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

Nigeria is suffering its worst outbreak of Lassa fever, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, as local health officials said 72 people had died since the start of this year.

&quot;Nigeria&#39;s Lassa fever outbreak has reached record highs, with 317 laboratory-confirmed cases,&quot; the WHO said in a statement, quoting figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Lassa fever, named after the town in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969, is endemic but the number of confirmed cases &quot;has never reached&quot; this level before, it added.

But in an update, the NCDC said: &quot;Since the onset of 2018, 325 cases have been classified as 317 confirmed cases, eight probable cases with 72 deaths.&quot; Fourteen health workers have been affected by the virus in six states.

The WHO said a total of 2,845 people who have come into contact with patients have been identified and were being monitored.&nbsp;

Worst-hit by the virus is Edo state, in the south, where Crusoe Osagie, a media aide to the state government, said mostly rural areas were affected.

&quot;Edo state is the only state with Lagos to have a special treating hospital for this disease, which is in Irrua,&quot; he told AFP. &quot;People come here from all over. &quot;

The federal-owned facility usually deals with about a hundred cases each year but has already handled that number in the last two months, he added.

WHO said it was supporting the NCDC effort to contain the disease and treat those affected in treatment centres across the country.

&quot;The ability to rapidly detect cases of infection in the community and refer them early for treatment improves patients&#39;&nbsp;chances of survival and is critical to this response,&quot; said the world body&#39;s representative in Nigeria, Wondimagegnehu Alemu.

Lassa fever is spread through contact with food or items contaminated with rats&#39;&nbsp;urine or faeces or after coming into direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person.&nbsp;

It can be prevented by enhanced hygiene and avoidance of all contact with rats.

More than 100 people were killed in 2016 in an outbreak affecting 14 of the 36 states, including Lagos and the capital Abuja.

It can be prevented by enhanced hygiene and avoidance of all contact with rats

Nigeria is suffering its worst outbreak of Lassa fever, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, as local health officials said 72 people had died since the start of this year. "Nigeria's Lassa fever outbreak has reached record highs, with 317 laboratory-confirmed cases," the WHO said in a statement, quoting figures from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Lassa fever, named after the town in northern Nigeria where it was first identified in 1969, is endemic but the number of confirmed cases "has never reached" this level before, it added. But in an update, the NCDC said: "Since the onset of 2018, 325 cases have been classified as 317 confirmed cases, eight probable cases with 72 deaths." Fourteen health workers have been affected by the virus in six states. The WHO said a total of 2,845 people who have come into contact with patients have been identified and were being monitored. Worst-hit by the virus is Edo state, in the south, where Crusoe Osagie, a media aide to the state government, said mostly rural areas were affected. "Edo state is the only state with Lagos to have a special treating hospital for this disease, which is in Irrua," he told AFP. "People come here from all over. " The federal-owned facility usually deals with about a hundred cases each year but has already handled that number in the last two months, he added. WHO said it was supporting the NCDC effort to contain the disease and treat those affected in treatment centres across the country. "The ability to rapidly detect cases of infection in the community and refer them early for treatment improves patients' chances of survival and is critical to this response," said the world body's representative in Nigeria, Wondimagegnehu Alemu. Lassa fever is spread through contact with food or items contaminated with rats' urine or faeces or after coming into direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. It can be prevented by enhanced hygiene and avoidance of all contact with rats. More than 100 people were killed in 2016 in an outbreak affecting 14 of the 36 states, including Lagos and the capital Abuja.

Record highs in Nigeria Lassa fever outbreak: World Health Organisation

The Nigerian military rescued 76 schoolgirls and recovered the bodies of two others on Wednesday, after the students went missing during a Boko Haram attack on a village, three parents, a resident and a local government official said.

More than 90 schoolgirls were feared missing after the attack on the village of Dapchi in the northeastern state of Yobe, sources said on Wednesday.

Reuters was unable to determine the situation of the remaining missing students.

Weapon of war 
 
Boko Haram has seized thousands of women and young girls, as well as men and boys of fighting age during the conflict, which has left at least 20,000 dead since 2009. 
 
Some 300 children were among 500 people abducted from the town of Damasak in November 2014. 
 
Getting accurate information from the remote northeast remains difficult. The army still largely controls access and infrastructure has been devastated by nine years of conflict. 
 
In Chibok, the military initially claimed the students had all been found but was forced to backtrack when parents and the school principal said otherwise. 
 
As the issue gained world attention, spawning the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, the then president Goodluck Jonathan was increasingly criticised for his lacklustre response. 
 
The mass abduction and Jonathan&#39;s handling of it was&nbsp;seen as contributing to his 2015 election defeat to Muhammadu Buhari, who promised to bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end. 
 
But despite Buhari&#39;s repeated claims the group is weakened to the point of defeat, civilians remain vulnerable to suicide attacks and hit-and-run raids in the remote northeast.

Security analysts said&nbsp;on Tuesday that government ransom payments to secure the release of the Chibok girls could have given the under-pressure group ideas for financing.

&quot;They need money for arms, ammunition, vehicles, to keep their army of fighters moving across the borders,&quot; said Amaechi Nwokolo, from the Roman Institute of International Studies.

&quot;They&#39;re spending a lot of money on arms and logistics.&quot;

(With inputs from Agencies)

Islamist terrorists stormed the Government Girls Science Secondary School in Dapchi, Yobe state, on Monday evening

The Nigerian military rescued 76 schoolgirls and recovered the bodies of two others on Wednesday, after the students went missing during a Boko Haram attack on a village, three parents, a resident and a local government official said. More than 90 schoolgirls were feared missing after the attack on the village of Dapchi in the northeastern state of Yobe, sources said on Wednesday. Reuters was unable to determine the situation of the remaining missing students. Weapon of war Boko Haram has seized thousands of women and young girls, as well as men and boys of fighting age during the conflict, which has left at least 20,000 dead since 2009. Some 300 children were among 500 people abducted from the town of Damasak in November 2014. Getting accurate information from the remote northeast remains difficult. The army still largely controls access and infrastructure has been devastated by nine years of conflict. In Chibok, the military initially claimed the students had all been found but was forced to backtrack when parents and the school principal said otherwise. As the issue gained world attention, spawning the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, the then president Goodluck Jonathan was increasingly criticised for his lacklustre response. The mass abduction and Jonathan's handling of it was seen as contributing to his 2015 election defeat to Muhammadu Buhari, who promised to bring the Boko Haram insurgency to an end. But despite Buhari's repeated claims the group is weakened to the point of defeat, civilians remain vulnerable to suicide attacks and hit-and-run raids in the remote northeast. Security analysts said on Tuesday that government ransom payments to secure the release of the Chibok girls could have given the under-pressure group ideas for financing. "They need money for arms, ammunition, vehicles, to keep their army of fighters moving across the borders," said Amaechi Nwokolo, from the Roman Institute of International Studies. "They're spending a lot of money on arms and logistics." (With inputs from Agencies)

Nigeria rescues 76 schoolgirls after Boko Haram attack, others missing

Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in northeast Nigeria, shortly after another bomber killed four at a displaced persons&#39; camp, an emergency services official said on Thursday.

The failed mission at Mandarari village, near the town of Konduga in Borno state, and the successful attack just outside the state capital, Maiduguri, both came after ramped-up military action against Boko Haram Islamists.

Nigeria&#39;s military announced in late 2016 that it had cleared the jihadists&#39; Sambisa Forest stronghold but they are said to have since returned.

The head of the Borno state emergency management agency, Ahmed Satomi, said soldiers and civilian militia intercepted two women at Mandarari at about 9:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Wednesday.

&quot;The women detonated their explosives, killing themselves, having realised they had been uncovered,&quot; he said.

About 45 minutes earlier, a male suicide bomber scaled a rear fence at the Dalori camp on the outskirts of Maiduguri and blew himself up. As well as the four who died, 44 were injured.

Shortly afterwards, a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives outside the camp, killing only herself, said Idris Garga, head of Nigeria&#39;s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the northeast.

Satomi said: &quot;The failed suicide attack (at Mandarari) and the one at Dalori IDP camp are clearly the work of Boko Haram.

&quot;They are trying to hit back as a result of the pressure the military has exerted on them in the current military operations against them in Sambisa forest.

&quot;This is why we emphasised the need for people to be vigilant and keep an eye on strange faces coming into their communities as Boko Haram insurgents are trying to attack civilian targets in response to the losses they suffer in the hands of the military.&quot;

The conflict, which began in 2009, has killed at least 20,000 and left more than 2.6 million others homeless.

Nigeria&#39;s military and government maintain the Islamic State group affiliate is a spent force but there has been little let up in violence.

The BBC said in data published last week that the group killed at least 967 people in 150 attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger in 2017, up on 2016 when 910 deaths were reported in 127 attacks.

Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in northeast Nigeria, shortly after another bomber killed four at a displaced persons' camp, an emergency services official said on Thursday

Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up in northeast Nigeria, shortly after another bomber killed four at a displaced persons' camp, an emergency services official said on Thursday. The failed mission at Mandarari village, near the town of Konduga in Borno state, and the successful attack just outside the state capital, Maiduguri, both came after ramped-up military action against Boko Haram Islamists. Nigeria's military announced in late 2016 that it had cleared the jihadists' Sambisa Forest stronghold but they are said to have since returned. The head of the Borno state emergency management agency, Ahmed Satomi, said soldiers and civilian militia intercepted two women at Mandarari at about 9:00 pm (2000 GMT) on Wednesday. "The women detonated their explosives, killing themselves, having realised they had been uncovered," he said. About 45 minutes earlier, a male suicide bomber scaled a rear fence at the Dalori camp on the outskirts of Maiduguri and blew himself up. As well as the four who died, 44 were injured. Shortly afterwards, a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives outside the camp, killing only herself, said Idris Garga, head of Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the northeast. Satomi said: "The failed suicide attack (at Mandarari) and the one at Dalori IDP camp are clearly the work of Boko Haram. "They are trying to hit back as a result of the pressure the military has exerted on them in the current military operations against them in Sambisa forest. "This is why we emphasised the need for people to be vigilant and keep an eye on strange faces coming into their communities as Boko Haram insurgents are trying to attack civilian targets in response to the losses they suffer in the hands of the military." The conflict, which began in 2009, has killed at least 20,000 and left more than 2.6 million others homeless. Nigeria's military and government maintain the Islamic State group affiliate is a spent force but there has been little let up in violence. The BBC said in data published last week that the group killed at least 967 people in 150 attacks in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger in 2017, up on 2016 when 910 deaths were reported in 127 attacks.

Suicide bombers target NE Nigeria in Boko Haram 'fight-back'

Gunmen killed at least 14 churchgoers returning from a midnight service on Monday in Nigeria&#39;s Rivers State, a police source told AFP, the latest violence to hit the oil-rich region.

&quot;The gunmen opened fire on a set of worshippers at about 12:30 am on Monday,&quot; said Ugochi Olugbo, a relative of one of the victims who were attending a New Year&#39;s Eve service.

The shooting took place in the town of Omoku about 90 kilometres (56 miles) from the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt.

&quot;Fourteen persons died on the spot, while 12 who sustained gunshot wounds were rushed to the hospital and are receiving medical attention,&quot; said a police source who asked to remain anonymous.

Rivers State police public relations officer Nnamdi Omoni said the number of casualties could not be confirmed at the moment.

&quot;The commissioner of police, Ahmed Zaki, has also launched a manhunt for the bandits to ensure they are arrested and prosecuted,&quot; Omoni said.

Rivers State, a region blighted by poverty despite a wealth of oil, is home to several powerful gangs that often engage in violent turf wars.&nbsp;

Such gangs, known as &quot;cults&quot; in Nigeria, began as university confraternities decades ago before evolving into powerful armed groups that now rule the streets of the destitute region.

The churchgoers were returning from a midnight service in Nigeria's Rivers State

Gunmen killed at least 14 churchgoers returning from a midnight service on Monday in Nigeria's Rivers State, a police source told AFP, the latest violence to hit the oil-rich region. "The gunmen opened fire on a set of worshippers at about 12:30 am on Monday," said Ugochi Olugbo, a relative of one of the victims who were attending a New Year's Eve service. The shooting took place in the town of Omoku about 90 kilometres (56 miles) from the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt. "Fourteen persons died on the spot, while 12 who sustained gunshot wounds were rushed to the hospital and are receiving medical attention," said a police source who asked to remain anonymous. Rivers State police public relations officer Nnamdi Omoni said the number of casualties could not be confirmed at the moment. "The commissioner of police, Ahmed Zaki, has also launched a manhunt for the bandits to ensure they are arrested and prosecuted," Omoni said. Rivers State, a region blighted by poverty despite a wealth of oil, is home to several powerful gangs that often engage in violent turf wars. Such gangs, known as "cults" in Nigeria, began as university confraternities decades ago before evolving into powerful armed groups that now rule the streets of the destitute region.

Gunmen kill 14 churchgoers in Nigeria shooting

It has been ranked among the happiest places in the world despite widespread unrest, political crisis, and recession. Now one Nigerian state has a minister in charge of contentment.

The commissioner for happiness and couples&#39; fulfilment is the brainchild of Rochas Okorocha, governor of the southeastern state of Imo.

Okorocha, who was previously widely criticised for using public funds to erect statues of prominent African leaders, on Monday appointed his sister to the post.

Ogechi Ololo now takes up the first such portfolio in Nigeria. She previously served as Okorocha&#39;s deputy chief of staff and special adviser on domestic matters, in charge of Christmas decorations.

The governor&#39;s spokesman, Sam Onwuemeodo, could not provide exact details of Ololo&#39;s responsibilities when contacted by AFP Tuesday, but said: &quot;There is nothing unusual about the appointment&quot;.

&quot;The governor is a man of ideas, always introducing new things to governance.&quot;

The commissioner&#39;s job &quot;is an innovation that should be copied by other governors,&quot; he added. He &quot;wants to always make the people happy. That&#39;s why he has created a ministry for that purpose.&quot;

The remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is known for measuring its success by Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product.

Criteria taken into account include psychological well-being, health, education, vitality in the community and the living standards enjoyed by the population.

Okorocha, a leading member in President Muhammadu Buhari&#39;s All Progressives Congress party, is one of Nigeria&#39;s best-known but also controversial state governors.

He has been accused of appointing family members and cronies to government offices without regard to the state&#39;s lean finances, including naming his son-in-law as chief of staff.&nbsp;

In recent months he has honoured Liberia&#39;s outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and South Africa&#39;s Jacob Zuma with statues in the state.

Zuma&#39;s statue was reported to have cost 520 million naira ($1.4 million, 1.2 million euros).

Okorocha was criticised for the expense as public sector workers in Imo were owed several months&#39; salary.&nbsp;

He has also been criticised for spending millions of naira to put up a Christmas tree reputed to be one of the biggest in the world.&nbsp;

Rochas Okorocha, governor of the southeastern state of Imo, on Monday appointed his sister Ogechi Ololo to the post

It has been ranked among the happiest places in the world despite widespread unrest, political crisis, and recession. Now one Nigerian state has a minister in charge of contentment. The commissioner for happiness and couples' fulfilment is the brainchild of Rochas Okorocha, governor of the southeastern state of Imo. Okorocha, who was previously widely criticised for using public funds to erect statues of prominent African leaders, on Monday appointed his sister to the post. Ogechi Ololo now takes up the first such portfolio in Nigeria. She previously served as Okorocha's deputy chief of staff and special adviser on domestic matters, in charge of Christmas decorations. The governor's spokesman, Sam Onwuemeodo, could not provide exact details of Ololo's responsibilities when contacted by AFP Tuesday, but said: "There is nothing unusual about the appointment". "The governor is a man of ideas, always introducing new things to governance." The commissioner's job "is an innovation that should be copied by other governors," he added. He "wants to always make the people happy. That's why he has created a ministry for that purpose." The remote Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is known for measuring its success by Gross National Happiness rather than Gross Domestic Product. Criteria taken into account include psychological well-being, health, education, vitality in the community and the living standards enjoyed by the population. Okorocha, a leading member in President Muhammadu Buhari's All Progressives Congress party, is one of Nigeria's best-known but also controversial state governors. He has been accused of appointing family members and cronies to government offices without regard to the state's lean finances, including naming his son-in-law as chief of staff. In recent months he has honoured Liberia's outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and South Africa's Jacob Zuma with statues in the state. Zuma's statue was reported to have cost 520 million naira ($1.4 million, 1.2 million euros). Okorocha was criticised for the expense as public sector workers in Imo were owed several months' salary. He has also been criticised for spending millions of naira to put up a Christmas tree reputed to be one of the biggest in the world.

Now, Nigeria gets 'Happiness Minister'

OPEC agreed on Thursday to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as it tries to finish clearing a global glut of crude while signalling it could exit the deal earlier if the market overheats.

Non-OPEC Russia, which this year reduced production significantly with OPEC for the first time, has been pushing for a clear message on how to exit the cuts so the market doesn&#39;t flip into a deficit too soon, prices don&#39;t rally too fast and rival U.S. shale firms don&#39;t boost output further.

The producers&#39; current deal, under which they are cutting supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to boost oil prices, expires in March.

Two OPEC delegates told Reuters the group had agreed to extend the cuts by nine months until the end of 2018, as largely anticipated by the market.

OPEC also decided to cap the output of Nigeria at around 1.8 million bpd but had yet to agree a cap for Libya. Both countries have been previously exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has yet to meet with non-OPEC producers led by Russia, with the meeting scheduled to begin after 1500 GMT.

Before the earlier, OPEC-only meeting started at the group&#39;s headquarters in Vienna on Thursday, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said it was premature to talk about exiting the cuts at least for a couple of quarters and added that the group would examine progress at its next meeting in June.

&quot;When we get to an exit, we are going to do it very gradually ... to make sure we don&rsquo;t shock the market,&quot; he said.

The Iraqi, Iranian and Angolan oil ministers also said a review of the deal was possible in June in case the market became too tight.

International benchmark Brent crude rose more than 1 percent on Thursday to trade near $64 per barrel.

Capping Nigeria, Libya&nbsp;

With oil prices rising above $60, Russia has expressed concerns that such an extension could prompt a spike in crude production in the United States, which is not participating in the deal.

Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC&#39;s leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude.

&quot;Prices will be well supported in December with a large global stock draw. The market could surprise to the upside with even $70 per barrel for Brent not out of the question if there is an unexpected interruption in supply,&quot; said Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of Pira consultancy.

The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC.

Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies.

&quot;It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018,&quot; Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.

OPEC also decided to cap the output of Nigeria at around 1.8 million bpd but had yet to agree a cap for Libya. Both countries have been previously exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production.

OPEC agreed on Thursday to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018 as it tries to finish clearing a global glut of crude while signalling it could exit the deal earlier if the market overheats. Non-OPEC Russia, which this year reduced production significantly with OPEC for the first time, has been pushing for a clear message on how to exit the cuts so the market doesn't flip into a deficit too soon, prices don't rally too fast and rival U.S. shale firms don't boost output further. The producers' current deal, under which they are cutting supply by about 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in an effort to boost oil prices, expires in March. Two OPEC delegates told Reuters the group had agreed to extend the cuts by nine months until the end of 2018, as largely anticipated by the market. OPEC also decided to cap the output of Nigeria at around 1.8 million bpd but had yet to agree a cap for Libya. Both countries have been previously exempt from cuts due to unrest and lower-than-normal production. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has yet to meet with non-OPEC producers led by Russia, with the meeting scheduled to begin after 1500 GMT. Before the earlier, OPEC-only meeting started at the group's headquarters in Vienna on Thursday, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said it was premature to talk about exiting the cuts at least for a couple of quarters and added that the group would examine progress at its next meeting in June. "When we get to an exit, we are going to do it very gradually ... to make sure we don’t shock the market," he said. The Iraqi, Iranian and Angolan oil ministers also said a review of the deal was possible in June in case the market became too tight. International benchmark Brent crude rose more than 1 percent on Thursday to trade near $64 per barrel. Capping Nigeria, Libya With oil prices rising above $60, Russia has expressed concerns that such an extension could prompt a spike in crude production in the United States, which is not participating in the deal. Russia needs much lower oil prices to balance its budget than OPEC's leader Saudi Arabia, which is preparing a stock market listing for national energy champion Aramco next year and would hence benefit from pricier crude. "Prices will be well supported in December with a large global stock draw. The market could surprise to the upside with even $70 per barrel for Brent not out of the question if there is an unexpected interruption in supply," said Gary Ross, a veteran OPEC watcher and founder of Pira consultancy. The production cuts have been in place since the start of 2017 and helped halve an excess of global oil stocks although those remain at 140 million barrels above the five-year average, according to OPEC. Russia has signalled it wants to understand better how producers will exit from the cuts as it needs to provide guidance to its private and state energy companies. "It is important ... to work out a strategy which we will follow from April 2018," Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Wednesday.

OPEC agrees oil cut extension to end of 2018

The home of Boko Haram&#39;s founder is to be turned into a museum as part of plans to chart the deadly Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria, a government official said on Tuesday.

Muhammad Yusuf, a charismatic Muslim preacher, founded the group in 2001 from his base in the Railway suburb of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri.

His followers at the time were disgruntled young people, who met at Yusuf&#39;s &quot;Markaz&quot; (centre in Arabic), which comprised a mosque and his living quarters.

Yusuf conducted fiery sermons from the mosque calling for jihad (holy war) against what he perceived to be a corrupt, secular government.

The Borno state information commissioner, Muhammad Bulama, said converting the building into a museum would be a way of &quot;documenting, preserving and archiving our history&quot;.

&quot;The Boko Haram insurgency is a turning point in the history of Borno state and the northeast. Our history cannot be written without reference to Boko Haram,&quot; he told AFP.

&quot;We want to document it for posterity to have a clear and correct picture of what happened.&quot;

The rebuilt &quot;Markaz&quot; would house &quot;all objects related to the insurgency&quot;, he added, rejecting the possibility that it would immortalise Yusuf.

&#39;Global practice&#39;&nbsp;

The building has been in ruins since it was reduced to a pile of rubble in the July 2009 military crackdown against the group that is taken as the start of the insurgency.

Yusuf was arrested and killed in police custody after six days of violent clashes between Boko Haram supporters and the military in Maiduguri.

Some 800 people were killed, most of them members of the groups.

Since Yusuf&#39;s deputy, Abubakar Shekau, took over, Boko Haram has developed into one of the world&#39;s deadliest jihadist groups.

At least 20,000 people have been killed and more than 2.6 million others made homeless in its quest to establish a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria.

It achieved global notoriety when fighters kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in April 2014.

Bulama said it was &quot;global practice&quot; to set up museums &quot;wherever violent upheavals&quot; have taken place and it would not be the first such building in Borno state.

A fort built by Rabe, a tyrannical Sudanese raider who conquered the former Kanem-Borno empire in 1893, was turned into a national monument, he added.

It is situated in the town of Dikwa, some 90 kilometres (nearly 60 miles) from Maiduguri. &quot;Rabe was just like Muhammad Yusuf,&quot; said Bulama.

Last December, Borno state governor Kashim Shettima, announced plans to convert Boko Haram&#39;s &quot;Camp Zairo&quot; enclave in the Sambisa Forest into a museum.

Nigerian soldiers overran the base after months of fighting. Shettima said December 22 would be a public holiday in the state to mark the victory.

There have since been indications that Boko Haram fighters have returned to the camp, despite denials from the military.

The home of Boko Haram's founder is to be turned into a museum as part of plans to chart the deadly Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria, a government official said on Tuesday.

The home of Boko Haram's founder is to be turned into a museum as part of plans to chart the deadly Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria, a government official said on Tuesday. Muhammad Yusuf, a charismatic Muslim preacher, founded the group in 2001 from his base in the Railway suburb of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri. His followers at the time were disgruntled young people, who met at Yusuf's "Markaz" (centre in Arabic), which comprised a mosque and his living quarters. Yusuf conducted fiery sermons from the mosque calling for jihad (holy war) against what he perceived to be a corrupt, secular government. The Borno state information commissioner, Muhammad Bulama, said converting the building into a museum would be a way of "documenting, preserving and archiving our history". "The Boko Haram insurgency is a turning point in the history of Borno state and the northeast. Our history cannot be written without reference to Boko Haram," he told AFP. "We want to document it for posterity to have a clear and correct picture of what happened." The rebuilt "Markaz" would house "all objects related to the insurgency", he added, rejecting the possibility that it would immortalise Yusuf. 'Global practice' The building has been in ruins since it was reduced to a pile of rubble in the July 2009 military crackdown against the group that is taken as the start of the insurgency. Yusuf was arrested and killed in police custody after six days of violent clashes between Boko Haram supporters and the military in Maiduguri. Some 800 people were killed, most of them members of the groups. Since Yusuf's deputy, Abubakar Shekau, took over, Boko Haram has developed into one of the world's deadliest jihadist groups. At least 20,000 people have been killed and more than 2.6 million others made homeless in its quest to establish a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria. It achieved global notoriety when fighters kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from the town of Chibok in April 2014. Bulama said it was "global practice" to set up museums "wherever violent upheavals" have taken place and it would not be the first such building in Borno state. A fort built by Rabe, a tyrannical Sudanese raider who conquered the former Kanem-Borno empire in 1893, was turned into a national monument, he added. It is situated in the town of Dikwa, some 90 kilometres (nearly 60 miles) from Maiduguri. "Rabe was just like Muhammad Yusuf," said Bulama. Last December, Borno state governor Kashim Shettima, announced plans to convert Boko Haram's "Camp Zairo" enclave in the Sambisa Forest into a museum. Nigerian soldiers overran the base after months of fighting. Shettima said December 22 would be a public holiday in the state to mark the victory. There have since been indications that Boko Haram fighters have returned to the camp, despite denials from the military.

Boko Haram founder's home to become museum

At least 50 people were killed today when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, police said, in an attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadists.

The blast happened during early morning prayers at the Madina mosque in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) by road from the Adamawa state capital, Yola.

&quot;So far we have at least 50 dead from an attack at a mosque in Mubi,&quot; Adamawa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar told AFP.

&quot;Several people were injured. We don&#39;t have the figure now because they have been taken to several hospitals for treatment.

&quot;It was a (suicide) bomber who mingled with worshippers. He entered the mosque along with other worshippers for the morning prayers.

&quot;It was when the prayers were on that he set off his explosives.&quot;

Asked who was responsible, Abubakar said: &quot;We all know the trend. We don&#39;t suspect anyone specifically but we know those behind such kind of attacks.&quot;

The attack bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, the Islamist militants whose insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead and more than 2.6 million others homeless since 2009.

Haruna Furo, head of the Adamawa state emergency management agency, and Musa Hamad Bello, chairman of the Mubi north local government area, both confirmed the attack.

They gave lower death tolls but both said the number of those killed was likely to rise.

Another emergency services official described the blast as &quot;devastating&quot;. He said only that there were &quot;high casualties&quot;.

