The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boko haram

  • Scores killed as Boko Haram attacks Madagali again

    Many people are feared dead after Boko Haram insurgents attacked four communities in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

    The insurgents invaded Madagali town, Gulak, Magar and Shuwa on Tuesday evening, killing and destroying properties before they were overpowered by soldiers who forced them to retreat.

    The Tuesday attack on Madagali was the third in nine days, after an attack on February 4 when three residents lost their lives and another on February 11 when a village head and a soldier were killed.

    The current attack forced many residents out of Madagali, including one Ruth Gauje, who fled to the state capital, Yola.

    She told our correspondent on Wednesday evening that at least one person died in Shuwa where she came from.

    “They killed Friday, a popular young man in our place,” she said.

    She also said a community leader in Madagali identified as Bulama and several other people died in the town.

    Some other sources, however, said most of the invading insurgents were killed unlike when they first launched attack on the Madagali LGA on February 4 and 11.

    Civilian and military sources in Madagali insisted the soldiers overpowered the insurgents after some exchanges of gunfire.

    Read Also; One soldier, two others killed as Boko Haram ambushes Shettima’s convoy

    The soldiers were said to have killed an unspecified number and seized weapons and vehicles of the terrorists.

    “Sounds of gunshots and heavy blasts rented the air as the battle between the soldiers and Boko Haram insurgents reigned, forcing the insurgents out into surrounding mountains and bushes,” a source said.

    The Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Othman Abubakar, confirmed the killing and repelling of the Boko Haram insurgents but couldn’t confirm casualties.

    He told our correspondent a combined team of security personnel succeeded in decimating the Boko Haram insurgents.

    He, however, stated he had no information on the fatality among residents.

  • Breaking: Three killed as Boko Haram attacks Shettima’s convoy

    A soldier and two civilians were feared dead on Wednesday when Boko Haram fighters ambushed the convoy of Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima during a campaign in Borno North.

    A credible source from the convoy confirmed the incident to our correspondent in Maiduguri.

    He said the convoy was attacked along Gajibo in Dikwa Local Government of Borno State.

    The source revealed Shettima escaped unhurt because the incident occurred at the tail end of the long convoy.

    The governor and others were said to have driven past before the attack.

    Read Also: Soldiers kill invading Boko Haram insurgents in Madagali

    “It’s very unfortunate that the Boko Haram boys took advantage of the long convoy and attack at the end of the convoy. By the time the incident happened, the Governor has already passed,” he explained.

    Speaking on fatality, the source disclosed: “Only three people died-one soldier and two other civilians. We are just returning into Maiduguri now,” he said.

    Another competent security source confirmed the casualty was three, adding many persons also sustained various degrees of injuries in the attack.

    “Governor Kashim Shettima’s convoy was attacked on Wednesday and those that were killed are members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) that were far behind.

    “The Governor and other top politicians escaped unhurt. But many other persons were injured,” the sources informed.

    The Special Adviser, Media and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau could not be reached for comment at the time of filing the report.

  • Don’t forget my daughter, Leah Sharibu’s mother begs Buhari, others

    The family of Leah Sharibu on Sunday renewed their appeal to the Federal Government and the international community not to give up on their daughter who is being held hostage by Boko Haram.

    Sharibu was taken hostage alongside some Dapchi school girls in February 2018.

    While some of the Dapchi school girls were released by Boko Haram, Sharibu was held back because she refused to give up her Christian faith.

    At a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the mother of the 15 year-old girl, Rebecca, pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari, the United States and United Kingdom to do everything in their powers to rescue her.

    Read also: Obaseki mobilises teachers to vote for APC candidates

    She urged the President and the government ministerial delegation to keep the promise they made when they visited her family in October last year.

    Speaking through an interpreter, she said: “I have become before you and the federal government to plead that you don’t forget Leah.

    “The President spoke with me on phone and encouraged me not to worry, and with the assurance that my daughter will be released.  Three minister’s also visited me and gave me assurance but till today, I haven’t heard anything, hence my coming before you to plead.

    “The government should keep its promises made by the President and the ministers who visited us in Dapchi in October.

    “There is a Hausa proverb which says, ‘Whenever you make a promise, the best thing to do is to keep that promise. Leah was 14 when she was abducted, she has clocked 15 in Boko Haram custody.”

    The founder of Para-Mallam Foundation, Rev. Gideon Para-Mallam, described Sharibu as a heroine of faith, stressing that she represented what Nigerians should be.

    While praying for her release, the cleric wondered why the abduction of Sharibu,the Chibok girls and other hostages was not a campaign issue, noting that it was concerning that none of the presidential candidates talked about their plan to rescue Nigerians in Boko Haram custody.

    He said: “We will love to hear from all the presidential candidates what exactly they are planning to do to bring Leah to freedom if for any reason she is not released before the 19th of February. We want to hear her name and story becoming a campaign issue.

