Category Archives: Nigeria

Despite Ongoing Military Operations, Clashes Continue to Occur in Northern Nigeria

Despite a nearly three-month-old state of emergency, which was declared in three states in northern Nigeria, the country has seen an increase in attacks as Boko Haram militants and their supporters continue their attempts to carve out an Islamic State.  In the latest incidents to rock the northern regions of the country, at least thirty-five people have been killed in two attacks that were carried out by militants.  Meanwhile on Tuesday, gunfire and explosions shook one northeastern Nigerian town while soldiers established a round-the-clock curfew on another region in light of a wave of insurgent clashes.

Clashes broke out in the town of Gamboru Ngala, which is located near the border with Cameroon, on Monday night and continued into Tuesday.  Due to minimal communications, the military has not yet commented on the situation and details pertaining to the clashes remain unclear.  Meanwhile in the city of Potiskum, a round-the-clock curfew has been imposed on the city as soldiers carried out house-to-house searches.  Local residents have reported that soldiers were conducting house-to-house searches in two neighborhoods in a bid to locate high-profile Boko Haram members.  Although the military has not provided any details as to the sudden imposed curfew, the security operation comes ahead of the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday which follows the holy month of Ramadan.  There are currently no indications of how long the curfew will remain in place however the country will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr on Thursday and Friday.    The situations in the two towns do not appear to be linked as they are located hundreds of kilometers apart.  The recent clashes and military operation come in the wake of fighting which occurred on Sunday in two other northeastern towns, in which at least thirty-five people have been killed.

A military statement released by officials indicates that thirty-two militants, along with two soldiers and one police officer, died during assaults that were carried out on a police station and military base on Sunday.  Military spokesman Sagir Musa has indicated that “troops have successfully repelled Boko Haram terrorist attacks on a police base in Bama…on 4 August.”  He also noted that a military base in the town of Malam Fatori was also attacked, triggering a gun battle.  The military has also stated that “sophisticated weapons” and explosives were used in the attacks.  Although the attacks had occurred on Sunday, news of the incidents emerged days later as communications with the region have been difficult since the state of emergency was declared on May 14.

Briton Kidnapped in Nigeria Released

The British High Commission has confirmed that a man, who was kidnapped by gunmen on Friday shortly after landing at the international aiport in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, has been released.

On Friday, Wale Adebayo, spokesman at the Deputy High Commission in Lagos, indicated that “there was a kidnapping of a Briton and we are working with the Nigerian authorities.”  He had declined to provide further details, including the day the attack occurred.  A private security source familiar with the incident indicated on Friday that the British man had been abducted on Tuesday while travelling into the city after landing at the airport.  According to the source, the attackers opened fire on the vehicle and “the driver was injured by a gunshot,” before the Briton was seized.  There is typically heavy traffic well into the night on most of the roads that lead from the airport in the Ikeja neighbourhood towards central Lagos.  However it currently remains unclear where the attack occurred or whether there were any witnesses nearby.

Today, Mr. Adebayo stated that “we can confirm the release of the British national…following his abduction on July 16.  The man was released on Sunday and no comments have been made on whether a ransom payment had been made.

The kidnaping for foreigners for ransom is common in Nigeria, particularly around the oil-rich southern coast.  There has also been a rise of such incidents occurring in Lagos.  In March of this year, a British man, working for the French energy company CGG, was kidnapped in the upscale Victoria Island area of the city.  He was released days later.  However officials refused to confirm reports that a ransom had been paid for his release.  In the oil-producing Niger Delta region, foreigners working in the oil sector are often released following an armed abduction.  Their employers and officials typically do not reveal details about ransoms.  Foreigners have also been kidnapped in the northern regions of the county, however those attacks are considered difference and have been blamed an Islamist extremists.  A Briton was amongst seven foreigners kidnapped in February of this year from a construction site in the northern Bauchi state in an attack that was claimed by the Islamist group Ansaru.  Ansaru later posted a video that appeared to show the corpses of some of the hostages.  In 2010, 28-year-old Briton Chris McManus was abducted along with an Italian national, Franco Lamolianra, in the northern Kebbi state.  They were both killed in the northwestern Sokoto State nearly a year later amidst a rescue operation which had been jointly planned by British and Nigerian authorities and authorized by British Prime Minister David Cameron.  That attack was later blamed on Ansaru, a group which is seen as being an offshoot of Boko Haram.

