Suspected Islamists detonated a bomb and exchanged fire with troops in northeastern Nigeria on Tuesday as the government inaugurated a panel to consider whether to negotiate with the extremists.



No one was reported killed in the attack in the city of Maiduguri, an army spokesman said, but a hospital nurse said a bullet-hit body was brought in after the gunfight with suspected members of the sect known as Boko Haram.

The bomb and gunfight came as Nigeria’s government launched the panel that will look into ways of ending the violence in the northeast, which has been hit by almost daily blasts and shootings in recent weeks blamed on the sect.

In inaugurating the panel, the government however backed away from an earlier statement that said its members would initiate negotiations with the sect. The seven-member committee will instead recommend whether talks should be opened.

“This is not a negotiation team,” said the secretary to the federal government, Anyim Pius Anyim. “It’s a fact-finding team. It’s a forum to identify a solution.”

It will also look into the behaviour of soldiers deployed to Maiduguri, where most of the violence has occurred, with troops accused of reacting to bomb attacks with brutal raids that have allegedly killed dozens of people and left residents’ homes burnt.

The panel appointed by President Goodluck Jonathan is required to submit its report to the government on or before August 16. Its chairman sought to assure the Islamists that their legitimate concerns would be taken into consideration.

“I would like to plead and call on the sect to embrace this dialogue process,” said Usman Gaji Galtimari, a former ambassador to Chad and a native of the northeast.

“I assure them that all their genuine grievances will be addressed by the committee and appropriate recommendations made.”

He also referred to it as a “peace process,” while also saying the panel’s timeframe was too tight and should be extended.

The panel includes the ministers of labour, defence and the Federal Capital Territory, which encompasses Abuja.

The sect has claimed to be fighting for the establishment of an Islamic state in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation of 150 million people roughly split between Christians and Muslims.

Source: http://www.informafrica.com/breaking-news-africa/bomb-rocks-nigerian-city-as-peace-panel-inaugurated/

7 years per term. Oloshi

Nigerian govt. should find solution now when it is available! If they ignore this stupid and inferior Boko Haram to take over things in the country, it is going to be very brutal to the detriment of the innocents.

Not again. They promised a bomb free ramadan, what happened?

hmmm When will this Idiots stop this madness Lord Have Mercy Even In The Holy Month We`ll Wait To Confirm If they really did it

I hope the sultan was affected by his people's bomb.

Abuloma80:

Not again. They promised a bomb free ramadan, what happened?

It was a banga/knockout not bombs.

babseg:

It was a banga/knockout not bombs.

i wonder which kind committee be that! i dont think nigerians know what is terrorist to a society! they come! and stay! wheather negotiation or none!,
my suggestion is to bring an- international anti -terrorist group to fight this! isreal massod wll do good.

Are we hearing from all those people asking GEJ to "negotiate"?

They surely learnt well from MEND

Maybe odechukwu retardeen should give them schorlarship, salary and amnesty like he did for his brothers in MEND

Bt ds dudes promis a bombfree ramadan. Anyway govt shld treat ds wt urgent measures

damn!!! again,they wont rest and why do they really want an islamic state?[color=#006600][/color]

even in d holy month of ramadan, definitely deir activities are not related to islam,

I can't imagine Nigeria negotiating with terrorists, that might spring up other evil bodies in the country . what is needed is a total wipe out not negotiation. (full stop)

Its time the muslim community come out en masse to criticise the activities of these sects. This has been the bane of muslims all over the world, while a small percentage of hardline islamist run loose killing innocent souls irrespective of their religion in the name of allah, the rest of the islamic world watch with their arms folded only to come out later to claim islam is a religion of peace. If islam is a religion of peace. then who stand 4 peace should jettison their comfort and demonstrate this. Abi are they too scared of their supposed brothers in arms?!!!!!!

