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Nigeria: President Jonathan declares emergency in 3 states in bid to stem Boko Haram “jihad”
Jonathan has faced mounting pressure over his struggles to stem the violence and launched a bid to offer the Islamists amnesty after key Islamic leaders backed the move.
The president said this “multi-track” approach involving “persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation”, would continue but explained that the unchecked violence of the militant groups had forced him to pursue more aggressive measures.
“We will hunt them down, we will fish them out,” he said of those collaborating with the Islamists.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with an estimated 160 million people, including a mostly Christian south and predominately Muslim north, the country has one of the fast growing economies on the continent, and it is estimated to surpass South Africa to become Africa’s largest by 2015.
Copyright 2013 AFP