    “The silence from all the presidential candidates about Leah and others in captivity is not encouraging, so we are using this appeal and thus campaign season to hear what the presidential candidates have to say about Leah’s freedom. It’s important for all Nigerians and the global community.”

    An American teenager, Becca Lubbert, who flew into the country to identify with Sharibu’s plight, described the Dapchi schoolgirl as an incredible example of standing for one’s faith.

    She asked the government to protect schools and rescue those in Boko Haram captivity.

  • BREAKING: FG launches fresh onslaught against Boko Haram, ISIS

    The Federal Government has launched a campaign in support of the military war against Boko Haram.

    It also said the campaign has become necessary because Boko Haram has grown beyond homegrown insurgency.

    The Minister of Information Lai Mohammed, who unveiled the campaign in Abuja, said ISIS has a strong foothold in West Africa – with Nigeria at the forefront of the battle against them.

    He urged Nigerians to give total support to troops in North-West.

    Mohammed said: “Recall that on January 8th 2019, we announced that we would soon launch a campaign to seek the support of the citizens for our troops, especially in the fight against insurgency. Today marks the fulfilment of that promise as we are here to formally launch the NATIONAL CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF THE MILITARY.

    “It is a follow-up to the hugely-successful National Campaign Against Insecurity which we launched on Feb. 16th, 2016, with the punchline: ”If you see something, say something.”

    “Why are we launching this campaign? Because we believe that the men and women in uniform who are risking all, including making the supreme sacrifice, to keep us safe deserve the support and prayers of all Nigerians, not vilification, insults and other acts that are capable of dampening their morale.

    The Minister also said the campaign has become necessary because Boko Haram has grown beyond homegrown insurgency.

    Read Also: Boko Haram kills three in Adamawa attacks

    He added: “And why are we launching the campaign now? Because, as our gallant men and women in uniform clear the remnants of the home-grown insurgency called Boko Haram, they are confronting a fresh crisis, a global insurgency.

    “A faction of Boko Haram has aligned with the global terror group, ISIS, to form ISWAP, the Islamic State’s West African Province. In other words, ISIS now has a strong foothold in West Africa – with Nigeria in the forefront of the battle against them.

    “With ISIS largely dislodged from Iraq and Syria, there is undoubtedly a flush of fresh fighters and weapons to ISWAP.

    “Therefore, our military is fighting a global insurgency, without the kind of global coalition, including the United States that battled ISIS in Syria and Iraq”

  • Customs intercepts police uniforms, others in Lagos

    The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has intercepted bales of police Uniform, tear gas canisters and other paraphernalia of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Other items include police ranks, belts, berets and police badges with identity cards. The items were concealed in a Toyota Sienna space bus heading out of Lagos.

    The Customs Area Controller of the Unit, Muhammed Aliyu said a suspect was in the custody of the unit in connection with the seizure.

    He said the items seized portend big threat to national security as it is destined to get to the wrong hands.

    Read Also: Stop embarrassing us, monarchs warn Customs

    “The seizure is a threat to national security because the uniform can be used for kidnapping, Boko Haram or elections but generally, it threatens national security,” the unit controller said, adding that the police identity cards seized have no name on them.

    He affirmed that the seizure is of great concern because it concerns the national security of the country because of the havoc it can be used to wreck.

  • Air Force acquires 22 aircraft to fight Boko Haram, other crimes

    CHIEF of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar said yesterday that 22 aircraft have been added into the inventory of Air Force to support on-going military operations across the country, particularly the fight against Boko Haram terrorists.

    Air Marshal Abubakar said as at July 2015, the aircraft serviceability status of the Air Force was below 60 per cent.

    He added that as at date, the aircraft serviceability status has improved beyond 80 per cent.

    Abubakar spoke while opening the NAF Finance Training Workshop with the theme: “Strengthening the NAF Finance specialty for efficient service delivery in support of NAF operations”, at the NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

    The Air chief, who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal M. A. Mohammed, said the NAF has been able to deploy its platforms in support of military operations through prudent management of resources.

    He added that the Air Force was striving to improve on its present status and has complied with measures put in place by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.

    “In line with the anti-corruption drive of Mr. President, the Air Force has complied with measures put in place by the Federal Government to aide transparency in government’s financial transactions such as the Treasury Single Account, Government Integrated Financial Management Information System as well as the ongoing biometric data capture for the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, just to mention a few,” Air Marshal Abubakar said.

    He added: “The recent feats achieved by the Service cost a lot of money. For the government to continue providing the necessary funds to support Nigerian Air Force operations, it behooves on you to continue to maintain high level of integrity as finance personnel in the management of these public funds.

    “It is pertinent to state that despite a decline in governmental allocation, the Nigerian Air Force alongside sister Services have been able to achieve commendable successes in counter-insurgency and the fight against armed banditry plaguing various regions of the country.

