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Tag: boko haram

  • 22 killed in Borno suicide attacks

    22 killed in Borno suicide attacks

    At least 22 persons were killed and 28 others injured in several explosions at a market in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

    The incident occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on Friday when three suicide bombers detonated explosives at the “Kasuwar Kifi” in the outskirts of Konduga town.

    An eyewitness, Idrissa Bana, said the three suicide bombers simultaneously detonated the Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) strapped on their bodies in the crowded market.

    Bana said the explosives killed 22 persons and 28 others sustained injuries, adding that those injured were evacuated to a hospital in Maiduguri.

    “There were a lot of people doing last minute shopping when the suicide bombers hit the market,” he said.

    NAN

  • N36m ‘mystery snake’ saga: More shocking revelations as JAMB official blames Boko Haram for missing N.6m

    N36m ‘mystery snake’ saga: More shocking revelations as JAMB official blames Boko Haram for missing N.6m

    It was revelations galore at the just concluded sitting of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) administrative panel on financial management as officials sought to defend their handling of public funds.

    Nine officials  of the board, including one from Benue where a ‘mystery snake’  allegedly  swallowed N36million cash, were probed  and subsequently  indicted by the administrative panel.

    Another JAMB official in Yobe State told the panel that  he could not lay his hands on tellers, receipts and invoices of over N600, 000 put in his care following  an attack by the terror sect, Boko Haram.

    Yet another official from the Kogi office of JAMB said he gave  out  the N7million in his care as loans to his colleagues who were in need of money to settle personal problems.

    He confessed  that he was also a beneficiary of the ‘loans.’

    But the panel was not amused by the defence put on by the officials.

    All nine were indicted for stealing JAMB funds. The panel thus recommended that they be sacked and the recommendation was forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Education which oversees JAMB.

    The stolen fund was part of the payment made by candidates for  registration of scratch cards.

    Some of the indicted officials are JAMB state coordinators.

    Sources said that, “The nine officials would have been sacked outright but for civil service rules that stipulate that such matters should go through due process.

    ”All of them are under interdiction. They have appeared before a disciplinary committee. A report has been written to the higher authority. If that report is approved, they will be dismissed and handed to the security agencies.

    “EFCC will prosecute them. They have even appeared before the EFCC before. In the course of their investigation they have files with the EFCC which  arrested and investigated them.”

    Chief spokesman for JAMB, Dr.Fabian Benjamin, confirmed the development.

    He said: “All the necessary disciplinary procedures have been concluded and the report has been  forwarded to higher authorities for further action.

    “Very soon, we will get a report from there.”

    Apart from Benue, Kogi and Yobe state offices of JAMB, other offices probed by the administrative panel were Edo where N31m was allegedly mismanaged, Nasarawa (N26m),Kano (20m), Plateau (N15m), Ondo (N1.34m), and Gombe  (N10m).

    The Registrar of JAMB, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, announced last December that the board remitted N7.8 billion to Federal Government coffers from 2016 University and Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME), an improvement on the paltry N3million per annum that it used to remit in previous years.

  • Army places N3m bounty on Shekau

    Army places N3m bounty on Shekau

    The Nigerian Army on Thursday offered a N3million cash reward for anyone with credible information that would lead to the arrest of the factional leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau.

    The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen. Sani, said in a statement issued in Abuja that anybody with credible information on Shekau should contact the Military Command and Control Centre of Operation Lafiya Dole or the Nigerian Army Call Centre number 193.

    According to the military authorities, Shekau, who has be on the run now disguises as a woman in hijabs due to the heat turned on him by troops in the Sambisa general area.

    The statement reads: “The Nigerian Army will give out Three Million Naira (N3,000,000.00k) cash reward for any credible information that leads to the arrest of the fugitive factional Boko Haram terrorists’ group leader, Abubakar Shekau.

    “Anybody with such credible information can either contact the Military Command and Control Centre, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, any military location, security agencies  or call the Nigerian Army Information and Call Centre 193.”

  • Troops kill 186 insurgents in one month

    Troops kill 186 insurgents in one month

    The Nigerian Army said on Wednesday that its troops killed 186 Boko Haram insurgents in the ongoing clearance operation in Sambisa Forest and Lake Chad region in the past one month.

    The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, stated this when he briefed journalists at the Military Command and Control Centre, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, Borno State.

