Nigerian Terror Threat Spreads South

[Valin]

The Feed:

7/14/14

 

Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram appears to be intensifying attacks on southern Nigeria. It claimed responsibility yesterday for an attack in Lagos, the country’s main port and the largest city in Africa. Reuters reports:

 

 

 

Boko Haram leader Abubabar Shekau claimed responsibility for two blasts minutes apart targeting a fuel depot on June 25 in the country’s main port in Apapa, in the commercial hub of Lagos, saying he had sent a bomber in do it.[...]

The target of the Lagos bombs was a fuel depot which, had it gone up, would have caused a massive chain explosion and disrupted Nigeria’s mostly imported fuel supply. At least two people were killed. Police said it was an accident involving a gas canister, but the security sources say that was a cover-up – as did Shekau in his latest video.

 

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Since 2012, Boko Haram has mainly operated in Nigeria’s majority-Muslim north. This bombing, however, is part of a recent string of attempts on targets outside that area. If Boko Haram starts routinely to attack the Christian, oil-rich south, it would mark a major escalation of Nigeria’s troubles.

 

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[Valin]

Boko Haram clashes with Cameroon soldiers

Nigerian Islamist group has carried out two cross-border attacks into Cameroon since Friday

7/26/14

 

Yaounde, ReutersNigerias Islamist militant group Boko Haram has carried out two cross-border attacks into Cameroon since Friday, killing at least four soldiers and prompting the Cameroonian army to send reinforcements to the area, army sources said on Saturday.

 

Under pressure from neighboring Nigeria to do more to counter Islamist insurgents, Cameroon has deployed over 1,000 soldiers along its remote jungle border.

 

Nigeria believes Boko Haram wants to use Cameroon as a rear base as it strives to carve out an Islamic state. The group has killed thousands in its five-year insurgency and has recently bombed targets that were previously considered comparatively safe, such as Nigerias commercial hub Lagos and capital Abuja.

 

Cameroonian regional military commander Col. Felix Nji Formekong confirmed to Reuters by telephone that four soldiers had been killed in clashes with Boko Haram fighters at the village of Bargaram, without giving further detail.

 

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