Country Reports on Terrorism 2013 - Nigeria

Overview: The terrorist group Boko Haram (BH), and a splinter group commonly known as Ansaru, carried out kidnappings, killings, bombings, and attacks on civilian and military targets in northern Nigeria, resulting in over one thousand deaths, injuries, and significant destruction of property in 2013. The states where attacks occurred most frequently included Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Plateau, Taraba, and Yobe. No attacks were conducted in the Federal Capital Territory or the southern states of Nigeria. The area of operations of the violent extremists was somewhat limited following the Government of Nigeria's declaring a State of Emergency in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe in May. Suspected BH and Ansaru attackers killed Nigerian government and security officials, and BH killed civilians of both the Islamic and Christian faiths. Several citizens from Western nations – although no Americans – were kidnapped and held hostage. Some of the hostages were released and others were killed by their captors. Operations to counter BH and Ansaru were led by the Nigerian military.

In May, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a State of Emergency, with National Assembly approval, in the states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe in northeastern Nigeria for six months. According to government officials, the declaration gave the government sweeping powers to search and arrest without warrants. The military took over all security operations in those three states. Until August, the military headed up a Joint Task Force in these states to combat the violent extremists. In August, these operations were transferred to the command of a new 7th Army Division, headquartered in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. The State of Emergency was extended for another six months on November 15, again with National Assembly approval. Despite the drastic measures, BH has continued to conduct a spate of attacks and the Nigerian military has been roundly accused of large numbers of human rights violations in connection with the military operations.

The Government of Nigeria's efforts to address grievances among Northern populations, which includes high unemployment and a dearth of basic services, made little progress. Some state governments in the North attempted to increase education and employment opportunities, but with almost no support from the federal government. The United States called on the Nigerian government to employ a more comprehensive strategy to address Boko Haram that combines security efforts with political and development efforts to reduce Boko Haram's appeal, address the legitimate concerns of the people of northern Nigeria, and protect the rights of all of Nigeria's citizens.

Nigerian-U.S. counterterrorism cooperation increased in 2013; the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission Regional Security Working Group was hosted by the Nigerian government in Abuja in August. In June, the United States and Nigeria co-hosted the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) workshop on the Criminal Justice Sector and Rule of Law held in Abuja. Nigeria has also been an active participant in other GCTF events in the region. The Government of Nigeria formally requested assistance from the United States to develop an intelligence fusion cell, the Joint Terrorist Branch (JTAB), in order to streamline coordination and information sharing on counterterrorism matters among key agencies, which includes the State Security Service (SSS), the intelligence agencies, the national police, and the military.

2013 Terrorist Incidents: In 2013, BH and Ansaru demonstrated their continuing capability to carry out coordinated attacks carried out attacks primarily in 10 northern states. Notable terrorist incidents committed by elements of BH and factions claiming to be affiliated with BH, included:

• On January 19, a military convoy of buses carrying Nigerian troops to be deployed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) forces in Mali were bombed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) placed in the road near Lokoja in Kogi state. Seven soldiers were killed and dozens were wounded in the attack.

• On January 29, the motorcade of the Emir of Kano was attacked by armed men on motorcycles. Four people were killed, including the Emir's driver and two bodyguards; several more were wounded.

• On February 8, nine Nigerian women working in a polio vaccination campaign in Kano were killed by gunmen riding in three-wheeled motorcycles; several other polio workers were injured.

• On February 16, seven non-Nigerian construction workers employed by Italian firm SETRACO were kidnapped from their company housing compound in Bauchi state and taken hostage. None of the seven hostages had been freed by year's end.

• On February 19, a French family of seven was kidnapped in northern Cameroon near Maroua and taken by their captors into Nigeria. The family was held hostage, most likely in northeastern Nigeria, until they were all safely released on April 29.

• On March 18, a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device attack on two luxury buses at a motor park in the Sabon Gari neighborhood of Kano killed more than 20 persons and wounded scores.

• On July 6, over 50 students were killed in their dormitories at Mamudo Government Secondary School in Yobe state.