    Nicholas said the military was conducting Operation DEEP PUNCH II alongside Operation RUWAN WUTA 3 of the Air Force component to clear remnants of the insurgents.

    He said the operations had yielded positive results, decimated and degraded the insurgents.

    Nicholas disclosed that troops destroyed and took total control of the insurgents tactical ground ‘CAMP ZAIRO” and its environs.

    He said several insurgents were either killed while some surrendered, adding that high calibre ammunition and vehicles were destroyed and recovered.

    He added that over 1,000 insurgents had surrendered or were captured by troops in the operation, including 93, who surrendered to the Nigerien and 250 to Cameroonian Defence Forces.

     

     

  • Boko Haram membership declining, says Buhari

    Boko Haram membership declining, says Buhari

    THE era of Boko Haram terrorism is gradually drawing to an end with the narrowing of its recruitment base and renewed onslaught by the Army, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

    Buhari said this while receiving the Letter of Credence of Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Nigeria, Most Rev. Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, at the State House.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, noted that the terrorist group had lost appeal in its initial strongholds, necessitating a steady retreat that will eventually culminate in ending the insurgency.

    “You can’t indoctrinate people, who are below the age of 14 years and blow up churches, mosques, markets and you keep shouting God is great. It is either you don’t know what you are saying or you simply don’t care or believe what you are saying. It is part of our success story that Boko Haram is finding it more difficult to recruit people.

    “The Nigerian Army is also not making it easy for them to grow, with more intelligence, orientation and regular, measured onslaught on their camps,’’ Buhari said.

    The President said the ongoing effort to dismember the terrorist group, and render it completely powerless will be intensified.

    Buhari, who described the Catholic Church as a strong partner in Nigeria’s growth, noted that the church had made very significant contributions educational and health system growth.

    On corruption, the President said the fight against the culture of pilfering public funds would be prolonged and would require a new orientation by repositioning the entire educational system.

    “I am pleased that the African Union has spoken out boldly against corruption and appreciated the work that we are doing here,’’ Buhari told the Archbishop.

    Archbishop Filipazzi said the Holy Father, Pope Francis, had taken a keen interest on the fight against terrorism, corruption and reviving of the Nigerian economy.

    “Mr. President, the Holy Father, sends his warm greetings and he is keen to denounce corruption everywhere,’’ he added.

    The Apostolic Nuncio said he had travelled to the Northeast and was pleased with the efforts of the Army in tackling the insurgents and recovering some of the earlier lost grounds.

    Buhari also received Letters of Credence from Ambassador of Niger to Nigeria Mr. Alat Mogaskia and High Commissioner of Ghana Alhaji Rashid Bawa.

  • Shekau disguises as woman in attempt to escape – Army

    Shekau disguises as woman in attempt to escape – Army

    The Nigerian Army says credible information indicates that factional leader of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, now dresses as a woman in an effort to escape from the Theatre of Operation.

    Army Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, who confirmed this in a statement on Tuesday, said Shekau could no longer bear the heat and had abandoned his followers.

    “He is running for his dear life. He is desperately trying to escape the theatre, disguised as a woman and dressed in Hijab.

    “We reliably gathered that to avoid detection, Abubakar Shekau alternates between blue and black coloured hijabs. He was last seen in a black hijab.

    “We, therefore, call on all those remaining Boko Haram terrorists to know that they are following a coward moving about in hijab and disguising as a woman.

    “We also request all the remaining Boko Haram members to come out from hiding and lay down their arms and be treated humanely,’’ Usman said.

    He said concerted efforts were ongoing to track and apprehend the fugitive terrorist leader.

    The army spokesman, therefore, appealed to members of the public, especially the residents of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to be more vigilant and security conscious.

    He also asked them to be on the lookout for Shekau and other terrorists who might disguise as women to escape.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram membership thinning out, says Buhari

    Boko Haram membership thinning out, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari today in Abuja said the era of Boko Haram terrorism is gradually drawing to end, with the narrowing of the recruitment base of the insurgents, and renewed onslaught by the Nigerian Army.

    He made the remark while receiving the Letter of Credence of Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Nigeria, Most Rev. Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, at the State House.

    President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina said the terrorist group had lost appeal in its initial strongholds, necessitating a steady retreat that will eventually culminate in ending the insurgency.

    “You can’t indoctrinate people who are below the age of 14 years and blow up churches, mosques, markets and keep shouting God is great.

