#News: Nigeria fury over US arms refusal

[BBC]

Adamawa, Borno and Yobe have been under emergency rule since May 2013  But Mr Adefuye said the accusations were based on "half-truths", rumours and exaggerated accounts, which were being spread by political opponents ahead of the elections.

"The US government has up till today refused to grant Nigeria's request to purchase lethal equipment that would have brought down the terrorists within a short time,'' Mr Adefuye told members of the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations.

"We find it difficult to understand how and why, in spite of the US presence in Nigeria with their sophisticated military technology, Boko Haram should be expanding and becoming more deadly,'' he added.

Villages are  often targeted by Boko Haram   Soldiers say they are poorly equipped to fight the militants   Mr Adefuye said Boko Haram was Nigeria's equivalent of the Islamic State group, and threatened the nation's "territorial integrity".  

"There is no use giving us the type of support that enables us to deliver light jabs to the terrorists when what we need to give them is the killer punch," he said.

"A friend in need is a friend indeed. The true test of friendship is in times of adversity," he added.  

 Who are Boko Haram?

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau is the most wanted man in Nigeria  

• Founded in 2002
• Initially focused on opposing Western education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
• Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
• Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
• Some three million people affected
• Declared terrorist group by US in 2013

What now after ceasefire fiasco?

Profile: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau

 Boko Haram has recently changed tactics, focusing on holding on to territory rather than launching hit-and-run raids.  

It has now captured Mahia to add to the territory the group already controls, our reporter says.

It is a small town near Mubi, the second largest town in Adamawa state, which Boko Haram last week renamed Madinatul Islam - City of Islam.

In April, Boko Haram sparked global outrage by abducting more than 200 girls from a boarding school in Chibok town in Borno state.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau has dismissed government claims to have agreed a ceasefire, under which the girls would be released.

He says the children have converted to Islam, are learning to memorise the Koran and have been married off.

The US, China, UK and Israel had promised to help Nigeria track down the girls.


Source: BBC