State of Emergency: Government in Nigeria declares state of emergency in three states

President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria

President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria has declared a state of emergency in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
The three states are the hardest hit by the insurgence of the Islamist group Boko Haram. 

While declaring the presidential emergency declaration in the three Nigerian states in his presidential speech the president said, “Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary actions, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.”

Before the presidential broadcast, Jonathan Goodluck had met with the governors of Borno and Yobe states, Kashim Shetima and Ibrahim Geidam, respectively, earlier in the day.

However, Nasarawa state where members of a suspected cult group, Omatse Militia, murdered about 30 policemen last week is not among the states where emergency rule was declared.