• On August 11, gunmen killed approximately 44 persons praying at a mosque outside Maiduguri and another 12 civilians in a near-simultaneous attack at a nearby location in Borno state.

• On September 29, gunmen killed more than 40 students in the dormitory of an agricultural technical school in Yobe state.

• On December 2, a coordinated and complex attack by violent extremists on the Maiduguri airport and air force base killed over 24 persons, wounded dozens, and destroyed a large amount of military equipment including several military helicopters.

• On December 20, violent extremists assaulted the Nigerian army barracks in Bama, southern Borno state, in a well-coordinated attack that killed approximately 20 military personnel and numerous civilians.

Legislation, Law Enforcement, and Border Security: The Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 was revised by a joint Senate-House of Representatives conference committee in December 2012. These amendments were enacted into law on February 21, 2013, and the law subsequently was called the "Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011 (as amended)." The law appointed the National Security Advisor (NSA) as the coordinator for all counterterrorism intelligence activities, and the Attorney General as the lead official for enforcement.

The Nigerian government's criminal justice institutions were not significantly strengthened in 2013, although several donor countries, including the UK, worked closely with the Ministry of Justice to assist in prioritizing how to investigate and prosecute suspected terrorist cases.

Among the problems that deterred or hindered more effective law enforcement and border security by the Nigerian government were: a lack of coordination and cooperation between Nigerian security agencies; a lack of biometrics collection systems and the requisite data bases; corruption; misallocation of resources; the slow pace of the judicial system, including a lack of a timely arraignment of suspected terrorist detainees; and lack of sufficient training for prosecutors and judges to understand and carry out the Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011 (as amended).

Several government agencies performed counterterrorism functions, including the Nigerian Department of State Security (DSS), the National Police Force (NPF) and the Ministry of Justice. It is important to note that the Nigerian military had primary responsibility for combating terrorism in northeastern Nigeria. While the counterterrorism activities of these agencies and Ministry were ostensibly coordinated by the Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA), the level of interagency cooperation and information sharing was limited.

In 2013, the Nigerian government participated in or hosted several multilateral efforts. In June in Abuja, it co-hosted a GCTF Sahel Working Group Criminal Justice Sector and Rule of Law workshop, and in October, the UN Counterterrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) Regional Workshop for West Africa was held in Abuja. The Nigerian government participated in U.S. counterterrorism capacity programs under the U.S. Department of State's Antiterrorism Assistance program, including the training of more than 120 NPF members in the detection and handling of IEDs, which increased the NPD's awareness and capacity to protect and preserve evidence from the crime scene of a suspected terrorist act. Through the ATA program, Nigerian Police, customs officials, and immigration officers also participated in an interagency rural border patrol training to build the law enforcement sector's ability to effectively utilize all agencies in tackling rural border security challenges.

The Government of Nigeria instituted the collection of biometric data for passport applications of all Nigerian citizens and upgraded the Nigerian machine-readable passports. Screening at the ports of entry of major airports in Nigeria including Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano improved, with passenger name records (PNR) being collected in advance for commercial flights. Border security at rural and extended land borders with Benin, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad were vulnerable to exploitation by BH and Ansaru.

Significant law enforcement actions against terrorists and terrorist groups in 2013 included:

• In May, Mustapha Fawaz, Abdallah Thahini, and Talal Ahmad Roda were arrested after a weapons cache was discovered at a Kano city residence; the individuals were accused of plotting attacks against Western and Israeli targets for Lebanese Hizballah. On November 29, Federal High Court Judge Adeniyi Ademola ruled that there was a lack of evidence to convict any of the suspects on terrorist or money laundering charges. In issuing his ruling, Jude Ademola noted that Hizballah is not an international terrorist organization in Nigeria and that therefore, Hizballah membership was not a crime. Talal Ahmad Roda was found guilty of conspiracy to unlawfully import and store prohibited firearms and sentenced to life in prison.

