Nigerian president confronting Islamic uprising asks to extend emergency rule for 6 months

ABUJA, Nigeria – The official News Agency of Nigeria says President Goodluck Jonathan is asking legislators to extend for another six months the state of emergency in three northeastern states battling an Islamic uprising.

The agency says Jonathan made the request Wednesday to the House of Representatives.

Jonathan declared a state of emergency May 14 that was approved by Parliament to cover the states of Yobe, Adamawa and Borno, the birthplace of the Boko Haram terrorist network whose fighters have killed hundreds of civilians and security forces in recent weeks.

Thousands of troops and police officers deployed in the emergency swiftly forced the extremists out of major urban centres but the campaign which includes aerial bombardments and ground assaults has been struggling to flush them out of hideouts in forests and caves.

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