Tagged as: British High Commission, Briton, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria

Call for Anti-piracy Operations in West Africa

Heads of states in West Africa have called for the deployment of an international naval force that will aid in curbing the growing threat of piracy off the Gulf of Guinea.  There are currently more pirate attacks occurring off the coast of West Africa than in the waters off Somalia, which used to be a piracy hotspot.  Patrols by foreign warships, as part of the European Union’s and Nato’s anti-piracy operations, have reduced attacks by Somali pirates, with the last successful vessel hijacking occurring thirteen months ago.  Piracy off Somalia decreased by 78% in 2012 when compared with 2011.  With Somali piracy significantly on the decline, mainly due to increased patrolling of the waters coupled with the presence of security teams on board vessels transiting through the region and better practices by the ship’s captains and crew, leaders in West African states are increasingly looking into the possibilities of deploying international navies in order to manage the issue.

Speaking at a meeting of West and Central African leaders in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde, the Ivory Coast’s President Alassane Ouattara highlighted that the growing threat from piracy in the region resulted in a need for the issue to be tackled with “firmness.”  He further indicated that “I urge the international community to show the same firmness in the Gulf of Guinea as displayed in the Gulf of Aden, where the presence of international naval forces has helped to drastically reduce acts of piracy.”  Cameroon’s President Paul Biya also noted that it was vital to respond to the threat and to protect shipping routes and the economic interests of the region.

According to statistics released by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), for the first time, more pirate attacks were reported in the Gulf of Guinea than off the coast of Somalia, in which about 960 sailors were attacked in West Africa in 2012, compared with 851 that occurred in the waters off Somalia.  However while attack numbers have sharply decreased in Somalia, at least 78 hostages are still being held captive by Somali pirates.  Some of them have been held for long periods of time.  A number of security sources have indicated that waters off the coast of Nigeria, which is Africa’s largest oil producer, have the highest risk of pirate activity in the region.

Although pirates in West Africa typically only steal fuel cargo and the crew members’ possessions, attacks in the region have been known to be extremely violent.  IMB has reported that five of the 206 hostages kidnapped last year off vessels transiting through Western Africa have been killed.  In sharp contrast, pirates in Somalia typically seize a vessel and its crew members and hold them until a hefty ransom is paid.

Militants are Threatening all of West Africa

Ghana’s President John Mahama has warned that Islamist militants pose a threat that could destabilise the whole of West Africa.  This announcement comes just days after Niger’s President indicated that Islamist militants, who attacked two sights in Niger, had come from southern Libya.  It also comes at a time when Nigeria’s army announces that armory belonging to the Lebanese group Hezbollah is discovered in northern Nigeria.

Niger

Ghana’s President Mahama has indicated that while his country has not directly been affected by the threats, no country in the region was safe if an insurgency were to take place in the region.  He further stated that while the French-led military operation had helped secure stability in Mali, the conflict was far from being over, stating that “there is the danger of asymmetric attacks like we saw in Niger the last few days, and so it is a matter that worries all of us in the sub-region.”  In turn, the operation to drive out al-Qaeda, and other allied Islamist groups, from northern Mali had showed how the whole Sahel region had “become an attractive foothold for insurgents.”

