January 21, 2013: The battle against Islamic terrorists grinds on, with the Boko Haram and Ansaru terrorists attacking troops and police even while they are being sought and attacked. The Islamic radicals are encouraged by the increased activity by Islamic terror groups in nearby Mali.

In the southeast (Anambra state) over 30 bodies were found floating in a river. The bodies could not be identified and the police have offered a reward of $32,000 for information on where the bodies came from. There have been no reports of mass killings in the area.

January 19, 2013: In central Nigeria (Kogi state) Islamic terrorists from Ansaru set off a bomb that killed two soldiers and wounded five others. The troops were preparing to leave for Mali and Ansaru said that was why the attack was carried out. Ansaru and Boko Haram both support the Islamic terrorists in northern Mali. Ansaru (for Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan or "Vanguards for the Protection of Muslims in Black Africa") is a Boko Haram splinter group that has become more active recently, after first declaring its existence last January (and then largely disappearing from view). Ansaru objects to the many Moslems who are being killed by Boko Haram attacks and wants to concentrate on attacks that only kill foreigners or non-Moslem Nigerians. It is unclear how large Ansaru is and how much violence within Boko Haram, if any, will result from the split. It is believed that there is considerable strife between Boko Haram leaders, with many strong-willed men, each with an armed following, trying to control the entire movement. At the moment most of these disagreements are put aside. Ansaru appears to be very small, perhaps only a hundred or so members, and more interested (than Boko Haram) in working closely with Islamic terror groups operating in the new terrorist sanctuary of northern Mali. This may encourage other extremist factions in Boko Haram to split off and create even more radical and violent groups like Ansaru.

In the northern Nigerian city of Kano, Boko Haram gunmen attacked a convoy carrying the Emir of Kano (the senior Islamic cleric in the area). The gunfire killed four people but the emir was unharmed. Boko Haram does not tolerate criticism from Islamic clerics. These men are warned to change their tune or just shut up. The Emir of Kano continued to criticize Boko Haram and is now the target of attacks by terrorist death squads.

January 17, 2013: Nigeria has increased its troop deployment to Mali to 1,200 soldiers. About a hundred have already arrived or are on their way, and nearly a thousand are expected to be there within a week. Nigeria has also agreed to command the African peacekeeper force in Mali.

In the northern Nigerian city of Kano, two Boko Haram men were killed and five others arrested at a checkpoint.

January 16, 2013: Off the coast police captured two small tankers carrying stolen oil. At least 23 people were arrested as well. In the last year over 2,000 people have been arrested in the Niger River Delta for oil theft. Police have also seized over 4,000 crude refineries (that convert the oil to kerosene or diesel fuel that can be sold locally) and hundreds of boats involved in oil theft.

January 15, 2013: Four policemen were killed by Boko Haram at a checkpoint in the northern Nigerian city of Kano.

In northern Gombe State police arrested Salisu Mohammed, a Boko Haram leader that was responsible for several major terror attacks.

January 14, 2013: Two policemen were killed by Boko Haram at a checkpoint in the northern Nigerian city of Kano.