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Tag: boko haram

  • Suspected Boko Haram member remanded for killing policeman

    Suspected Boko Haram member remanded for killing policeman

    A self-confessed member of Boko Haram sect, Abdulsalam Adinoyi, has been remanded by an Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court for allegedly killing a policeman.

    The 36-year-old sect member is on trial for killing Sergeant Gana Jiya in Oye-Ekiti at 11 pm, on February 2.

    According to Police Prosecutor Oriyomi Akinwale, the accused is facing a three-count charge of murder, terrorism and robbery.

    The prosecutor told the court that the accused confessed to the police that he was involved in many attacks by the Boko Haram sect in Kogi State in which many people were killed.

    The suspect’s offence contravenes sections 11 and 12 of Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism Law; Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap and Section 1(2)(a)(b) of Robbery and Firearms (Prohibition Act) Cap R4 Laws of the Federation.

    The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Counsel to the accused Mr. Busuyi Ayorinde applied for bail but the court turned it down.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Dupe Afeniforo, ordered that the accused be remanded, pending a legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    She adjourned the matter till March 26 for mention.

  • Suspected Boko Haram member remanded for killing policeman

    Suspected Boko Haram member remanded for killing policeman

    A self-confessed member of Boko Haram sect, Abdulsalam Adinoyi, has been remanded by an Ado-Ekiti Magistrate Court for allegedly killing a policeman on duty.

    The 36-year-old Abdulsalam is standing trial for killing Sergeant GanaJiya, while on lawful duty in Oye-Ekiti at about 11.00 pm on February 2.

    According to the Police Prosecutor, Mr. Oriyomi Akinwale, the accused is facing a three-count charge of murder, terrorism and armed robbery.

    The prosecutor told the court that the accused, while under interrogation, confessed to the Police that he was involved in many attacks carried out by the Boko Haram sect in Kogi State in which many people were killed.

    The offence allegedly committed by the suspect contravened Section 11 and 12 of Ekiti State Kidnap and Terrorism Law, Section 319 of the Criminal Code Cap and Section 1(2)(a)(b) of Robbery and Fire Arms (Prohibition Act) Cap R4 Laws of the Federation.‎

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Counsel to the accused, Mr. Busuyi Ayorinde, applied for the bail of the accused, but the court turned down his application.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Dupe Afeniforo, ordered that the accused be remanded pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP).

    ‎She adjourned the case until March 26 for mention.

  • ‘Boko Haram slowed down development of Lake Chad’

    The Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) has blamed the slow pace of development of the Lake Chad region on insecurity and non-payment of counterpart funds by member countries.

    The regional body also blamed poor development of the region on climate change.

    It lamented activities of Boko Haram in the region had led to its inability to execute 70 percent of its budget for the development of communities in the region.

    The Executive Secretary LCBC, Sanusi Abdullahi, disclosed these yesterday in Abuja during the meeting of the Committee of National experts to the 63rd ordinary session of the LCBC Council of Ministers meeting.

    He noted that before Boko Haram became violent in the region in 2014, the LCBC was able to implement some projects in rural communities for poverty alleviation and provision of water for drinking and sanitation.

    According to him, the commission had been unable to send people to the rural communities because of Boko Haram activities.

    He said with the partial degradation of the insurgents, the situation was becoming favourable for execution of the project, adding that the programme was now focused on regional stabilisation of the areas that are most affected by the terrorist group.

    He informed of global plans to address the challenges in the region as a collective effort by the four member countries of Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad.

  • International organizations, Boko Haram plan to destabilize Nigeria— Group alleges

    A coalition of 50 civil society groups , comprising NGOs, FBOs and  CSOs have accused Amnesty International and others  of re-enacting an old script targeted at destabilising Nigeria.
    The Coalition while reacting to the timing of the recent reports released by Amnesty International said the international organisation often attempts to embolden the terrorists, with its deliberate report targeted at weakening the Nigerian military.

    It would be recalled that the amnesty international in a familiar faction recently accused the Nigerian military of abuse of human rights in its anti terror war.

