Hundreds of decomposing bodies found in Damasak, Nigeria

Reports of decomposing bodies littering the streets of Damasak came as president Muhammadu Buhari denounced the Islamists as a bogus religious group and vowed a hard line against them when he comes to power at the end of next month.

North-east Nigeria has been relentlessly targeted throughout the jihadists' six-year uprising but there had been a lull in violence in recent weeks.

A coalition of troops from Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Nigeria has claimed major victories since February, reportedly flushing the militants out of areas they previously controlled.

The discovery of hundreds of bodies, including women and children, and the latest attacks underlined both the brutality of the conflict and the continuing threat posed by the extremists.

The grim find in Damasak “far outnumbered” that of about 100 bodies found in a mass grave under a bridge after the town was liberated in early March by Chadian forces, said local resident Kaumi Kusur.

“Dead bodies were found in houses, streets and many more in the Damasak River which has dried up,” he said, adding the victims were buried in 20 mass graves at the weekend.

Mohammed Sadiq, another local who helped in the burials on Saturday, put the death toll at more than 400 but the Borno state government did not state a precise figure, giving a toll of “hundreds”.

The victims had been covered by sand from the encroaching desert, with the burial ordered by the state authorities, which are looking at the return of thousands of people displaced by the violence.

Buhari, who takes office on May 29, was elected last month on a pledge of a tougher approach to Boko Haram than the current administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The former military ruler said in a statement issued by his All Progressives Congress party: “No religion allows for the killing of children in school dormitories, in markets and places of worship.

“They have nothing to do with religion. They are terrorists and we are going to deal with them as we deal with terrorists.”

Buhari was speaking after Boko Haram fighters stormed the island of Karamga on Lake Chad in motorised canoes before sunrise on Saturday.

Troops from Niger stationed on the island “were caught off guard” and suffered heavy losses, said Umar Yerima, a fisherman who witnessed the raid but escaped by hiding in long grass near the shore.

Niger's military confirmed the attack but did not provide a death toll. A security source in Chad said Niger lost 48 soldiers and another 36 were missing.

Another source, an official from southeastern Niger's Diffa region, said the toll was much higher at 80 dead and some 30 missing.

Yerima told AFP the Islamic State group-allied militants “turned their guns” onto civilians after overpowering the troops, firing at people who had jumped into the water to avoid detection.

Some residents were also burnt alive in their homes, he added.

On Friday, suspected Boko Haram fighters disguised as soldiers intercepted a group of people trying to return to their homes to collect abandoned food supplies in northeastern Yobe state.

“The men, 21 of them, were stopped at Bultaram (village) by gunmen we believe are Boko Haram who shot them dead,” said Baba Nuhu, an official with the Gujba local government.

Like many Gujba residents, Nuhu and Haruna Maram, the brother of one of the victims, have sought refuge from the violence in Yobe's capital Damaturu.

“My brother and 20 others wanted to bring back their grains to augment their lean food supplies,” Maram said. “Unfortunately, they were killed by (the) same Boko Haram we ran away from.”

Gujba is one of a handful of districts in Yobe that Boko Haram captured during its sweeping offensive from mid-2014.

It was also the scene of a gruesome massacre at an agricultural college in 2013 that targeted students sleeping their dormitories.

Community leaders have warned civilians are still at risk, especially those returning to remote areas like Gujba where the military's deployment has typically been thin.

Many experts agree that Boko Haram is likely to transition from capturing and holding territory to reverting to a pattern of hit-and-run attacks.

Analysts say boastings from regional armies should be treated with caution, as the Islamists are far from defeated and can easily regroup, especially if there is a let-up in the military pressure.

AFP

Nigeria recalls diplomats from South Africa over xenophobic attacks

Nigeria’s ambassador in Pretoria, and the consul general in Johannesburg, will return to Nigeria for consultations.

A Nigerian government statement noted that some South Africans had organised peace marches and that President Jacob Zuma had condemned the attacks.

Nigerian legislators have called for the South African government to pay damages and a Nigerian rights group has complained to the International Criminal Court.

The South African government, calling the Nigerian government’s action “an unfortunate and regrettable step”, said it and a wide range of civic organisations had been “decisive and unequivocal in condemning and rejecting the attacks on foreign nationals”.

Al Jazeera reported that the statement by South Africa’s Department of International Cooperation and Cooperation went on to deride the Nigerian government over its inability to rein in the Boko Haram insurgency in the north of its country.

It also pointed out that South Africa did not blame the Nigerian government for mishandling the aftermath of the collapse of a church building last year, which left 84 South Africans dead.

