International Shia News Agency

Nigeria government may extend emergency in Northeast

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association)- The Nigerian government seeks to extend a state of emergency in three northeastern states hit by Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists.

The Nigerian justice minister said on Monday that President Goodluck Jonathan is to ask the country’s national assembly to extend the state of emergency, due to expire this week.

“We just reviewed the issue of the state of emergency and the government will be requesting the National Assembly to extend the state of emergency,” Nigerian Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke told reporters in the capital Abuja.

He went on to say that the related bill will be immediately sent to the parliament after a National Defence Council meeting.

If the bill is approved, the emergency laws would be extended in the three northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, the hub of the Boko Haram terrorists.

Emergency laws were first extended in November and again in May this year in the region.

On November 16, at least 12 people were killed in a bomb attack by suspected militants of Boko Haram Takfiri group at a mobile phone market in restive northeast Nigeria.

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for a number of deadly shooting attacks and bombings in various parts of Nigeria since the beginning of its operations in 2009, which have left more than 10,000 people dead so far.

On April 14, the terror group kidnapped 276 students from their secondary school in the northeastern town of Chibok. Reports say 57 of the girls managed to escape but 219 are still missing.

The Nigerian government announced on October 17 that it had secured a deal with Boko Haram for a truce and the release of the girls. Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, however, rejected the announcement as “a lie.”

Boko Haram, whose name means “Western education is forbidden”, says its goal is to overthrow the Nigerian government.

 

Source:PressTV

www.shafaqna.com

 

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