I was expecting 'good muslims' to come out and stop their 'bad brothers'. Unfortunately dat is unlikely to ever happen.
Dialogue would have worked if what they are asking was worth a round table

Talking peace with terrorists means nigeria is officially declared a "somalia land "in west africa,a doom land.Gej is an arse

Islamists are nothing but agents of doom and regression,no sane person should listen to dem.either u fight dem or ur DOOM

any country that officially recognises islamists is a country that is morally,mentally and socially dead,ie nigeria,somaliia

this is rubbish. what is your presido doing about this?

boko rams aint human , they are aliens, eben in the season of ramadan, mschewwwwwwwwwww

, The Northern parts of Nigeria gives nothing to the co-existence of the country, yet they take more of the country's resources, yet gives more trouble! What is really going on? I think the Northern representatives in both houses of assembly should do the right thing for once in their lives in putting these mad men in order!!

The president on his part, has shown great level of maturity and  understanding  on this sensitive issue; the killings and destruction of properties perpetuated by this men, should be blamed on the northern leaders that has failed to put their house in order!!

One may ask, what are these men actually fighting for? Is it neglect, lack of good roads? (The Petroleum Trust Fund has definitely done that) or the extraction of the cattle in the north to feed the nation? Let truth be told, if "Oil" that feeds the nation presently has been discovered  the north, it's obvious this region could have mapped out a country for themselves from the present day Nigeria!! When other nations are busy implementing laws to better the lots of it's citizens, we still chase ghost! This is distraction which is in fact, unacceptable, to say the least.

Let the truth be told and lets stop deceiving ourselves, these men are not ready to stop this madness, if their leaders don't  come out with one voice to condemn its activities; the said "Peace Pane" will only end up wasting its time and tax payers money,

One Nigeria we all stand and believe in, but if this region wants a go, it's high time we stopped shedding innocent blood all for the sake of being together!!!

which do we believe now?? initially news had it that the panel was to initiate negotiations now the story is turned around saying its a fact-finding team , God save us!

prefers555:

Its time the muslim community come out en masse to criticise the activities of these sects. This has been the bane of muslims all over the world, while a small percentage of hardline islamist run loose killing innocent souls irrespective of their religion in the name of allah, the rest of the islamic world watch with their arms folded only to come out later to claim islam is a religion of peace. If islam is a religion of peace. then who stand 4 peace should jettison their comfort and demonstrate this. Abi are they too scared of their supposed brothers in arms?!!!!!!

In as much as I'm not a muslim but I like being objective. Who wants to die? Any muslim leader who reprimands them or asks them to stop the actions automatically becomes a target. The best thing to do is to find out the people involved in this. Their source of money (via EFCC and bank managers), their source of weapons (via our force police, sss, military, navy etc), and their location via anonymous neighbours who will remain anonymous. Thereafter actions can begin,

lakefist:

even in d holy month of ramadan, definitely deir activities are not related to islam, 

Then it is related to Christian abi?

Negotiate ko necomeciate ni, Kill them all (boko haram) and let Allah sort them out,

[b]

WHEN MEND WAS FIGHTING IN THE NIGER DELTA, I UNDERSTAND IF THE PEOPLE OF NIGER DELTA REFUSE TO EXPOSE THEM, THIS IS BECAUSE WHAT THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR IS UNDERSTANDABLE TO EVERY NIGERIAN.

WHAT ARE THESE GUYS FIGHTING FOR? WHY HAVENT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN THE NORTH RISEN TO FLUSH THEM OUT?

WHEN THE TERRORIST GANG THAT WAS KIDNAPPING PEOPLE IN ABIA STARTED, HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR THE ARMY TO KILL THE LEADER OF THE GANG? LESS THAN 2 WEEKS, THAT'S BECAUSE THE PEOPLE GAVE OUT USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR HIDE OUT.

WHY ARE THE MUSLIM IN THE NORTH NOT FORTH COMING WITH INFORMATION? COULD IT BE THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE NORTH ARE IN SUPPORT OF BOKO HARAM ?

