MAIDUGURI/YOLA, Nigeria, May 15 - Nigeria launched a military campaign on Wednesday to flush Islamist militants out of bases in its border areas after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in the northeast.

Nigerian troops moved into the region in large numbers, part of a plan to rout an insurgency by the Boko Haram Islamist group that has seized control of significant parts of the region.



"The operations, which will involve massive deployment of men and resources, are aimed at asserting the nation's territorial integrity and enhancing the security of ... all territories within Nigeria's borders," a statement from Defense Headquarters said.

Residents and Reuters reporters saw army trucks carrying soldiers enter Yola and Maiduguri after Jonathan declared the emergency on Tuesday in three states - Borno, Adamawa and Yobe - following attacks by Boko Haram militants.

The insurgency has cost thousands of lives and destabilized Africa's top energy producing nation since it began in 2009. Boko Haram have targeted the security forces, Christian worshippers and politicians in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north.

The troop deployment is likely to placate some of Jonathan's critics, who had accused him of not facing up to the gravity of the crisis, although some northern politicians have already voiced concerns over the ratcheting up of tensions.

It is also unclear whether greater military might can win a battle against an adversary that has proved a master at melting away under pressure, only to re-emerge again elsewhere.

Military officials in the northeast and at headquarters in the capital Abuja were not immediately available for comment.

A Reuters reporter saw six trucks carrying soldiers enter Yola, the capital of Adamawa state. In the Borno state capital Maiduguri, the biggest city in the area and birthplace of the insurgency, residents also reported an influx of troops.

The mood was tense in that city. Shops were mostly shut and there were few people on the streets. Schools were closed.

"What I saw this morning scared me," said one man in Maiduguri, Ahmed Mari. "I have never seen soldiers on the move quite like this before."

Another, Kabir Laoye, voiced widespread fears that civilians could be caught up in the conflict: "There is a lot of apprehension about the state of emergency," he said.

Jonathan announced the move in a televised address on Tuesday.

BOLDER INSURGENCY

His orders followed growing evidence that a better equipped, better armed Boko Haram now controls territory around Lake Chad, where local officials have fled.

"What we are facing is ... a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to ... territorial integrity," Jonathan said in the address. "Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies."

Officials say militants control at least 10 local government districts of Borno state -- a semi-desert region that once hosted one of West Africa's oldest medieval Islamic empires -- and are using porous borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger to smuggle in arms and mount increasingly bold attacks.

Security sources say their strategy appears to be similar to that of the al-Qaeda-linked militants who overran Mali late last year, before the French kicked them out in January: take over remote desert areas and establish a de facto rule there, then use that as a base from which to expand.

Growing links with jihadists across the Sahara region, and the fallout from Libya's war, are giving Boko Haram better access to weapons, funding and training.

Dozens of Boko Haram fighters laid siege to the Borno town of Bama last week, freeing more than 100 men from prison and leaving 55 people dead, mostly police.

Some officials in from Borno's government doubted the state of emergency would work unless security forces can win popular support.

"This state of emergency will not change anything if the people do not cooperate and start exposing members of Boko Haram," said David John, a director in the state government.

Rights groups say abuses by Nigerian troops in the northeast have alienated the population against them.

A crackdown on Boko Haram in 2009 led to the deaths of 800 people, including its founder Mohammed Yusuf, who died in police custody. Instead of crushing them, it unleashed a torrent of popular rage that only made the Islamists more deadly.

On April 16 this year, scores were killed in the fishing village of Baga, on Lake Chad, when troops from Nigeria, Niger and Chad raided it looking for Islamists who had killed a soldier. Residents said soldiers were responsible for many civilian deaths, triggering widespread anger towards the army.

(Additional reporting by Lanre Ola in Maiduguri; Writing and additional reporting by Tim Cocks in Lagos; Editing by Alastair Macdonald and Giles Elgood)

SOURCE:http://www.naijapundit.com/breaking-news-emergency-bites-in-maiduguri-as-army-hits-boko-haram-in-massive-offence

See life o, reuters put Lanre Ola in Maiduguristan and Tim Cocks in Lagos! Anyway, the sholdiers should not just go and stay in state capitals, they should also move to secure our borders!