• In May, Salisu Mohammed, Inusa Mukailu, Danzumi Haruna, and Abdulsalami Adamu were arraigned before a Federal High Court as suspects in the Abuja-based UN Headquarters bombing of August 2011. They had been arrested in September 2011 and charged with four counts of terrorism for the bomb attack that killed 23 persons and wounded 75 others.

• On November 15, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Mustapha Umar, a self-confessed BH member, to life imprisonment with hard labor for the April 26, 2012 bombing of SOJ Plaza in Kaduna State occupied by THIS DAY, The Moment and The Sun newspapers. Umar was found guilty on one count of terrorism by Justice Adeniyi Ademola; the judge also ordered that the federal government pay 150 million naira (about US $1 million) to the relatives of those who lost their lives as a result of the bombing.

• In December, a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) set up by the Nigerian Defense Headquarters recommended the immediate trial of over 500 BH suspects who were arrested during security operations against terrorists in Yobe, Borno, and Adamawa states. The JIT also recommended the release of 167 of the detainees from detention and a review of about 614 inconclusive cases.

• In December, the trial of a suspect accused of the Christmas Day 2011 bombing of a Catholic church at Madalla in Niger state concluded with the conviction of Kabiru Umar, aka Kabiru Sokoto, by a Federal High Court in Abuja. Sokoto, a member of BH, was convicted on two charges related to the bombing under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act and the Terrorism (Prevention) Act, 2011 (as amended). Sokoto was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Nigerian government actively cooperated with the United States and other international partners to prevent further acts of terrorism in Nigeria against U.S. citizens, citizens of third countries, and Nigerian citizens. In September, Nigeria's Attorney General, Ministry of Justice and Department of State Services cooperated with the U.S. government to extradite Lawal Olaniyi Babafemi, a Nigerian citizen. Babafemi was charged by the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York with providing material support to al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula and using firearms in furtherance of that crime.

Countering the Financing of Terrorism: Nigeria is a member of the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), a Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-style regional body. A recent FATF/GIABA West Africa terrorism finance typology featured several case studies from Nigeria. These examined BH's fundraising through commercial activities such as telecommunications; abuse of the Nigerian financial system; illegal fundraising; extortion; cash couriers, including the use of female cash couriers; and the active assistance of local politicians in raising funds. Kidnapping for ransom was also a source of terrorist financing.

Nigeria made significant progress in its anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) efforts in 2013, relative to its action plan. In October, the FATF removed Nigeria from its list of countries subject to monitoring for anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations.

The Government of Nigeria froze and confiscated terrorist assets as designated by U.S. Executive Orders and by UNSCRs; however, delays sometimes occurred. While there is political will to freeze assets, bureaucratic processes occasionally caused delays of up to four weeks before authorities blocked these assets. This is a risk because of the possibility that those whose assets may be frozen will have time to transfer them to other jurisdictions.

For further information on money laundering and financial crimes, see the 2014 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report (INCSR), Volume 2, Money Laundering and Financial Crimes: http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/index.htm.

Regional and International Cooperation: In January, Nigeria committed a battalion of ground forces and logistical support to the ECOWAS effort as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali. The Nigerian troops remained in Mali until July when the infantry battalion returned to Nigeria. Some smaller military logistical support elements remained in Mali along with their Formed Police Unit. Nigeria is also a member of the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership.

Nigeria, primarily through its Office of the National Security Advisor (ONSA), took a lead role in initiating a multilateral dialogue between regional countries – including through the GCTF and TSCTP activities – on how to better coordinate regional efforts to confront networks of terrorist groups that span international borders.

Countering Radicalization to Violence and Violent Extremism: The United States has worked with national and local leaders in Nigeria to support programs that expand vocational skills training for youth at risk of violent extremist messaging and recruitment.

In 2013, Nigeria was also involved with the establishment of the Global Fund for Community Engagement and Resilience (GCERF). In November, the ONSA sent two representatives to the Lucerne, Switzerland meeting on the GCERF. ONSA representatives also attended the follow-up meeting in December in Geneva.