Two Nigerian affiliates of the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb — Boko Haram and the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis- Sudan — are planning major reprisals to protest Nigeria’s participation in the Mali war, SUNDAY PUNCH authoritatively reports.

Al-Qaeda members
| credits: english.alarabiya.net

Nigeria has deployed forces in northern Mali to flush out the al-Qaeda-linked Islamist groups who have taken control of the vast desert territory.

Barely 48 hours after the Mali mission, terror operations increased in the northern part of the country with not less four attacks in three days leading to the death of about 30 people.

While claiming responsibility for the attack on Mali-bound soldiers in Kogi State and the kidnap of a French citizen, Francis Colump, in Katsina State, the sect said its actions were based on France and Nigeria’s major role in the attack on Islamists in northern Mali.

Security agents told SUNDAY PUNCH that the sects, particularly JAMBS, planned to protest Nigeria’s participation in the Mali war, in the form of bomb attacks and kidnap of expatriates. It was learnt that while JAMBS would concentrate on foreign targets, Boko Haram would focus on local targets.

A top intelligence officer, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said, “The survival of JAMBS and Boko Haram depends on the survival of the Islamists in Mali. If the terrorists in Mali are wiped out, that is the end of the ones in Nigeria and that is why Nigeria is at the fore-front of the Mali war.

“We have reports that the violent sects here have been instructed to increase their terror acts and it is not surprising. That is why they have become very restive in the North. We are at the border to intercept whatever arms they are planning to bring in. We also have plain-clothes security men in the North monitoring activities. We are ready for them.”

The Deputy Public Relations Officer of the police, Frank Mba, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the police were aware of the “plans” of the sects, but he declined to provide details. Mba stated that the war in Mali was necessary to put an end to terrorism in that country.

“All the terror groups in Nigeria receive major financing and training from Mali and it is expected that they will not be pleased with the war. They get support from Mali and we know they are not happy we are with the war, but Nigerians cannot to be held hostage. We are ready for them. We owe Nigerians a duty to be in Mali to totally eradicate terrorism from Nigeria,” he said.

Similarly, the President of the Northern Civil Society Coalition, Mr. Shehu Sani, stated that the war in Mali posed a security challenge because JAMBS and other sects that are sympathetic to Malian Islamists would target countries that contributed troops to the multinational force battling Islamists in the country.

“Nigeria has to cover its tracks at home. We are vulnerable to reprisals. There is no doubt that terrorists in Mali will inflict damage on countries participating in the war,” he said.

Meanwhile, JAMBS, has launched a massive recruitment drive in the North. Reliable sources in the security services told one of our correspondents that the sect aimed to be “bigger and deadlier” than the better known Boko Haram sect.

In recent times, JAMBS, which has been described as an international terror group, has claimed responsibility for some headline-grabbing terrorist acts. It was  learnt that the ongoing recruitment by the sect, targets young persons, mainly men, indoctrinated to fight for the cause of the sect.

Even though the recruitment is restricted to the North for now, SUNDAYPUNCH gathered that the sect had plans to stretch its search for recruits to other parts of the country.

Sani said JAMBS was more dangerous than Boko Haram and that “foreign interests have much to fear from the new group.”

“JAMBS is in competition with Boko Haram and it won’t be difficult for them to get recruits in a society of millions of disenfranchised youths. It will be easy for them to get volunteers from the lower rung of the society. Its agenda is different from Boko Haram’s. The group is strictly toeing the instructions of the al-Qaeda which is to target foreign groups and persons.

“What makes this group very dangerous is their mobility. You cannot say this is where they are located. They operate a mobile command and no part of Nigeria is immune to their acts. If they can attack troops in Kogi, that tells you the nature of the group.

“It is difficult to estimate their actual number because they are not in a particular position, but I can tell you that they have high capacity to inflict lethal damage and to also carry our operations without being caught.” he said

Sani said the sect was not interested in “local matters” like Boko Haram.

“The Federal Government needs to know that this new group is interested in issues of global significance like events happening in Mali, the Middle East and in the Maghreb. The kidnapping of expatriates is an indication of what this group is about. They have a clear intention to pursue the agenda of the al-Qaeda. They are charting a new course beyond the shores of Nigeria,” he added.

Mba however said it would be difficult for the sect to have a base in the North.

“We can’t tell you what we know about JAMBS. But it is important that we point out that it will be difficult for them to have a base in the North due to the heavy presence of the police and the military,” he said.

