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Tag: boko haram

  • UN Security Council condemns Boko Haram attacks

    The United Nations Security Council said it remained concerned at the security and humanitarian situation caused by the Boko Haram terrorists and other armed groups in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad.

    In a presidential statement, the 15-member body regretted that Central African countries were beset by ongoing terrorist activity, instability and the effects of climate change, and asked the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, to review the work of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and recommend areas for improvement.

    The statement read: “The Security Council strongly condemns all terrorist attacks carried out in the region, including those perpetrated by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh).

    “These attacks have caused large-scale and devastating losses, have had a devastating humanitarian impact including through the displacement of a large number of civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and represent a threat to the stability and peace of West and Central Africa.

    “The Council notes with particular concern the continuing use by Boko Haram of women and girls as suicide bombers, which has created an atmosphere of suspicion towards them and made them targets of harassment and stigmatisation in affected communities, and of arbitrary arrests by security forces.

    “The Council emphasises the need for affected States to counter terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including by addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, in accordance with obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law.”

    The Council welcomed the support provided by UNOCA and the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS) for the development of a joint regional strategy to address the root causes of the Lake Chad Basin crisis through regular contact with regional leaders.

    It encouraged partners to increase security assistance to Lake Chad Basin Commission countries, and humanitarian and development support across the region for those affected by Boko Haram activities.

    NAN

     

  • UN Security Council condemns Boko Haram attacks

    The UN Security Council said it remained concerned at the security and humanitarian situation caused by the Boko Haram terrorists and other armed groups in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad.

    In a Presidential Statement, the 15-member body regretted that Central African countries were beset by ongoing terrorist activity, instability and the effects of climate change, and asked Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to review the work of the UN Regional Office for Central Africa (UNOCA), and recommend areas for improvement.

    The presidential statement read: “The Security Council strongly condemns all terrorist attacks carried out in the region, including those perpetrated by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as Daesh).

    “These attacks have caused large-scale and devastating losses, have had a devastating humanitarian impact including through the displacement of a large number of civilians in Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad, and represent a threat to the stability and peace of West and Central Africa.

    “The Council notes with particular concern the continuing use by Boko Haram of women and girls as suicide bombers, which has created an atmosphere of suspicion towards them and made them targets of harassment and stigmatisation in affected communities, and of arbitrary arrests by security forces.

    “The Council emphasises the need for affected States to counterterrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including by addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, in accordance with obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law”.

    The Security Council welcomed the support provided by UNOCA and the UN Office for West Africa and Sahel (UNOWAS) for the development of a joint regional strategy to address the root causes of the Lake Chad Basin crisis through regular contact with regional leaders.

    The Council encouraged partners to increase security assistance to Lake Chad Basin Commission countries, and humanitarian and development support across the region for those affected by Boko Haram activities.

    “The Security Council remains deeply concerned at the grave security situation and related violations and abuses of human rights in parts of Central Africa, in particular the continuing terrorist activities of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in the Lake Chad Basin,” it said.

    “The Security Council expresses its ongoing concern at continued tensions linked to disputed electoral processes, social and economic difficulties, and conflicts between farmers and herders,” the statement added.

    The 15-member Council noted that UNOCA’s priorities would include to work closely with UNOWAS to address transregional issues such as maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, conflict between farmers and herders, and combatting Boko Haram.

    The UN Security Council committee on al Qaeda sanctions blacklisted and imposed sanctions on the Islamist militant group Boko Haram in 2014 after the insurgents kidnapped more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls.

    The designation, which came into effect after no objections were raised by the Security Council’s 15 members, subjected Boko Haram to UN sanctions, including an arms embargo, asset freeze and travel ban. (NAN)

  • Boko Haram kills NEMA worker in Borno

    Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday killed a National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) worker in Borno State, it was learnt yesterday.

    Excavator Operator John Iliya was killed at Damasak, according to a statement yesterday by NEMA in Abuja.

    Iliya is the latest victim of the Islamic insurgency which started in 2009, killing more than 20,000 people and displacing up to 2.5 million in the north.

    NEMA’s spokesman Sani Datti said the Director-General, Mustapha Maihaja, had dispatched a team to Maiduguri to facilitate the return of Iliya’s remains to the family.

    According to him, Iliya died in the line of duty.

     

  • Army arrests key Boko Haram suspect

    The Army says it has arrested a wanted Boko Haram terrorist, Maje Lawan, in Banki, Borno State.

    Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu said in a statement yesterday that the suspect was believed to be number 96 on the wanted list published by the Army.

    He said Lawan was nabbed after he infiltrated into an Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs’) camp.

    “The suspect is undergoing investigation and will be handed over to the appropriate authority for further action,” Chukwu said.

    He said troops killed two terrorists at Malari village in Borno State during an ambush, adding that others fled into the bush.

    The spokesman said 10 bicycles were recovered.

    He said troops dislodged armed militia from their camp on Gbamjimba-Akor axis in Guma Local Government of Benue State.

    Chukwu said unspecified militias were killed, adding that others escaped into nearby bush with gunshot injuries.

