ARMY HALTS BOKO HARAM SUICIDE ATTACK ON ABUJA, KANO

The Nigerian military said two soldiers and five suspected members of the Islamic extremist group, Boko Haram, were killed in shootouts early Saturday morning at Hotoro, on the outskirts of the town. It will be recalled that Kano has been relatively peaceful in recent months.
But news of the...
shattered peace came as spokesman for the Joint Task
Force (JTF) Captain Ikedichi Iwehia, told journalists that the
suspected Boko Haram members planned simultaneous suicide attacks in
the Federal capital territory (FCT) and Kano.
In an email sent to reporters, Iwehia said "intelligence available
indicates that the terrorists were in the process of finalising the
plans."
He said in the early hours of the day, a team of the JTF stormed two
residences at Hotoro Dan Mark as part of the ongoing search operations
by the troops, and that they were confronted by the gunmen.
He said in the ensuing shootout, five of the suspected terrorists and
two soldiers lost their lives, adding that the security forces also
confiscated about 50 AK-47 rifles and hundreds of rounds of
ammunition.
Iwehia said security was being tightened in Kano, amid fears that
insurgents were fleeing to the city from the three North-Eastern
states currently under state of emergency.