Abubakar Sule, who lives near the mosque, said he had just returned home when he heard the blast.

&quot;I was there when the rescue was on and 40 people died on the spot and several others were taken to hospital with severe and life-threatening injuries,&quot; he added.

&quot;The roof was blown off. People near the mosque said the prayer was mid-way when the bomber, who was obviously in the congregation, detonated his explosives.

&quot;This is obviously the work of Boko Haram.&quot;

Boko Haram briefly overran Mubi in late 2014 as its fighters rampaged across northeastern Nigeria, seizing towns and villages in its quest to establish a hardline Islamic state.

The town&#39;s name was changed temporarily to Madinatul Islam, or &quot;City of Islam&quot; in Arabic, during the Boko Haram occupation.

But it has been peaceful since the military and the civilian militia ousted them from the town, which is a commercial hub and home to the Adamawa State University.

In recent months, Boko Haram activity has been concentrated on the far north of Adamawa state, around Madagali, which is near the border with neighbouring Borno state.

Earlier this month, at least two civilians were killed when dozens of Boko Haram fighters tried to storm the town of Gulak but were repelled by soldiers.

There have been repeated suicide bombings in the area, which lies not far from the Sambisa Forest area of Borno, where the militants had a base.

Boko Haram fighters are also said to be hiding in the Mandara mountains, to the east of Adamawa state, which forms the border with neighbouring Cameroon.

The blast happened during early morning prayers at the Madina mosque in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi in northeast Nigeria

At least 50 people were killed today when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, police said, in an attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadists. The blast happened during early morning prayers at the Madina mosque in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi, some 200 kilometres (125 miles) by road from the Adamawa state capital, Yola. "So far we have at least 50 dead from an attack at a mosque in Mubi," Adamawa state police spokesman Othman Abubakar told AFP. "Several people were injured. We don't have the figure now because they have been taken to several hospitals for treatment. "It was a (suicide) bomber who mingled with worshippers. He entered the mosque along with other worshippers for the morning prayers. "It was when the prayers were on that he set off his explosives." Asked who was responsible, Abubakar said: "We all know the trend. We don't suspect anyone specifically but we know those behind such kind of attacks." The attack bore all the hallmarks of Boko Haram, the Islamist militants whose insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead and more than 2.6 million others homeless since 2009. Haruna Furo, head of the Adamawa state emergency management agency, and Musa Hamad Bello, chairman of the Mubi north local government area, both confirmed the attack. They gave lower death tolls but both said the number of those killed was likely to rise. Another emergency services official described the blast as "devastating". He said only that there were "high casualties". Abubakar Sule, who lives near the mosque, said he had just returned home when he heard the blast. "I was there when the rescue was on and 40 people died on the spot and several others were taken to hospital with severe and life-threatening injuries," he added. "The roof was blown off. People near the mosque said the prayer was mid-way when the bomber, who was obviously in the congregation, detonated his explosives. "This is obviously the work of Boko Haram." Boko Haram briefly overran Mubi in late 2014 as its fighters rampaged across northeastern Nigeria, seizing towns and villages in its quest to establish a hardline Islamic state. The town's name was changed temporarily to Madinatul Islam, or "City of Islam" in Arabic, during the Boko Haram occupation. But it has been peaceful since the military and the civilian militia ousted them from the town, which is a commercial hub and home to the Adamawa State University. In recent months, Boko Haram activity has been concentrated on the far north of Adamawa state, around Madagali, which is near the border with neighbouring Borno state. Earlier this month, at least two civilians were killed when dozens of Boko Haram fighters tried to storm the town of Gulak but were repelled by soldiers. There have been repeated suicide bombings in the area, which lies not far from the Sambisa Forest area of Borno, where the militants had a base. Boko Haram fighters are also said to be hiding in the Mandara mountains, to the east of Adamawa state, which forms the border with neighbouring Cameroon.

At least 50 dead after suicide bomber strikes Nigeria mosque

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/triple-talaq-centre-likely-to-introduce-bill-in-winter-session-of-parliament-to-end-practice-24747">Triple Talaq: Centre likely to introduce bill in winter session of Parliament to end practice</a>

The Centre has decided to bring in legislation during the winter session of Parliament to end the practice of triple talaq. Sources said that a ministerial committee has been constituted to frame a law.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/journalist-of-tripura-shot-dead-by-policeman-24752">Journalist shot dead in Tripura by jawan</a>

A journalist has been shot dead in Tripura, by a jawan of the 2nd Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in RK Nagar, about 20 kms from the state capital Agartala.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/suicide-bomber-kills-at-least-50-in-nigeria-24746">At least 50 dead after suicide bomber strikes Nigeria mosque</a>

At least 50 people were killed today when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, police said, in an attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadists.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/suicide-bomber-kills-at-least-50-in-nigeria-24746">IFFI 2017: Kerala High Court orders screening of &#39;S Durga&#39; at festival </a>

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered the screening of Malayalam film&nbsp;S Durga&nbsp;at the ongoing IFFI in Goa, days after the Information and Broadcasting Ministry dropped the movie from the festival.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-an-emerging-nation-win-at-icj-a-coincidence-says-dalveer-bhandari-after-re-election-24716">India an emerging nation, win at ICJ a coincidence, says Dalveer Bhandari after re-election</a>

Dalveer Bhandari who was re-elected to the International Court of Justice after Britain pulled out of the race thanked the Indian government on Tuesday.

&quot;The win wouldn&#39;t have been possible without the support of PM Narendra Modi and Sushma Swaraj,&quot; Dalveer Bhandari said, adding,&quot;the win happened due to coincidence.&quot;

Triple Talaq: Centre likely to introduce bill in winter session of Parliament to end practice The Centre has decided to bring in legislation during the winter session of Parliament to end the practice of triple talaq. Sources said that a ministerial committee has been constituted to frame a law. Journalist shot dead in Tripura by jawan A journalist has been shot dead in Tripura, by a jawan of the 2nd Tripura State Rifles (TSR) in RK Nagar, about 20 kms from the state capital Agartala. At least 50 dead after suicide bomber strikes Nigeria mosque At least 50 people were killed today when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, police said, in an attack blamed on Boko Haram jihadists. IFFI 2017: Kerala High Court orders screening of 'S Durga' at festival The Kerala High Court on Tuesday ordered the screening of Malayalam film S Durga at the ongoing IFFI in Goa, days after the Information and Broadcasting Ministry dropped the movie from the festival. India an emerging nation, win at ICJ a coincidence, says Dalveer Bhandari after re-election Dalveer Bhandari who was re-elected to the International Court of Justice after Britain pulled out of the race thanked the Indian government on Tuesday. "The win wouldn't have been possible without the support of PM Narendra Modi and Sushma Swaraj," Dalveer Bhandari said, adding,"the win happened due to coincidence."

WION evening news brief, November 21, 2017

Three female suicide bombers killed 13 people and wounded 16 in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, security sources said.

The first bomber detonated her explosive belt around 9:45 pm (local time) yesterday in front of a small restaurant in the capital of Borno state &quot;when people were buying their dinner,&quot; a military source said on condition of anonymity, giving the death toll.

The two other bombers followed minutes later, resulting in the injured, an armed militia leader said, noting that the attack came &quot;hours after reports of sighting of a lot of Boko Haram members outside the city.&quot;

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

The Boko Haram conflict has left at least 20,000 dead and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009.

Roads to and from Maiduguri are nominally open to traffic, but in reality, vehicles require a military escort because of the risk of attack.

Nigeria&#39;s military and government maintain that Boko Haram is a spent force as a result of sustained counterinsurgency operations against the militants since early 2015.

Deadly attacks have dropped in recent weeks, which security sources attribute to renewed military offensives after the end of the rainy season in September.

The first bomber detonated her explosive belt around 9:45 pm (local time) yesterday in front of a small restaurant in the capital of Borno state

Three female suicide bombers killed 13 people and wounded 16 in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, security sources said. The first bomber detonated her explosive belt around 9:45 pm (local time) yesterday in front of a small restaurant in the capital of Borno state "when people were buying their dinner," a military source said on condition of anonymity, giving the death toll. The two other bombers followed minutes later, resulting in the injured, an armed militia leader said, noting that the attack came "hours after reports of sighting of a lot of Boko Haram members outside the city." There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The Boko Haram conflict has left at least 20,000 dead and forced more than 2.6 million others to flee their homes since 2009. Roads to and from Maiduguri are nominally open to traffic, but in reality, vehicles require a military escort because of the risk of attack. Nigeria's military and government maintain that Boko Haram is a spent force as a result of sustained counterinsurgency operations against the militants since early 2015. Deadly attacks have dropped in recent weeks, which security sources attribute to renewed military offensives after the end of the rainy season in September.

Nigeria triple suicide attack kills 13: Security sources

A Nigerian man was beaten mercilessly by a mob in Delhi a few days ago but the Delhi Police allegedly filed a FIR which said the man was hurt after he fell from the stairs.

The incident occurred in Delhi&#39;s&nbsp;Malviya Nagar.&nbsp;

The Nigerian&nbsp;was tied to a pillar after the mob suspected&nbsp;the man&nbsp;had stolen money, he was then beaten continuously even though he kept pleading to be let off.

&quot;Even if the Nigerian national was stealing, beating him is not justified,&quot; Ishwar Singh, DCP South said.&nbsp;

&quot;When the video surfaced we got to know what happened. He was beaten up because of theft suspicion, there is no racial basis,&quot; he added.

A similar incident was reported in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/mob-of-over-1000-was-roaming-greater-noida-looking-for-africans-to-attack-fir-13928" target="_blank">Greater Noida, a suburb of Delhi&nbsp;earlier this year when a mob killed an African national over accusation&nbsp;that he allegedly &quot;drugged to death&quot; a local</a>.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

An incident was registered in a FIR last month stating that a Nigerian had hurt himself after he fell from stairs

A Nigerian man was beaten mercilessly by a mob in Delhi a few days ago but the Delhi Police allegedly filed a FIR which said the man was hurt after he fell from the stairs. The incident occurred in Delhi's Malviya Nagar. The Nigerian was tied to a pillar after the mob suspected the man had stolen money, he was then beaten continuously even though he kept pleading to be let off. "Even if the Nigerian national was stealing, beating him is not justified," Ishwar Singh, DCP South said. "When the video surfaced we got to know what happened. He was beaten up because of theft suspicion, there is no racial basis," he added. A similar incident was reported in Greater Noida, a suburb of Delhi earlier this year when a mob killed an African national over accusation that he allegedly "drugged to death" a local.

Watch: Mob beats Nigerian national in Delhi

Around <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/more-than-17-million-muslims-gather-for-start-of-hajj/2017/08/30/5f03d726-8d60-11e7-9c53-6a169beb0953_story.html?utm_term=.c7c4707d4140">1.7 million Muslims</a> have gathered this year in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage &ndash; <a href="http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hajj">the hajj</a>. The five-day pilgrimage <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/middle-east-history/hajj-pilgrimage-islam?format=HB&amp;isbn=9781107030510#r1EAFLxwIhcoTB6d.97">is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation</a> for all Muslims who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey.

So, what is the hajj and what is its spiritual significance?

The fifth pillar

Millions of Muslims from diverse countries such as Indonesia, Russia, India, Cuba, Fiji, the United States, Nigeria and others congregate in Mecca during the last month of the Muslim lunar year.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/184265/width754/file-20170831-32045-gdggwc.jpg" />
<figcaption>
Pilgrims dressed in white garments. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/4123390204/in/photolist-7hnsfy-dqsVVf-7duYF4-8RpkCH-79riDe-f7bkTc-4Hh1A1-5VrCdR-5EQert-aECwxs-WfuiKx-5Zp6RG-5vEWkL-5Zp3Nd-UkvMJu-bbLaB4-baMrWa-dnXjRu-aaj4Pe-7yfUEo-6X522A-aNLLcn-dtNpmB-prVQPP-xpBTq-efCN2o-7ZiP1B-7ab1dG-7ab1du-eg4WRc-689Sed-fntKkM-RaUt4-5YD77K-7iU1uN-Sk6Z3y-5Xbum3-8UiyE8-vNjgG-pS5hEz-62kErs-dtw7BT-RtMFKv-5L8q5Y-5MNzJw-aECKRw-S8Wdyh-2jjQt-Jq48b-baj3MZ">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/">CC BY-NC</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>

Pilgrims wear plain, white garments. Men drape seamless, unstitched clothing and women dress in plain white dresses and headscarves. The idea behind dressing simply is to mask any differences in wealth and status.

The pilgrimage is considered the fifth pillar of Islamic practice (the other four being the profession of faith, five daily prayers, charity and <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-ramadan-is-called-ramadan-6-questions-answered-77291">the fast of Ramadan</a>). In calling Muslims to perform the hajj, the Quran <a href="http://www.quranexplorer.com/quran/">says</a>,

&ldquo;Proclaim to men the Pilgrimage: they will come to thee on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path.&rdquo;

The rites of the hajj are believed to retrace events from the lives of prominent prophets such as Ibrahim and Ismail.

The first day of the hajj

Pilgrims start by circling <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">the &ldquo;Holy Kaaba</a>,&rdquo; the black, cube-shaped house of God (at the centre of the most sacred mosque in Mecca), seven times.

The Kaaba occupies a central place in the lives of Muslims. In all parts of the world, Muslims are expected to turn toward the Kaaba when performing their daily prayers.

Specific rules <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">concerning going around</a> the Kaaba are prescribed for pilgrims. They may also kiss, touch or approach the Kaaba during the pilgrimage as a sign of their respect and continued devotion.

