Child abduction

Elections were postponed from mid-February to allow the army to recapture territory from the Islamist militants of Boko Haram.

The two main candidates had pledged to prevent violence during and in the aftermath of the elections.

However, several hours after voting started, violent incidents at polling stations took place with many dead.

Islamic State (IS) has reportedly accepted a pledge of allegiance from the Nigerian insurgent movement Boko Haram.

The acceptance of the allegiance was made in an audio recording, which was posted on IS-related websites on Thursday, Al Jazeera reports.

The leader of the Islamic State seems to have accepted the alliance proposal made a few days back by the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram leader, as Reuters reports.

According to the news agent, the decision was announced by audio message from an Al-Bagdadi associate.

Troops from Chad and Niger have retaken the northeastern Nigerian town of Damasak from Boko Haram as part of a regional offensive to combat the militants who have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
      

Boko Haram pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in an audio message published online on March 7, after three bombs wreaked havoc in northeast Nigeria, killing 58 and wounding scores.
      

At least 21 people were killed in two separate Boko Haram attacks on villages near the key city of Maiduguri in northeast Nigeria, a community leader and a witness said on Feb. 13.
      
"They (Boko Haram) killed 12 people in Akida village and nine others in Mbuta village during a raid," said community leader Mustapha Abbagini.
      

When one parent unlawfully takes her or his child abroad, the other is left with a difficult judicial battle. To ensure the prompt return of abducted children, more than 90 states, including all EU countries, are signed up to the 1980 Hague Convention, which offers a common legal framework.

Boko Haram on Feb. 11 launched a pre-dawn raid in Gamboru, northeastern Nigeria, looking to overwhelm Chadian troops who had pushed them out of the border town.
      
The military in N'Djamena said the militants were repelled but the counter-attack was an indication of the task facing regional forces aiming to crush the rebellion.
      

Niger's parliament has unanimously approved the deployment of troops to northern Nigeria as part of a regional offensive against Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has launched several cross-border attacks in recent days.
   

Nigeria's Boko Haram fighters launched a new attack in neighbouring Niger on Feb. 9, as parliament in Niamey was set to vote on joining a regional force against the Islamists.