    But the Coalition expressed worry over what it said is the sudden resurgence of the report at a time the Nigerian military was winning the war against the Boko Haram terrorists.

    Addressing journalists on behalf of the coalition, Mrs Jaiyeola Mohammed
    National Co-ordinator, said the groups will resist every attempt to undermine the country and will take every legally acceptable process to defend the integrity of the country

    She said the threat by AI, Transparency and agents of Boko Haram will not deter the Nigerian military from uniting and protecting the sovereignty of the country.

    “Anyone that dares the will of Nigeria to remain a successful country should be decisively dealt with,” she said.
    According to her, the objective of AI is to make Nigerians to forget the labour and efforts that have been put in to extinguish terrorism from the country.
    She said those behind the nefarious activities of these groups are bent on destroying the country and have refused to give  up.

    She said further, “How does Amnesty International want terrorism to be fought? Why should the mode of fighting terror be different for Nigeria while other countries “western coalition” get carte blanch to annihilate sociopaths and keep their own countries?

    “We are not ignorant of countries that cross oceans, beyond many international boundaries to extrajudicially execute suspected terrorists while killing school children, hospital patients, wedding parties and other innocent civilians that are accepted as “unavoidable casualties”.

    The racist position of Amnesty International is that countries have more rights than each other when it comes to protecting their nationals.”

    The attempt by some dark agents hiding under the umbrella of Boko Haram to enact an old script will be decisively rejected through the will of the citizens of this great country”. She added.

  • We’ll resist planned increase in electricity tariff – TUC

    We’ll resist planned increase in electricity tariff – TUC

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has vowed to mobilize Nigerians to resist the proposed increase in electricity tariff as canvassed by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, saying it was not the solution to the energy crisis in the country.

    The congress also asked Political actors in the country to avoid hate speeches in the count down to the 2019 general elections, while expressing concern over the increasing volatile political terrain which it said is not good for the nation’s fledging democracy.

    The Congress, in a communique at the end of its National Executive Council meeting also expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the country, especially the resurgence of the Boko Haram insurgency and the persistent killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in parts of the country.

    In the communique signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade (Barr.) Musa Lawal M. Ozigi, the congress wants the government to declare a state of emergency in the power sector as no nation can develop with power.

    The TUC said it was worried about the worsening security situation in the country and in particular condemned the recent killings across the country by Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen and militiamen and asked the Federal Government to take drastic action to build citizens confidence in the system and ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are brought to book.

    It  observed that our political terrain has become volatile once again and therefore enjoins all political leaders to ensure that peace and order are maintained amongst their followers, adding that “Politicians should avoid hate speeches so that both the common man and workers can attain fulfillment.  It also calls on the Governors owing workers to pay and not convert public funds and workers salaries for election purposes.”

    In the lingering fuel situation in the country, the TUC that thee current situation in which the NNPC is the sole provider of fuel to the nation and absorbing subsidies is not healthy for the nation and the corporation and advises government to reimburse the NNPC so as to enable it to perform its primary obligation to the country.

    It want the Federal Government to begin the immediate payment of all outstanding subsidy claims by the petroleum marketers under the PPPRA-administered Petroleum Support Fund (PSF) to avoid consequential job losses which the nation can least afford.

    The congress said that the delay in paying outstanding claims has stopped the payments of wages/salaries in the downstream sector in a scary dimension which must not be allowed to degenerate further.

    It stressed that “It is expected that the Government would engage the Marketers as social partners under a special intervention arrangement that enables product marketer purchase foreign exchange (FOREX) at concessionary rates from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). This will keep the prices at their current levels as well as encourage more participants. Government is called on to revamp the public owned refineries as well.”

    While commending the Federal Government for the commencement of the Minimum Wage Committee it implores the Committee to speed up proceedings to ensure that a new minimum wage will take effect not later than the agreed third quarter of the year.

    The TUC said further that the fight against corruption will not achieve the desired result without addressing the injustices being perpetrated by political office holders who collect multiple pensions and gratuities while still serving government in another capacity, saying this is not good for the economy.

