US Drones Spying On Boko Haram?

Nigerian troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states may have been bolstered by United States drones stationed in Niamey, Niger Republic.

The Nigerian government had deployed thousands of troops to the three states after President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in their territories on May 14, 2013.

A top intelligence official, who declined to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue, told Saturday PUNCH that US drones had been spying on Boko Haram bases in the forests and plains around Nigeria’s borders with Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The source said this was part of assistance provided by the US Government, in its bid to destroy terror bases in West and North Africa.

Nigeria Customs Thwart Smugglers' Plan To Sneak In Cash...

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted over N15 million cash hidden under the seats and footmats of a car with three nationals of Niger Republic. The Nigeriens were nabbed while entering the country. Apparently aware that the trunk of the car would be searched at the various checkpoints, the smart Nigeriens neatly stashed the cash where security agents hardly check.

Comptroller of Customs in-charge of Katsina/Kaduna Area Command, Yusuf Umar, who paraded the suspects identified as Abdulrasheed Usman (22), his brother Salisu (21), and Bishir Abdullahi (30), before newsmen in Katsina at the weekend, confirmed that nothing was found in the boot of the suspects’ car, a Honda Academy, with Nigerian registration number, ABUJA ABJ 602 AE, when they were intercepted at Makera checkpoint on Jibia –Katsina road. Mr. Umar stated that the suspects, who could be financial agents of a Bureau De Change operator, took a bush path into Nigeria to evade scanning machines of the Customs Service at Jibia international border.