The Quran tells the story of Ibrahim&rsquo;s sacrifice, who when commanded by God, agreed to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Muslims believe the Kaaba holds the black stone upon which Ibrahim was called to sacrifice Ismail.

In performing the rituals, they join in a long line of pilgrims to Mecca &ndash; <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-life-of-muhammad-9780196360331?cc=us&amp;lang=en&amp;">including Prophet Muhammad</a> &ndash; who circled the Kaaba.

Pilgrims then proceed to a ritual walking &ndash; about 100 meters from the Kaaba &ndash; to hills known as &ldquo;Safa&rdquo; and &ldquo;Marwah.&rdquo; Here they re-create <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/middle-east-history/hajj-pilgrimage-islam?format=HB&amp;isbn=9781107030510">another significant event</a> recorded in the Quran: when Ibrahim was granted a son by God through his Egyptian slave girl Hajar. After the birth of Ismail, God instructed Ibrahim to take Hajar and her newborn son out into the desert and leave them there. Ibrahim left them near the present-day location of the Kaaba. Ismail cried out with thirst and Hajar ran between two hills, looking for water until she turned to God for help.

God rewarded Hajar for her patience and sent his angel Jibreel to reveal a spring, which today is known as &ldquo;Zamzam Well.&rdquo; Pilgrims drink water from the sacred well and may take some home for blessings.

The second day of the hajj

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/184267/width754/file-20170831-22397-zsohp9.jpg" />
<figcaption>
Pilgrims praying on Arafat. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/4135906354/in/photolist-7itASf-7ipEj8-7m6S5M-4kgEVJ-7iw61y-8TRppx-97r2W7-arbDH-7iscY6-7ifhd9-7ygqjr-7hX95R-fBsJ1X-7ykfkW-7ygrB8-7ygrne-7ykeTq-an6Zn-8TULHS-5Hycc7-5HtS4v-7ykf8J-5Hu33g-5HtUxP-7ygrbR-5HyeCd-5HtTPn-5HyrAE-8TUqFh-7ygrRD-8TRKpi-5HtRhv-8TRnNz-8TREd4-7ykdSq-4qY7wP-an6Zo-arbS4-qXKmg2-dcec1H-8TRzCc-8TUp9s-8TRU4c-7rR3ib-8TUVES-8TRJ9r-8TRH3K-8TRSuH-8TUUFE-8TRx2n">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>

The hajj &ldquo;climaxes&rdquo; with a sojourn into the plains of Arafat near Mecca. There, pilgrims gather in tents, spend time with one another and perform prayers. Some pilgrims will ascend a hill known as the &ldquo;Mount of Mercy,&rdquo; where Prophet Muhammad delivered the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farewell_Sermon">farewell sermon</a> toward the end of his life.

They then proceed to an open plain near Mecca, often a highlight of the journey for many pilgrims. Muslims believe that the <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">spirit of God comes closer to Earth</a> in this place at the time of the pilgrimage.

As a scholar of global Islam, during my fieldwork, I have interviewed those who have gone on the hajj. They have described to me their personal experiences.

Many pilgrims, when standing in the plains of Arafat, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=LkmkAwAAQBAJ&amp;pg=PA60&amp;lpg=PA60&amp;dq=a+close+communion+with+god+plains+of+arafat&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=xfljL0qqXO&amp;sig=ST3pnAIcye_QJ2ZbbcPA2gfMBIM&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjitdWOp4LWAhVDQiYKHamnA9QQ6AEIPjAG#v=onepage&amp;q=a%20close%20communion%20with%20god%20plains%20of%20arafat&amp;f=false">feel a close communion with God.</a>

Final three days

Afterwards, pilgrims move to Mina, also known as the Tent City, about five kilometres from the holy city of Mecca. Here, they reenact another part of the story of Ibrahim&rsquo;s test of faith in the sacrifice of his son.

They recall how Satan tried to tempt Ibrahim to disobey <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-muslims-celebrate-eid-twice-a-year-6-questions-answered-80949">God&rsquo;s call to sacrifice Ismail</a>. Ibrahim, however, remained unmoved and informed Ismail, who was willing to be sacrificed. To reenact Ibrahim&rsquo;s rebuff of Satan&rsquo;s temptation, pilgrims throw small stones at a stone pillar.

They then proceed to follow Ibrahim in the act of sacrifice. The Quran says just as Ibrahim attempted to kill his son, God intervened and a ram was sacrificed in place of Ismail. In remembrance, Muslims all over the world sacrifice an animal on this day. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-muslims-celebrate-eid-twice-a-year-6-questions-answered-80949">&ldquo;festival of the sacrifice&rdquo; is known as Eid al-Adha</a>.

<figure class="align-center "><img alt="" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/files/184266/width754/file-20170831-2020-czju2i.jpg" />
<figcaption>
Pilgrims stoning the devil in Mina. <a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aljazeeraenglish/4142094316/in/photolist-7iXrgk-7iXrAK-7iXrqk-7j2iPq-8U9pyc-7iXrtK-7iXrxn-7j2jd3-7j2jfj-7ykkpd-7j2iSQ-7j2jkf-7j2j7E-7iXrcV-7j2jFy-7j2jJU-7ykk2L-7iXr7Z-7iXriZ-7iXryR-7j2job-7j2iVd-7iBtP1-7j2jGS-7iXrSX-7ykhiS-7ygxAz-7iXrLe-7j2j2d-7ygwp8-8UbHdp">Al Jazeera English</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a>
</figcaption>
</figure>

Many pilgrims spend the next few days repeating the stoning at Mina (at least six more times) and going around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca (at least once more). Pilgrims also start to put on their everyday clothes <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">to indicate a transition to their worldly life</a>.

It is believed that a proper performance of the hajj can absolve Muslim pilgrims of any previous sins. However, Muslims also believe that just undertaking the pilgrimage is not enough: <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/middle-east-history/hajj-pilgrimage-islam#O3cwEbjxDttkhEyF.97">It is up to God to judge the pilgrimage as acceptable or not.</a>

Creating one Muslim community

The hajj is a massive <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/world/meast/how-hi-tech-manages-millions-during-the-hajj/index.html">organisational project</a> for the Saudi authorities. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/08/world/meast/how-hi-tech-manages-millions-during-the-hajj/index.html">Issues concerning</a> crowd management, security, traffic and tensions constantly plague the successful organisation of the annual event. A deadly stampede in 2015 left <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/25/middleeast/hajj-pilgrimage-stampede/index.html">over 700 dead</a>.

There are other ongoing tensions as well: Some <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-shia-sunni-divide-78216">Shia</a> governments such as Iran, for example, have levelled <a href="http://www.alterinter.org/spip.php?article4502">charges alleging discrimination</a> by <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-shia-sunni-divide-78216">Sunni</a> Saudi authorities. Furthermore, this year, citizens of <a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/hajj-qataris-year-saudi-row-170825192148831.html">Qatar were not able to perform the hajj</a> following the decision by Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations to sever diplomatic ties with the country.

To address such issues, <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=6VeCWQfVNjkC&amp;q=OIC#v=snippet&amp;q=OIC&amp;f=false">many Muslims have called</a> for the <a href="http://www.oic-oci.org/">Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC)</a>, an intergovernmental organisation, to put together an international, multi-partisan committee to organise the pilgrimage.

Perhaps that could help avoid regional or sectarian conflicts. The hajj, after all, is any individual Muslim&rsquo;s <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195125580.001.0001/acref-9780195125580">single most</a> symbolic ritual act that reflects <a href="http://imjcr.com/journals/imjcr/Vol_3_No_1_June_2014/3.pdf">the ideal of unity</a>.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/83284/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />By requiring Muslims to do the same clothes, pray in the same spaces and perform the same rituals, the hajj creates a global Muslim community, with no class distinctions.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/explaining-the-muslim-pilgrimage-of-hajj-83284">original article</a>.

The goal of hajj is to create a global Muslim community, with no class distinctions but citizens of Qatar can't undertake hajj this year.

Around 1.7 million Muslims have gathered this year in the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage – the hajj. The five-day pilgrimage is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for all Muslims who have the physical and financial ability to undertake the journey. So, what is the hajj and what is its spiritual significance? The fifth pillar Millions of Muslims from diverse countries such as Indonesia, Russia, India, Cuba, Fiji, the United States, Nigeria and others congregate in Mecca during the last month of the Muslim lunar year. Pilgrims dressed in white garments. Al Jazeera English, CC BY-NC Pilgrims wear plain, white garments. Men drape seamless, unstitched clothing and women dress in plain white dresses and headscarves. The idea behind dressing simply is to mask any differences in wealth and status. The pilgrimage is considered the fifth pillar of Islamic practice (the other four being the profession of faith, five daily prayers, charity and the fast of Ramadan). In calling Muslims to perform the hajj, the Quran says, “Proclaim to men the Pilgrimage: they will come to thee on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every remote path.” The rites of the hajj are believed to retrace events from the lives of prominent prophets such as Ibrahim and Ismail. The first day of the hajj Pilgrims start by circling the “Holy Kaaba,” the black, cube-shaped house of God (at the centre of the most sacred mosque in Mecca), seven times. The Kaaba occupies a central place in the lives of Muslims. In all parts of the world, Muslims are expected to turn toward the Kaaba when performing their daily prayers. Specific rules concerning going around the Kaaba are prescribed for pilgrims. They may also kiss, touch or approach the Kaaba during the pilgrimage as a sign of their respect and continued devotion. The Quran tells the story of Ibrahim’s sacrifice, who when commanded by God, agreed to sacrifice his son, Ismail. Muslims believe the Kaaba holds the black stone upon which Ibrahim was called to sacrifice Ismail. In performing the rituals, they join in a long line of pilgrims to Mecca – including Prophet Muhammad – who circled the Kaaba. Pilgrims then proceed to a ritual walking – about 100 meters from the Kaaba – to hills known as “Safa” and “Marwah.” Here they re-create another significant event recorded in the Quran: when Ibrahim was granted a son by God through his Egyptian slave girl Hajar. After the birth of Ismail, God instructed Ibrahim to take Hajar and her newborn son out into the desert and leave them there. Ibrahim left them near the present-day location of the Kaaba. Ismail cried out with thirst and Hajar ran between two hills, looking for water until she turned to God for help. God rewarded Hajar for her patience and sent his angel Jibreel to reveal a spring, which today is known as “Zamzam Well.” Pilgrims drink water from the sacred well and may take some home for blessings. The second day of the hajj Pilgrims praying on Arafat. Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA The hajj “climaxes” with a sojourn into the plains of Arafat near Mecca. There, pilgrims gather in tents, spend time with one another and perform prayers. Some pilgrims will ascend a hill known as the “Mount of Mercy,” where Prophet Muhammad delivered the farewell sermon toward the end of his life. They then proceed to an open plain near Mecca, often a highlight of the journey for many pilgrims. Muslims believe that the spirit of God comes closer to Earth in this place at the time of the pilgrimage. As a scholar of global Islam, during my fieldwork, I have interviewed those who have gone on the hajj. They have described to me their personal experiences. Many pilgrims, when standing in the plains of Arafat, feel a close communion with God. Final three days Afterwards, pilgrims move to Mina, also known as the Tent City, about five kilometres from the holy city of Mecca. Here, they reenact another part of the story of Ibrahim’s test of faith in the sacrifice of his son. They recall how Satan tried to tempt Ibrahim to disobey God’s call to sacrifice Ismail. Ibrahim, however, remained unmoved and informed Ismail, who was willing to be sacrificed. To reenact Ibrahim’s rebuff of Satan’s temptation, pilgrims throw small stones at a stone pillar. They then proceed to follow Ibrahim in the act of sacrifice. The Quran says just as Ibrahim attempted to kill his son, God intervened and a ram was sacrificed in place of Ismail. In remembrance, Muslims all over the world sacrifice an animal on this day. The “festival of the sacrifice” is known as Eid al-Adha. Pilgrims stoning the devil in Mina. Al Jazeera English, CC BY-SA Many pilgrims spend the next few days repeating the stoning at Mina (at least six more times) and going around the Holy Kaaba in Mecca (at least once more). Pilgrims also start to put on their everyday clothes to indicate a transition to their worldly life. It is believed that a proper performance of the hajj can absolve Muslim pilgrims of any previous sins. However, Muslims also believe that just undertaking the pilgrimage is not enough: It is up to God to judge the pilgrimage as acceptable or not. Creating one Muslim community The hajj is a massive organisational project for the Saudi authorities. Issues concerning crowd management, security, traffic and tensions constantly plague the successful organisation of the annual event. A deadly stampede in 2015 left over 700 dead. There are other ongoing tensions as well: Some Shia governments such as Iran, for example, have levelled charges alleging discrimination by Sunni Saudi authorities. Furthermore, this year, citizens of Qatar were not able to perform the hajj following the decision by Saudi Arabia and three other Arab nations to sever diplomatic ties with the country. To address such issues, many Muslims have called for the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC), an intergovernmental organisation, to put together an international, multi-partisan committee to organise the pilgrimage. Perhaps that could help avoid regional or sectarian conflicts. The hajj, after all, is any individual Muslim’s single most symbolic ritual act that reflects the ideal of unity. By requiring Muslims to do the same clothes, pray in the same spaces and perform the same rituals, the hajj creates a global Muslim community, with no class distinctions. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

What is the spiritual significance of hajj to a Muslim?

A schoolgirl who was among more than 200 kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 refused to be part of a release deal because she is now married to a militant fighter, Nigeria&#39;s government said Tuesday.

The disclosure underlines the complex psychological effects of a lengthy captivity, and gives an indication of the work required to rehabilitate and reintegrate those released.