    It asked the Federal Government to declare emergency in the power sector as no nation can develop without power, while expressing dismay that several billions of naira has been expended in the sector to no avail, adding that the call for tariff hike cannot be a solution and will be resisted.

  • Troops kill five, capture Boko Haram commander in Borno

    Troops kill five, capture Boko Haram commander in Borno

    Troops in Borno killed five Boko Haram insurgents and captured a top commander of the group in the ongoing operation in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad basin.

    Col. Onyeama Nwachukwu, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of Operation Lafiya Dole, in a statement in Maiduguri, said troops also rescued three civilians, recovered vehicles and high calibre ammunition in various operations in the past two days.

    Nwachukwu said on Thursday, the troops engaged and neutralised a number of fleeing insurgents while attempting to escape the military blocking position in one of the cleared enclaves ‘Sabil-Huda’, deep in Sambisa Forest.

    He said that the troops also recovered one G-III rifle magazine, one life jacket, a light Machine Gun metal link, four rounds of Anti-Aircraft ammunition, four rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and three rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.

    “Unfortunately, two soldiers were injured in the process; they had been evacuated by the Nigerian Air Force and are responding to treatment,” he said.

    Read Also: Troops commence road construction in Sambisa Forest

    Nwachukwu said that the troops on Friday launched offensive targeting a terrorist’s hideouts up ‘CAMP ZAIRO’, and neutralized a number of insurgents in spite of initial damaged caused to their Armoured Fighting Vehicle by Improvise Explosive Device (IED) planted beneath the ground.

    He said that the troops killed five insurgents; several others wounded and recovered ammunition at a hideout in Parisu, Sambisa Forest.

    Nwachukwu disclosed that troops of 151 Battalion in conjunction with “7 Division Support Group’ had also cleared nine terrorists’ hideouts along Frigi-Izza area.

    The director added that the troops also recovered one motorcycle, two bicycles, 10 bicycle tyres, one bicycle, three Boko Haram flags, a solar panel, five drums filled with grain, two mattresses, two grinding machines, three bags of metal scraps, two motorcycle tyres and two underground grain silos.

    Also recovered are one AK-47 Rifle Magazine, 1 dummy rifle, a round of 12.7mm ammunition, 12 empty cases of 7.62mm ammunition, assorted IED materials and a tool box.

    According to him, the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE provided air cover for the land troops in the conduct of the operations.

  • NSCDC arrests self-confessed Boko Haram suspect in Edo

    NSCDC arrests self-confessed Boko Haram suspect in Edo

    The Edo Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) confirmed the arrest of of a self-confessed Boko Haram suspect.

    According to the Commandant of the NSCDC, Mr Makinde Ayinla, the suspect who gave his name as Sani was arrested in the early hours of Saturday.Ayi

    “Our men deployed to guard the premises of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), arrested suspect after he was spotted twice loitering between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.

    “Nobody knew how he gained entry into the premises,” he said.

    He said that during interrogation, Sani claimed to be a member of the boko haram group.

    Ayinla also said that Sani confessed to being in a group that speacilises in robbery, kidnapping, murder and selling of human parts.

    The commandant said that Sani confessed that his group operate with sophisticated weapons.

    Ayinla said that when asked if Sani can lead men of the corps to his group’s hideout, he said the suspect said: “ only God can lead any person there”.

    The commandant said the suspect had been handed over to the State Command of the Directorate of State Services (DSS).

  • Missing girls: How principal saved students from Boko Haram massacre

    Missing girls: How principal saved students from Boko Haram massacre

    Providence appears to have prevented  a possible massacre at the Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, Yobe State, when suspected  terrorists  of Boko Haram struck at the institution on Monday, reports said yesterday.

    A split second decision by the principal of the school did the magic.

    Highly placed sources told The Nation that as soon as the principal heard the sound of a gunshot, he instinctively suspected that danger was lurking around.

    He  quickly ordered the students -926 of them –home, remembering perhaps, the killing of 29 students of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi also in Yobe State by Boko Haram on February 24, 2014.