Another, Kabir Laoye, voiced widespread fears that civilians could be caught up in the conflict: "There is a lot of apprehension about the state of emergency," he said.

I thought we heard from some people here that Yorubas don't live in Maiduguri ?
What is that Oduduwa pikin doing there ,commenting on tanks moving in instead of entering Ekene night bus and running for dear life

babyosisi:


I thought we heard from some people here that Yorubas don't live in Maiduguri ?
What is that Oduduwa pikin doing there ,commenting on tanks moving in instead of entering Ekene night bus and running for dear life

Some people wouldn't just listen! Any Southerner who still lives in Maiduguri is on his own. some people no dey hear word i swear!

berem: Some people wouldn't just listen! Any Southerner who still lives in Maiduguri is on his own. some people no dey hear word i swear!

Can you believe that my flesh and blood is still in Maiduguri as I write this
A doctor married to a native and has refused to leave despite pleas

babyosisi:

Can you believe that my flesh and blood is still in Maiduguri as I write this
A doctor married to a native and has refused to leave despite pleas

As long as he is comfortable there, he should stay

babyosisi:

Can you believe that my flesh and blood is still in Maiduguri as I write this
A doctor married to a native and has refused to leave despite pleas

I wonder why he doesn't wanna leave. He can get a good job down south. Some people are just naturally stubborn.

babyosisi:


I thought we heard from some people here that Yorubas don't live in Maiduguri ?
What is that Oduduwa pikin doing there ,commenting on tanks moving in instead of entering Ekene night bus and running for dear life

What we said is Yoruba population in any location outside Yorubaland is not at the scale in which igbo population exist outside igboland. Also that, we do not become refugees in host territories.

Hi Forumites!

Download this free Mobile Dstv Software
No doubts it's new and amazing
Just click the link below and enjoy!

http://mydstvs..com


Hi Forumites!

Download this free Mobile Dstv Software
No doubts it's new and amazing
Just click the link below and enjoy!

http://mydstvs..com

babyosisi:

Can you believe that my flesh and blood is still in Maiduguri as I write this
A doctor married to a native and has refused to leave despite pleas

You see why its not easy to move? its easy on paper or on NL forum but not in real life

[quote
author=cogitoErgo]See life o, reuters put Lanre Ola in Maiduguristan
and Tim Cocks in Lagos! Anyway, the sholdiers should not just go and
stay in state capitals, they should also move to secure our
borders![/quote] WETIN U SIDDON DEY DO? MAKE WE CARRY *GUN* GO SECURE OUR BORDER BY OUR SEF NAH!!

babyosisi:

Can you believe that my flesh and blood is still in Maiduguri as I write this
A doctor married to a native and has refused to leave despite pleas

check well, na mbaise man

And where are they going? The one flushed, where are they? Eh eh ...

babyosisi:

Can you believe that my flesh and blood is still in Maiduguri as I write this
A doctor married to a native and has refused to leave despite pleas

You should do what My brother's wife's family did to get her eldest sister to return back. It's deceitful but it works. She was a bank manager up there so she refuse to come back cause all the job offer she was getting down south wasn't as high as a bank manager and the payment offer was smaller. According to my brother, what they did was they put fear in her. They started telling everyone to get prepared for her death. They made sure the news reached her by having people calling her to wish her goodbye. Her mom did a whole week mourning period for her. Her father did a fake will that removed her name out of his will. They made sure that information reached her so when she called for the inquiry, the dad said "you going to die before me so why have your name take up space". They even started making a made belief preparation for her burial. Fake a casket buying and everything. That's what there family did. My brother told me anytime a bomb goes off up north, even if it's not in the state she reside in, her mom would call her up asking her if she's dead yet. The fear of the bombs and the fact her own family have gotten prepared to bury her got to her and she ran back home. It was very deceitful but worked for am.

As for the article. Na wa ooo. I pity the innocent bystanders.

Northern Nigeria is at war. They just don't realize it yet I tell ya.

One_Naira: As for the article. Na wa ooo. I pity the innocent bystanders.

Northern Nigeria is at war. They just don't realize it yet I tell ya.

They have always wanted war now they got one on their doorstep.