Wednesday, Sep. 28, 2011
AP Interview: Arrests made against Nigeria sect

By JON GAMBRELL - Associated Press


     
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria -- Security forces have arrested a top commander of a radical Muslim sect who is accused of orchestrating attacks in the country's northeast that have left police, clerics and others dead, a governor said Wednesday.

Borno state Gov. Kashim Shettima told The Associated Press in an interview at his heavily guarded office that officials believe a negotiated peace can be reached with the sect known locally as Boko Haram.

However, he warned that those involved in the group who continue the sect's sectarian campaign of assassinations and bombings will be hunted down by the increasing military and police presence in his state.


"I believe the worst is over," Shettima said, adding that five others also were arrested and are being detained.

Shettima, a governor under the regional All Nigeria People's Party, came to power in the nation's April elections. In the time since, Boko Haram has launched a wave of attacks in and around Maiduguri, a dusty city in Nigeria's far northeast that borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger, as well as the Sahara Desert.

The violence became so bad that university officials canceled classes in the town, and authorities banned all motorcycles since the group uses them to launch their attacks.

Now, soldiers in flak jackets and helmets sit behind sandbagged barriers along major roads, intersections and buildings, armed with heavy machines guns.

That presence, as well as other measures, have cut down violence in the city, Shettima said. Investigation by military and the police recently saw authorities arrested the man responsible for planning and orchestrating attacks around the city, the governor said.

Five others also were arrested and are being held by military and the police, Shettima said.

Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is sacrilege," came to prominence in July 2009 when its members rioted in Maiduguri. The riots and an ensuing military crackdown left 700 people dead and the group's mosque in ruins.

The group, which wants strict implementation of Shariah law across Nigeria, re-emerged last year to carry out shootings and bombings.

Boko Haram maintains a loose command-and-control structure, allowing different groups to operate autonomously from each other, Shettima said.

"They operate in some sort of cells, some sort of units that interlinked, but generally they take directives from one commander," he said.

While mainly focused on local issues, Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the Aug. 26 car bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria that killed 23 people and wounded another 116. The commander for U.S. military operations in Africa has said that Boko Haram may be trying to coordinate attacks with al-Shabab of Somalia and north African group al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb.

While Shettima and others say progress is being made, residents of Maiduguri largely refuse to talk about the security situation in public. Privately, they say they remain scared of both Boko Haram and the security agencies, who have been accused of brutality in their new crackdown against the sect.

Nigeria, a nation of 150 million people, is split largely between a Christian south and a Muslim north. Unemployment and unceasing poverty, coming despite the nation making billions a year from oil production, have increased resentment in recent years in the north. Boko Haram tapped into that unrest, something the governor acknowledged.

"A political problem needs a political solution," Shettima said.



Read more: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2011/09/28/1756578/ap-interview-arrests-made-against.html#ixzz1ZHjqaWrq

After the arrest, what next? Too many arrests without decisive action. I am sorry for this country.

wat next

What is d name of d arrested man? Nigeria is realy a joke. From d president to the last civilian. D armies re busy arresting innocent people nd telin us dey re members. D problem wit d army is dat immediately dy see u wit beards den dy cme 2 a conclusion dat u re a member nd they'll arrest u.

STORY STORY, THEY SHOULD START HANGING CRIMINALS ON NATIONAL TV. SEEING IS BELIEVING!!!

Nigeria, a nation of 150 million people, is split largely between a Christian south and a Muslim north. Unemployment and unceasing poverty, coming despite the na[b]tion making billions[/b] a year from oil production, have increased resentment in recent years in the north. Boko Haram tapped into that unrest, something the governor acknowledged.

So where is this billions ?

Shared among corrupt politicians. These corrupt politicians are the one sponsoring boko-harams.

After stealing our money. They still use this money to kill us.

We need to go to war in this country.

We need war!

I don't think it's the first time, I know nothing will come out of it. He will be eventually released, maybe as part of some irrelevant negotiation. Cry, beloved country!

Too many arrests, too few trials

dee(f):

STORY STORY, THEY SHOULD START HANGING CRIMINALS ON NATIONAL TV. SEEING IS BELIEVING!!!

God bless you, brother! This is common sense at work.
May i suggest firing squad instead? It's much more entertaining to innocent people and more frightening to criminals when they see their fellow condemned shed crocodile tears before being mowed down by rifle fire.