Boko Haram has used kidnapping as a weapon of war, seizing thousands of women and young girls as part of its eight-year quest to create a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria.

Men and boys have also been forcibly recruited to fight in its insurgency, which since 2009 has killed at least 20,000 in Nigeria alone.

Presidency spokesman Garba Shehu said the jihadists had initially agreed to release 83 of the teenagers who were abducted from their school in the town of Chibok in April 2014.

But he told the local Channels television station: &quot;One said, &#39;No, I have a husband. I&#39;m happy where I am&#39;. And then 82 came back.&quot;

The 82 were released on Saturday following months of talks and the exchange of a number of suspected militants held in government custody.

Twenty-one of their classmates were freed in October last year; three had previously been found or escaped. Talks are understood to have started to free all or some of the remaining 113.

Complex situation&nbsp;

Testimony from former hostages in the brutal conflict has revealed that Boko Haram forced many women and young girls into marriage, and that rape and sexual violence were commonplace.

Some were forced to work as domestic slaves for extremist fighters and even deployed to the front line carrying ammunition during attacks.&nbsp;

Elizabeth Pearson, a Boko Haram specialist who studies women and conflict, said the case of the Chibok girl who refused to leave was &quot;likely to be quite prevalent&quot;.

&quot;From what we know of other young women who&#39;ve returned, the relationships with their captors is very complex and at times quite ambiguous,&quot; she told AFP in an email exchange.

&quot;We assume because they are abducted they are therefore likely to resist their captors. In fact they have to develop relationships of some sort in order to survive.&quot;

Genuine relationships will emerge, as not all fighters behave brutally to the women in the camps, particularly if children are involved, she added.

&quot;It&#39;s a much more complex situation than the abducted-rescued-victim narrative we&#39;ve seen at times,&quot; she said.

There have been repeated calls for more to be done to support those released, particularly with many women treated as social outcasts because of their time with the rebels.

&nbsp;Identities checked&nbsp;

Shehu said the government was working to verify the identities of the 82 released so they can be reunited with their families as soon as possible.

A list of the girls&#39; names was published on Sunday evening and photographs of them have been sent to Chibok and the surrounding area for cross-checking.

&quot;When we had the first 21, because of similarities in names, more than two, three sets of parents came to Abuja. So, we don&#39;t want to create that confusion,&quot; he said.

&quot;When they get the pictures, they see them and verify, then they come on board to Abuja to see their daughters.&quot;

Aisha Yesufu, coordinator of the #BringBackOurGirls pressure group, told AFP: &quot;We have to reach out to the parents and ensure that&lrm; we match the parents and the daughters.

&quot;We are still working on it.&quot;

Nigeria&#39;s government has come under fire for the length of time it has taken to reunite the former hostages with their families.

In December, families who are seen as key to the girls&#39; recovery complained they were blocked from celebrating Christmas together.

Human Rights Watch has accused the government of failing to respect the girls&#39; privacy by publishing their names and for parading them at a photo-call.

Amnesty International said on Saturday that holding the released girls in lengthy detention and for security screening &quot;can only add to their suffering and plight&quot;.

Shehu said he hoped the verification process would be concluded soon and pledged: &quot;The government will not stop any parents from immediately establishing contacts with their daughters.&quot;

(AFP)

Testimony from former hostages in the brutal conflict has revealed that Boko Haram forced many women and young girls into marriage, and that rape and sexual violence were commonplace.

A schoolgirl who was among more than 200 kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 refused to be part of a release deal because she is now married to a militant fighter, Nigeria's government said Tuesday. The disclosure underlines the complex psychological effects of a lengthy captivity, and gives an indication of the work required to rehabilitate and reintegrate those released. Boko Haram has used kidnapping as a weapon of war, seizing thousands of women and young girls as part of its eight-year quest to create a hardline Islamic state in northeast Nigeria. Men and boys have also been forcibly recruited to fight in its insurgency, which since 2009 has killed at least 20,000 in Nigeria alone. Presidency spokesman Garba Shehu said the jihadists had initially agreed to release 83 of the teenagers who were abducted from their school in the town of Chibok in April 2014. But he told the local Channels television station: "One said, 'No, I have a husband. I'm happy where I am'. And then 82 came back." The 82 were released on Saturday following months of talks and the exchange of a number of suspected militants held in government custody. Twenty-one of their classmates were freed in October last year; three had previously been found or escaped. Talks are understood to have started to free all or some of the remaining 113. Complex situation Testimony from former hostages in the brutal conflict has revealed that Boko Haram forced many women and young girls into marriage, and that rape and sexual violence were commonplace. Some were forced to work as domestic slaves for extremist fighters and even deployed to the front line carrying ammunition during attacks. Elizabeth Pearson, a Boko Haram specialist who studies women and conflict, said the case of the Chibok girl who refused to leave was "likely to be quite prevalent". "From what we know of other young women who've returned, the relationships with their captors is very complex and at times quite ambiguous," she told AFP in an email exchange. "We assume because they are abducted they are therefore likely to resist their captors. In fact they have to develop relationships of some sort in order to survive." Genuine relationships will emerge, as not all fighters behave brutally to the women in the camps, particularly if children are involved, she added. "It's a much more complex situation than the abducted-rescued-victim narrative we've seen at times," she said. There have been repeated calls for more to be done to support those released, particularly with many women treated as social outcasts because of their time with the rebels. Identities checked Shehu said the government was working to verify the identities of the 82 released so they can be reunited with their families as soon as possible. A list of the girls' names was published on Sunday evening and photographs of them have been sent to Chibok and the surrounding area for cross-checking. "When we had the first 21, because of similarities in names, more than two, three sets of parents came to Abuja. So, we don't want to create that confusion," he said. "When they get the pictures, they see them and verify, then they come on board to Abuja to see their daughters." Aisha Yesufu, coordinator of the #BringBackOurGirls pressure group, told AFP: "We have to reach out to the parents and ensure that‎ we match the parents and the daughters. "We are still working on it." Nigeria's government has come under fire for the length of time it has taken to reunite the former hostages with their families. In December, families who are seen as key to the girls' recovery complained they were blocked from celebrating Christmas together. Human Rights Watch has accused the government of failing to respect the girls' privacy by publishing their names and for parading them at a photo-call. Amnesty International said on Saturday that holding the released girls in lengthy detention and for security screening "can only add to their suffering and plight". Shehu said he hoped the verification process would be concluded soon and pledged: "The government will not stop any parents from immediately establishing contacts with their daughters." (AFP)

Nigeria: Chibok girl refused to be part of release deal

Nigeria on Saturday said 82 schoolgirls who were among more than 200 kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists more than three years ago were released as part of a prisoner swap.

&quot;Today 82 more Chibok girls were released... in exchange for some Boko Haram suspects held by the authorities,&quot; the presidency said on Twitter, adding the students were expected in Abuja on Sunday.

Boko Haram fighters stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in the remote town of&nbsp;Chibok&nbsp;on the evening of April 14, 2014 and kidnapped 276 girls.

Fifty-seven managed to escape in the hours that followed but the remaining 219 were held by the group.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed in a video message that they had converted to Islam.

The audacious kidnapping brought the insurgency to world attention, triggering global outrage that galvanised support from the former US first lady Michelle Obama and Hollywood stars.

Twenty-one girls were released in October last year after negotiations between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government brokered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss government.

Three others were also found.

At the time of the release of the 21, President Muhammadu Buhari&#39;s spokesman Garba Shehu said the government was hoping to secure the release of 83 others being held by a different Boko Haram faction.

Last month he said in a radio interview that there were ongoing negotiations involving &quot;some foreign entities&quot; to release the 195 girls believed still held.

He told BBC Hausa the ICRC and Swiss government &quot;have not withdrawn their support in the negotiations&quot;.

Other countries were also involved, he added, without elaborating.

Timeline

Following is a timeline of events since the Boko Haram jihadist group abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in the remote town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria in 2014.

- Snatched from school

On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram gunmen seize 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state.

The girls are forced from their dormitories onto trucks and driven into the bush. Fifty-seven girls manage to flee.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claims responsibility in a video released on May 5, and vows to sell the girls as slave brides.

A week later, a second video shows about 100 of the missing girls. Boko Haram says they have converted to Islam and will not be released unless militant fighters held in custody are freed.

- Global response

An international media campaign is launched, backed by US First Lady Michelle Obama and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls fires up a social media storm.&nbsp;

On May 17, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria vow to fight Boko Haram together, in what Cameroon President Paul Biya terms a &quot;declaration of war&quot;.&nbsp;

The UN Security Council says the kidnappings &quot;may amount to crimes against humanity&quot;, as Britain, China, France, Israel and the US offer help.&nbsp;

US military specialists deploy to neighbouring Chad but later move elsewhere after Nigeria stops requesting their services.

On May 26, Nigeria&#39;s Chief of Defence Staff Alex Badeh says the girls have been located but warns a rescue operation would put their lives at risk.

- One year on

On April 14, 2015, Nigeria&#39;s president-elect Muhammadu Buhari warns he &quot;cannot promise that we can find&quot; the girls, as vigils are held in many countries to mark their first year in captivity.

Amnesty International says the girls may have been separated into three or four groups and are being held in camps, some of which might be in Cameroon or Chad.

Buhari says in late December he is willing to negotiate with any &quot;credible&quot; Boko Haram leadership, a week after claiming the country has &quot;technically&quot; won the war against Boko Haram.

-Other victims freed

Throughout 2015, the Nigerian military announces the rescue of hundreds of people, most of them women and children, who have been kidnapped by Boko Haram.

But the missing schoolgirls are not among them, despite several unconfirmed sightings.

Suicide attacks using women and young girls increase against &quot;soft&quot; civilian targets such as mosques, markets and bus stations, fuelling fears that Boko Haram might be using its captives as human bombs.

In March 2016, it emerges that Boko Haram also seized 500 women and children from the north east town of Damasak in Borno state just months after the Chibok abduction. The kidnapping was denied at the time.

- &#39;Proof of life&#39;&nbsp;

On the eve of the abduction&#39;s second anniversary, US news channel CNN reports that Boko Haram has sent a &quot;proof of life&quot; video which shows 15 of the girls -- the first concrete indication that at least some are still alive.

On May 18, 2016 the Nigerian army confirms the first of the schoolgirls has been found.&nbsp;

The 19-year-old, who later meets President Buhari, was discovered with a four-month-old baby and a man she described as her husband near Boko Haram&#39;s Sambisa Forest enclave.

- Prisoner exchange&nbsp;

On October 13, 2016, Nigerian officials announce the release of 21 of the girls following talks between the government and Boko Haram brokered by Switzerland and the International Red Cross.&nbsp;

Local sources say four jihadist prisoners were freed as part of the deal to secure the girls&#39; release.

The Nigerian government raises the prospect that more releases could follow, with a senior official in the president&#39;s office saying that &quot;the negotiations will continue&quot;. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

- &#39;At least 80&#39; more released&nbsp;

At least 80 more girls have been released, security sources, a senior minister and Enoch Mark, the father of two of the girls, tell AFP on Saturday.

(AFP)

Boko Haram fighters had stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in the remote town of?Chibok?on the evening of April 14, 2014 and kidnapped 276 girls.

Nigeria on Saturday said 82 schoolgirls who were among more than 200 kidnapped by Boko Haram Islamists more than three years ago were released as part of a prisoner swap. "Today 82 more Chibok girls were released... in exchange for some Boko Haram suspects held by the authorities," the presidency said on Twitter, adding the students were expected in Abuja on Sunday. Boko Haram fighters stormed the Government Girls Secondary School in the remote town of Chibok on the evening of April 14, 2014 and kidnapped 276 girls. Fifty-seven managed to escape in the hours that followed but the remaining 219 were held by the group. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claimed in a video message that they had converted to Islam. The audacious kidnapping brought the insurgency to world attention, triggering global outrage that galvanised support from the former US first lady Michelle Obama and Hollywood stars. Twenty-one girls were released in October last year after negotiations between Boko Haram and the Nigerian government brokered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss government. Three others were also found. At the time of the release of the 21, President Muhammadu Buhari's spokesman Garba Shehu said the government was hoping to secure the release of 83 others being held by a different Boko Haram faction. Last month he said in a radio interview that there were ongoing negotiations involving "some foreign entities" to release the 195 girls believed still held. He told BBC Hausa the ICRC and Swiss government "have not withdrawn their support in the negotiations". Other countries were also involved, he added, without elaborating. Timeline Following is a timeline of events since the Boko Haram jihadist group abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in the remote town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria in 2014. - Snatched from school On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram gunmen seize 276 girls from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno state. The girls are forced from their dormitories onto trucks and driven into the bush. Fifty-seven girls manage to flee. Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau claims responsibility in a video released on May 5, and vows to sell the girls as slave brides. A week later, a second video shows about 100 of the missing girls. Boko Haram says they have converted to Islam and will not be released unless militant fighters held in custody are freed. - Global response An international media campaign is launched, backed by US First Lady Michelle Obama and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls fires up a social media storm. On May 17, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria vow to fight Boko Haram together, in what Cameroon President Paul Biya terms a "declaration of war". The UN Security Council says the kidnappings "may amount to crimes against humanity", as Britain, China, France, Israel and the US offer help. US military specialists deploy to neighbouring Chad but later move elsewhere after Nigeria stops requesting their services. On May 26, Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff Alex Badeh says the girls have been located but warns a rescue operation would put their lives at risk. - One year on On April 14, 2015, Nigeria's president-elect Muhammadu Buhari warns he "cannot promise that we can find" the girls, as vigils are held in many countries to mark their first year in captivity. Amnesty International says the girls may have been separated into three or four groups and are being held in camps, some of which might be in Cameroon or Chad. Buhari says in late December he is willing to negotiate with any "credible" Boko Haram leadership, a week after claiming the country has "technically" won the war against Boko Haram. -Other victims freed Throughout 2015, the Nigerian military announces the rescue of hundreds of people, most of them women and children, who have been kidnapped by Boko Haram. But the missing schoolgirls are not among them, despite several unconfirmed sightings. Suicide attacks using women and young girls increase against "soft" civilian targets such as mosques, markets and bus stations, fuelling fears that Boko Haram might be using its captives as human bombs. In March 2016, it emerges that Boko Haram also seized 500 women and children from the north east town of Damasak in Borno state just months after the Chibok abduction. The kidnapping was denied at the time. - 'Proof of life' On the eve of the abduction's second anniversary, US news channel CNN reports that Boko Haram has sent a "proof of life" video which shows 15 of the girls -- the first concrete indication that at least some are still alive. On May 18, 2016 the Nigerian army confirms the first of the schoolgirls has been found. The 19-year-old, who later meets President Buhari, was discovered with a four-month-old baby and a man she described as her husband near Boko Haram's Sambisa Forest enclave. - Prisoner exchange On October 13, 2016, Nigerian officials announce the release of 21 of the girls following talks between the government and Boko Haram brokered by Switzerland and the International Red Cross. Local sources say four jihadist prisoners were freed as part of the deal to secure the girls' release. The Nigerian government raises the prospect that more releases could follow, with a senior official in the president's office saying that "the negotiations will continue". - 'At least 80' more released At least 80 more girls have been released, security sources, a senior minister and Enoch Mark, the father of two of the girls, tell AFP on Saturday. (AFP)

Nigeria: Boko Haram releases 82 Chibok girls in prisoner swap

Suspected Boko Haram jihadists killed five Nigerian soldiers and injured five others in a raid on a military post in the violence-torn northeast, locals and a military officer said Tuesday.

