Puntland and Galmudug Agree to Cease Fire in Somalia

Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Somalia

5 September 2011 – The leaders of two of Somalia's semi-autonomous regions today committed to a peaceful settlement of their dispute and adopted a four-point plan to ensure that hostilities between the two territories do not recur, the United Nations political office for the country said.

The agreement between Mohamed Ahmed Alin, the President of the Galmudug state, and Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud “Farole,” the President of Puntland was signed on the sidelines of the Consultative Meeting for Ending the Transition in Somalia, which got under way in the capital, Mogadishu, yesterday.

“I am most gratified that the United Nations was able to bring the parties together in the margins of the Consultative Meeting and that they decided, in a spirit of brotherly reconciliation, to put aside their differences which had threatened to undermine this important moment in the peace process,” said Augustine Mahiga, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, who is facilitating the three-day meeting.

Mr. Alin and Mr. Mohamud agreed to implement and maintain an immediate cease fire establish and maintain direct communication at the highest level address future issues in a non-violent and cooperative manner and recognize that they face a common threat from insurgent groups.

“Puntland and Galmudug are on Somalia's front lines in the ongoing fight against violent extremists that increasingly are relying on terror tactics to try and disrupt the Peace Process.

“As we work together at this important conference to adopt a roadmap for ending the transitional period in Somalia, I am most encouraged that the two leaders showed such statesmanship in agreeing to work together to resolve their differences peacefully. The UN continues to stand ready to assist,” said Dr. Mahiga.

The Rest @ The UN

UN Building in Nigeria Car Bombed Today

Though no one has yet claimed credit, this has the earmarks of Boko Haram carrying out an Al Qaeda, Africa Agenda.

• both Al Shabaab in Somalia and AQIM in Algeria have explicitly declared the UN as an enemy, having attacked UN assets in the past. They are both a part, in one way or another, with the Al Qaeda Network.
• Boko Haram has not yet explicitly declared the UN as an enemy but has started a Nigerian insurgency, with unclear demands.
• Boko Haram has regular contact with, and received training and funding from Al Qaeda Africa
• TBDA suggests Al Shabaab and AQIM have been looking for email addresses to reach out to each other over the last year, more frequently in the last few months.
• There are other organizations in Nigeria who wish to harm the Nigerian government, but they have shown neither the resources nor the inclination to attack the UN.

-Shimron Issachar

********************************************

ABUJA, Nigeria - A car bomb tore through the United Nations' main office in Nigeria's capital Friday, flattening one wing of the building and leaving an unknown number of people dead.

A U.N. official in Geneva confirmed to CBS News that it was a bomb attack, and a Nigerian security official told Reuters news agency it was the result of a car bomb.

"I saw scattered bodies," said Michael Ofilaje, a UNICEF worker at the building. "Many people are dead."

He said it felt like "the blast came from the basement and shook the building."

A medical worker at the scene told Reuters at least 10 people were killed and local media said as many as 40 more were injured, but the death toll was not immediately confirmed by officials and many more victims could still be buried by rubble.

The building, located in the same neighborhood as the U.S. embassy and other diplomatic posts in Abuja, had a huge hole punched in it.

The building houses about 400 employees of the U.N. in Nigeria, including the majority of its offices.

U.S. Embassy spokesperson Debbie MacLean tells CBS News that, as far as she is aware, no U.S. citizens were injured in the blast, but the embassy was still collecting details and the facts from the incident were still evolving rapidly.

MacLean said there was no damage to the U.S. Embassy.

Nigeria, a nation of 150 million, is split between a largely Christian south and Muslim north. In recent months, the country has faced an increasing threat from a radical Muslim sect called Boko Haram, which wants to implement a strict version of Shariah law in the nation.
The group has carried out assassinations and bombings, including the June car bombing of the national headquarters of Nigeria's federal police that killed at least two people.

Earlier this month, the commander for U.S. military operations in Africa said Boko Haram may be trying to link with two al Qaeda-linked groups in other African countries to mount joint attacks in Nigeria.

Gen. Carter Ham told AP on Aug. 17 during a visit to Nigeria that "multiple sources" indicate Boko Haram made contacts with al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which operates in northwest Africa, and with al-Shabab in Somalia.
"I think it would be the most dangerous thing to happen not only to the Africans, but to us as well," Carter said.

"This is very likely the work of Boko Haram and, or, AQIM and is a serious escalation in the security situation in Nigeria," the unnamed security official told Reuters.