    He said one AK 47 rifle, two AK 47 rifle magazines, 60 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition and five motorcycles were recovered.

    The spokesman advised the public to report any suspicious movement or activity to law enforcement agents.

  • NAF fighter jet destroys Boko Haram hideout in Borno

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya  Dole  has conducted a successful attack on a Boko Haram Terrorists’ (BHTs) Hideout in Daban Masara in Borno.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said that the operation was carried out on Friday.

    ” The surgical air strikes were conducted on the strength of credible intelligence which indicated that remnants of BHTs on the Lake Chad Islands were hiding out in settlements at the Southern part of the lake, including Daban Masara, and were amassing in some buildings for a meeting.

    “An air interdiction mission was therefore planned and executed to destroy 2 out of the green roofed buildings within Daban Masara that were identified as BHT rendezvous points.

    ” Upon receiving the intelligence, the ATF dispatched a NAF Alpha Jet aircraft, along with an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, to attack the 2 buildings where the BHTs were gathered with bombs.

    ” Overhead the area of interest, the Alpha Jet successfully released its bombs on the targets in successive strikes leading to massive destruction of the target buildings as well as the neutralisation of several BHTs,” he said.

  • Group demand arrest of Ahmad Salkida, wants media to support the war against Boko Haram.

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria has expressed its worry, over what it termed the reactionary activities of some media organizations, particular some  online newspapers and some self styled Social Media commentators, in their manner of reportage on the current activities of the Boko Haram sect, by promoting their recent renewed attacks in the North Eastern part of the Country , while deliberately denigrating the Nigerian military, particularly the Nigerian Army and it’s leadership in this false representation of ” some attack on Military formations and some isolated attacks on soft targets by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
    The group in a statement issued on Sunday in Lagos and jointly signed by Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani Esq, Convener and Secretary respectively, expressed worry over what the group called undue patronage being giving to the Boko Haram, by these online media and bloggers, saying  that such publicity emboldens the terrorists and make them extremely proactive in their deadly operations, which has claimed lives of several Nigerians.
    The group also demanded for the arrest of a blogger,   Ahmad Salkida, a controversial journalist known for having access to the leadership of the insurgent Boko Haram group, accusing him, of using his position as the “Unofficial spokesman of the Boko Haram sect” to distract the war against insurgency, by releasing not only false informations about the recent attack being perpetrated by the Boko Haram, but also exposing vital information regarding military formations and operations, which is increasingly endangering the lives of troops and other security agencies, battling the insurgents, in the Northeastern part of the country.
    The group described Salkida as a rumour peddlers, saboteur and blackmailer whose activities are laced with the ulterior motives, aimed at distracting the war against insurgency.
    “A close look at the activities of Ahmad Salkida clearly shows that he is always out to tarnish the image of the Federal Government and the Nigerian Military, while also celebrating the isolated cases of Boko Haram attacks on our gallant troops, with the sole aim of emboldening these terrorists, whose major tools have been propaganda and deceit, often dissseminated to the public by Salkida”.
    “There is no doubt,  that Ahmad Salkida has links to Abubakar Shekau and we call on the Federal Government to invoke the relevant laws of the land,  most especially the Terrorist Prevention Act 2011(as amended) in arresting and prosecuting Salkida” the statement said.
    ‘‘As patriotic Nigerians, we salute the professionalism of majority of practitioners in the media industry today, even though we are deeply worried and wish to ask other media operatives to understand the current situation and its implications not only on our national security, but also on the lives of the teeming millions of our people in the region, and support the Nigerian military, to defeat these insurgents, which the military has been doing their best, to bring to an end. There is no doubt, that overtime, these terrorists have been extremely proactive with the use of information dissemination. This is why we are worried about the type of publicity, they are being given because that is what keeps them going. We are of the view, that by the time these criminal elements are denied such publicity they are enjoying in the media, they will lose strength.”
    The group also said Nigerians need to be aware, of how information could be disseminated, taking cognizance of national security interest and the interest of our gallant men and women, fighting day and night, in the war front. While calling on the media practitioners to be patriotic in reporting terrorism, the group also urged the media mostly the online media practitioners to crosscheck their facts before going to the press.

  • NAF bombs Boko Haram hideouts in Borno, kills insurgents

    The Nigerian Air Force said on Monday that scores of Boko Haram terrorists have been killed during air strikes in Tongule, south-west of Dikwa in Borno State.

    The Spokesperson for NAF, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said in a statement that the air operation was conducted after an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform has been used to establish the presence of Boko Haram fighters in the area.

    Adesanya said the mission was planned and executed to prevent the terrorists from carrying out attacks against troops’ location in the general area.

    He said: “The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, on 29 July 2018, successfully conducted a massive attack on Tongule Village, 9km South West of Dikwa in Borno State.

    “The successful air strikes were sequel to a credible intelligence that several Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) were massing up at the location, having occupied the entire village.

    “Consequently, the mission was immediately planned and executed to prevent the BHTs from carrying out attacks against troops’ locations in the general area.