What is d name of d arrested man? Nigeria is realy a joke. From d president to the last civilian. D armies re busy arresting innocent people nd telin us dey re members. D problem wit d army is dat immediately dy see u wit beards den dy cme 2 a conclusion dat u re a member nd they'll arrest u.


Good talk

I hope the guy won't be released/escaped magically only to surfaced on AIT granting live interview !

Am not Suprised a bit, security agencies always making arrests(fake or true) wat annoys me most IS WHAT IS HAPPENS AT THE END. Am not Suprised a bit, security agencies always making arrests(fake or true) wat annoys me most IS WHAT IS HAPPENS AT THE END.

Our security are gradually waking up to their responsibilities

Boko Haram is evil, its members and any body connected 2 their activities shld be hunted and destroyed just d same way al-qaida, al- shabab and rest of islamic extremist 're treated globally. No form of negotiation in whatever guise shld done as been advocated by the commitee that just submitted its report, it will be an exercise infultility. Boko Haram is evil, its members and any body connected 2 their activities shld be hunted and destroyed just d same way al-qaida, al- shabab and rest of islamic extremist 're treated globally. No form of negotiation in whatever guise shld done as been advocated by the commitee that just submitted its report, it will be an exercise infultility.

Make dem go rest, na so dem go dey arrest innocent civilians and nick name them Boko Haram. Boko Haram is just like disease infection.
You either eradicate it totally or have it resurface.

Funny Country, very soon they will tell us that the arrested members have escaped.

omanzo02:


Borno state Gov. Kashim Shettima told The Associated Press in an interview at his heavily guarded office that officials believe a negotiated peace can be reached with the sect known locally as Boko Haram.

However, he warned that those involved in the group who continue the sect's sectarian campaign of assassinations and bombings will be hunted down by the increasing military and police presence in his state.


"I believe the worst is over," Shettima said, adding that five others also were arrested and are being detained.

Mr Governor sir, rejoice not yet. That BH needs to be crushed and ruined is a fact but i dont think capturing just a single comander and 5 members neccessary mean the worst is over.
The sponsor/Sponsors who are capable of lauching out new set of commanders with different cells is of great interest to me. You have tried so far but more still needs to be done.

THEY CANT MENTION THEIR NAMES?,WHY?.If igbo man is involved,they will not hesistate to mention his name and state.Nonsense!!.I have said it severally,let this country be divided."Ndi ohi"!.,

His is Ali Saleh. For beta details check d link below

http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/21273-boko-haram-kingpin-five-others-arrested.html

THE BH GUY SHOULD SIMPLY NEGOCIATE HIS WAY OUT BY DOING THE NEEDFUL
1. ACCEPT AMNESTY ALREADY IN PLACE ANN TRAVEL TO SAUDIA FOR VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND VACATION AT THE EXPENSE OF THE GOVERNMENT
2. NEGOCIATE FOR PLEA BARGAIN AND SPEND SOME FEW MONTHS IN THE HOSPITAL
3. YOUR MEMEBERS SHOULD ESCALTE FURTHER AND BE READY FOR APPOINTMENT IN FGN

Good.

islamrules:
.

We need to go to war in this country.

We need war!

Sharrap!!, So ur not contented wit d one u r already experiencing,U need war
Maybe u shld go nd join forces.
We r talking about resolvement nd u r proclaiming war,

As far as corrupt leaders still continue plaguing our nation, each time MEND, EGBUSU BOYS, OPC, BH, etc are been crushed, others more militant groups only rise from their ruins. This is simply because we all, criminally, abandoned the root cause of all these so many unrests. I understand close to 3 million rifles are in the hands of nigerians mostly illegally and more enters everyday. And we all expect our 200,000-strong police and a 83,000-strong military to be able to perform magic? If good & responsible governance is restore across nigeria, i see no reason for current perpetual upheavals.

They should not have arrested him. They should have given him the "Osama Bin Laden" treatment. Keeping him in custody will infuriate those BH guys to want to carry out more attacks.

When the leaders are identified they should be eliminated instantly and secretly by a special squad that do not bare the FG's mark or that of any security agency. Falling by the hands of unseen forces would definitely scare other members.

heard they have already released this BOKO HARAM guy already.

.NET