     “It is either you don’t know what you are saying, or you simply don’t care or believe what you are saying. It is part of our success story that Boko Haram is finding it more difficult to recruit people.

     “The Nigerian Army is also not making it easy for them to grow, with more intelligence, orientation and regular, measured onslaught on their camps,’’ he said.

    The President said the ongoing effort to dismember the terrorist group, and render it completely powerless will be intensified.

    Read Also: Boko Haram releases policewomen, UNIMAID lecturers

    President Buhari, who described the Catholic Church as a strong partner in the development of Nigeria, noted that the church had made very significant contributions to the development of the educational and health system of the country.

    On corruption, the President said the fight against the culture of pilfering public funds would be prolonged, and would require a new orientation by repositioning the entire educational system.

    “I am pleased that the African Union has spoken out boldly against corruption and appreciated the work that we are doing here,’’ President Buhari told the Archbishop.

    In his remarks, the Archbishop Filipazzi said the Holy Father, Pope Francis, had taken a keen interest on the fight against terrorism, corruption and reviving of the Nigerian economy.

    “Mr. President, the Holy Father, sends his warm greetings and he is keen to denounce corruption everywhere,’’ he added.

    The Apostolic Nuncio said he had travelled to the North East and was pleased with the efforts of the Nigerian Army in tackling the insurgents, and recovering some of the earlier lost grounds.

    President Buhari also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Niger to Nigeria, Mr. Alat Mogaskia and the High Commissioner of Ghana, Alhaji Rashid Bawa.

  • FG not unmindful of unemployment, poverty – Minister

    FG not unmindful of unemployment, poverty – Minister

    The Federal Government is not unmindful of unemployment and poverty situation in the country, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said on Tuesday.
    Such problems among others structural conditions which are responsible for violent extremism in the country are being addressed on daily basis by the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari, the Minister added.

    The Minister made the remarks at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, while delivering a keynote address at the public presentation of Policy Framework and National Action Plan For Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.

    Alhaji Mohammed said for instance the Anchors Borrowers Programmes has created over 6.3 million jobs for farmers through rice farming.

    Listing the achievements of the present administration, the minister said the federal government served no fewer than 246.4 million meals to primary school pupils across 20 states under the National Home Grown School feeding programmes.

    He said 10.27 million children have been enrolled in schools in the Northwest and North Central zones of the country in the last one year.

    He said the N-Power programme which has engaged and deployed about 200,000 Nigerians would increase with about 300,000 this year following the steps of government to expand the programme.

    Read Also: Minister  to face House panel over breach of waiver policy

    According to the Minister the Boko Haram terrorist group has been decimated and put on the run by the nation’s military due largely to President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership and political will which served as morale booster for the troops.

    Said he: “Thanks to the leadership and political will demonstrated by President Muhammadu Buhari, which has served as a morale booster for our gallant men and women in uniform, Boko Haram has been decimated and put on the run by our gallant military.

    “The record of success is there for all to see: At least 30,000 hostages kidnapped by Boko Haram extremist group, including women and Children, have been rescued by the military. More than 100 Chibok girls have so far been rescued.

    “The government is committed to the safe return of the remaining Chibok girls while rehabilitating and reuniting them with their families and communities. Sambisa Forest has become too hot for Boko Haram and they are now escaping to neighbouring communities.

    “Boko Haram is no longer able to carry out organized attacks. They hold no territory and their flag, which they were flying in Bama and other territories they used to occupy, has become a shroud”.

    The Minister assured that his ministry would parner with all critical stakeholders to ensure the smoth implementation of the policy framework and action plan against violent extremism in the country.

    He said as a soft approach towards tackling the current security challenges in the country, the administration would engage critical stakeholders in dialogue aimed at finding lasting solutions to the problems of herder/farmer conflicts, among others.

    He added that government is taking a bold step to recharge the Lake Chad Basin which has shrunk by 90 percent since 1963, stressing that the holistic approach of government on the Basin would make lives more bearable for people within the area whose economic activities have been affected negatively.

    In his remarks, the National Security Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, Major General Babagana Monguno , said following President Buhari’s directive on the implementation of the framework on the 24 August 2017, it was therefore expidient to make a public presentation of the document to enable key stakeholders and principal actors key into its goals and objectives.

    He said the framework which is in tandem with international laws and best practices adopted a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach for maximum benefits.

