Ethiopia and the United Nations reached an agreement on Wednesday to channel desperately needed humanitarian aid to a northern region where a month of war has killed, wounded and uprooted large numbers of people. The pact, announced by U.N. officials, will allow aid workers access to government-controlled areas of Tigray, where federal troops have been battling the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and captured the regional capital. The war is believed to have killed thousands, sent 45,000 refugees into Sudan, displaced many more within Tigray, and worsened suffering in a region where 600,000 people were already dependent on food aid even before the flare-up from Nov. 4. Aid agencies had sounded the alarm about a growing humanitarian crisis and been pressing for access, after hundred...
Troops of Operation Fire Ball have eliminated five Boko Haram (BHT)/ISWAP terrorists and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition as well as bags of assorted grains in recent attacks on their hideouts in Borno. The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, disclosed this in statement on Sunday. Onyeuko said that Operation Fire Ball, a subsidiary of Operation Lafiya Dole, had continued to clear terrorists from their identified enclaves in the North East. He said the troops of Army Super Camp 11 Gamboru-Ngala, on Nov. 27, overran the terrorists’ hideout at Garal and Bulankesa Villages. He said that the troops eliminated two terrorists in the encounter while others fled in disarray with fatal injuries. Onyeuko said that troops deployed in Pulka also raided a terror...
Terrorists operating around Shyadawe/Nagasino villages in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria have suffered a heavy casualty blow following an ambush staged against them by troops of 192 and 202 Battalions of Operation Fire Ball (OPFB). The Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists fell from bullet rain by soldiers, leaving dozens lifeless and many others fleeing in different directions with bullet wounds. Brig-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko disclosed that following intelligent on terrorist activities within Shyadawe/Nagasino axis, troops advanced to lay ambush on the criminals. General Bernard, said soldiers also recovered four AK-47 rifles, ammunition and gun trucks while clearing remnants of fleeing terrorists from Sambisa Forest. “The unrelenting troops engaged them with...
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state has said that the murder of the first class traditional ruler in the state, the Olufon of Ifon, Oba Isreal Adewusi was an indication that the country was in a serious security crisis beyond the ordinary. Akeredolu who led a top government delegation to the affected area on Thursday night described the murder of the monarch as heinous. A statement by the information and Orientation commissioner Donald Ojogo said “With a heavy heart, the Ondo State Government hereby confirms the unfortunate incident around Elegbeka, Owo-Ifon road in Ondo State to be true. Truly, Ondo has lost a great one-a deep cut, too sad. “This is a heinous crime, an incident which has, again, confirmed that we are indeed, in a serious security crisis beyond the ordinary. “Already, ...
The police in Katsina State, on Thursday, paraded a 30-year-old man, Idi Dila, suspected to be one of the bandits who recently launched an attack on Diskuru and Kadsau villages of the state, where no fewer than 12 people were killed. According to the police, Dila, from Mumunu village, Faskari Local Government Area of the state, was arrested on Sunday. He was paraded by the police alongside 26 other suspects arrested for various crimes ranging from kidnapping to armed robbery. The spokesman for the Katsina Police Command, Gambo Isah, who paraded the suspects at the police headquarters in Katsina, said Dila was arrested at Sheme on his way to Faskari. He was said to be a member of a notorious gang of bandits of Melaya Alhaji Gandu of Munhaye Forest in the Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfa...
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers says his administration will replace all the properties allegedly destroyed by members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) during the #EndSARS protest in parts of Rivers. Wike, who made this known on Monday in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr Kelvin Ebiri, expressed regrets that the damage done during the protest left a huge financial burden on the state. Speaking during a live television programme in Port Harcourt, Wike said IPOB members killed six soldiers, four policemen and destroyed all police stations and court buildings there’’, restating that the State government will compensate each family of the killed security personnel with N20 million. The governor also described the allegation that he ordered the Nigerian Army to kill Igbos in Oyi...
The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, has condemned the destruction by hoodlums of medical equipment worth billions of naira at the Central Medical Store in Kogi. Aliyu, in a statement signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Mr Austine Elemue, on Friday in Abuja, described the hoodlums as “enemies of the state”. She called on the state government to remain resolute and not be deterred by the unfortunate incident. “Government must remain resolute and be focused on repositioning the health sector for efficient service delivery,” she said. While acknowledging that the destruction was enormous, she expressed the hope that the state would bounce back better and stronger. “My heart broke when I saw the wanton destruction on our essential drugs warehouse by hoodlums. “I was particularly p...
The Osun State governor, Gboyega Oyetola, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the state. This is coming barely 24 hours after suspending an initial curfew imposed on the state over the unrest caused by hoodlums. The governor made the announcement in a statewide broadcast on Saturday. Oyetola said the curfew, which takes immediate effect, is indefinite. According to him, the curfew was reintroduced to “prevent the current state of anarchy from degenerating into a large-scale breakdown of law and order.” He said, “Government notes with huge disappointment, the abuse of the suspension, a day ago, of the 24-hour curfew earlier declared in the State to forestall the breakdown of law and order and protect the lives and property of citizens and residents. “It is unfortunate that hoodlums and criminal...
The Lagos State government said it would investigate reports of shootings at the Lekki Toll plaza, which followed the 24-hour curfew imposed to stop criminals hiding under the #ENDSARS protests to unleash mayhem on innocent citizens. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, gave the assurance in series of tweets on Tuesday evening. According to him, the government has ordered investigation into the incident. He added Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised security agents not to arrest anyone as a result of the curfew. “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has advised the security agents not to arrest anyone on account of the curfew, which he urges residents to observe for the peaceful atmosphere we all cherish. “He advises Lagosians to remain calm and not allow criminals, who hav...