    The  gunmen struck  at about 7pm.

    The  college authorities are working around the clock  to ascertain the actual figure of students  regarded by the military, police and security agencies as “unaccounted. ”

    Sources said  a detailed report of the invasion has been submitted to the government.

    “A preliminary report indicated that the suspected insurgents stormed the school between 7pm and 8pm in military camouflage,” one of the sources said.

    “They were suspected to have been lurking around in disguise with the ultimate target of striking at night in the college.

    “Upon hearing of gunshots heralding their coming, the principal suspected that something was amiss in Dapchi. To prevent a reoccurrence of the massacre at the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, he quickly asked the girls  to go home. They quickly vacated the school.

    “This was why it was possible for most of the 926 girls to escape. Actually by the time the insurgents stormed the school, it was empty.

    “But it is not impossible that the insurgents accosted some of the girls while scampering to safety through different paths.

    “From the school’s  account, the principal took the steps to avoid the girls being slaughtered because security was limited to school guards who cannot confront the insurgents,” the source said.

    It was learnt that the military and security agencies are still combing access routes to Sambisa Forest, suspected make-shift camps of Boko Haram and other neighbouring villages and towns.

    The source added: “We are leaving all options open in locating the girls who by our profile are rated as ‘unaccounted.’

    “The principal and the school management have been given time till Monday to reach out to parents to compile the list and determine if or not their wards have not been located.”

    It  was gathered that the Federal Government was screening a claim that some insurgents are demanding ransom as a  precondition for releasing the girls.

    “I think the purported ransom claim was being touted by someone but we may screen or vet the call.

    “No insurgent group has admitted abducting the girls and none reached out to the government.  Wherever such a claim of ransom is coming from, we will screen or verify the source,” said the source.

  • Army refutes report on suspension of offensive to aid Shekau’s escape

    Army refutes report on suspension of offensive to aid Shekau’s escape

    The Nigerian Army on Friday said troops movement under Operation Deep Punch II was temporarily halted in line with military plan and strategy and in view of the exigencies of time.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, made this known in a statement issued in Maiduguri.

    He dismissed media report that the temporary halt of troops movement was intended to aid the escape of the faction Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, from the Sambisa Forest.

    Nwachukwu said the ongoing clearance operation by troops under the operation Deep Punch II was being carried out according to official plans.

    The deputy director described the media report as “frivolous”as it is capable of demoralising the troops and hampering progress of the ongoing exercise.

    According to him, such misinformation does not reflect the strong character and courageous disposition of troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and it is untenable and misleading.

    The army spokesman urged the public to disregard such information and cooperate with the military to enable it to succeed in its clearance campaign against the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents.

    The statement of the Nigerian Army reads:

    “The attention of Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole has been drawn to unfortunate mainstream and social media report insinuating that troops advance at the ongoing Operation Deep Punch II was deliberately halted to allow the escape of the purported Boko Haram terrorist faction leader, Abubakar Shekau in Sambisa forest. This is not true.

    “Contrary to the mischievous allegations, no such order or directive was given by anybody to any of the units and formations in the operation.

    “It is crucial to point out that there are several factors in planning and conduct of military operations, whether kinetic or otherwise.

    Read Also: Army Names Brig-Gen. Chukwu As New Spokesperson

    “The ongoing Operation Deep Punch II, which is aimed at clearing Boko Haram insurgents from the Sambisa forest and the northern fringes of Lake Chad region, was planned to be executed in phases.

    “It is a phase operation, therefore, requires that at a predetermined point or stage, troops will be halted either preparatory for transiting to another phase or the other depending on the threat situation.

    “During the operation, troops’ movement could be put on halt when vehicles or other mobile equipment are bugged down due to the difficulty of the terrain and for recovery purposes.

    “In military operations avenues are deliberately provided for troops to harbour, where they rest and carry out refitting of weapons and other equipment before resuming the operations.

    “Additionally, booby traps and land mines could also compel advancing troops to halt to enable some specialized squad or scouts assess the situation before movement resume.

