KANO, Nigeria -- Nigerian soldiers and police once had the most to fear from the Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militia Boko Haram. But the insurgents' latest targets include farmers, irrigation officials, schoolchildren and teachers.
In northeastern Nigeria, one of the poorest regions of the country, about 19,000 farmers have abandoned their crops in recent months because of attacks and threats by Boko Haram rebels, according to government officials.
Children are afraid to go to school because of recent attacks. Eighteen people, 16 children and two teachers, have been killed since Sunday in insurgent attacks on two schools in the Borno capital, Maiduguri, and another northeastern town, Damaturu. Two attackers also died, according to authorities.
Boko Haram opposes secular education and secular governance, seeking to impose Islamic law, or Sharia, across Nigeria. The nation is divided between the predominantly Muslim north, where unemployment and poverty are rife, and the mainly Christian south. The rebellion, once confined to sporadic attacks, has turned northeastern Nigeria into a war zone.
The Nigerian government Thursday banned the use of satellite phones in northern Nigeria, saying that Boko Haram has been using the phones to plan attacks. Cellphone signals have also faced interruption by the government, as it struggles to crush the rebellion.
In addition, Borno state agriculture commissioner Usman Zannah said that serious food shortages are expected in the region this year because of crop failures brought on by the exodus of thousands of farmers from around New Marte town after rebels took control in January. That would be a significant failure by the state and national governments to reinvigorate the region and avert hunger through a wheat and rice irrigation project launched last year near New Marte. The national government provided about 25,000 acres of land, seed, expertise and other incentives to farmers as part of the project."....."
A continuing Islamist disaster in the works.
Boko Haram's ruthless reign of terror in Nigeria.
Attacking/targeting schools because they oppose secular education.
These 'insurgents' need to be hunted down like the animals they are.
Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgents striking schools, farms - latimes.com
By Robyn Dixon and Aminu Abubakar
June 20, 2013
BBC News - 'Dozens dead' in school attack in Nigeria's Yobe state
'Dozens dead' in school attack in Nigeria's Yobe state
"At least 29 pupils and a teacher have been killed in a pre-dawn attack by suspected Islamists on a school in northeastern Nigeria, reports say.
Eyewitnesses said some of the victims were burned alive in the attack, in Mamudo town, Yobe state.
Dozens of schools have been burned in attacks by Islamists since 2010."
Fallen.
A continuing Islamist disaster in the works.
Boko Haram's ruthless reign of terror in Nigeria.
Attacking/targeting schools because they oppose secular education.
These 'insurgents' need to be hunted down like the animals they are.
Nigeria's Boko Haram insurgents striking schools, farms - latimes.com
By Robyn Dixon and Aminu Abubakar
June 20, 2013
Nigeria has been decomposing for decades. This is just another step in that process.
Heya Jack. :2wave: While true.....I don't think anyone saw Boko Haram growing and being involved in 3 different countries.
Heya Jack. :2wave: While true.....I don't think anyone saw Boko Haram growing and being involved in 3 different countries.
What are the other two countries?eace
Actually it is bit more than 3.....Somalia, and they are in the States of Borno, Adamawa, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe and Kano. They are allegedly an off-shoot of Ansaru.
Borno, Adamawa, etc. are all parts of Nigeria. Boko Haram is not in Somalia.eace
Borno, Adamawa, etc. are all parts of Nigeria. Boko Haram is not in Somalia.eace
Yeah I know.....But Niger and Cameroon are not. Nor is Somalia.
Niger and Cameroon are neighbors of Nigeria and have significant Hausa populations within their borders. That makes sense.
I think they are more bluff than bluster.....thinking they can engage us adequately.
Boko Haram is no threat to the US, but it poses a danger to US personnel in Nigeria.
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