    “The Air Force has been able to effectively deploy its platforms to these areas in support of sister Services. This much was achieved through prudent management of resources allocated to the Service and strict compliance with procurement laws.”

    Accountant-General of the Federation Ahmed Idris, in his remarks, said deficit financing of the nation’s budgets over the years have remained a challenge in tackling various commitments of government.

  • Air Force acquires 22 Aircraft to fight Boko Haram, others

    The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar Wednesday said a total of 22 aircraft were recently added into the inventory of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to support various on-going military operations across the country, particularly the fight against Boko Haram Terrorists.

    According to Abubakar, as at July 2015, the aircraft serviceability status of the Nigerian Air Force was below 60 percent, but as at date, the aircraft serviceability status has improved beyond 80 percent.

    Abubakar made the remarks while declaring open the NAF Finance Training Workshop with the theme “Strenghtening the NAF Finance Specialty for Efficient Service Delivery in Support of NAF Operations”, at the NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

    The Air Chief who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal M A Mohammed said the NAF has been able to deploy its platforms in support of military operations through prudent management of resources.

    He added that the NAF was not only striving to improve on the present status, but has complied with measures put in place by the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure transparency and accountability in governance.

    “In line with the anti-corruption drive of Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief, the Nigerian Air Force has complied with measures put in place by the Federal Government to aide transparency in government’s financial transactions such as the Treasury Single Account, Government Integrated Financial Management Information System, as well as the ongoing biometric data capture for the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, just to mention a few”, Air Marshal Abubakar stated.

    Read Also: Air Force strikes Boko Haram in northern Borno

    He further said: “The recent feats achieved by the Service cost a lot of money. For the Government to continue providing the necessary funds to support Nigerian Air Force operations, it behoves on you to continue to maintain high level of integrity as finance personnel in the management of these public funds.

    “It is pertinent to state that despite a decline in governmental allocation, the Nigerian Air Force alongside sister Services have been able to achieve commendable successes in counterinsurgency and the fight against armed banditry plaguing various regions of the Country.

    “The Nigerian Air Force has been able to effectively deploy its platforms to these areas in support of sister Services. This much was achieved through prudent management of resources allocated to the Service and strict compliance with procurement laws”

    In his remarks at the event, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, said deficit financing of the nation’s budgets over the years have remained a challenge in tackling various commitments of government, stressing that five major countries of the world that topped security and military spending have continued to increase their budgets for security and military because of increasing security challenges.

    Malam Idris who was represented by Alhaji Mohammed K Usman said: “It is a known fact that in recent years, our nation is faced with obvious security challenges that, if not because of the tenacity of the Government, the situation would have been so unnerving and overwhelming especially if one weigh in paucity of funds and our other politico-economic challenges.

    “If the situation is juxtaposed against other contending sectors yearning for attention in terms of provision of social services and infrastructure, then the monster in the challenge of security funding cannot be more unveiled. The Nation must therefore deeply think and come up with appropriate funding template that would provide stability towards the delicate balancing of national priorities.

    “Our national Appropriation had been majorly deficit- budgeted for so many years now. This simply means that the revenue projections were lower than the projected expenditure; therefore Government had to depend on borrowings in order to, substantially part-finance the annual Appropriation over the years.“

  • Boko Haram kills three in Adamawa attacks

    •‘Elections will hold in Madagali, despite Boko Haram attack’

    Boko Haram insurgents have killed three persons in attacks on three communities in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State on Monday night.

    They reportedly dislodged policemen on routine duty and wreaked havoc on the town.

    A security officer, who spoke in confidence last night, said the insurgents killed three people, destroyed 20 shops and three cars and stole valuables.

    The security officer named the affected communities as Shuwa, Kirshingari and Shuari.

    This latest attack confirmed fears over the security situation in Madagali, the only local government area in Adamawa State where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said voting would take place among the three communities, including Shuwa.

    Residents said the insurgents, who arrived in several vehicles about 7 p.m on Monday, took over Madagali until soldiers from Gulak and Michika engaged them in a battle that lasted about two hours.

    The Commander of 28 Task Force Battalion in Mubi, Lt.-Col. Haruna said the insurgents had been repelled.

    Police spokesman Othman Abubakar, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), assured the residents that a combined team of security agencies brought the situation under control.

    Madagali is one of the seven local government areas of Adamawa State that Boko Haram once seized.

    Also, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said elections will hold in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, despite Monday’s attack by Boko Haram insurgents on three communities in the local government.

    Military and police spokesmen confirmed the attack yesterday.

    An unofficial police intelligence source said three people were killed by the insurgents, who the source said also destroyed 20 shops and stole valuables from the residents.