The Rest @ CBS News

Shabaab Takes over, Closes UN ACtivities in their Area

NEW YORK - The Somali armed rebel group, Al Shabaab, looted two UN compounds and demanded an end to UN relief work in the impoverished Horn of Africa nation, the UN said Monday.

Al Shabaab, which has been trying to overthrow the transitional government in Mogadishu, looted the UN compound in Baidoa of emergency communication equipment, forcing the organisation to evacuate personnel and suspend its operations.

The UN said it was powerless when challenged by the rebels because the compound had no security guards.

In Wajid, protected by a minimum security, the rebels entered the compound of the World Food Programme and drove away with two vehicles and some furniture that did not belong to the UN.
“These two events happened as Al Shabaab broadcast on Monday a message on local Somali radio calling for the closing of offices” of several UN agencies, including the UN Development Programme, the UN said.

“The UN is reassessing the situation on the ground and is optimistic that the minimal conditions
on the ground will be restored to allow the critical humanitarian work to resume in Baidoa and continue elsewhere in Somalia,” the UN said.

The Rest @ Taragana

Nasco Group Nigeria Ltd still Operating In Nigeria

In 2007 Letter from the UN Scruity Council, Nigeria reportes that they had siezed the assests and frozen the accounts of Nasco Group Nigeria Ltd. The Company is headed by Nattia Nassredin, the son of Idris Nasreddin.

Attia Nasrredinn, from the Nasco Group Nigeria Ltd Website



Supporting Documents:


Buried in a letter dated 7 February 2007 from the Chairman of the
Security Council Committee, established pursuant to resolution 1373, is a report on the Status of Nigeria, and their move to comply with UN Counter Terrorism iniitiatives.




In the Nigerian portion of the report is this quote:



...... The provisions of the EFCC Act relating to terrorism are being vigorously enforced.

So far,

• two convictions at the Federal High Court, Kaduna dated October 10, 2004 and October 21,2005,have been recorded on acts of terrorism.


• Besides, the EFCC has taken steps to ensure compliance with the United Nations Resolution 1267.


• Following the information furnished by the UN and United States Embassy in Nigeria, alleging that Nasco Group Nigeria Ltd is owned by Ahmed Idris Nasreddin, a designate of both the US and UN as an individual belonging to or associated with Al Queda, the Taliban or Usama bin Ladin, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, March 3, 2006, granted an application stopping and freezing the financial and economic assets including business properties and things within Nigeria, belonging to or associated with Ahmed Idris Nassreddin, Nastrade Nigeria Ltd and 3 other companies in that Group.


• The assets were accordingly forfeited to the Federal Government
  of Nigeria in the interim.

The Rest @ The United Nations Security Council








However, the Company is still open and operating....





Nasco Group Nigeria Ltd Company Profile


Updated: 12-MAR-09




Nasco Group (Nigeria) Ltd.



International Private companyPMB 2722, 1 Old Airport Rd., Jos, , Nigeria()234 73 463348, 234 73 461554 fax, http://www.nascogrp.com/





Primary SIC: Cereal Breakfast Foods, Primary NAICS: Breakfast Cereal ManufacturingDescription: Manufacturing: Conglomerate involved in the carpet, confectionery, biscuits, cereals, detergents, soaps and cosmetics industries


-Shimron Issachar

Shabaab Ransack United Nations and UNICEF Offices in Jowhar

Keep in mind that Garowe has historically had intimate access o Shabaab Leaders and has been a "friendly" voice for their cause"

-Shimron Issachar

19 May (Garowe)

There were no U.N. personnel present at the offices in Jowhar, the capital of Middle Shabelle region that was overtaken by Al Shabaab on Sunday. U.N. officers were evacuated from Jowhar before the Al Shabaab takeover, sources added.

• "Al Shabaab fighters armed with weapons broke down the doors and took equipment," a security guard at a U.N. compound in Jowhar said on the condition of anonymity.
• Offices raided include the UNICEF compound and MSF offices in Jowhar, local sources reported.
• No one was hurt during the raids and Al Shabaab commanders did nothing to stop the raids, locals said.
• Sheikh Ali Mohamed Hussein, who was asked about the raids by the BBC Somali Service, declined to comment but stated that Al Shabaab would "return the equipment."
• He called on U.N. and other aid agencies to "calm down and to continue working" in Middle Shabelle region.

The Rest @ Garowe Online