&quot;Our men were outgunned and outnumbered,&quot; said a military officer in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the incident.

Scores of fighters loyal to the Boko Haram faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi late Monday stormed a checkpoint near Sabon Garin Kimba village about 140 kilometres (90 miles) from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram.

&quot;We lost five men in the fight. Five more were injured,&quot; the military officer said.

The Islamic State group last year appointed Al-Barnawi as head of Boko Haram, replacing long-time leader Abubakar Shekau.&nbsp;

Mustapha Karimbe, a civilian assisting the military, said the jihadists took military vehicles and burned three armoured cars along with makeshift sheds at the checkpoint.

&quot;The terrorists attacked the soldiers... and remained in the village for three hours before they withdrew,&quot; said Karimbe.

This was the second attack on the same military checkpoint in under a month.

Late last month, jihadists dressed in Nigerian military uniforms attacked the checkpoint and forced soldiers to withdraw before looting food and medical supplies from the village.&nbsp;

Boko Haram has in recent weeks intensified attacks on military targets in the northeast.

The insurgency began in northeast Nigeria and has spread to Chad, Cameroon and Niger, claiming more than 20,000 lives and displacing 2.6 million people. &nbsp;

(AFP)

Scores of fighters loyal to the Boko Haram faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi stormed a checkpoint near Sabon Garin Kimba village

Suspected Boko Haram jihadists killed five Nigerian soldiers and injured five others in a raid on a military post in the violence-torn northeast, locals and a military officer said Tuesday. "Our men were outgunned and outnumbered," said a military officer in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak about the incident. Scores of fighters loyal to the Boko Haram faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi late Monday stormed a checkpoint near Sabon Garin Kimba village about 140 kilometres (90 miles) from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram. "We lost five men in the fight. Five more were injured," the military officer said. The Islamic State group last year appointed Al-Barnawi as head of Boko Haram, replacing long-time leader Abubakar Shekau. Mustapha Karimbe, a civilian assisting the military, said the jihadists took military vehicles and burned three armoured cars along with makeshift sheds at the checkpoint. "The terrorists attacked the soldiers... and remained in the village for three hours before they withdrew," said Karimbe. This was the second attack on the same military checkpoint in under a month. Late last month, jihadists dressed in Nigerian military uniforms attacked the checkpoint and forced soldiers to withdraw before looting food and medical supplies from the village. Boko Haram has in recent weeks intensified attacks on military targets in the northeast. The insurgency began in northeast Nigeria and has spread to Chad, Cameroon and Niger, claiming more than 20,000 lives and displacing 2.6 million people. (AFP)

Nigeria: 5 soldiers killed in attack by suspected Boko Haram militants

Boko Haram Islamists have abducted 22 girls and women in two separate raids in northeast Nigeria, residents and vigilantes told AFP Friday.

In the first attack on Thursday, the jihadists raided the village of Pulka near border with Cameroon where they kidnapped 18 girls.

&quot;Boko Haram fighters from Mamman Nur camp arrived in pickup vans around 6.00 am and seized 14 young girls aged 17 and below while residents fled into the bush,&quot; a Pulka community leader told AFP by phone.

&quot;They picked four other girls who were fleeing the raid they came across in the bush outside the village,&quot; said the community leader who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals.

According to the official, the attackers were loyal to the faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf.

Barnawi was appointed last year by the Islamic State group to replace leader Abubakar Shekau, who had pledged allegiance to the Middle East jihadist group in 2015.

Another resident confirmed the raid and said the girls were likely to end up as brides for the fighters.

&quot;They didn&#39;t harm anyone during the raid and they made no attempt to shoot people running away from the village,&quot; said the resident.

In the second incident outside the village of Dumba, close to Lake Chad, the jihadists killed a herdsman who had tried to escape after refusing to pay protection money, said Adamu Ahmed, a member of an anti-Boko Haram militia.

&quot;When the Boko Haram gunmen came for the money they realised he had left with everything and they decided to go after him on their motorcycles,&quot; Ahmed said.

&quot;They caught up with him near Dumba where they slaughtered him and shot dead 50 of his cattle.

&quot;They took four women from the man`s family and the rest of the herd,&quot; he said.

The promotion of Barnawi had revealed divisions in the group, as Shekau had been criticised for mass killings and suicide attacks against civilians.

Barnawi and his right-hand man Mamman Nur, who is seen as the real leader, had promised residents in areas under their control would not be harmed as long as they did not cooperate with Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram.

But in recent weeks the Islamist fighters have intensified raids in areas near Lake Chad, stealing food from residents.

They have also killed several civilians they accused of cooperating with the military.

(AFP)

In the first attack on Thursday, the jihadists raided the village of Pulka near border with Cameroon where they kidnapped 18 girls

Boko Haram Islamists have abducted 22 girls and women in two separate raids in northeast Nigeria, residents and vigilantes told AFP Friday. In the first attack on Thursday, the jihadists raided the village of Pulka near border with Cameroon where they kidnapped 18 girls. "Boko Haram fighters from Mamman Nur camp arrived in pickup vans around 6.00 am and seized 14 young girls aged 17 and below while residents fled into the bush," a Pulka community leader told AFP by phone. "They picked four other girls who were fleeing the raid they came across in the bush outside the village," said the community leader who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals. According to the official, the attackers were loyal to the faction headed by Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf. Barnawi was appointed last year by the Islamic State group to replace leader Abubakar Shekau, who had pledged allegiance to the Middle East jihadist group in 2015. Another resident confirmed the raid and said the girls were likely to end up as brides for the fighters. "They didn't harm anyone during the raid and they made no attempt to shoot people running away from the village," said the resident. In the second incident outside the village of Dumba, close to Lake Chad, the jihadists killed a herdsman who had tried to escape after refusing to pay protection money, said Adamu Ahmed, a member of an anti-Boko Haram militia. "When the Boko Haram gunmen came for the money they realised he had left with everything and they decided to go after him on their motorcycles," Ahmed said. "They caught up with him near Dumba where they slaughtered him and shot dead 50 of his cattle. "They took four women from the man`s family and the rest of the herd," he said. The promotion of Barnawi had revealed divisions in the group, as Shekau had been criticised for mass killings and suicide attacks against civilians. Barnawi and his right-hand man Mamman Nur, who is seen as the real leader, had promised residents in areas under their control would not be harmed as long as they did not cooperate with Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram. But in recent weeks the Islamist fighters have intensified raids in areas near Lake Chad, stealing food from residents. They have also killed several civilians they accused of cooperating with the military. (AFP)

Nigeria: Boko Haram kidnap 22 girls and women in two separate raids

UN aid agencies need $4.4 billion in emergency funding to address famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday.

More than 20 million people face&nbsp;starvation in the four countries and action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a news conference at UN headquarters.

&quot;We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe,&quot; he said.

So far, the United Nations has raised $90 million to fund a global response to the four famine alerts, which are unprecedented in recent decades.

South Sudan on Monday declared a famine in parts of the north, while Fews Net, the famine early warning system, has said that some remote areas of northeast Nigeria are affected by starvation since late last year.

There has only been one famine since 2000, in Somalia. At least 260,000 people died in the 2011 disaster , half of them children under the age of five, according to the UN World Food Program.

The UN children&#39;s agency UNICEF this week said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die as food shortages worsen in the coming months.

Of the four famine alerts, only one, Somalia, is caused by drought, while the other three stem from conflicts, described as &quot;man-made food crises.&quot;

In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, about 7.3 million people need food aid now, in the &quot;largest food insecurity emergency in the world,&quot; said Guterres.

Un-blocking aid

The Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign against rebels in Yemen has been accused of imposing a blockade on Yemen, which relies almost entirely on imports.

The UN chief appealed to warring sides to allow aid workers to reach starving civilians.

&quot;The situation is so dire. This is the moment in which international humanitarian law must be respected by all and access must be granted to all areas,&quot; said Guterres.

Across northeast Nigeria, some 5.1 million people face severe food shortages and nearly 500,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition as the conflict with Boko Haram militants grinds on.&nbsp;

Famine has already been declared in two counties of South Sudan and nearly 5 million people are in desperate need of food.

Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, appeared at a news conference with top aid officials who stressed they had contingency plans in place, but needed funds to swing into action.

The appeal came as humanitarian aid groups are already struggling to meet needs in Syria and cope with the global refugee crisis.

The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that the famine designation in South Sudan meant that people were already dying and that the international response was too late.

&quot;These crises remain among the least discussed and most underfunded in the world despite their extraordinary scale, scope and man-made origins. This is absurd,&quot; said Ciaran Donnelly, international programs director at the IRC.

&quot;The IRC and other aid groups have been raising the alarm of an impending famine in South Sudan for months, and instead of taking the warnings seriously, it fell largely on deaf ears,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(AFP)

More than 20 million people face?starvation in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen

UN aid agencies need $4.4 billion in emergency funding to address famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday. More than 20 million people face starvation in the four countries and action is needed now to avert a humanitarian disaster, Guterres told a news conference at UN headquarters. "We need $4.4 billion by the end of March to avert a catastrophe," he said. So far, the United Nations has raised $90 million to fund a global response to the four famine alerts, which are unprecedented in recent decades. South Sudan on Monday declared a famine in parts of the north, while Fews Net, the famine early warning system, has said that some remote areas of northeast Nigeria are affected by starvation since late last year. There has only been one famine since 2000, in Somalia. At least 260,000 people died in the 2011 disaster , half of them children under the age of five, according to the UN World Food Program. The UN children's agency UNICEF this week said almost 1.4 million children acutely malnourished in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen could die as food shortages worsen in the coming months. Of the four famine alerts, only one, Somalia, is caused by drought, while the other three stem from conflicts, described as "man-made food crises." In Yemen, where war has been raging for nearly two years, about 7.3 million people need food aid now, in the "largest food insecurity emergency in the world," said Guterres. Un-blocking aid The Saudi-led coalition waging a military campaign against rebels in Yemen has been accused of imposing a blockade on Yemen, which relies almost entirely on imports. The UN chief appealed to warring sides to allow aid workers to reach starving civilians. "The situation is so dire. This is the moment in which international humanitarian law must be respected by all and access must be granted to all areas," said Guterres. Across northeast Nigeria, some 5.1 million people face severe food shortages and nearly 500,000 children are suffering from acute malnutrition as the conflict with Boko Haram militants grinds on. Famine has already been declared in two counties of South Sudan and nearly 5 million people are in desperate need of food. Guterres, who took over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1, appeared at a news conference with top aid officials who stressed they had contingency plans in place, but needed funds to swing into action. The appeal came as humanitarian aid groups are already struggling to meet needs in Syria and cope with the global refugee crisis. The International Rescue Committee said Wednesday that the famine designation in South Sudan meant that people were already dying and that the international response was too late. "These crises remain among the least discussed and most underfunded in the world despite their extraordinary scale, scope and man-made origins. This is absurd," said Ciaran Donnelly, international programs director at the IRC. "The IRC and other aid groups have been raising the alarm of an impending famine in South Sudan for months, and instead of taking the warnings seriously, it fell largely on deaf ears," he added. (AFP)

UN needs emergency funding of $4.4 bn for famine relief in four countries

Around 15 Boko Haram fighters were killed when the jihadists attacked a town in northeastern Nigeria, two days after the air force accidentally killed dozens of people there, local and military officials said.

On Tuesday, the air force said it had bombed Rann in Borno state, epicentre of Boko Haram&#39;&#39;s seven-year-long attempt to create an Islamic caliphate in the northeast.

Boko Haram fighters then attacked Rann - home to thousands of people displaced by the jihadists&#39; insurgency - using two jeeps on Thursday night, residents said.

