Tag: Boko Haram

Gunmen kill 100 Christian villagers in central Nigeria

March 19, 2015 Nigeria Benue, Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen, Kaduna, Kafanchan, Middle Belt, Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria

While all eyes are on Nigeria’s north-eastern regions where the radical group Boko Haram is at last being challenged by multi-national military forces, violence targeting Christian communities in the group of states across the centre of Nigeria, known as the Middle Belt, has increased dramatically. This comes ahead of Presidential . . . Read More

Missionary, kidnapped in Nigeria, released

March 9, 2015 Nigeria Berom, Boko Haram, Enugu, Kidnapping, Kogi, Missionaries, Nigeria

UPDATE Rev. Phyllis Sortor was released March 6, after 12 days as a hostage, according to a statement released by the Free Methodist Church – USA. “It appears she was kidnapped by a criminal gang, and there is no evidence this event is associated with terrorism or religion,” according to the . . . Read More

Nigerians, fearing election violence, forfeit vote to move to other end of country

March 4, 2015 Nigeria Anambra, APC, Bayelsa, Boko Haram, Elections, Enugu, Goodluck Jonathan, Igbo, Imo, Jama'atu Nasril Islam, Kaduna, Katsina, Middle Belt, Muhammadu Buhari, Niger Delta, Nigeria, Sharia, Zamfara

Ahead of Nigeria’s general elections on 28 March, hundreds of people, fearful of election violence, have fled back to their place of origin, World Watch Monitor has been told. The election was originally scheduled for 14 February, before being postponed to the March date for security reasons. Take for example . . . Read More

Boko Haram’s attacks spread into Niger sparking mass exodus

February 13, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Diffa, Islamic extremism, Lake Chad, Niamey, Niger, Nigeria, UN, Zinder

Nigeria’s neighbour to its north, French-speaking Niger, is the latest country to pledge its army will fight the radical Islamic group, Boko Haram. Boko Haram’s military and strategic advance has already provoked the postponement of Nigeria’s Presidential election, due to have been held this Saturday, 14 February. The election is . . . Read More

Is Chad helping to combat Boko Haram?

January 28, 2015 Chad Boko Haram, Chad

An article by Institute for Security Studies questions whether Chad’s military intervention, dispatching 2,000 soldiers to the Nigeria borders region this month, is going to make the situation of combatting Boko Haram better or worse. Published on 27 January, it explains the region’s increasing need of help by external powers and . . . Read More

Recent violence in Niger shows growing intolerance among religious groups

January 28, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Churches, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, Niamey, Protestants, Sahel, Salafism, Zinder

Mixed emotions were evident as members of the Christian community in Niger gathered for their services on Sunday, 25 January, 2015. Some were full of joy to get back to church; others could barely hide their sorrow. A week ago, the church bells remained silent. Ten people died during that . . . Read More

‘Western forces’ help needed to defeat Boko Haram’

January 20, 2015 Nigeria Boko Haram, Borno, Maiduguri, Nigeria

A Bishop whose north-east Nigerian diocese has suffered most at the hands of Boko Haram is calling for the West to send in military forces to defeat the militants. Bishop Dashe Dome of Maiduguri diocese, told Aid to the Church in Need, “The West should bring in security – land . . . Read More

Churches burned down over anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration in Niger

January 15, 2015 Niger Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Mahamadou Issoufou, Maradi, MUJAO, Niger, West Africa, Zinder

A 2013 church service in Niger.Courtesy Open Doors International At least five churches in southeastern Niger were ransacked and burned down Friday by hundreds of Islamist demonstrators angered by a cartoon published by the French magazine Charlie Hebdo. According to local sources contacted by World Watch Monitor, hundreds of . . . Read More

Paris attacks parallel fears over growing jihadist threat in Africa

January 14, 2015 Africa, Boko Haram, Charlie Hebdo, Chibok girls, Diffa, France, Islamic extremism, Mahamadou Issoufou, Mali, Mauritania, Muammar Gaddafi, NATO, Niger, Nigeria, Paris, Sub-Saharan Africa

Several African leaders, concerned by the rise of Islamism in the continent, attended the Paris anti-terror march, on Sunday, January 11th. Among the 50 foreign leaders who marched there, African heads of state included those from Mali, Niger, Senegal, Benin, Togo, and Gabon. They all expressed their sympathy to France . . . Read More

Boko Haram – why it’s hard to know the truth

January 14, 2015 Nigeria Boko Haram, Nigeria

Difficulty establishing facts connected with atrocities committed by Boko Haram has prompted criticism of Nigeria’s government and military spokespeople, especially following the attack in Baga that Amnesty International has called the ‘deadliest massacre’ in the history of the terror group. According to a BBC report Nigerian authorities have been silent . . . Read More

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