Nigeria 

Meanwhile in Nigeria, an army spokesman, Brigadier Gen. Ilyasu Isa Abba has confirmed that a cache, including 11 anti-tank weapons, four anti-tank mines, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) and 21 RPG missiles, 17 AK-47’s, two sub-machine guns and 76 grenades, have been found in a warehouse in the northern city of Kano.  He further indicated that three Lebanese nationals have been arrested while a fourth is still at large.  According to a military statement, one suspect, Mustafa Fawaz, was arrested on May 16 and his “confession unveiled other members of the foreign terrorists network.”  A second suspect, Abdullah Tahini, was arrested several day later while attempting to board a flight to Beirut from the airport in Kano.  The third detained Lebanese national, Talal Roda, was arrested at the Kano home on May 26 while the fourth suspect, who has been identified as Fauzi Fawad, remains to be at large.  Nigeria’s State Security Service has stated that the weapons were intended to be used against “Israeli and Western interests,” with Bassey Ettang, director of the State Security Service in Kano, noting that “this is the handwork of Hezbollah.”  He further indicated that “investigations are still ongoing to determine” if the Lebanese nationals “are really connected to Boko Haram.”

This is the first time that Nigerian authorities have alleged that Hezbollah has had an operational interest in the country.  Kano, and the north-eastern region of Nigeria, have suffered multiple attacks in the last three years, ever since the home-grown Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, launched an insurgency.  According to Mr. Ettang, “you can be sure that if a group like this is existing then it may even lend support to some of the local terrorista we have on the ground.”  Hezbollah is a Shiite military and political movement that is based in Lebanon.  It is considered to be a terrorist organization by the United States.

Reacting to the latest claims, a security official in Israel has indicated that Nigeria was  a “destination state for Shiite terror and global Jihad groups, which are boosting their efforts in Africa as part of international efforts.”  The source further indicated that “the cell exposed and arrested is part of a Shiite terror campaign against Western and Israeli targets around the world which has been taking place for a number of years…the possibility that members of the cell acted under Hezbollah’s orders in other African states, such as Benin, the Ivory Coast, Ghana and Sierra Leone, is also being examined.”

Nigeria Declares State of Emergency

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in three states after a series of deadly attacks were carried out by Boko Haram militants.  MS Risk advises any individuals or companies in the states of Adamawa, Borno or Yobe to remain vigilant and to monitor any developments and to be alert to any further announcements made by State Government.  We currently advise against all travel to Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State as well as Gombe State and Bauchi State.  This is due to the continued threat of violent attacks.  Recent attacks in these regions have focused on public places, including restaurants and bars, and have resulted in large numbers of deaths and injuries.  If you are planning to work in northern Nigeria, even in those regions which are not subject to specific travel advisories, we advise you that you will require a high level of security.  Any employers in the region should be reviewing their security arrangements, especially in light of the recent kidnappings of westerners from protected compounds.

In a state address late on Tuesday, President Jonathan indicated that the military would be taking “all necessary action” to “put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists” in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.  He further noted that “what we
are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity.”  This is in reference to the recent attacks that have occurred on government buildings as well as the killings of officials and other civilians in which the President has indicated that “these actions amount to a declaration of war.”  The announcement is also the first time that the President has acknowledged that Boko Haram Islamists have “taken over “ parts of Borno state.

The President also ordered that more troops be deployed to states located in the hostile north-eastern region of the country.  Since the state of emergency declaration, Nigeria’s military has announced a massive deployment of troops to the region.  Military sources have also indicated that fighter jets would be deployed, raising the possibility that Nigeria could carry out air strikes within its own territory.  Since the announcement, top US officials have called on Nigeria to protect the rights of its civilians and to avoid any “heavy-handed” response against the rebels.  State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell has stated that “we call on Nigerian officials to ensure that Nigeria’s security forces protect civilians in any security response in a wy that respects human rights and the rule of law.”  He further added that “we have made clear to the Nigerian government that its heavy-handed response to insecurity in northern Nigeria and the failure to address human rights violations will potentially affect our ability to provide security assistance going forward.”

Although the state of emergency was declared in the states of Yobe and Adamawa, it is widely believed that the military offensive will focus directly on the state of Borno, which shares borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger.  It is in this state that Boko Haram, which states that it is fighting in order to create an Islamic state in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north, has used the capital, Maiduguri, as its home base.  However it is known that Boko Haram fighters have relocated to the remote border regions following a number of crackdowns that have occurred in the city.  Furthermore, the regions‘ porous borders have enabled criminal groups and weapons to freely move between the countries further exasperated due to the Nigerian’s military limited presence in these areas.