

No ransom paid for release of school girls: Nigerian information minister

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