Nigeria: Islamic Violence Growing

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: February 8, 2011; Islamic radical group Boko Haram has demanded that the army withdraw from the northeast, and stop searching for Boko members. If the troops do not leave, Boko Haram will continue its assassination campaign (which concentrates on politicians and security force commanders, not troops and street cops.) The government refuses to back down, and more troops are being sent after the pro-Taliban terror group.

The organized violence in the Niger Delta has been greatly reduced by military and police action. But many of the armed men have simply gone back to purely gangster activities, leaving politically motivated violence behind. Thus there is a lot more crime in the Delta, which the police have a lot more difficulty dealing with. The big development projects promised by the government, have not yet shown up. There's still a lot of anger in the delta.

February 4, 2011:  In central Nigeria, nearly a hundred more people died in religious violence over the last week. Government efforts to get the Christian and Moslem tribal groups to make peace have not succeeded. More troops and police arrive, but corruption and poor training often result in these security forces making things worse.

February 3, 2011: In the north, Islamic radical group Boko Haram claimed responsibility for more than a dozen recent killings. These were mostly attacks on police and government officials, and Boko Haram was suspected. Police have arrested about twenty people as suspects, including Boko Haram members.

In the Niger Delta, another group of tribal rebels accepted the amnesty. The 94 men surrendered their weapons (16 guns) and pledged to fight no more. But if politicians continue stealing the money for the amnesty program, guys like this will be back in action before long.

January 31, 2011: Violence in Central Nigeria continued, with at least fifteen killed in and around the city of Jos over the weekend. In response, another battalion of soldiers arrived in Jos today. Police did find and disarm a bomb in a church, avoiding dozens of injuries.

January 29, 2011: More religious violence broke out in the Central Nigerian city of Jos.

January 28, 2011: The religious/tribal conflict in Central Nigeria has killed over 200 in the last month, and the violence is continuing.

 

 

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