Two suicide attacks in N’Djamena in mid-June by suspected Boko Haram members, which killed 34 people, were believed to be in retaliation for Chad’s part in the campaign.
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Abuja (dpa) – Islamist group Boko Haram on Friday beheaded 11 of its own fighters in north-eastern Nigeria, said an official representing witnesses to the killings.
“Most of the casualties came from the suicide bombings”, he said, without being able to give a precise figure for the dead and injured.
“We engaged several terrorists trying to invade Maiduguri late Friday night through Saturday morning”, a soldier from the 7th Division of the Nigerian army told Anadolu Agency.
Three states – Adamawa, Borno and Yobe – have been under a state of emergency since May 2013, due to Boko Haram’s attacks. As the terror attacks of last week in Tunisia, Kuwait and France and this week in Egypt and Nigeria point out, one nation alone can not fight terror all by itself.
The extremists targeted many mosques in Kukawa town on Wednesday is said to be the most brutal attack, shooting down at least 100 praying worshippers.
It said a jeep full of Improvised Explosives Devises (IEDs) was recovered by troops after the assault on the village which lies about 10 kilometres (six miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.
“If Boko Haram opts for negotiation, the government will not be averse to it”, Adesina said a statement.
“President Buhari considers the murder by the terrorists of up to 150 innocent men, women and children in Kukawa a very heinous atrocity which must be unreservedly condemned by all people of conscience”, said spokesman Garba Shehu.
But I say again, if the insurgents want to negotiate, no decent government will be averse to such.
This was disclosed in an interview with the BBC by The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Friday.
Boko Haram took over a large swath of northeastern Nigeria past year and stepped up cross-border raids.
They managed to push the militants out of captured towns and villages, but the recent attacks highlight that Boko Haram is not defeated.
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He noted then that the Centre will also provide the required interface between the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to be deployed at the Lake Chad Basin area at the end of the month of July 2015.
