Senator killed in fresh Plateau attack

CHANNELS TV NEWS
Senator Gyand Dalyyop Datong (Plateau North, PDP) has been shot dead by gunmen while attending a mass burial ceremony for victims of an attack by Fulani herdsmen in Riyom and Barikin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state, North Central Nigeria.

A statement from the Plateau state commissioner of Information, Abraham Yiljap confirmed the shooting.

Senator Datong won his first election into the Senate in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. He was previously a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency.

Also shot dead is Hon. Gyang James Fulani, the Chief Whip of the Plateau state House of Assembly. Hon. Fulani was representing Barkin Ladi constituency. Barkin Ladi is about 25 kilometres from the state’s capital, Jos.

Another lawmaker representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Simon Mwatdkon is currently hospitalised after recovering from coma.

Over 37 people were killed in Barkin Ladi at the weekend in a new cycle of violence between Fulani herdsmen and Berom tribesmen who live in the two local government areas.

Over 9 villages were attacked by people believed to be Fulani in the raids on Saturday.

The attack reportedly took place at the venue of the burial of some of the victims of Saturday’s attacks.

NIGERIA: Boko Haram Members Debut On U.S. Terrorist List

The U.S. State Department has, for the first time, included members of the Nigerian sect Boko Haram as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists":

The Department of State designated Abubakar Shekau, Abubakar Adam Kambar, and Khalid al-Barnawi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. Shekau is the most visible leader of the Nigeria-based militant group Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, commonly referred to as Boko Haram. Khalid al-Barnawi and Abubakar Adam Kambar have ties to Boko Haram and have close links to al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.[...]

The designation under E.O. 13224 blocks all of Shekau’s, Kambar’s and al-Barnawi’s property interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of these individuals. These designations demonstrate the United States’ resolve in diminishing the capacity of Boko Haram to execute violent attacks. The Department of State took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility today for attacks that have left 40 people dead in Northeast Nigeria this week. More than 640 people have been killed in attacks by the group this year.

Interestingly the State Department has not yet taken the more sweeping step of labeling the group as a whole a "Foreign Terrorist Organization". According to Reuters, this reflects a desire "not to elevate the group's profile."

That makes some sense, though Boko Haram would certainly seem to be a more active threat than such largely-defunct groups as the Tamil Tigers, Aum Shinrikyo or Sendero Luminoso.

Boko Haram Targets Northern Govt. Properties

The Islamic sect, Boko Haram has issued new threats warning the 19 governors of northern Nigeria to be prepared as properties of government in their respective states and in Abuja, the nation’s capital, are their next target of attack. The group said they would soon begin to carry out deadly attacks on all government establishments in northern Nigeria and Abuja, warning that such properties should be evacuated in preparation for the attacks.

READ FULL STORY