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Nigeria declares 'massive' military campaign on borders Nigeria declares 'massive' military campaign on borders
(about 4 hours later)
Nigeria has announced a "massive deployment of men and resources" to combat Islamist militants in the country's remote border territories. Nigeria has sent a "massive deployment of men and resources" to combat Islamist militants in three north-eastern states.
A statement said the drive was aimed at "asserting the nation's territorial integrity" and "enhancing security".A statement said the drive was aimed at "asserting the nation's territorial integrity" and "enhancing security".
On Tuesday President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three north-eastern states after a series of deadly attacks by militant groups. On Tuesday President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states after a series of deadly attacks by militants.
Fighters from the Boko Haram group are blamed for most of the violence.Fighters from the Boko Haram group are blamed for most of the violence.
The group, which has its roots in north-eastern Nigeria, is linked to bloodshed in which some 2,000 people have died since 2010.The group, which has its roots in north-eastern Nigeria, is linked to bloodshed in which some 2,000 people have died since 2010.
Although Boko Haram has seized control of parts of the north-east, and much of the violence has been confined to that region, the group did bomb Nigeria's central capital, Abuja, in 2011 and 2012. Boko Haram has seized control of parts of the north-east over the past three years, and much of the violence has been confined to that region.
The militants have forged closer links with al-Qaeda-linked militants in the Sahara region and have access to increasingly sophisticated weaponry. They are believed to move back and forth across borders - particularly the Cameroon border, say analysts. However, the group did bomb Nigeria's capital Abuja in 2011 and 2012.
Nigeria - a multi-ethnic nation of more than 160 million people - is also affected by a spate of conflicts over land, religion and oil. The militants have forged closer links with al-Qaeda-linked militants in the Sahara region and have access to increasingly sophisticated weaponry. They are believed to move back and forth across frontiers, particularly the Cameroon border, say analysts.
Nigeria, a multi-ethnic nation of more than 160 million people, is also affected by conflicts over land, religion and oil.
'Big trouble''Big trouble'
Wednesday's Ministry of Defence statement said the army, police and other security agencies had begun operations to "rid the nation's border territories of terrorist bases and activities".Wednesday's Ministry of Defence statement said the army, police and other security agencies had begun operations to "rid the nation's border territories of terrorist bases and activities".
The declared aim that it will assert the nation's territorial integrity comes a day after the president said the state no longer controlled the entire territory of Nigeria - a somewhat embarrassing admission, says the BBC's Will Ross in Lagos. The declared aim that it will assert the nation's territorial integrity comes a day after the president said the state no longer controlled the entire territory of Nigeria, a somewhat embarrassing admission, says the BBC's Will Ross in Lagos.
The operation will focus on enhancing security of governmental structures after the president said attacks on government buildings and killings of officials and other civilians amounted to a declaration of war.The operation will focus on enhancing security of governmental structures after the president said attacks on government buildings and killings of officials and other civilians amounted to a declaration of war.
The "massive" new deployment of personnel and resources will add to an already significant security presence in the north-east. Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe are three of the poorest states, far removed from the southern oilfields that feed government coffers.
Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe - where states of emergency were declared on Tuesday - are three of the poorest states in the country, far removed from the southern oil fields that feed government coffers in Africa's second biggest economy. "We've had a lot of problems [of] border crime, and criss-crossing of the border by the insurgents, and there's also evidence that some of the insurgents really are non-Nigerians," presidential spokesman Doyin Okupe told the BBC.
"We've had a lot of problems [of] border crime, and criss-crossing of the border by the insurgents, and there's also evidence that some of the insurgents really are non-Nigerians," presidential spokesman Dr Doyin Okupe told the BBC. "As long as the terrorists can go in and out unchallenged, then we're in big trouble."
"So there is actually a need to properly police our borders, and part of that exercise will include ensuring that maximum security exists in that place. You see because as long as the terrorists can go in and out unchallenged, then we're in big trouble." Residents and reporters in the north-east said there had already been an influx of extra troops and military hardware.
Residents and reporters in Yola, capital of Adamawa state, and Maiduguri, capital of Borno state, said there had already been an influx of extra troops and military hardware. "I have never seen soldiers on the move quite like this before," said Ahmed Mari, who lives in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.
"I have never seen soldiers on the move quite like this before," a Maiduguri resident, Ahmed Mari, told Reuters news agency.
Civilian threat
"A lot of fighting equipment has been deployed to Maiduguri," Hajja Maimuna, whose house is close to Maiduguri's Air Force base, told Nigeria's Daily Trust website."A lot of fighting equipment has been deployed to Maiduguri," Hajja Maimuna, whose house is close to Maiduguri's Air Force base, told Nigeria's Daily Trust website.
"We are really terrified... Even though the state governor has not been removed, which is good, the truth is that Maiduguri is now a garrison town, full of angry soldiers who are ready to kill at the slightest provocation. "We are really terrified... Even though the state governor has not been removed, which is good, the truth is that Maiduguri is now a garrison town, full of angry soldiers who are ready to kill at the slightest provocation."
"The deployment will definitely hamper the social and economic life of the people," she added.
The question, our correspondent says, is how the army will defeat the insurgents without causing enormous suffering for ordinary civilians.
It is well known that members of Boko Haram have mixed in with the local population - and Nigerian troops themselves stand accused of committing gross rights abuses in their thirst to combat the insurgents.
The statement assures "law-abiding citizens that every effort has been put in place to ensure safety of civilians and non-combatants", and urges citizens to alert authorities to "criminal and terrorist activities or movement".
Under pressure from politicians and religious leaders the president recently agreed to look into the idea of offering amnesty to the militants, our correspondent says.
But with a major military operation under way the prospect of any dialogue taking place seems more remote than ever.
"We will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice," the president vowed on Tuesday.
Boko Haram, 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.Boko Haram, 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.
In the latest of a series of increasingly sophisticated attacks, about 200 heavily armed men stormed a military barracks, police station and government buildings in Bama, some 70km (44 miles) from Maiduguri, last week. Although they often attack Christians and government targets, they have also killed many Muslim civilians.
Five-five people were killed and 105 prisoners were freed in the raids. Significantly, the militants launched the attack in armoured vehicles mounted with machine guns.