- Title: NIGERIA: Nigeria says Boko Haram crackdown is having some success
- Date: 6th June 2013
- Summary: MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (JUNE 5, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ABANDONED BOKO HARAM CAMP SHOWING BURNT VEHICLES, ELECTRONICS AND VALUABLES MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (JUNE 6, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRIGADIER GENERAL, CHRIS OLUKOLADE, DEFENCE SPOKESMAN, SAYING: "To the best of my knowledge at this moment there is none. Anyone who was killed at a camp cannot call himself a civilian. Most of the camps are populated definitely by terrorists and they are the objects of this operation." MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (JUNE 5, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BURNT CARS VARIOUS OF BURNT FRIDGES AND AIR CONDITIONERS MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (JUNE 6, 2013) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRIGADIER GENERAL CHRIS OLUKOLADE, DEFENCE SPOKESMAN, SAYING: "Every one who is carrying arms illegally in this country is a terrorist. Call them by whatever name and the operation is aimed at ensuring that no such activity of terrorism takes place within the territory of Nigeria. It is our time to assert the territorial integrity of Nigeria as a country." MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (JUNE 5, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHURCH BURNT BY BOKO HARAM AT OLD MARTE IN BORNO STATE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE OF KERENOWA COMMUNITY IN OLD MARTE GATHERED TO BE ADDRESSED BY NIGERIA'S MILITARY (SOUNDBITE) (English) BABA JIDA MOHAMMED, DEPUTY HEAD OF KERENOWA, SAYING: "Before the coming of this troop, we suffered. We have suffered very much with this Jamma Nasril Assa.. who is called Boko Haram they treated us badly. Badly and so now we are very happy and so we want you to inform Mr. President that we are innocent people. This troop they are come from outside they are not our indigene people." VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS STANDING BY THEIR VEHICLES AT THE ROADSIDE MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA (JUNE 6, 2013) (REUTERS) STREETS IN MAIDUGURI ROAD LEADING TO MAIDUGURI
- Embargoed: 21st June 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Topics: Conflict,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAED3Q7BEA384CRZZD1GR9B6VIF
- Story Text: Nigeria's military has said its crackdown in parts of the northeast where its troops are mounting their biggest offensive yet against militants from the Islamist group Boko Haram has recorded successes.
Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan on May 14 declared an emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, ordering thousands of troops and air strikes on suspected Islamist camps.
On a tour of some of the camps by the military, its spokesman Chris Olukolade said the operations carried out by the troops were aimed at the insurgents.
"To the best of my knowledge at this moment there is none. Anyone who was killed at a camp cannot call himself a civilian. Most of the camps are populated definitely by terrorists and they are the objects of this operation."
The general added that urgent action was necessary in order to preserve the integrity of the West African country.
"Every one who is carrying arms illegally in this country is a terrorist. Call them by whatever name and the operation is aimed at ensuring that no such activity of terrorism takes place within the territory of Nigeria. It is our time to assert the territorial integrity of Nigeria as a country."
Baba Jida Mohammed, deputy head of Kerenowa community says he is pleased that sanity has returned to his community with the aid of military intervention.
"Before the coming of this troop, we suffered. We have suffered very much with this Jamma Nasril Assa.. who is called Boko Haram they treated us badly. Badly and so now we are very happy and so we want you to inform Mr. President that we are innocent people. This troop they are come from outside they are not our indigene people."
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three northeastern states last month and sent troops to try to break the four-year-old insurgency that has killed thousands.
President Jonathan on Wednesday (June 5) declared the Islamist rebel force Boko Haram and splinter group Ansaru to be terrorist organisations, meaning anyone who supports them could face a 20-year-jail sentence.
Before Boko Haram and Ansaru received the terrorist label, members could only be prosecuted for specific crimes like murder or fire arms possession, a situation that meant hundreds of Boko Haram detainees considered too dangerous to release were being held without charge often for years at a time.
It was not clear how this would affect an amnesty being offered to members who turn themselves in.
In a move meant to appease moderate supporters, Nigeria last week released all women and children being held for links to the group.
Ansaru, a smaller outfit that grew out of Boko Haram and is thought to have direct links to al Qaeda's North African wing, has been blamed for a number of kidnappings of Westerners in Nigeria, most of whom they killed in captivity.
Britain last year declared it a terrorist group.
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, whose movement wants to revive an old Islamic caliphate in religiously mixed Nigeria, said last week that the operation was failing.
On Monday (June 3), the United States, which has had Shekau on its terrorist blacklist since last year, offered a 7 million US dollars reward for information leading to his capture.
Nigeria has had a 1.8 million US dollars bounty on Shekau and 19 other Boko Haram leaders since November. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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