MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (Reuters) - Two bomb blasts shook the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri on Wednesday, and a gun battle in another town killed at least one civilian, police said, the first uptick in violence since President Goodluck Jonathan imposed a state of emergency on Saturday.

Heavily armed troops and tanks have been patrolling parts of northeast Nigeria since Jonathan decreed a state of emergency there in an effort to contain a growing Islamist insurgency led by shadowy group Boko Haram.

The group claimed responsibility for a series of bomb attacks across Nigeria on Christmas Day, including one at a church that killed at least 37 people and wounded 57.

The blasts raised fears that Boko Haram, a movement styled on the Taliban whose name means "Western education is forbidden", is trying to ignite sectarian strife in Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and top oil producer.

The state of emergency covers the northeast, the conflict-prone central city of Jos, and part of Niger state near Abuja. Borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger in the northeast have been shut.

A Reuters witness heard two blasts on Wednesday evening in Maiduguri, heartland of the Boko Haram insurgency. A security source, who could not be named, said two bombs had hit the perimeter fence of the Nigeria customs facility near the Gamboru vegetable market, but caused little damage and no injuries.

Earlier, a girl was killed in the crossfire of a gun battle between security forces and suspected Boko Haram militants in the town of Birnawa, in the northeastern state of Jigawa.

Jigawa state police commissioner Hashim Salihu Argungu told Reuters: "Our men were able to confront them. Only one girl was killed by stray bullet and one of our men was shot in the leg and he is receiving treatment."

Local press published a statement purportedly from Boko Haram this week warning the north's sizeable Christian minority to leave or be killed, further heightening sectarian tensions in the country of 160 million split roughly evenly between Muslims and Christians.

That prompted the police on Wednesday to issue a statement "all law abiding citizens to remain peaceful, calm and to go about their lawful businesses without fear of intimidation."

"Nigeria is one united and indivisible entity where citizens are at liberty to reside where they desire and practise whatever faith (they wish)," Police Inspector-General Hafiz Ringim said.

kingoflag:

This is not war anything. This is the usual PDP script, detonate a bomb to create confusion among the populace and distract attention from the real issues at hand. They've used it on you all for so long you keep falling for it. If tomorrow MEND goes on TV and says : "Na we do am", guess what will happen? GEJ will get on the same TV and say : "MEND did not bomb. I know who did but I'm not telling". Then he'll go ahead and order his stu*pid directives as usual. Cant you all see what is happening. Pls, pls, pls read between the lines. GEJ is total evil!!!!

Obinoscopy:

Guys this has gone way beyond PDP, this has become something else. Its a religious war and our politicians, who are opportunists, are simply aligning themselves with the group they think will profit them most

Obinoscopy:

Guys this has gone way beyond PDP, this has become something else. Its a religious war and our politicians, who are opportunists, are simply aligning themselves with the group they think will profit them most

kingoflag:

Sane minds know GEJ started this bombings out of desperation to win election. Now, it has gotten out of control.

Who remembers him defending Henry Okah? "MEND did not bomb, I know who did"--GEJ. Meanwhile, Intelligence Agencies everywhere talk say na MEND! Even MEND talk say "Na we do am!!!" yet GEJ absolved them: "Na lie no be dem, I talk say I know who do am!". Till today Henry Okah is languishing in a South African Prison on terrorism charges.

Next it was, "Na Dokpesi do am". Then "IBB had something to do with it".

Nigerians don't tell me you've forgotten that some people transporting bombs had their hands and torsos blown off on their way to their destination. . . they were alive. . . how come we never heard of the case again?

Then the U.N Office bombing; they sold you guys all guys of lies, put all kinds of funny "wanted" pictures on the Air and y'all bought it hook,line , and sinker. What happened to the arrested suspects?

What happened to the Iranians that were arrested for importing bomb making devices into Nigeria?!


Have you all forgotten so easily? Are your memories that short? Why don't you guys ask the relevant questions?!

Before GEJ what was "Bombing in Nigeria"?!? Why do you think he's always unperturbed when bombs go off?! GEJ was the orchestrator of a few of those incidents, now others have grabbed a cue and are using BOKO HARAM as an excuse. GEJ Knows this, insiders know this, Intelligence knows this but how can he reveal all of this without revealing himself as a Super-Liar?

GEJ has to go, his desperation knows no bounds!!! I'm pretty sure you haven't forgotten his first Proposed Bill to the Senate immediately he became Presido! This is a bushman that is fu*c&king power drunk and will do anything to sit-tight even when he knows he doesn't deserve the throne. Nigeria, open your eyes!!!!

freecocoa:

I'm beginning to think GEJ himself is a sponsor of boko haram.

freecocoa:

I'm beginning to think GEJ himself is a sponsor of boko haram.

Gbawe:

In my opinion, GEJ has nothing to do with these bombings per se. He just cannot bring the most powerful sponsors (members of his PDP Party and previous pals) to book because , deep down, he feels they are justified to be mad at him. He knows what he has done mainly to include accepting a 'poisoned chalice' from the treacherous duo of OBJ and Anenih.

We saw how so many from his Party , almost at the point of tears, swearing that GEJ signed up to and gained from zoning. All these people consistently insisted that GEJ was wrong to go against a gentleman's agreement his treacherous mentor (OBJ) enjoyed uninterrupted for 8 years. They kicked that this is OBJ's 'third term' by proxy. They warned GEJ also of "consequences". I personally don't like care those guys , since they are all selfish and only interested in their pocket and "business as usual", but the venom in their condemnation of GEJ and the actions of GEJ that confirms he is decietful and a liar (NLC recently for example) implies that this is a case of some fighting GEJ because they feel he does not understand the notion of "honour amongst thieves".

As I have always stated several times, I cannot take side when two evil sides angling for the selfish control of our commonwealth fight each other. What I condemn is how they are using Boko Haram against ordinary Nigerians. These wicked folks should face each other directly and leave Nigerians be.

kingoflag:

Dude, THIS IS NOT A RELIGIOUS WAR NOTHING!!!! This is your Govt. terrorizing you just to creat fear and panic and distract from the real issues. Who will worry about subsidy when they heard that a bomb went off less than 2miles from their destination?! We faced it out here too during the George W Bush days, thats why GEJ's next moves are always easy to predict . Its a common method: "Confuse and Control".

I'm giving you a link below. Take your time and read[b] EVERYTHING ON BOTH PAGES[/b]. If after reading everything you're still not convinced, then I doubt I can help you. But, you seem pretty smart, so I'm sure you'll get the picture.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-838253.0.html