News / Brèves Back to previous selection / Retour à la sélection précédente British Empire-Style, Long-Term Destabilization Targets Nigeria/BRICS Development Collaboration 11 March 2015 EIRNS—A two-front military intervention into the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, by military forces of the neighbouring nations of Niger and Chad, marks a shift in the attack on the so-called Islamist insurgency of Boko Haram, since this is the first time there has been a combined counterattack by two neighbouring nations. The insurgency is now threatening the stability of the nations in the immediate zone of conflict — Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. A prolonged destabilization would have a devastating effect on the entire region of West Africa and, because of British Empire manipulations, could even threaten the breakup of Nigeria. While Nigeria is the African nation with the largest population, West Africa is the most populated region. Such a long-war destabilization would deal a severe blow to the opportunities for the BRICS nations’ infrastructure- development initiatives in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole. Last November, China signed a $12 billion rail deal with Nigeria, the first phase of a much larger Nigerian rail project to build a rail network to solidify the country. This Chinese approach in Nigeria coheres with the Memorandum of Understanding to build infrastructure throughout Africa, signed by the African Union (AU) and China Jan. 27 at AU headquarters in Addis Abeba. The anti-Boko Haram offensive by military forces from Chad and from Niger began March 8, and liberated two towns that had been captured in November. According to reports, 100 Boko Haram insurgents were killed. As the March 28 Nigerian Presidential election gets closer, the joint action indicates that Nigeria sees there is no alternative to such an external intervention. As the crisis deepens, former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair, meddler-in-chief in conflicts worldwide, has already contacted President Jonathan’s electoral opponent, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (ret.). Buhari addressed the Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House) in London, on Feb. 19, and met with Blair while in London. Blair, who met Jonathan on April 20, 2013, in Nigeria, has positioned himself, as usual, to worsen the crisis. Since the Boko Haram insurgency began at the end of 2009, at the time that then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan became President after the death of President Yar’Adua, Nigeria has attempted not to internationalize the fight against the insurgency, because of the obvious infringements of sovereignty that would be imposed by any Western-led operation in the country, which risks leading to a repeat of the Iraq catastrophe. The AU is putting together an intervention force from African nations. The AU yesterday put a formal request to the UN Security Council for approval for a 10,000 person anti-Boko Haram intervention force, in an attempt to get UN financing for it. The Obama Administration has refused to supply military equipment to Nigeria to face this insurgency, claiming human rights violations by Nigeria against the insurgents. The day before the intervention, on March 7, in the Borno State capital of Maiduguri, bombings bearing the markings of Boko Haram killed 50 people. The Boko Haram nihilistic attacks have targetted Muslims, Christians, and government institutions. Their only possible purpose could be to make the area ungovernable. During the Niger/Chad attacks, Boko Haram released an audio message pledging loyalty to the Islamic State. This is seen by Nigeria experts as a sign of desperation, using the declaration as a superficial propaganda ploy. Intelligence experts see no evidence of operational ties between Boko Haram and IS, or al-Qaeda, with which it had earlier claimed solidarity. Douglas DeGroot