Abuja: A radical Muslim sect has killed a
soldier and wounded another in northeastern Nigeria, amid a
military crackdown against Boko Haram which seeks to enforce
Islamic law across the country.
Mohammed Abubakar, the Borno state Police
Commissioner, said the soldiers were attacked at a restaurant
by gun totting men on a motorbike.
Authorities believe it is another attack by members of
Boko Haram, a Muslim sect whose name means "Western education
is sacrilege" in the Hausa language.
On Tuesday, twenty-five people suspected to be members
of the sect said to have killed more than twelve persons
including policemen were arrested.
The sect aims to enforce Islamic law across Nigeria
and in the process burnt churches, attacked police stations
and a prison and clashed with security forces in the northern
States of Bauchi, Borno, Kano and Yobe.
The group`s members have emerged recently from hiding
after starting a July 2009 riot, which led to a security
crackdown that left 800 people dead.
The leader of the group, Muhammed Yusuf was captured
and killed by the Nigerian military on July 30, 2009.
Authorities accuse them of killing local officials in
recent weeks.
The oil rich Africa’s most populous country has
scheduled elections for January but the northern region
remains volatile with killings which might spiral into
violence.
The 150 million people are evenly distributed among
the Muslims and Christians.
PTI