AP

Related story: South Africa closes consulate in Lagos, Nigeria after anti-xenophobia protests

Nigeria summons South African ambassador over xenophobic attacks

Nigeria's foreign ministry has summoned South Africa's high commissioner over anti-immigrant violence in which at least seven people have been killed, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

South Africa deployed soldiers on Tuesday to try to quell the unrest after being criticized by governments including China and Zimbabwe for failing to protect foreigners from armed mobs.

"The essence of the summon was to register Nigeria's protest over the on-going xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa," the ministry said, adding that the meeting had happened on Monday.

It also called on the South African authorities to quell the unrest and bring those involved to book.

On Tuesday, four men aged between 18 and 22 were charged with the murder and robbery of a Mozambican man, Emmanuel Sithole, whose death was captured by a newspaper photographer and plastered across the front pages, shocking the nation.

Isolated counter-protests involving a few dozen people have occurred in Nigeria, an economy in which South African firms such as mobile phone giant MTN and supermarket chain Shoprite have large stakes.

Diplomats from several African countries have urged their citizens back home not to seek vengeance.

"We are appealing to our countries not to retaliate," Democratic Republic of the Congo ambassador Bene M'Poko told a news conference in Johannesburg, stressing that South African firms in the rest of the continent were "working peacefully".


Reuters

Video - Stephen Keshi appointed Super Eagles coach for the third time

Stephen Keshi has been appointed Nigeria coach for the third time and signed a two-year contract on Tuesday.

In his first spell he won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations but the deal was not renewed after the 2014 World Cup.

He later returned on a match-by-match deal, which ended in November after failure to reach the 2015 Nations Cup.

"It's a fresh start. We need the support of our fans, media and every Nigerian to return the team to where we truly belong," Keshi told BBC Sport.

"As a coach and former player I was also hurt that we failed to qualify for the last Nations Cup.
Continue reading the main story

"To succeed we all need to come together as one because Nigeria belongs to us - this is not Stephen Keshi's team but our national team."

BBC Sport understands that Keshi has been set several targets and that his contract will be terminated if he does not meet them.

The 53-year-old was also required to sign a code of conduct and is expected to work with the Nigerian Football Federation technical committee.

However, the NFF's technical committee boss Felix Anyansi-Agwu said: "The NFF board is confident Stephen Keshi can take the Super Eagles to new heights.

"We want Nigerians to see this as a new beginning and to support the team and the NFF."

Keshi, who also won the Nations Cup as a player with Nigeria in 1994, declined to comment on the contract details or the exit of his long-term assistant Daniel Amokachi.

Former Nigeria striker Amokachi has left his role with immediate effect and been replaced by Salisu Yusuf.

Yusuf, who led Kano Pillars to the Nigerian title in 2008, has previously worked as assistant to former Nigeria coach Samson Siasia at both senior and U20 levels.

As caretaker coach, Keshi endured a turbulent 2014, in which he was sacked by the NFF and only reinstalled after intervention from Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan.

His last two home matches in Abuja and Akwa Ibom were marred by a negative reaction from the public and Keshi has pleaded for the home supporters to be positive during the 2017 Nations Cup qualifiers.

The Super Eagles have been drawn in one of the toughest-looking groups, alongside seven-time champions Egypt, Tanzania and Chad.

"I understand we still have some disappointed people out there but our dedicated players deserve our encouragement and support," added Keshi.

"It doesn't matter where they play, these boys always give everything and we need to stand by them and the coaching crew.

"I remain confident that this time around we will see an improvement, change in attitude and positive results."

BBC

South Africa closes consulate in Lagos, Nigeria after anti-xenophobia protests

Protests were held outside the consulate and at the South African High Commission in Abuja.

South African consul general in Nigeria, Sam Monaisa, said in an email to the South African business forum in that country that the closure would remain in force until Thursday.

The situation in Durban had calmed down, but he was concerned about the Nigerians that were being repatriated, he wrote.

He said Nigerians were using social media to blow an already tense situation in South Africa out of proportion and stoking emotions.

This was why Nigerians maintained that their compatriots were being killed daily in South Africa, he said.

South Africans becoming targets
He warned the forum’s members to stay alert and not move around unnecessarily. South African businesses and citizens became targets of threats and acts of retaliation whenever xenophobic attacks occurred in South Africa, he cautioned.

Meanwhile, in Zimbabwe 15 people who were part of a first group of Zimbabweans returning home in the wake of xenophobic attacks in Durban have “disappeared” in Musina, state media reported on Tuesday.

The Herald newspaper said in an online update: “Fifteen victims disappeared in Musina where they reportedly claimed feeling safe because there were no xenophobic attacks reported.” There were no further details.

Zimbabwe is repatriating up to 2000 of its citizens who have asked to be evacuated in the wake of the attacks.

The first six buses carrying 407 Zimbabweans left Durban on Sunday.

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