Nigeria+-+Period+3+-+Current+Events

Nigeria - Period 3 - Table of Contents

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1) This article talks about a group of motorcyle assasins that are running through towns killing policemen and politicians. Military soldiers have been placed in the area in order to help stop this and the fear of another attack amongst citizens. Many feel that the attacks are related to the police station fire bombings and the prison break that freed more than 700 inmates.

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2) This article discusses a hostage situation of 15 students from the city of Aba. Highjackers are negotiating with police on the situation and are demanding to have $128,900 paid in ransom. The students are believed to be from wealthy families and were going to a private nursery and primary school when the bus was taken.

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3) This article discusses the arrest made of a militant leader that was believed to have been the cause of a car bombing during Nigeria's independence day celebrations. Henry Okah claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed at least 12 people. After being detained he was deemed innocent and was said not to have possibly been able to have committed such acts.

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4) This article discusses i llegal gold mining that has caused over 400 deaths in northern Nigeria over the past 6 months. Residents refuse to put blame on the mining in fear that the mines may get shut down and lose that source of income. Many local villages have lost many of their children despite the fact that they are receiving help to try and keep their villages clean.

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5) This article discusses attacks on civilians in late December in southern Nigeria. The attacks are on Christian southerners that and are though to be from muslims from the north. though officials say that it is not a religious clash. This comes at the christian holiday of christmas and 32 people have been killed with 50 others injured. This is coming close to the Jan 13 primaries which Goodluck Jonathan is preparing for.

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6) A bomb explodes killing 3 people and wounding 21 others at a PDP (People's Democratic Party) rally near the capital of Abuja. Officials say that there has been a recent upsurge in violence between ethnic and political groups with the national elections next month.

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7) Huge oil revenues hit the Niger Delta and work towards making life in this region better. However, the insurge of money has caused more unrest and shows that the civil unrest in the country. Local Militants have taken action that threatens the oil industry. One action takeb was siezing oil rigs and taking hostages.

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8) Parlimentary elections have been postponed again due to lack of voting materials in all areas. Many people had hope to break history with all of the election fraud but many feel that this just adds to the fraud. Citizens angered by this fired gunshots in Niger Delta which is causing fear that there could be violence.

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9) Power supply in Nigeria has continued to be stagnant and is beginning to run low. Many Nigerians are running electricty through power plants in their own backyards, but now, the government is pushing for privatization of power plants to raise $35 billion. The choices that President Goodluck Jonathan makes regarding this problem can influence the upcoming elections.

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10) A truck has been siezed that has been that was full of bomb making materials. This is believed to be linked to the Christmas Eve bombings that killed at least 200 people. The truck was siezed at a late night police check point near Jos. This is also thought to be linked to the bombing at the government party election rally in the town of Suleja near Abuja.