&quot;We battled them for almost 30 minutes,&quot; Lieutenant Colonel Igwe Omoke, commander of the 3rd battalion based in Rann, told Reuters on Friday during a visit organized by the army.

&quot;We suddenly saw residents running towards the battalion headquarters and we quickly mobilised troops,&quot; he said.

A Reuters reporter saw six dead Boko Haram fighters lying in front of the army base in Rann where many ramshackle huts had been destroyed by the air strike. The attackers had come from nearby Cameroon, less than ten kilometres away, officers said.

The air strike killed more than 200 people, more than the up to 170 reported dead by aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) on Friday, a local official said.

&quot;People have suffered enough. We buried more than 200 people,&quot; said Babagana Malarima, head of the local government in Rann. &quot;The military should compensate our people.&quot;

Other residents asked by Reuters put the death toll at around 180 or fewer. The army has refused to say how many were killed.

The Boko Haram insurgency has killed more than 15,000 people since 2009 and forced some two million to flee their homes.

The Nigerian army, backed up by neighbours, have retaken most areas held by the group. But the jihadists still operate in the area of Rann, slipping over the porous Cameroon border after attacks.

The militant group has stepped up attacks and suicide bombings in the past few weeks as the end of the rainy season facilitates movement in the bush.

The group split in two last year, with one faction led by Abubakar Shekau from the Sambisa forest and the other, allied to Islamic State and led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, based in the Lake Chad region.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

On Tuesday, the air force said it had bombed Rann in Borno state, epicentre of Boko Haram's efforts to carve out an Islamic caliphate

Around 15 Boko Haram fighters were killed when the jihadists attacked a town in northeastern Nigeria, two days after the air force accidentally killed dozens of people there, local and military officials said. On Tuesday, the air force said it had bombed Rann in Borno state, epicentre of Boko Haram''s seven-year-long attempt to create an Islamic caliphate in the northeast. Boko Haram fighters then attacked Rann - home to thousands of people displaced by the jihadists' insurgency - using two jeeps on Thursday night, residents said. "We battled them for almost 30 minutes," Lieutenant Colonel Igwe Omoke, commander of the 3rd battalion based in Rann, told Reuters on Friday during a visit organized by the army. "We suddenly saw residents running towards the battalion headquarters and we quickly mobilised troops," he said. A Reuters reporter saw six dead Boko Haram fighters lying in front of the army base in Rann where many ramshackle huts had been destroyed by the air strike. The attackers had come from nearby Cameroon, less than ten kilometres away, officers said. The air strike killed more than 200 people, more than the up to 170 reported dead by aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) on Friday, a local official said. "People have suffered enough. We buried more than 200 people," said Babagana Malarima, head of the local government in Rann. "The military should compensate our people." Other residents asked by Reuters put the death toll at around 180 or fewer. The army has refused to say how many were killed. The Boko Haram insurgency has killed more than 15,000 people since 2009 and forced some two million to flee their homes. The Nigerian army, backed up by neighbours, have retaken most areas held by the group. But the jihadists still operate in the area of Rann, slipping over the porous Cameroon border after attacks. The militant group has stepped up attacks and suicide bombings in the past few weeks as the end of the rainy season facilitates movement in the bush. The group split in two last year, with one faction led by Abubakar Shekau from the Sambisa forest and the other, allied to Islamic State and led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, based in the Lake Chad region. (Reuters)

Nigeria: 15 Boko Haram fighters killed in Borno state

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz&nbsp;made a last attempt to talk and form a deal with Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to end the political dispute.

Aziz backed by the 15-nation&nbsp;Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) then flew to Senegal to meet with&nbsp;President Macky Sall.&nbsp;

Aziz had been talking with Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow and Sall at the airport in Dakar. About 30 vehicles with tinted windows then sped away from where the talks took place, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

Gambian President Jammeh&#39;s term ended at midnight but he refused to step down despite losing the&nbsp;election last month.&nbsp;

After weeks of failed diplomacy, west African states have been pushing Jammeh to vacate office and make way for Adama Barrow.&nbsp;

While Barrow maintains his inauguration will take place on Thursday, Jammeh remained in the country till 2330 GMT.&nbsp;

Senegalese and Nigerian troops&nbsp;were poised to move into The Gambia as&nbsp;Jammeh&#39;s army chief said Gambian soldiers will not stop their entry.&nbsp;

Senegal army spokesman Colonel Abdou Ndiaye told AFP &quot;Our troops are on alert... The ultimatum takes effect at midnight.&quot;

&quot;If a political solution fails, we will engage.&quot;

Chief of Defence Staff, Ousman Badjie said &quot;We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute.&quot;

&quot;I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men,&quot; he added. &quot;If they (Senegalese) come in, we are here like this,&quot; Badjie said.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz met Jammeh for last-minute talks before flying to meet Senegal's President Macky Sall

Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz made a last attempt to talk and form a deal with Gambian President Yahya Jammeh to end the political dispute. Aziz backed by the 15-nation Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) then flew to Senegal to meet with President Macky Sall. Aziz had been talking with Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow and Sall at the airport in Dakar. About 30 vehicles with tinted windows then sped away from where the talks took place, Reuters reported. Gambian President Jammeh's term ended at midnight but he refused to step down despite losing the election last month. After weeks of failed diplomacy, west African states have been pushing Jammeh to vacate office and make way for Adama Barrow. While Barrow maintains his inauguration will take place on Thursday, Jammeh remained in the country till 2330 GMT. Senegalese and Nigerian troops were poised to move into The Gambia as Jammeh's army chief said Gambian soldiers will not stop their entry. Senegal army spokesman Colonel Abdou Ndiaye told AFP "Our troops are on alert... The ultimatum takes effect at midnight." "If a political solution fails, we will engage." Chief of Defence Staff, Ousman Badjie said "We are not going to involve ourselves militarily. This is a political dispute." "I am not going to involve my soldiers in a stupid fight. I love my men," he added. "If they (Senegalese) come in, we are here like this," Badjie said. (WION with inputs from agencies)

African leaders discuss Gambia as President Jammeh's deadline ends

The Nigerian military on Saturday rescued another of the missing Chibok schoolgirls, abducted by Islamist militant group Boko Haram, near the border with Cameroon.&nbsp;

The army spokesman Sani Usman said the girl was discovered by troops who were screening escapees from Boko Haram&#39;s base in the Sambisa forest in Pulka, Gwoza local government area in Borno state.&nbsp;

The girl, Maryam Ali Maiyanga, was &quot;discovered to be carrying a 10-month-old son&quot;, the army spokesman said.

Last month, 21 of the abducted 270 girls were released by Boko Haram following talks between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government.&nbsp;

The government said it was hoping to secure the release of 83 other girls believed to be from Chibok being held by a different factions of the extremist group.

(WION with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The girl was 'found carrying a 10-month-old son' by troops who were screening escappes from Boko Haram militant base

The Nigerian military on Saturday rescued another of the missing Chibok schoolgirls, abducted by Islamist militant group Boko Haram, near the border with Cameroon. The army spokesman Sani Usman said the girl was discovered by troops who were screening escapees from Boko Haram's base in the Sambisa forest in Pulka, Gwoza local government area in Borno state. The girl, Maryam Ali Maiyanga, was "discovered to be carrying a 10-month-old son", the army spokesman said. Last month, 21 of the abducted 270 girls were released by Boko Haram following talks between the Nigerian government and Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government. The government said it was hoping to secure the release of 83 other girls believed to be from Chibok being held by a different factions of the extremist group. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Nigeria army rescues Chibok schoolgirl near Cameroon border

After a fierce exchange of fire, the Nigerian troops thwarted an attempted hijack of a vessel in the restive Niger Delta.&nbsp;

Lieutenant Commander Thomas Otuji said in a statement that seven suspected pirates and militants were killed in crossfire last week during the rescue operation. A group of hostages had also been freed unhurt.&nbsp;

&quot;Troops of Operation Base 2 repelled a hijack of a vessel (MT VAJARA) by heavily armed bandits in Ramos River, around Agge area of Delta state,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

The commander said the Nigerian military were taking measures to make the entire Niger Delta and the waterways safe for oil firms, vessels and their crew.&nbsp;

In another incident, the troops arrested five people on October 17 and 18 near oil pipelines around the port city of Warri.&nbsp;

&quot;Five suspected vandals were arrested and they confessed to their plan to vandalise the wellheads,&quot; he said, adding that two boats were recovered during the operation.&nbsp;

After President Muhammadu Buhari last year announced he was winding down an amnesty to former militants in the oil-rich region, ship hijackings and militant attacks on oil facilities have become more frequent.&nbsp;

The militants claim to be seeking a larger share of the country&#39;s oil wealth for residents of the region as well as political autonomy. The government has urged the rebels to end the unrest and embrace the peace talks to be held on October 31.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP) 
&nbsp;

The military forced away pirates and rescued a group of hostages last week, as it stepped up measures to safeguard Niger Delta

After a fierce exchange of fire, the Nigerian troops thwarted an attempted hijack of a vessel in the restive Niger Delta. Lieutenant Commander Thomas Otuji said in a statement that seven suspected pirates and militants were killed in crossfire last week during the rescue operation. A group of hostages had also been freed unhurt. "Troops of Operation Base 2 repelled a hijack of a vessel (MT VAJARA) by heavily armed bandits in Ramos River, around Agge area of Delta state," he said. The commander said the Nigerian military were taking measures to make the entire Niger Delta and the waterways safe for oil firms, vessels and their crew. In another incident, the troops arrested five people on October 17 and 18 near oil pipelines around the port city of Warri. "Five suspected vandals were arrested and they confessed to their plan to vandalise the wellheads," he said, adding that two boats were recovered during the operation. After President Muhammadu Buhari last year announced he was winding down an amnesty to former militants in the oil-rich region, ship hijackings and militant attacks on oil facilities have become more frequent. The militants claim to be seeking a larger share of the country's oil wealth for residents of the region as well as political autonomy. The government has urged the rebels to end the unrest and embrace the peace talks to be held on October 31. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Nigerian troops thwart ship hijacking, kill seven suspected pirates

Jihadist group Boko Haram on Thursday freed 21 of more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls it had kidnapped two years ago.&nbsp;

Nigerian vice president Yemi Osinbajo met with the freed girls in Abuja.

&quot;It&#39;s a very exciting news for the whole country,&quot; he said, AFP reported.

&quot;About an hour ago I met with the 21 who have been brought back. They are reasonably in good health considering the circumstances in which they have been held,&quot; Osinbajo told reporters after the meeting.

His office also released the names of the girls which showed that one of them was carrying a baby, media reports said.&nbsp;

Local sources told AFP that their release was a part of a prisoner swap with the Nigerian government. However, the information &nbsp;minister Lai Mohammed denied such reports, saying he was not aware if any ransom had been paid.

The kidnapping had &nbsp;prompted a worldwide outrage and the girls&rsquo; plight was publicised on social media using a Twitter hashtag, #bringbackourgirls.

&quot;In the next few days or months we will be able to negotiate the release of more of the girls,&quot; Osinbajo told reporters.

Officials have accused Boko Haram of having married off the girls to its followers. Reuters reported.

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from agencies)

The government has denied reports that the girls were swapped for Boko Haram fighters

Jihadist group Boko Haram on Thursday freed 21 of more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls it had kidnapped two years ago. Nigerian vice president Yemi Osinbajo met with the freed girls in Abuja. "It's a very exciting news for the whole country," he said, AFP reported. "About an hour ago I met with the 21 who have been brought back. They are reasonably in good health considering the circumstances in which they have been held," Osinbajo told reporters after the meeting. His office also released the names of the girls which showed that one of them was carrying a baby, media reports said. Local sources told AFP that their release was a part of a prisoner swap with the Nigerian government. However, the information minister Lai Mohammed denied such reports, saying he was not aware if any ransom had been paid. The kidnapping had prompted a worldwide outrage and the girls’ plight was publicised on social media using a Twitter hashtag, #bringbackourgirls. "In the next few days or months we will be able to negotiate the release of more of the girls," Osinbajo told reporters. Officials have accused Boko Haram of having married off the girls to its followers. Reuters reported. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Nigeria: Boko Haram releases 21 out of 200 kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls

Nigeria&#39;s secret police has seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and assets in a series of anti-corruption raids that targeted senior judges, drawing condemnation from the bar association and rights groups.&nbsp;

The Department of State Services (DSS) said it had seized $800,000 (715,000 euros) in cash during the operation which was launched on the basis of &quot;allegations of corruption and professional misconduct&quot; by a number of judges, AFP reported.

&quot;The searches have uncovered huge raw cash of various denominations, local and foreign currencies, with real estate worth several millions of naira and documents affirming unholy acts by these judges,&quot; the DSS statement said,AFP reported.

The nationwide operation took place on Saturday and according to AFP police detained seven judges.

The raids led the Nigerian Bar Association to declare a state of emergency, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari&#39;s spokesman to defend the operation.

A source at DSS headquarters told AFP &quot;about four or five judges are here with us writing statements&quot;.

Buhari was elected last year on an anti-corruption platform, vowing to stamp out corruption that is rampant in the oil-rich country.&nbsp;

But critics have accused the former military ruler of using his anti-graft crackdown to silence political opponents and crush dissent.

Bar Association head Abubakar Mahmoud lashed out at Buhari over the raids.

&quot;We are not under military rule and we cannot accept this unholy event and Gestapo-style operation,&quot; he told reporters.

The DSS said it was preparing criminal cases against the judges. &nbsp;

 
 
&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

The Nigerian Department of State Services said it has seized $800,000 in cash during the raids

Nigeria's secret police has seized hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and assets in a series of anti-corruption raids that targeted senior judges, drawing condemnation from the bar association and rights groups. The Department of State Services (DSS) said it had seized $800,000 (715,000 euros) in cash during the operation which was launched on the basis of "allegations of corruption and professional misconduct" by a number of judges, AFP reported. "The searches have uncovered huge raw cash of various denominations, local and foreign currencies, with real estate worth several millions of naira and documents affirming unholy acts by these judges," the DSS statement said,AFP reported. The nationwide operation took place on Saturday and according to AFP police detained seven judges. The raids led the Nigerian Bar Association to declare a state of emergency, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari's spokesman to defend the operation. A source at DSS headquarters told AFP "about four or five judges are here with us writing statements". Buhari was elected last year on an anti-corruption platform, vowing to stamp out corruption that is rampant in the oil-rich country. But critics have accused the former military ruler of using his anti-graft crackdown to silence political opponents and crush dissent. Bar Association head Abubakar Mahmoud lashed out at Buhari over the raids. "We are not under military rule and we cannot accept this unholy event and Gestapo-style operation," he told reporters. The DSS said it was preparing criminal cases against the judges. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Nigeria arrests judges in anti-corruption raids

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

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

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

Nigerian army battles Boko Haram militants to retake town in northeast

During military search operations carried out by Niger and Chad troops in the Diffa region of southeast Niger, 38 Boko Haram Islamist fighters have been killed this week, an official said on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
According to international news agency AFP, Niger defence ministry spokesman Moustapha Ledru informed on state television: &quot;Two soldiers were lightly wounded in the action and &quot;on the enemy side; 38 terrorists killed.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Substantial quantities of weapons and munitions were also seized, he added. 
 
The joint army operations took place &nbsp;around the villages of Gueskerou and Toumour in southeastern Niger between Monday and Wednesday, said the official.&nbsp; 
 
Villagers and NGO workers in Gueskerou, 30 kilometres from Diffa, informed that Boko Haram elements attacked the town on Wednesday night, without killing anyone. 
 
&quot;The attack nonetheless caused a psychosis in the population&quot; and &quot;the assailants torched houses and stole food and medicines after pillaging shops and a pharmacy,&quot; an NGO official told AFP. 
 
The intenrational news agency also pointed out in its report today that Boko Haram&#39;s seven-year insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and border areas of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and made more than 2.6 million homeless. Meanwhile, attacks in Niger&#39;s Diffa region began in February 2015. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)&nbsp;

The joint army operations took place ?around the villages of Gueskerou and Toumour in southeastern Niger between Monday and Wednesday

During military search operations carried out by Niger and Chad troops in the Diffa region of southeast Niger, 38 Boko Haram Islamist fighters have been killed this week, an official said on Friday. According to international news agency AFP, Niger defence ministry spokesman Moustapha Ledru informed on state television: "Two soldiers were lightly wounded in the action and "on the enemy side; 38 terrorists killed." Substantial quantities of weapons and munitions were also seized, he added. The joint army operations took place around the villages of Gueskerou and Toumour in southeastern Niger between Monday and Wednesday, said the official. Villagers and NGO workers in Gueskerou, 30 kilometres from Diffa, informed that Boko Haram elements attacked the town on Wednesday night, without killing anyone. "The attack nonetheless caused a psychosis in the population" and "the assailants torched houses and stole food and medicines after pillaging shops and a pharmacy," an NGO official told AFP. The intenrational news agency also pointed out in its report today that Boko Haram's seven-year insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and border areas of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and made more than 2.6 million homeless. Meanwhile, attacks in Niger's Diffa region began in February 2015. (WION with inputs from AFP)

38 Boko Haram fighters killed this week during military raid in south Niger, says army

Boko Haram&#39;s shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau, who recently appeared in a video vowing to continue the fight against Nigeria, has been killed in air force raid, Nigerian Army claimed today.&nbsp; 
 
In a post on microblogging site Twitter, the Nigerian Army in its offiical account, said: &nbsp;&#39;Nigerian Army troops kills 3 armed kidnappers and kidnappers camps destroyed in #Bauchi&#39;.&nbsp; 
 
The Nigerian Army said the leader of the militant Islamist Shekau was &#39;fatally wounded&#39; in raids carried out by the country&#39;s air force.
<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
BREAKING NEWS: NIGERIAN AIR FORCE RAID KILLS BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS COMMANDERS... &ldquo;ABUBAKAR SHEKAU&rdquo; FATALLY WOUNDED!
&mdash; Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/HQNigerianArmy/status/767921120754491392">August 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BreakingNews?src=hash">#BreakingNews</a>: Abubakar Shekau fatally wounded. Nigerian Air Force raid kill Boko Haram terrorists commanders 
Cc<a href="https://twitter.com/HQNigerianArmy">@HQNigerianArmy</a>
&mdash; Uncle Fred (@fredwave) <a href="https://twitter.com/fredwave/status/767920635037249536">August 23, 2016</a> 
&nbsp;</blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>

<div class="twitter-block">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Nigerian Army troops kills 3 armed kidnappers and kidnappers camps destroyed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bauchi?src=hash">#Bauchi</a> <a href="https://t.co/2GUdTmCocr">pic.twitter.com/2GUdTmCocr</a>
&mdash; Uncle Fred (@fredwave) <a href="https://twitter.com/fredwave/status/767916363344117760">August 23, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
 
(WION)&nbsp;

The Nigerian Army said three armed kidnappers were killed during raid but it wasn't clear whether Shekau was killed or not

Boko Haram's shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau, who recently appeared in a video vowing to continue the fight against Nigeria, has been killed in air force raid, Nigerian Army claimed today. In a post on microblogging site Twitter, the Nigerian Army in its offiical account, said: 'Nigerian Army troops kills 3 armed kidnappers and kidnappers camps destroyed in #Bauchi'. The Nigerian Army said the leader of the militant Islamist Shekau was 'fatally wounded' in raids carried out by the country's air force. BREAKING NEWS: NIGERIAN AIR FORCE RAID KILLS BOKO HARAM TERRORISTS COMMANDERS... “ABUBAKAR SHEKAU” FATALLY WOUNDED! — Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) August 23, 2016 #BreakingNews: Abubakar Shekau fatally wounded. Nigerian Air Force raid kill Boko Haram terrorists commanders Cc@HQNigerianArmy — Uncle Fred (@fredwave) August 23, 2016 Nigerian Army troops kills 3 armed kidnappers and kidnappers camps destroyed in #Bauchi pic.twitter.com/2GUdTmCocr — Uncle Fred (@fredwave) August 23, 2016 (WION)

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau fatally wounded in air force raid, claims Nigerian Army

Nigeria has reported that two children in Borno state have been paralysed by polio, the first cases of the disease in the country in two years, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. 
 
Nigeria and the UN agency are conducting immunisation campaigns and strengthening surveillance systems that help catch the virus early, the WHO said in a statement on the latest setback to its global programme to eradicate polio. 
 
&quot;The overriding priority now is to rapidly immunise all children around the affected area and ensure that no other children succumb to this terrible disease,&quot; said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. 
 
Pakistan and Afghanistan have also reported polio this year, with 21 cases to date, WHO said. 
 
(Reuters)

After two children have been paralysed by polio, immunisation has become a priority

Nigeria has reported that two children in Borno state have been paralysed by polio, the first cases of the disease in the country in two years, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Nigeria and the UN agency are conducting immunisation campaigns and strengthening surveillance systems that help catch the virus early, the WHO said in a statement on the latest setback to its global programme to eradicate polio. "The overriding priority now is to rapidly immunise all children around the affected area and ensure that no other children succumb to this terrible disease," said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. Pakistan and Afghanistan have also reported polio this year, with 21 cases to date, WHO said. (Reuters)

Nigeria reports first polio cases in two years: WHO

Boko Haram&#39;s shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau has appeared in a new video vowing to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split in the hardline jihadist group blamed for thousands of deaths since 2009. 
 
&quot;I... Abubakar Ash-Shakawy (Shekau), the leader of Jama&#39;atu Ahlissunnah Lidda&#39;awati Wal Jihad made it a duty for myself (to fight) Nigeria and the whole world,&quot; Shekau said in the video released on Sunday, using group&#39;s name since it declared allegiance to the so-called Islamic State. 
 
&#39;I&#39;m alive&#39; 
 
Last week, Shekau said in an audio message he was still head of the group despite his purported replacement with Sheikh Abu Musab al-Barnawi, a former Boko Haram spokesman. 
 
&quot;We have no desire to fight our Muslim brethren,&quot; Shekau, who last appeared in March, said in the 24-minute video. 
 
Shekau ridiculed suggestions that he was dead, and looked more composed and energetic than in previous appearances. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m alive by the permission of Allah,&quot; he said in his speech in Arabic and Hausa, adding that he would only die when his time comes. 
 
Shekau labels western countries &#39;tyrants of the United Nonsense&#39;&nbsp; 
 
In the video, he is wearing camouflage gear and holding a machine gun, standing between two Islamist fighters in balaclavas armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers. 
 
He taunted President Muhammadu Buhari&#39;s administration and condemned western countries including the United States, France, Germany and &quot;the tyrants of the United Nonsense (UN)&quot;. 
 
At the end of his speech -- apparently filmed in Boko Haram&#39;s stronghold in the Sambisa forest of northeastern Nigeria -- he fired off rounds of ammunition into the air. 
 
His absence in recent months had sparked speculation about his fate and whether he had been deposed as the head of Boko Haram. 
 
Barnawi&#39;s appointment was contained in a magazine issued by the Islamic State group to which Boko Haram pledged allegiance in March last year. 
 
Shekau dismissed Barnawi as an infidel who condoned living in an un-Islamic society without waging jihad. 
 
Shekau became leader after Nigerian security forces killed the group&#39;s founding chief Mohammed Yusuf in 2009. 
 
Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since it launched a brutal insurgency in Nigeria in 2009. 
 
Nigerian forces, with the support of regional troops, have recaptured swathes of territory lost to the jihadists since they launched a military campaign in February 2014. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Shekau ridiculed suggestions that he was dead. 'We have no desire to fight our Muslim brethren,' he said

Boko Haram's shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau has appeared in a new video vowing to fight on, shrugging off an apparent split in the hardline jihadist group blamed for thousands of deaths since 2009. "I... Abubakar Ash-Shakawy (Shekau), the leader of Jama'atu Ahlissunnah Lidda'awati Wal Jihad made it a duty for myself (to fight) Nigeria and the whole world," Shekau said in the video released on Sunday, using group's name since it declared allegiance to the so-called Islamic State. 'I'm alive' Last week, Shekau said in an audio message he was still head of the group despite his purported replacement with Sheikh Abu Musab al-Barnawi, a former Boko Haram spokesman. "We have no desire to fight our Muslim brethren," Shekau, who last appeared in March, said in the 24-minute video. Shekau ridiculed suggestions that he was dead, and looked more composed and energetic than in previous appearances. "I'm alive by the permission of Allah," he said in his speech in Arabic and Hausa, adding that he would only die when his time comes. Shekau labels western countries 'tyrants of the United Nonsense' In the video, he is wearing camouflage gear and holding a machine gun, standing between two Islamist fighters in balaclavas armed with rocket-propelled grenade launchers. He taunted President Muhammadu Buhari's administration and condemned western countries including the United States, France, Germany and "the tyrants of the United Nonsense (UN)". At the end of his speech -- apparently filmed in Boko Haram's stronghold in the Sambisa forest of northeastern Nigeria -- he fired off rounds of ammunition into the air. His absence in recent months had sparked speculation about his fate and whether he had been deposed as the head of Boko Haram. Barnawi's appointment was contained in a magazine issued by the Islamic State group to which Boko Haram pledged allegiance in March last year. Shekau dismissed Barnawi as an infidel who condoned living in an un-Islamic society without waging jihad. Shekau became leader after Nigerian security forces killed the group's founding chief Mohammed Yusuf in 2009. Boko Haram has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since it launched a brutal insurgency in Nigeria in 2009. Nigerian forces, with the support of regional troops, have recaptured swathes of territory lost to the jihadists since they launched a military campaign in February 2014. (AFP)

Boko Haram's shadowy leader Shekau vows to fight in new video, dismisses split rumours

Serbian Milovan Rajevac has been appointed the new coach of Algeria, the country&#39;s football federation has confirmed. 
 
Rajevac came close to helping Ghana, who became the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2010 and takes over from Christian Gourcuff, who resigned in April ahead of a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. 
 
Rajevac, 62, will be expected to lead Algeria to the World Cup in Russia but faces a difficult qualification group that also contains Nigeria, Cameroon and Zambia. Only the top team advances to the finals. 
 
Algeria have already qualified for the African Nations Cup finals in Gabon starting next January. 
 
(Reuters)

He takes over from Christian Gourcuff who resigned in April ahead of a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais

Serbian Milovan Rajevac has been appointed the new coach of Algeria, the country's football federation has confirmed. Rajevac came close to helping Ghana, who became the first African side to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2010 and takes over from Christian Gourcuff, who resigned in April ahead of a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais. Rajevac, 62, will be expected to lead Algeria to the World Cup in Russia but faces a difficult qualification group that also contains Nigeria, Cameroon and Zambia. Only the top team advances to the finals. Algeria have already qualified for the African Nations Cup finals in Gabon starting next January. (Reuters)

Milovan Rajevac confirmed as new coach of Algeria

nigeria

Nigeria, News on Nigeria, stories on Nigeria, articles on Nigeria, Nigeria stories at Wion, Nigeria news, Nigeria latest news