Boko Haram
Jailbreaks: Nigerian Army to train NCoS armed squad
The Nigerian Army has accepted to assist the Nigerian Correctional Service in giving refresher training to its armed squad personnel. This is sequel to the increasing spate of invasion of custodial centres by armed hoodlums and the consequent jailbreaks. The acting Controller-General of Corrections, John Mrabure had, in a letter to the Chief of Army Staff, requested assistance in training the armed squad personnel in the low-intensity engagement of armed non-state actors who have made jail attack a regular feature. A statement on Wednesday by the NCoS spokesman, Francis Enobore, a controller of corrections, said the training, which was expected to commence soon, will cover relevant tactical components to strengthen the capacity of Correctional Service armed guards to engage invaders adequa...
Nigerian Army seeks media support to end insurgency
The Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Faruk Yahaya, has called on the media to support the ongoing operation to rout Boko Haram terrorists out of the country. The theatre commander made the call at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri on Saturday during a luncheon organised in honour of the media practitioners in Borno State. Gen Yahaya expressed appreciation to the media, describing practitioners as critical stakeholders in the fight against the terrorists. He added that the media as an important component could enhance operations when effectively harnessed and deployed. The theatre commander charged the media to be reliable partners by effectively deploying its skills and competence in the support of the operations in the North-east. “Media should make effort to deny the crimi...
Niger’s new president blasts terrorists for war crimes
Niger’s new president Mohamed Bazoum lashed out on Friday at jihadists who have carried out devastating attacks on his country, accusing them of “war crimes” after he took the helm of the troubled nation. The inauguration marked the first-ever transition between elected presidents in Niger’s six decades of independence from France — a historic moment that has been widely praised. But the Sahel country’s problems were deeply underscored in the run-up to Friday’s ceremony, after a string of jihadist massacres and an alleged attempted coup just two days before the handover. Bazoum hit out at “terrorist groups whose barbarity has exceeded every limit.” These groups “carry out large-scale massacres of innocent civilians, and in doing so, commit real war crimes,” Bazoum declared. Niger is being ...
ECWA: Terrorists tactically taking over Northern Nigeria
The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has raised the alarm, saying terrorist groups are tactically expanding their activities and making incursions into other parts of the North. Addressing a press conference in Jos on Wednesday on the insecurity ravaging the country, ECWA President, Dr. Stephen Panya, said “Boko Haram and ISWAP have destroyed tens of thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and many Christians and Christian communities have been deliberately targeted and destroyed. “It is clear that these terrorist groups are gradually but tactically expanding their activities and making incursions into other parts of the north and even beyond, and the apparent lack of unity in the fight against these terrorist groups, and the inability of government to deal...
US accuses Nigeria of significant human rights abuses
US Embassy in South Africa The United States has accusesd Nigeria of significant human rights abuses in its latest ‘’Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2020’’, released Wednesday by the Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour. In the report titled ‘’’Nigeria 2020 Human Rights Report, Executive Summary’’, the US accused Nigeria of ‘’significant’’ human rights abuses, which include: unlawful and arbitrary killings by both government and non-state actors; forced disappearances by the government, terrorists, and criminal groups; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government and terrorist groups; harsh and life-threatening prison conditions. The 102-page report also accused the federal government of ‘’arbitrary d...
Troops eliminate terrorists on looting spree, burst Boko Haram tax collectors
The Nigerian troops on the evening of Monday, 22 March, ambushed and killed scores of Boko Haram/ISWAP elements who were reportedly on looting spree at Magumeri axis of Borno State. This is coming as troops from another sector bursted Boko Haram elements who were collecting taxes and levies from Villagers and herdsmen in Geidam area of Yobe State. Sources told PRNigeria that following a tip off, troops led by Lt Col Ibrahim Bunu, sighted scores of terrorists around 5pm on about 10 motorcycles heading towards Ngowala ward in Magumeri Local Government Area, laid ambush and eliminated them. The troops who were accompanied by civilian joint task force members, captured sophisticated weapons from the neutralized terrorists including AK 47 Rifles, Barreta assault rifles, hand grenade and Bandoli...
