KAOLACK, Senegal (AP) — Dozens of armed security forces descended on the Quranic school at night, arresting an imam suspected of having links to Islamic extremists in Nigeria Monday Feb. 8 . As the forces encircled the home of Imam Alioune Badara Ndao, 300 boys from his boarding school ran into the dirt courtyard, panicked at … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Four female suicide bombers exploded at a market in the Chibok hometown of Nigeria’s kidnapped schoolgirls on Wednesday Jan. 27, killing 13 civilians and wounding 32 people, witnesses said. Three soldiers including their commanding officer are among the injured being treated at the hospital, according to a man who was at the … Continue reading
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The captain and four other Polish seamen abducted from a ship off Nigeria’s coast last week are fine and called their families at home, Poland’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday. “Today the abducted seamen contacted their families in Poland by phone to tell them that they are safe and sound,” the ministry … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Agents from Nigeria’s intelligence and financial crimes agencies have detained the former presidential security adviser and several others over missing billions of dollars meant to buy weapons to fight Boko Haram. PR Nigeria, which publishes government news, said the Department of State Security on Tuesday took former national security adviser Sambo … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria is slashing its fine on MTN, Africa’s largest telecommunications operator, by more than a third to $3.4 billion, and the CEO of the embattled Nigerian subsidiary has resigned, the company said Thursday. The South Africa-based MTN Group also announced major management changes to strengthen oversight and regulatory compliance across all … Continue reading
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s leader has ordered the arrest of the former president’s national security adviser for allegedly stealing billions of dollars meant to buy weapons to fight Boko Haram Islamic extremists rampaging across northeast Nigeria. “Thousands of needless Nigerian deaths would have been avoided” if the money had been properly spent, Femi Adesina, … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari swore in a Cabinet on Wednesday that puts a woman investment banker in charge of finance as Africa’s biggest economy is squeezed by halved petroleum prices. Many have criticized the delay in appointing a Cabinet since Buhari was elected in March and inaugurated at the end of … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Africa’s biggest telecommunications company is locked in a nasty battle in powerful Nigeria, with billions of dollars at stake. MTN Nigeria, MTN Group’s subsidiary here, was fined $5.2 billion for failing to meet an August deadline to deactivate 5.2 million unregistered cellphone SIM cards — considered a security threat with Nigeria … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Those horrendous images of stick-like victims of famine may disappear from your screen. Calamitous famines appear to have vanished from the planet, but more must be done to eradicate all such scourges, including redrafting U.S. terror legislation that inhibits life-saving humanitarian work, says a new report published Monday. The study, part … Continue reading
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Members of a Nigerian civilian defense group say suspected Islamic extremists have killed at least 54 people by detonating explosive devices in crowded places in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, in the northeast. The civilian defense force members insisted on anonymity Monday for fear of reprisals from the Nigerian military … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s young poets hurled words against the injustices plaguing the giant of Africa, from corruption to Boko Haram’s insurgency, in the fifth “War of Words” poetry slam. Scores crammed into a stuffy space in Lagos, Nigeria’s chaotic commercial capital, as 20 finalists from across the country battled for first place and … Continue reading
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — African stars joined U2 frontman Bono on Friday in a campaign to use music to help empower women around the world. Bono and top African male musicians D’banj, Diamond and Banky W announced that they will be included in a remix of the song “Strong Girl,” a rallying cry for women’s … Continue reading
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Islamic extremist group Boko Haram killed 56 villagers in a remote area, the governor of Borno State of the region said Sunday, as the government warned that the extremists are trying to extend their violent campaign Gov. Kashim Shettima confirmed the attack in Baanu village during a meeting with the parents … Continue reading
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Hundreds of Nigerian civil societies say discrepancies in election tallies suggest the turnout was inflated in defeated President Goodluck Jonathan’s southern strongholds. The differences do not invalidate the victory of former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari but should be investigated before April elections for state governors, the Transition Monitoring Group told a … Continue reading
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s military claims it has destroyed the headquarters of Boko Haram in northeastern Gwoza town and driven the insurgents from all three northeastern states that had been an extremist stronghold. It was not possible to verify Friday’s victory that comes the day before critical presidential elections. Nigerian officials have said … Continue reading
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Cameroonian troops attacked Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremists in a Nigerian village, killing several of the militants and destroying some of their equipment, a military official said Monday. The forces entered Nigeria after residents of Ndaba in Borno state said Boko Haram militants were massing in the hills around the village … Continue reading
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Boko Haram fighters are massing at their headquarters in the northeast Nigerian town of Gwoza in preparation for a showdown with multinational forces, residents and an intelligence officer said. A woman trapped there since Gwoza was seized in July told her daughter that Islamic extremists are urging civilians to leave town … Continue reading
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Chadian troops have seized a strategically located northeast Nigerian town from Boko Haram, but not before the defeated Islamic extremists killed hundreds of civilians, Chad’s military said. The Chadian forces regained control Monday of Dikwa, a town occupied by the militants for weeks, said Chad’s military spokesman Col. Azem Bermandoua. One … Continue reading
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — The latest video from Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremist group shows the bodies of two beheaded men accused of spying, and copies some of the hallmarks of propaganda from the Islamic State group. The SITE intelligence group said the video called “Harvest of Spies” was posted Monday on Twitter by Boko … Continue reading
POTISKUM, Nigeria (AP) — Teenage suicide bombers, suspected to be Boko Haram extremists, killed at least 24 people in separate blasts Tuesday at crowded bus stations in two northern Nigerian cities 300 kilometers (185 miles) apart. In an apparently unrelated development, an American missionary has been kidnapped from a school in central Kogi state. … Continue reading
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — The Nigeria-based terror group Boko Haram on Monday threatened neighboring countries Niger and Chad, warning the fighters were prepared to carry out suicide bombings in the countries sending troops to help fight the extremists. The warning came as leaders from Niger and other countries in the region gathered in Cameroon’s … Continue reading
YOLA, Nigeria (AP) — When Islamic extremists snatched more than 270 girls from the Chibok boarding school in Nigeria in the dead of night, protests broke out worldwide. The U.S. pledged to help find them, and the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag was born. Some 10 months later, most are still missing. The Boko Haram extremist group … Continue reading
YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Nigeria’s Boko Haram Islamic extremists have abducted about 30 people including eight Cameroonian girls and killed seven hostages in two bus hijackings in Cameroon and Nigeria, Cameroon residents and a Nigerian intelligence officer said Tuesday, February 10. Boko Haram, who kidnapped nearly 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria last year in an … Continue reading
JALINGO, Nigeria (AP) — Youths angry at the Nigerian government’s failure to fight Islamic extremists threw stones Thursday, January 29, at President Goodluck Jonathan’s electioneering convoy in the eastern town of Jalingo, breaking windshields and windows on several vehicles. An Associated Press reporter was unable to see if anyone was hurt. Police used tear … Continue reading
YOLA, Nigeria (AP) — Islamic extremists are rampaging through villages in northeastern Nigeria, killing, burning and looting with no troops protecting civilians, fleeing villagers said Wednesday. More than 40 people have been killed in seven villages in Adamawa state this week, according to resident Emmanuel Kwache. “They slaughtered people like rams and they burned down … Continue reading