    The latest attack on Madagali raised doubt about the conduct of the forthcoming elections which INEC said would take place in only three communities in the local government, following security advice.

    In its latest policy statement on the development, INEC said it would not be deterred by Monday night’s attack from conducting elections in the area.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Kasim Gaidam said: “INEC and the good people of Madagali and the entire Adamawa State have resolved to ensure election is conducted in Madagali. No amount of threats, intimidation and sabotage would stop INEC from conducting the elections.”

     

     

     

  • Boko Haram: Army denies takeover of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa towns

    The Nigerian Army has said that no town in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States have been taken over by the Boko Haram terrorists.

    The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel  Onyema Nwachukwu said in a statement that it was untrue a report by an online medium that a town has been taken over by the terrorists.

    Colonel Nwachukwu lamented the report was not only misleading, but that it has created panic among the people.

    The statement reads: ” the attention of Theatre Command Operation LAFIYA DOLE has been drawn to a misleading news story on Sahara Reporters website, posted on 4th February 2019, alleging that Boko Haram terrorists have taken over four towns in Adamawa State. This is not true.

    “Contrary to Sahara Reporters’ claims in that online story,  the Headquarters Theatre Command wishes to inform the general public that the said publication is untrue and a far cry from the reality on ground in Adamawa state.

    “Categorically, no town in Adamawa, Borno or Yobe state is under the control of the insurgents. Unfortunately, the alarming publication has generated undue panic amongst the general public and therefore needs to be addressed.

    “In straightening the records, troops were alerted to an attack on Shuwa by Boko Haram terrorists who had infiltrated  the village through Karchinga on a looting mission, to which the troops of 143 Battalion swiftly responded by moblising themselves to Shuwa village, where they fiercely engaged the insurgents in combat and successfully repelled the attack and curtailed the incursion.

    “The troops, who recovered one Hand Grenade and 6 rounds of Anti Aircraft ammunition after the encounter are currently holding grounds in Shuwa village, while some elements of the Battalion are exploiting further in pursuit of the fleeing insurgents.

    “Sadly, before the arrival of troops to the location, the insurgents had killed 3 persons, looted and torched a shop, a health care centre and a local market.

    “It is pertinent to further inform that calm has been restored in Shuwa village, while  Madagali,  Michika, Gulak and Baza towns remain peaceful and firmly under control of the troops.

    “Our hearts go out in deep sympathy to those who fell during the attack and those who have been affected in one way or the other by the incident.

    “We, however, urge Sahara Reporters to desist from its alarming and sensationalized reportage to avoid panic.”

  • Presidential panel spends N10b on feeding Northeast IDPs

    The Federal government spent N10b on food for victims of insurgency in the Northeast in the last two years, it emerged on Tuesday.

    Due to the devastating effect of the Boko Haram insurgency on education in the region, the Presidential Committee on Northeast Initiatives (PCNI) is committing over N2b to support 67,000 students and 6,750 teachers to encourage conducive learning environment.

    The Education intervention programme was launched simultaneously on Monday in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

    Speaking in Abuja, PCNI Vice Chairman Tijani Tumsah disclosed that with about 1.7 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the region, a 25 kilograms food basket of seven items at a cost of N54, 000 is spent on a family monthly.

    “Food is a major consumer of our funds. In the last two and a half years, the PCNI has spent over N10b on food for the IDPs.

    “Before the inception of PCNI, there have been various interventions by various organisations but when we came on board, we have to coordinate and fill in gaps wherever they exist.

    “We now have about 1.7 million IDPs, before now, the figure was over 2 million.”

    Tumsah also said the panel’s intervention in the education sector of the region became imperative due to the massive damage done to the psyche and school attendance by the insurgency.

    On the Northeast Education Programme, the vice chairman said prior to the insurgency, the region was lagging behind other regions in all development indices but the situation was compounded by the insurgency that led to large scale destruction of infrastructures as well as the socio-economic life of the people.

    Read Also: IDPs can’t go home now – Ortom

    It was in view of this the PCNI conceived the idea of Education Support Programme whereby primary and secondary are targeted for assistance, he said.

    “Not all schools and students would be covered by the programme but only those with critical needs and so far we have identified 67,000 students and 6,750 in the State and Local Government Areas across the region.

    “The identification and selection was carried out in collaboration with Ministries of Education and individual school managements in the States and Local governments in the region.

    “About N800m has been committed to the three states where the programme was launched a couple of days ago and in a matter days, the other States in the region would follow suit.

    “The programme is designed to reduce the huge deficit recorded in that sector by encouraging a conducive learning environment for the children through provision of learning materials for the students and their teachers and equipment that would assist the school to meet its obligations to the children.

    “Even as reconstruction of the region is going on, it was our aim to ensure that the children are encouraged to go back to school and once they got back to school, they have aids to be able to have access to sound education as much as possible,” Tumsah said.