EVEN THE SOLTHAN OF SOKOTO IS IN SUPPORT OF THEM, ITS A PITY, I AM SURE IF YOU ASK THE THOSE IN THE NORTH THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT THE BOKO HARAM GUYS ARE TRUE MUSLIMS.

WHAT ARE THEIR DEMANDS ?

1, GOODLUCK STEP DOWN FOR A MUSLIM- AN INFIDEL CANT RULE OVER US

2, WE WANT AN ISLAMIC STATE.

3, WE WANT EVERY NIGERIAN IN THE NORTH TO BECOME A MUSLIM.

4, WE DONT WANT WESTERN EDUCATION - TURN THE SCHOOLS TO MOSQUES

THEY DONT NEED AMNESTY - WHAT THEY WANT IS JIHAD( WAR BETWEEN MUSLIMS AN NON-BELIEVERS) THAT IS WHAT THE ISLAMIC EXTREMIST ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE WAITING FOR.

THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT INVISIBLE, LET THE NORTHERNERS EXPOSE THEM IF THEY ARE REALLY CONCERNED.


[/b]

in time, islam will become extinct because

1.the home made bombs aint encouraging new converts.
2. if i want 2 convert to islam they would demand that i learn arabic and memorise the koran.(thats ugly)
3. Koran is not in every language so conversion to islam is definitely not for my grandmum.
4. The religion by structure and implementation, enslaves women. (covers their beauty with a black cloth,restricts their dressing code to one attire, one colour, some sects stone women on trousers! , marries many of them! Marries them underage,<even sanusi as educated as he is has 4 wives!> Impregnates them and throws them out into d streetz, restricts women from driving<saudi arabia> )
definitely islam isnt for my sister.
5. Islam rejects western education<boko haram> . Imagine a world without western education??!
6. Islam kills african culture<all over africa>.all muslims tend 2 wear white and white with cap even when there's no need for a cap! Rendering cloth designers jobless.
7. Islam does not support democracy.Every muslim president is a despot.wants to rule forever and ever  <abacha, hussein, mubarak, gadaffi, saudi king, all of them>
8.sharia court cuts off people's hands, flogs even women in public!<babaric, achaic>
9. Islam supports mob action even without proper investigation! <post election crises>
10. Islam declares useless and disrespectful fatwa<vuvuzelas, daughter to d kaduna state governor>
finally
11. God muslims dont fight bad ones. No anti fatwas, no anti jihads.
Islam is a religion on self distruct. Islam is not for me.

Thatdave:

in time, islam will become extinct because

1.the home made bombs aint encouraging new converts.
2. if i want 2 convert to islam they would demand that i learn arabic and memorise the koran.(thats ugly)
3. Koran is not in every language so conversion to islam is definitely not for my grandmum.
4. The religion by structure and implementation, enslaves women. (covers their beauty with a black cloth,restricts their dressing code to one attire, one colour, some sects stone women on trousers! , marries many of them! Marries them underage,<even sanusi as educated as he is has 4 wives!> Impregnates them and throws them out into d streetz, restricts women from driving<saudi arabia> )
definitely islam isnt for my sister.
5. Islam rejects western education<boko haram> . Imagine a world without western education??!
6. Islam kills african culture<all over africa>.all muslims tend 2 wear white and white with cap even when there's no need for a cap! Rendering cloth designers jobless.
7. Islam does not support democracy.Every muslim president is a despot.wants to rule forever and ever <abacha, hussein, mubarak, gadaffi, saudi king, all of them>
8.sharia court cuts off people's hands, flogs even women in public!<babaric, achaic>
9. Islam supports mob action even without proper investigation! <post election crises>
10. Islam declares useless and disrespectful fatwa<vuvuzelas, daughter to d kaduna state governor>
finally
11. God muslims dont fight bad ones. No anti fatwas, no anti jihads.
Islam is a religion on self distruct. Islam is not for me.

I like this.