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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hunt for Nigerian Islamist sect | Hunt for Nigerian Islamist sect |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Nigerian troops are tracking down members of an Islamist sect who went on a killing spree in northern cities. | Nigerian troops are tracking down members of an Islamist sect who went on a killing spree in northern cities. |
| Soldiers are searching areas near the home of sect leader Mohammed Yusuf in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. | Soldiers are searching areas near the home of sect leader Mohammed Yusuf in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state. |
| On Tuesday the army shelled the compound, exchanging heavy gunfire with militants. At least 140 people have been killed in three days of violence. | On Tuesday the army shelled the compound, exchanging heavy gunfire with militants. At least 140 people have been killed in three days of violence. |
| President Umaru Yar'Adua said the army had acted to nip a potentially dangerous problem in the bud. | President Umaru Yar'Adua said the army had acted to nip a potentially dangerous problem in the bud. |
| Nigeria's 'Taliban' enigma Eyewitness: Nigeria attacks Fear and tension after attack | Nigeria's 'Taliban' enigma Eyewitness: Nigeria attacks Fear and tension after attack |
| Nigeria's security services have been flooding into Maiduguri, the city worst affected by the violence, the BBC's Caroline Duffield reports. | |
| Maj Gen Saleh Maina told the Associated Press news agency that troops were hunting for sect members in homes and a mosque and near the railway station. He said the operation was being carried out "to prevent further loss of lives and property". | |
| Residents and civilians have been told to leave the area. | |
| Mr Yusuf's group, known as Boko Haram, is being blamed for attacks on police stations and government buildings in four states in Nigeria. | |
| Many civilians were also shot dead or stabbed at random. | Many civilians were also shot dead or stabbed at random. |
| Boko Haram is against Western education. It believes Nigeria's government is being corrupted by Western ideas and wants to see Islamic law imposed across Nigeria. | |
| State of alert | State of alert |
| Late on Tuesday, explosions and gunshots could be heard from the Doidamgari area of Maiduguri, where Mohammed Yusuf's home is situated and the Boko Haram have their spiritual headquarters. | |
| President Umaru Yar'Adua ordered Nigeria's national security agencies to take all necessary action to contain and repel attacks by the extremists. | President Umaru Yar'Adua ordered Nigeria's national security agencies to take all necessary action to contain and repel attacks by the extremists. |
| "It is the government that has moved to nip a potentially dangerous problem in the bud," he said before leaving on a visit to Brazil. | "It is the government that has moved to nip a potentially dangerous problem in the bud," he said before leaving on a visit to Brazil. |
| "These people have been organising, penetrating our societies, procuring arms, learning how to make explosives and bombs to disturb the peace and force abuse on the rest of Nigerians. | "These people have been organising, penetrating our societies, procuring arms, learning how to make explosives and bombs to disturb the peace and force abuse on the rest of Nigerians. |
| "And I believe the operation we have launched now will be an operation that will contain them once and for all." | "And I believe the operation we have launched now will be an operation that will contain them once and for all." |
| Outside Maiduguri, there is a heightened state of alert across the northern states: | Outside Maiduguri, there is a heightened state of alert across the northern states: |
| • In the city of Kano, police arrested 53 people after an attack on a police station outside the city on Monday; police also shot and killed three suspected militants as they tried to reach Maiduguri | • In the city of Kano, police arrested 53 people after an attack on a police station outside the city on Monday; police also shot and killed three suspected militants as they tried to reach Maiduguri |
| • In Sokoto, in the far north-west, police arrested five men said to have been caught in the act of planning an attack | • In Sokoto, in the far north-west, police arrested five men said to have been caught in the act of planning an attack |
| • In Bauchi, scene of the first bloodshed on Sunday, 176 people remain under arrest | • In Bauchi, scene of the first bloodshed on Sunday, 176 people remain under arrest |
| President Yar'Adua said 'a potentially dangerous problem' had been tackled | President Yar'Adua said 'a potentially dangerous problem' had been tackled |
| A BBC reporter counted about 100 bodies of residents and militants in the streets of Maiduguri on Monday. | A BBC reporter counted about 100 bodies of residents and militants in the streets of Maiduguri on Monday. |
| Maiduguri police said 103 had died in the violence in the city, including 90 members of Boko Haram, eight police officers, three prison officials and two soldiers. | Maiduguri police said 103 had died in the violence in the city, including 90 members of Boko Haram, eight police officers, three prison officials and two soldiers. |
| At least 39 people were killed in the violence in Bauchi. | At least 39 people were killed in the violence in Bauchi. |
| Sharia law is in place across northern Nigeria, but there is no history of al-Qaeda-linked violence in the country. | Sharia law is in place across northern Nigeria, but there is no history of al-Qaeda-linked violence in the country. |
| The country's 150 million people are split almost equally between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. | The country's 150 million people are split almost equally between Muslims in the north and Christians in the south. |
| Are you in Nigeria? Have you been affected by the clashes? Send us your comments. | Are you in Nigeria? Have you been affected by the clashes? Send us your comments. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |