A Nigerian general is leading a multi-national army against Boko Haram

boko haram

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's Defense Ministry has appointed a new general to head the multinational army it is hoped can defeat the Boko Haram Islamic uprising that has killed 20,000 people and driven nearly 2 million from their homes.
Thursday's appointment comes as the West African nation's new president promised deeper collaboration with neighboring states in the fight against Islamic extremism.
President Muhammadu Buhari headed home Thursday after two days of talks in Cameroon focused on Boko Haram.
Its attacks have spread across Nigeria's borders and forced tens of thousands of refugees to flee to neighboring states.
Chad announced Thursday that its troops killed 13 Boko Haram fighters in attacks this week near Lake Chad, where militants slit the throats of three villagers.
It said the extremists had kidnapped about 30 people, and spirited them away on speed boats.
Nigeria's Defense Ministry said Maj. Gen. Iliyasu Isah Abbah will command the 8,700-strong four-nation army based in N'Djamena, Chad's capital.
Buhari has said it is a disgrace that Nigeria needs foreign troops on its soil. But he noted before leaving Cameroon that "none of us can succeed alone."
Relations with Cameroon have been strained by a long-simmering border dispute over the oil-rich Bakassi peninsula, but the two leaders agreed Thursday that demarcation of their border under U.N. auspices should be completed by year's end.
Nigeria's military, poorly equipped with soldiers reporting going into battle without rations and just 30 bullets, last year allowed Boko Haram to take control of a large swath of the northeast.
Chadian troops earlier this year forced the militants out of Nigerian border towns. Nigerian troops trained by South African mercenaries drove the extremists from most other towns.
But suicide bombings and village assaults have increased recently.
Buhari this month fired all the military's top commanders.
The former chief of defense staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, complained in a retirement address Wednesday that "fifth columnists" in the military and security agencies have leaked information to the insurgents, causing the deaths of many troops ambushed by militants who had advance warning.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vera Wang to design Lady Gaga’s wedding dress

Image
(Vera Wang to design Lady Gaga’s wedding dress. Photo: Shemazing) Lady Gaga , who is preparing to tie the knot with  Chicago Fire  actor,  Taylor Kinney , reportedly reached out to her fashion designer pal,  Vera Wang , to ask her to create her dream wedding dress. A source told Life & Style magazine: ‘She trusts Vera to create an elegant, flowy dress that will fit into her dream wedding!’ The designer has previously created custom-made gowns for a number of other celebrities including Khloé Kardashian ,  Alicia Keys ,   Mariah  Carey  and Nigerian singer,  Tiwa Savage . (Lady Gaga is preparing to tie the knot with ‘Chicago Fire’ actor, Taylor Kinney. Photo: AP) The couple, who got engaged last Valentine’s Day on  February 14  after four years of dating , are planning to exchange vows in a ‘relaxed beach wedding’ this summer at the 29-year old singer’s $23 million mansion in Malibu, California.
Read more

Jeff Bezos Remains World Wealthiest As His Fortunes Hits $172 Billion

Image
Jeff Bezos’ wealth has hit a new high following a recent rise in Amazon’s stock value. Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, is now worth $172 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie took 25 percent of his shares, which meant at the time her stake was worth more than $35 billion, according to Forbes. However, 56-year-old Bezos remained the wealthiest person on the planet after the settlement and his wealth has continued to soar amid the coronavirus pandemic. Bezos’ company, Amazon has been doing particularly well in recent months with the increased demand for online shopping de to the Coronavirus pandemic. As a result, the company’s share prices has increased. According to Comparisun, Bezos is on track to be the world’s first trillionaire by 2026.
Read more

It's been 25 years since Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait

Image
A quarter century ago, after Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army successfully invaded and took over the tiny Persian Gulf nation of Kuwait, President George H.W. Bush famously drew a line in the sand against Iraqi aggression. While the United States and its allies easily ejected Iraq from Kuwait within seven months of the Aug. 2, 1990, invasion, Bush's line has continued onward in an almost Biblical fashion, accompanied by plenty of pre-modern horrors. The Gulf War begat the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which begat the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, which begat ISIS, which begat a potential future war with Iran or Syria or even what remains of Iraq. At the time, however, Bush said standing up to Hussein's Iraq was necessary to protect neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key US ally and the world's largest oil producing country, both then and now. "The sovereign independence of Saudi Arabia is a vital interest to the United States," said Bush, a Republican. O
Read more