    “Accordingly, it encourages the active participation of line ministries, departments and agencies as well as critical stakeholders from the different sectors of the civil society such as reliogious actors, youths, teachers, women and community based organisations.

    “It provides a National Plan of Action at Federal , States and local government levels to ensure the delivery of targeted intervention that are both PCVErelevant and PCVE-specific”, General Monguno said.

  • Boko Haram membership thinning out, says Buhari

    Boko Haram membership thinning out, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday in Abuja said the era of Boko Haram terrorism is gradually drawing to end, with the narrowing of the recruitment base of the insurgents, and renewed onslaught by the Nigerian Army.

    He made the remark while receiving the Letter of Credence of Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to Nigeria, Most Rev. Archbishop Antonio Guido Filipazzi, at the State House.

    President Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina said the terrorist group had lost appeal in its initial strongholds, necessitating a steady retreat that will eventually culminate in ending the insurgency.

    “You can’t indoctrinate people who are below the age of 14 years and blow up churches, mosques, markets and you keep shouting God is great.

    “It is either you don’t know what you are saying, or you simply don’t care or believe what you are saying. It is part of our success story that Boko Haram is finding it more difficult to recruit people.

    “The Nigerian Army is also not making it easy for them to grow, with more intelligence, orientation and regular, measured onslaught on their camps,’’ he said.

    The President said the ongoing effort to dismember the terrorist group, and render it completely powerless will be intensified.

    President Buhari, who described the Catholic Church as a strong partner in the development of Nigeria, noted that the church had made very significant contributions to the development of the educational and health system of the country.

    On corruption, the President said the fight against the culture of pilfering public funds would be prolonged, and would require a new orientation by repositioning the entire educational system.

    “I am pleased that the African Union has spoken out boldly against corruption and appreciated the work that we are doing here,’’ President Buhari told the Archbishop.

    In his remarks, the Archbishop Filipazzi said the Holy Father, Pope Francis, had taken a keen interest on the fight against terrorism, corruption and reviving of the Nigerian economy.

    “Mr. President, the Holy Father, sends his warm greetings and he is keen to denounce corruption everywhere,’’ he added.

    The Apostolic Nuncio said he had travelled to the North East and was pleased with the efforts of the Nigerian Army in tackling the insurgents, and recovering some of the earlier lost grounds.

    President Buhari also received Letters of Credence from the Ambassador of Niger to Nigeria, Mr. Alat Mogaskia and the High Commissioner of Ghana, Alhaji Rashid Bawa.

  • Audio: Only one of 10 women released by Boko Haram police personnel – CP

    Audio: Only one of 10 women released by Boko Haram police personnel – CP

    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Police Commissioner in Borno, says only one of 10 women rescued from Boko Haram was a police officer and nor where wives of police personnel.

    Chukwu made the clarification while addressing newsmen during the monthly police officers meeting on Monday in Maiduguri.

    He described reports indicating that 10 police women were among the 13 persons released by Boko Haram insurgents as “misleading”.

    “That information is false, I have to react to it. It will be recalled that on 20th June, 2017, a burial party of one our women sergeants attached to the SIB who died in the course of duty was being taken home to Lassa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area for burial.

    “And due to security encumbrance on Maiduguri-Damboa Highway, they were under military and police escort, on getting to a town about 30 kilometres from Maiduguri; they were ambushed by the Boko Haram and some women who took advantage of the empty space in the truck.

    “So the women were trapped; we do not know their number but a few of them who were able to jump down, scampered for safety, escaped. Those of them who could not make it were taken away with the truck by the Boko Haram.

    “Among them, since that time, we recorded only one woman inspector attached to the CIB, who happened to be a very close friend of the deceased sergeant, the rest of them are not police women and they are not wives of police personnel.”

    Read also: Boko Haram releases three lecturers

    He further disclosed that one policeman was killed while the driver of the truck and a brother of the deceased were shot and sustained injuries in the attack, a situation which de-mobilised the vehicle.

    https://soundcloud.com/thenationnewspaper/boko-haram-10-freed-women-not-police-personnel

    It will be recalled that the Federal Government had on Saturday announced release of 13 persons by the Boko Haram insurgents, sequel to negotiations brokered by the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC).

    The freed persons are three male workers of University of Maiduguri and 10 women, abducted on separate raids coordinated by the insurgents between June and July, 2017, in Borno State. (NAN)