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Nigeria: Goodluck Jonathan declares emergency in states | Nigeria: Goodluck Jonathan declares emergency in states |
(34 minutes later) | |
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a state of emergency in three states after a series of deadly attacks by Islamist militant groups. | |
The military will take "all necessary action" to "put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists" in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, he said. | |
Mr Jonathan also ordered more troops to be sent to the north-eastern states. | Mr Jonathan also ordered more troops to be sent to the north-eastern states. |
Militants from Boko Haram have been blamed for most of the violence, which has left 2,000 people dead since 2010. | |
The Islamist group, whose name means "Western education is forbidden" in the local Hausa language, is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state in the north. | |
Nigeria - a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people - is also affected by a spate of conflicts over land, religion and oil. | Nigeria - a multiethnic nation of more than 160 million people - is also affected by a spate of conflicts over land, religion and oil. |
In the latest violence, 53 people were killed and 13 villages burnt in central Nigeria's Benue state on Tuesday. | In the latest violence, 53 people were killed and 13 villages burnt in central Nigeria's Benue state on Tuesday. |
The conflict, which started last week, is said to have been caused by a dispute over land ownership between cattle herders and farmers. | |
'We will hunt them down' | 'We will hunt them down' |
In a pre-recorded address broadcast on Tuesday, President Jonathan said: "What we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity." | In a pre-recorded address broadcast on Tuesday, President Jonathan said: "What we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity." |
Referring to recent attacks on government buildings and killings of officials and other civilians, he said that "these actions amount to a declaration of war". | |
"We will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice," the president said. | "We will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice," the president said. |
"The chief of defence staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. | |
"The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action... to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists." | |
At the same time, he stressed that - despite the state of emergency - politicians in the three states would remain in their posts. | At the same time, he stressed that - despite the state of emergency - politicians in the three states would remain in their posts. |
The president has the power to sack local politicians and install a caretaker government in emergency circumstances. | |
"Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance are to different flags than Nigeria's," he said. | |
The BBC's Will Ross in Lagos says it is not the first time President Jonathan has declared a state of emergency, but this is a clear admission that far from being weakened by the army offensive, the threat of the Islamist militants is growing. | |
Last week, Mr Jonathan had to cut short a trip to South Africa to deal with the growing violence. | Last week, Mr Jonathan had to cut short a trip to South Africa to deal with the growing violence. |