    “These and several other factors could precipitate the halting of troops during operations.

    “It is, therefore, very appalling and unimaginable that a fundamental operational procedure could be misinterpreted and be mischievously used as a psychological weapon to indirectly dampen the morale of our troops.”

    NAN

  • DAPCHI:  Parents demand release of missing children

    DAPCHI:  Parents demand release of missing children

    Angry parents of abducted students at Government Girls Science Technical College Dapchi have demanded the true position of their missing children from Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam.

    Ibrahim Gaidam on Thursday visited Dapchi to meet with the parents of the missing girls and Dapchi community to commiserate with them over the unfortunate incident.

    The parents who gathered at the front of the palace of the emir of the town were however not satisfied with the message of the governor as many of them left the palace in anger tears and sorrow.

    According to some of the parents, their grief and annoyance was aggravated by the “hopeless” message the governor presented to them.

    “The message of the governor was clearly hopeless and full of lies. How can he tell us that he is not sure whether our children are missing or not, one of the parents said?

    The minister of information Alhaji Lai Mohamed also led the Federal delegation to Dapchi where he met with Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam at the school.

    The minister who fielded questions from reporters at the school said Boko Haram have been defeated. He added that Boko Haram was looking for oxygen to breath having been pushed out of Sambisa and other fringes.

    On the number of girls missing, the minister said, “What we know as at today (Thursday) is that some of the girls are still unaccounted for. That is because some of them are still trickling back to the school,” the minister told journalists without giving detail of the number of girls rescued or seen.

    “What we know for a fact now is we cannot account for some students but since two days ago students have been reporting back to school.

    We also have it on record that some of them have phone from their hiding place, some from Damaturu, some from other locations. But, as things develop we will let you know.

    But, we cannot categorically say ‘X’ number of students have been abducted but we can say not all students have returned”, the minister said.

    He said the responses from the military and Yobe State government was commendable. “Since this thing happened, I’ve been in touch with the governor, the theatre commander and the GOC (General Officer Commanding).

    “I think we should take it in context, to me, the most authoritative position is the one given by both the governor, theater commander and the GOC. What we know is that some students cannot be accounted for. That is because some of them are still returning back”, he added.

    The Minister  also said  the attack on the school by the insurgents is just to embarrass government and attract attention across the world, stressing that  “with the determination of the gallant soldiers the days of Boko haram is over.

    In the meantime, Yobe State Government have apologise for the statement earlier issued on the rescue of some of the abducted girls.

    In a statement signed by Abdullahi Bego, the Spokesman to Gov. Ibrahim, Gaidam, said they were misled by a top security agent on the issue.

    The statement read in full:

    “The public may recall that we issued a statement last night in which we announced that some of the girls at Government Girls Science Technical College (GGSTC) Dapchi who went missing after Boko Haram terrorists had stormed their school last Monday were rescued by officers and men of the Nigerian Army who are currently executing the war against the Boko Haram Insurgents.

    “We issued the statement on the basis of information provided by one of the security agencies that is involved in the fight against Boko Haram and which we had no reason to doubt.

    “We have now established that the information we relied on to make the statement was not credible. The Yobe State Government apologises for that.

    “His Excellency Governor Ibrahim Gaidam was in Dapchi today where he met with community leaders and the Principal and staff of the Girls’ College. The governor also addressed the parents of some of the schoolgirls that are still unaccounted for where he told them to pray and exercise patience as the government and security agencies at all levels continue the work to address the unfortunate situation.

    “His Excellency Governor Gaidam has also directed Education Ministry officials and the school administration to work closely with the security agencies to establish the actual number of the girls that are still unaccounted for and to contact parents and the community for possible information that could be useful in the investigation.

    “His Excellency Governor Gaidam shares deeply and personally in the grief about the unfortunate event at the Girls’ College and, under his leadership, the Yobe State Government will continue to do everything necessary in partnership with security agencies and the federal government to address the situation”.

    Read Also:111 schoolgirls missing at Dapchi after Boko Haram raid