    “Upon receiving the intelligence, the ATF scrambled NAF Alpha Jet aircraft and Mi-35M helicopter gunships, which subsequently attacked structures occupied by BHT elements in the location with bombs rockets and canons, in quick succession.

    “As a result of the air strikes, several BHTs were neutralized in the village while a few survivors, seen fleeing the location, were taken out in subsequent follow-up attacks.

    “There was also intensive damage to the settlement as captured by the NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform.”

  • Borno: Army kills 16 Boko Haram members, recover weapons

    Nigerian Army say it neutralised 16 Boko Haram and recovered a weapons cache during its clearance operation in Mairari village in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this in a statement released in Maiduguri.

    Nwachukwu said that the troops also recovered two gun trucks abandoned by the insurgents during the encounter.

    “The insurgents in three vehicles, including Gun trucks had infiltrated and attacked the community, when troops at the formation were alerted by locals .

    “The troops supported by the Air Task Force swiftly responded to the attack killing 16 insurgents and capturing two trucks loaded with guns abandoned by the insurgents, as they tried escaping , having been overwhelmed by the superior fire power from the troops.

    “The gallant troops also recovered 163 Rounds of Anti Aircraft Gun Ammunition during the fierce encounter,” he said.

    During the fire fight, he said, four civilians and a soldier unfortunately, sustained varying degrees of injury and have been promptly evacuated to a Military Hospital, where they currently receiving medical attention.

    “The FOB has been further reinforced with additional troops, while  fighting patrols are on the trail of the insurgents who fled the attack.

    He said that normalcy has been restored and the people of Mongonu Local Government Area are enjoined to remain vigilant and report any suspicious person(s) or activities as they go about their normal business.

  • Army Kill 16 Insurgents, Large Cache of Arms, Ammunition in Borno

    Sixteen  Boko Haram insurgents were on Saturday killed in an encounter with troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in the Forward Operational Base (FOB) along Mairari in Monguno at about 6.50 pm on Friday 27 July 2018, in Mairari, a village located in Monguno Local Government Area of Borno state.

    According a statement signed by the Deputy Director Public Relations, theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the insurgents who were in three vehicles, including Gun trucks had infiltrated had attacked the community, when troops at the FOB were alerted by locals.

    According to him,the troops supported by the Air Task Force swiftly responded to the attack killing 16 insurgents and capturing 2 Gun trucks abandoned by the insurgents, as they tried escaping .

    The Army also recovered 163 Rounds of Anti Aircraft Gun Ammunition during the fierce encounter.

    He however added that 4 civilians and a soldier, sustained varying degrees of injury during the fire fight, and have been promptly evacuated to a Military Hospital, where they currently receiving medical attention.

    Meanwhile the army while assuring the people of their readiness to further combat terror has also informed that the Base has been further reinforced with additional troops, adding that fighting patrols are on the trail of the insurgents who fled the attack.

    The Army has further enjoined members of the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious person(s) or activities as they go about their normal business as calm has since been restored and the people of Mongonu Local Government Area

  • Boko Haram: Army redeploys Threatre Commander, others

    The Nigerian Army on Friday announced a major shake up among its senior officers with the redeployment of Command and Staff Officers as well as General Officers Commanding (GOC).

    The Threatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole and Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force were also affected by the development.

    According to a statement signed by the Army Director of Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Texas Chukwu, the posting was necessitated by the need “at injecting new hands to further actualize the vision of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai”.

    The statement reads: ” The Nigerian Army has announced a major redeployment of senior officers in Command, Staff and other appointments.

    “The posting affected Principal Staff Officers both at the Defence and Army Headquarters as well as General Officers Commanding (GOCs). The Theatre Commander Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force are also affected by the posting.

    “The posting which also re-organized Operation LAFIYA DOLE was aimed at injecting new hands to further actualize the vision of the Chief of Army Staff COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai.

    Those affected in the redeployment include Maj Gen AM Dikko who will take over as Theatre Commander of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Brig Gen AO Abdullahi as Acting Commander Sector 2, Operation LAFIYA DOLE and Brig Gen UU Bassey as Acting Commander Sector 3, Operation LAFIYA DOLE.

    “Others are, Maj Gen CO Ude posted as Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force Ndjamena, Maj Gen J Sarham as General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Maj Gen EB Kabuk General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj Gen MS Yusuf General Officer Commanding 81 Division and Maj Gen BA Akinroluyo as General Officer Commanding 3 Division.

    “Among the Principal Staff Officers affected are Maj Gen LEO Irabor posted as Chief of Defence Training and Operations in the Defence Headquarters while Maj Gen LO Adeosun takes over as Chief of Training and Operations at the Army Headquarters.

    “Others are Maj Gen HO Otiki, as Commander Infantry Corps and Maj Gen CU Agulanna as Chief of Accounts and Budget Nigerian Army. Maj Gen JE Jakko is posted to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Defence Finance and Budget, Maj Gen AB Abubakar, Maj Gen A Mohammed and Maj Gen LKJ Ogunewe, among others will be proceeding to the Nigerian Army Resource Centre on Course. All postings and appointments take effect from 1 August 2018.“