Boko Haram threatens Southerners: “3-day ultimatum” to leave Northern Nigeria

Boko Haram warns, gives Southerners “3-day ultimatum” to leave Northern Nigeria; threatens showdown with federal troops 

Special to USAfrica, USAfricaonline.com,  the USAfrica-powered e-groups of  Nigeria360,  UNNalumni, and CLASSmagazine Houston

USAfrica, Houston, January 2, 2012: In continuing its frontal confrontation and disregard for the authority of President Goodluck Jonathan over the control and upkeep of law and order in Nigeria, the radical and violent Islamic group Boko Haram has expanded the scope of their threat by stating through a man, Abul Qaqa, widely cited as its chief spokesman:

“We are also giving a three-day ultimatum to the southerners living in the northern part of Nigeria to move away.”

Abul Qaqa, who spoke in the local Hausa language, predominant and common across most of northern Nigeria, added that his group will have a showdown with the soldiers ordered and sent by Jonathan to maintain the President’s state of emergency declared (December 31, 2011) on parts of the north where violence against civilians and bombing of churches by Boko Haram.
“We would confront them squarely to protect our brothers…. We find it pertinent to state that soldiers will only kill innocent Muslims in the local government areas where the state of emergency was declared”, he claimed.

Qaqa –who spoke to journalists on Sunday January 1, 2012, also raised a “call on our fellow Muslims to come back to the north because we have evidence that they would be attacked.” He did not provide the evidence.
On Thurdsay December 29, 2011, in Abuja, the President had a marching order meeting with his security team with the country’s Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim, Chief of Army Staff Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Defense Staff Oluseyi

Petinrin, Chief of Naval Staff Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, Chief of Air Staff Mohammed Umar, Director General of the State Security Services (SSS) Ita Ekpenyong and National Security Adviser retired General Owoye Andrew Azazi.

Sandwiched by the potential for a dangerous religious war and ethnically complicated conflict, Nigeria’s embattled President Goodluck Jonathan declared, on Saturday December 31, 2011, a state of emergency on some local governments of northern Nigeria where units/factions of the radical and violent Islamic group Boko Haram have left a trail of blood and wreckage; killing women and children and adults.

The President said that “I have in the exercise in the powers conferred on me … declared a state of emergency in… parts of the federation…. Terrorism is a war against all of us. I call on all Nigerians to join hands with government to fight these terrorists.”

He added that Nigeria’s northern neighbors should note that “The temporary closure of our borders in the affected areas is only an interim measure designed to address the current security challenges and will be resumed as soon as normalcy is restored”, — an apparent reference to the December 25, 2011 Christmas Day bombings of churches by the Boko Haram.

The President has come under criticisms for what many Nigerians considered his  inadequate and non-satisfactory handling of the security problems facing the country of about 160 million people.

USAfrica can report, too, that President Jonathan will reshuffle and remove some key members of his security team, this January 2012.

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