Biafra group threatens violence, orders oil companies out of Bakassi peninsula
FIle Photo The militia wing of the Biafra Nations League (BNL) has issued a quit notice to companies operating under Nigeria in the Bakassi peninsula. The group alleged that Nigeria gets 60 percent of the oil in the region and uses the money to “sponsor” the Nigerian military against secessionist. A BNL commander alias ‘Aso Rock’ accused the federal government of “killing armless pro-Biafra supporters in Imo State and Rivers State”. The native of Bakassi stated that Nigeria no longer had rights over the area since its territorial ownership was ceded to Cameroon. “We have asked the oil companies paying tax to the Nigerian government to evacuate, no deadline was given as we can chase them away anytime. “They cannot be drilling our oil to be developing the north and sponsoring military operat...
COAS reiterates troops commitment to annihilate Boko Haram
Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has reiterated Nigerian troops commitment to ensure that Boko Haram terrorists are completely eliminated from Borno, Yobe , Northeast and the country in general . Attahiru stated this on Monday in Maiduguri while inspecting the second phase of large cache of weapons recovered from the Boko Haram terrorists by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in various encounters with the insurgents in northern part of Borno state and fringes of Lakechad. The Army Boss who is on one week operational visit to the Theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole , had yesterday inspected another sets of heavy weapons recovered by the troops from the terrorists, which were displayed at the headquarters of 7 Division Nigerian Army, before later display of another sets of recovered...
Senator Okon: Nigerian government handling insurgency, banditry with kid gloves
Pioneer National publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Anietie Okon has expressed concern that President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration is handling insurgency and banditry in the northeast and north-west with kid gloves. Okon who is also the Spokesperson of Akwa Ibom Leaders Vanguard, made the assertion yesterday during an interaction with newsmen in Uyo, the state capital. He regretted that the same government left the armed bandits, and Boko Haram insurgents destroying lives and property to be moving freely but deployed military forces to the Southeast to descend on unarmed agitators. His words, “It is unfortunate that the Buhari-led Federal government is treating insurgents and armed bandits with kid gloves by leaving them to operate freely on daily bas...
Nigerian Army dismisses report of desertion by troops
The Nigerian Army on Thursday dismissed reports that over 100 officers and soldiers had deserted the army during encounters with insurgents in parts of Borno recently. The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima, said this in a statement in Abuja. Yerima said that a section of the media had reported that over a hundred troops absconded after Boko Haram attacks on Marte and Dikwa. According to him, this publication is false, unfounded and an attempt to malign the image and character of the Nigerian Army. “For the records, in the fog of war, it is a routine that head count is conducted to determine the number of men and equipment holding aftermath of military offensive. “Unfortunately, an internal correspondence that was originated by the formation was not properly done. ...
Primate Ayodele: President Buhari has broken Nigeria’s unity
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has once again knocked the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, over the unsecured state of the country. The popular prophet frowned at the method the government has chosen to fight banditry: negotiating with bandits in order to stop terrorising the ordinary citizens. Ayodele during a live service in his church on Sunday made it known that Nigeria has broken already with the means through which the government is fighting insecurity. He explained that terrorism will continue to grow bigger and tougher in Nigeria because the government has invited terrorism already by negotiating with bandits. He explained that the unity of Nigeria has been broken, and it’s only God that can bring the country back. Ayodele said: “‘Gi...
Three injured as explosion rocks power infrastructure repair site in Maiduguri
Explosion on Saturday rocked the site where technicians were carrying out repair work on damaged power infrastructure in Maiduguri. Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram, has been in darkness for about a month now since suspected Boko Haram members damaged power lines along Maiduguri-Damaturu road. Technicians were subsequently deployed to the site and security was provided for them by a combined team of soldiers and men of the Borno State Rapid Response Team. Every day before the commencement of work by the technicians, soldiers scanned the entire area for any explosive drvice that might have been planted by Boko Haram. But on Saturday at about 10am, when technicians were getting ready to commence the day’s work, there was an explosion which destroyed a Hilux Toyota van and seriously in...
