Christians get ultimatum

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria: A purported spokesman for the Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram has issued an ultimatum to Christians in the country’s north and threatened troops after the president declared a state of emergency in hard-hit areas.

Meanwhile, Nigeria began sealing off part of its border in the country’s north-east as part of the emergency declaration, while security agencies plotted their next moves in dealing with the Islamists.

Abul Qaqa, who speaks on behalf of the group blamed for scores of attacks, said he was giving southerners living in the north a three-day ultimatum to leave.

“We find it pertinent to state that soldiers will only kill innocent Muslims in the local government areas where the state of emergency was declared,” Qaqa said. – SAPA-AFP