The Federal Government had said the deployment of Nigerian troops in Mali was necessary to protect Africa from terrorism.

http://www.punchng.com/news/mali-al-qaeda-allies-plot-revenge-attacks-in-nigeria/

'Islamists' causing trouble worldwide. SHAME

Mend, boko haram, opc, mossob, now alqeda soon 9ja will be in flames.nawah ooo make we dissolve this country before peace loving people gets cut up in the fire

GEJ is on top of the situation, so no cause for alarm. Lol

Pls DIVIDE this Country.
Let the North join Niger and Biafra should be Carved out so we, the remaining Nigerians can have Peace.

Inna lahha la yuhibbu kafirun/zalimun

Let GEJ beta share us guns 2 b ready. Lolz

Abdul Adam56: Inna lahha la yuhibbu kafirun/zalimun

Translation please!

They can do nothing than a dead rat.

Okay,we are waiting over here in Lagos...We dey wait!!

people are trying to make th world a better place while stupidd islamists are going around killing innocent people to satisfy a pissful arab god that is dead and burried in saudi arabia ...smh for black people

No man is God... Let them bring it

From this article, they are scared. If Nigerian army can flush out the sect in Mali which is their HQ, they will soon become toothless dogs.

These are kinds of bastards I would have no problem murdering.

If truly islam is a religion of peace, why is it that muslims around the world have not risen to all these inhuman treatments by their fellow brothers? If you are a true muslim, stand up against evil perpetrated by your fellow muslim brothers

Make america free us naw! This guys want to come into nigeria by force!

They won't go far.

I just hope nigeria won't turn to mali, syria and the likes soon . It would be a catastrophic disaster. I also hope the americans and french won't send troops to this country all in the name of fighting terrorism, if they do, that would be the end of this nation for good, and that would be like after 15 years of civil war
Nigerians, better do all you can to curb terrorism now because those international community really do not have these countries dealing with terrorism at heart, they only go there for selfish reasons like harnessing the affected country's resources, to show dominance and if possible to start a 3rd world war in my own opinion.

Let them bring it on

Abdul Adam56: Inna lahha la yuhibbu kafirun/zalimun

Hope dis is nt d recruitment advertisement? Lolz

Aboki is ma friend. Dangote is ma friend. Jamb . Boko harm .

Those guys are fake muslims islam is a religion of peace not terrorism

My most fear is the fact that the rebels in Mali are not killed actually but chased away if you notice from the intl media, which mean they can re group and may change strategy or base.

Nigeria is a good ground for them to be anonymous and start a gurriella war which is not easy to quash like direct war.

Now Mali has a father called France that can help at any time but can Nigerias prodigal father Britain do same.

Nasri100: Okay,we are waiting over here in Lagos...We dey wait!!

Oga let's pray dey don't strike, cause if dey do opc can't fight alqeada pls

To ur tents o Nigeria. Jungle wan mature .

When I watched videos and see the hungry looking suicidal teenagers called terrorists I always laugh, they are tinier than the image they create. They cant survive in Nigeria at all. These are just visionless, hopeless vagabonds who find belief in Islam. Every true Muslim should condemn these terrorists cos no one can fight governments. Even billionaire Osama Bin Laden died like a little rabbit after suffering in the deserts of Afghanistan. Terrorist thrive when the people become afraid. We have to get prepared and snuff the living daylight out of these motherf-u-ck-ers. We cant run away from our comfort zones cos of some dirty looking desert hopeless Islamic criminals

Shittaakeem: Those guys are fake muslims islam is a religion of peace not terrorism

U are stupid to metion that word peace

Coolturbo: From this article, they are scared. If Nigerian army can flush out the sect in Mali which is their HQ, they will soon become toothless dogs.

The Nigerian army cannot engage them as they are doing in Mali in Nigerian soil, cos civilian lives will be lost and the international community will accuse the Nigerian Government of genocide.

Abdul Adam56: Inna lahha la yuhibbu kafirun/zalimun

Whatever that means... All i know is that ISLAM is the worst thing that ever happened to humanity...

Shittaakeem: Those guys are fake muslims islam is a religion of peace not terrorism

Make we hear word Jare. Dis una mantra don tire d whole world sef. Una no fit live with unaself, una no fit live with strangers. Peace ko, Harmony ni.

martyns303:
The Nigerian army cannot engage them as they are doing in Mali in Nigerian soil, cos civilian lives will be lost and the international community will accuse the Nigerian Government of genocide.

So bottom line is for those Northerners to stop being sympathetic to these strangers cos of Islam. They should inform the JTF of any strange faces they see in their neigbourhood and the Imams should stop inciting their youth too death.