Boko Haram plans to use livestock, young boys to detonate explosives

World Today

Nigerian intelligence said they have uncovered a new plot by Boko Haram militant to ferry explosive devices across the country. CCTV’s Sophia Adengo reported the story from Abuja, Nigeria..

Boko Haram insurgents have killed hundreds in deadly bomb attacks across northeastern Nigeria. First, the militants used car bombs backed up by gun-wielding attackers. Most recently, the group used teenage girls as suicide bombers.

Now military intelligence suggests that Boko Haram plan on disguising young male suicide bombers as cobblers with explosives hidden in their tool boxes. These suicide bombers would then detonate in targets such as restaurants, ATM locations, markets, political rallies, and places of worship.

“There is a an indication of a plan by this group to use livestock like goats, cows, and donkeys laden with explosive to attack chosen targets. In view of this, the general public, including persons operating within such aforementioned places, are advised to be vigilant about suspicious activities within their environment,” Mike Omeri, spokesman for the Nigerian government, said.

Just a few days ago, Boko Haram tweeted pictures showing teen boys undergoing military training. This followed the kidnapping of 30 children from a village in northeastern Nigeria.

Nigerians look to the African Union summit to see if it will announce backing for a multinational force to fight Boko Haram.

“The African Union, if they want to support African states like Nigeria, they have to come in as a body and help Nigeria because since corruption has entered our military and the police inside insurgency in northern Nigeria,” one Nigerian said. “What we are expecting is that they have to come in and when they come in they should make sure they don’t use any of our securities. They should do their thing on their own.”

That view contrasted sharply with the Nigerian government’s stand on international military aid.

“We have human resources, we have soldiers, we have so many people around here. If we say we need weapons, we determine the appropriate weapons that our people need. If we say we need APCs, we tell them we need APCs. Anybody who wants to give us support should give us support based on our determined needs,” Omeri said.

However, government forces have fled from Boko Harm militants on several occasions, claiming they were outnumbered and outgunned.