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          Officials: Nigeria Secure for Economic Forum Despite Attacks

   by Heather Murdock

   After the worst attack in Abuja's history on Monday, officials say the
   Nigerian capital has been secured for the World Economic Forum for
   Africa next month. These comments come amid conflicting statements on
   the abduction of more than 100 schoolgirls, and ongoing violence in the
   north. President Goodluck Jonathan summoned his security council.

   The Nigerian capital is simultaneously recovering from a bombing that
   killed 75 people in the suburbs on Monday, and preparing for the World
   Economic Forum for Africa - which is expected to draw more than 1,000
   delegates, including many heads of state.

   Minister of National Planning Ambassador Bashir Yuguda said Thursday
   there is no need for concern. "Security will be beefed up. The security
   of the delegates coming -- Nigeria is guaranteeing their security. We
   will do the best we can as a nation to do that because it's our
   responsibility to protect the lives of the delegates that are
   coming."
   Emergency rule
   Three states in Nigeria's northeast have been under emergency rule for
   almost a year, after Jonathan said Islamist insurgents known as Boko
   Haram had captured territories, threatening the country's sovereignty.

   Initially, the military and police secured cities in the northeast,
   driving insurgents into the countryside and into the forest. The
   violence appears to be escalating, however, and rights groups say more
   than 1,500 people have been killed this year alone.

   At this hospital in the capital, far from areas under emergency rule,
   patients recover from the bombing of the bus station on Monday. It was
   the largest attack in the city since the Boko Haram insurgency began in
   2009, and the first in two years.

   Like many of the victims, Sahadu is a civil servant who was catching a
   bus to work that morning. Also, like many of the victims, he said Boko
   Haram once was a northeastern issue, but the security crisis appears to
   be spreading.

   The truth about the violence in the northeast, though, often is hard to
   discern.

   Abducted schoolgirls
   On Wednesday night, the Nigerian military said no more than eight of
   129 girls who were abducted in Borno state Monday remain missing.

   Other officials, however, say this is either untrue, or they have no
   knowledge of a rescue. On a scratchy phone line from a remote region in
   the northeast,Government Girls Secondary School principal Asabe
   Kwambura said, "We have not gotten any information that they have
   gotten the students yet. So all this information you got in the media
   is not true."
   The governor of Borno State, one of those under emergency rule, is
   offering a reward of about $300,000 for information leading to a
   rescue.
    "I want to assure you that we are willing to do anything to see that
   these innocent girls are rescued without any harm coming their way,"
   said Governor Kashim Shettima.
   There were no initial claims of responsibility for the kidnappings. But
   the assault is similar to attacks that have been carried out by Boko
   Haram.

   The group has been blamed for thousands of deaths in attacks on
   churches, schools, mosques, markets, government structures and security
   forces. The group says it wants to impose its harsh version of Islamic
   law, which includes banning all forms of Western education.
   Abdulkareem Haruna contributed to this report from Maiduguri.
     __________________________________________________________________

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   -forum-despite-attacks/1895599.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/officials-nigeria-secure-for-economic-forum-despite-attacks/1895599.html