TerrorismNigeria’s president: Islamists have “declared war” on Nigeria; state of emergency imposed

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan yesterday announced a state of emergency in northeast Nigeria. In a speech to the nation, carried on TV and radio, Jonathan said that Islamic militants are now in control of large areas, imposing strict Islamic law in dozens of towns and villages.

The president said more federal troops will be sent north to take back militant-controlled areas.

He issued a stern warning to Muslim citizens in the northern region, saying that since the country is now in a state of war, the military will not hesitate to seize or destroy homes in which Islamic militants are seeking shelter.

“It would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state,” Jonathan said.

Jonathan said the emergency decree will be in force in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, where more federal troop will be deployed.

Jonathan said, though, that at least for now, the Muslim politicians in power in the three states will not be removed, and that the federal government will not take over running those states.

The Washington Post reports that the president’s speech outlined a stark vision of the increasing violence in the country. The speech was a sharp departure from the approach of the government, the military, and the police, which have, until yesterday, downplayed the severity and scope of Islamic violence in the country in order not to scare away foreign investors, and for domestic political reasons.

Jonathan said the attacks by the Islamic militants have now reached a level where they should more properly be described as a “rebellion.”

“Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance are to different flags than Nigeria’s,” Jonathan said. “These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state.”

“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.

“The chief of defense 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.”

The BBC reports that in the last three years, more than 2,000 people have been killed in attacks by Islamic insurgents. The Islamic group Boko Haram used to focus its campaign on Christian communities in Nigeria – blowing up churches during Sunday services and attacking Christian schools. A second favorite target of book Haram were shopping malls, markets, and movie theaters, because the group viewed them as spreading Western influence and habits.

In the last year, bolstered by more advanced arms which arrived mostly from Libya after the fall of Qaddafi, Boko Haram launched a series of attacks on the country’s security forces, killing hundreds of soldiers, police officers, and agents of the country domestic intelligence service.

The killing of civilians continues, though. In the latest violence, the Islamists killed fifty-three people and burnt thirteen villages burnt in central Nigeria’s Benue state on Tuesday.