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Tag: boko haram

  • Troops kill 20 insurgents, rescue 100 civilians

    Troops kill 20 insurgents, rescue 100 civilians

    The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said its troops had killed 20 Boko Haram insurgents in a clearance operation in the Lake Chad Basin.

    Col. Timothy Antigha, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 8 Division, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.

    Antigha said that the troops captured 17 insurgents, rescued 100 people, recovered vehicles and ammunition.

    He said the six soldiers that sustained injuries in the operation were referred to military medical facility for treatment.

    He said the operations were conducted in the past two weeks in Islands in Lake Chad region to crush Boko Haram insurgents inhabiting the islands.

    “In continuation of Operation DEEP PUNCH 2, designed to smoke out Boko Haram terrorists inhabiting remote Islands in Lake Chad basin lying within Nigerian territory, troops of 8 Division, Nigerian Army, on Operation LAFIYA DOLE, supported by soldiers of the Armed Forces Strike Group have inflicted heavy casualties on Boko Haram terrorists.

    “The operation which commenced about two weeks ago preceded by coordinated air and artillery bombardments of islands and localities occupied by terrorists.

    “The insurgents sneak into Magumeri, Kauram and other locations to loot property, attack security personnel and villagers.

    “Islands and villages cleared so far include: Arena Chiki, Chikun Gudu, Arena Waje, Sa’ada and Juwe.”

    Antigha disclosed that the rescued civilians included 100 elderly men, women and children, adding that preliminary investigation revealed that most of the rescued persons were held hostage and forced to work in the farms.

    The army spokesman listed the ammunition recovered to include one Mercedes Benz Truck; two gun trucks, two pick up vans, one Anti – Aircraft machine gun, five AK-47 riffles, three Fabrique Nationals (FN) Riffles, two G3 Riffles and one Pump Action Riffle.

    Others are: one Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) tube, two bombs, two Very High Frequency (VHF) Radios and one Night Vision Goggle.

    The troops also recovered 55 rounds of 5.56 X 45 mm ammunition, 5 Bangalore Torpedo, Two 120mm Mortar Bombs, and 1000 rounds of 7.62 mm Ball Metal Link ammunition.

    Other ammunition included 55 rounds of 7.62 mm ammunition, 108 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition, two memory cards, two hydraulic jacks and a 1.5 amph battery.

    NAN

  • $1b for Boko Haram: Ekiti council chairmen ask court to stop withdrawal

    $1b for Boko Haram: Ekiti council chairmen ask court to stop withdrawal

    •AGF, 36 governors, RMAFC sued

    Sixteen local government chairmen in Ekiti State have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to void the approval given for the Federal Government to withdraw $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account of the Federation to prosecute its fight against Boko Haram insurgency.

    Their request is contained in a suit in which they listed the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), 36 governors and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) as defendants.

    The chairmen prayed the court to restrain the Federal Government, the 36 governors and their agents from giving effect to the appropriation and/or approval of appropriation of $1 billion or any other sum from the Excess Crude Account of the Federation, as contained in the decision of December 15, unless and by means of statutory allocation by the RMAFC.

    They also prayed the court to declare that the approval of $1 billion by the 36 governors to purportedly execute the constitutional duty of the Federal Government, which has been sufficiently funded from the Federation Account, without their consent, is ultra vires, unlawful, null and void.

    They sought an order of court declaring that in the discharge of its constitutional duty to safeguard the security and territorial integrity of Nigeria, the Federal Government, being the first defendant’s principal (AGF), must be funded in accordance with its Appropriation Act and by means of due accruals from the Federation Account only.

    The plaintiffs urged the court to declare that the first to 37th defendants’ appropriation and/or approval of appropriation of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account of the federation made at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on December 12 without regard to the consent of the 38th defendant (RMAFC)), the plaintiffs and the due appropriation of the various states’ Houses of Assembly, is unconstitutional, unlawful and of no effect whatsoever.

    They equally want a declaration that they are entitled to full share of all revenues accrued and accruable to the Federation Account and the Federation Excess Crude Account or any other account whatsoever operated by and for the Federation of Nigeria, including the $1,000,000,000 (which was purportedly approved for the expenditure of the Federal Government by the first to the 37th defendants at the 83rd NEC meeting on December 15, in accordance with Section 162 of the 1999 Constitution and the provisions of Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account) Act.

    The plaintiffs raised some questions for the court’s determination.

    The plaintiffs are: Deji Ogunsakin (Ado Local Government Area); Bola Alonge (Ikere); Lanrewaju Omolase (Ekiti South West); Dapo Olagunju (Irepodun/Ifeelodun); Samuel Adeniyi (Ekiti East); Olumide Falade (Ise/Orun); Sade Akinrinmola (Gbonyin); Tayo Ogundare (Oye); Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo (Ido/Osi) and Taiwo Oguntuase (Emure).

    Others are: Kolawole Omotunde (Ekiti West); Bolaji Jeje (Efon); Adesola Adeyanju (Ikole); Ganiyu Bakare (Ilejemele); Adeniyi Adebayo (Moba) and Abiodun Dada (Ijero).

     

  • GPN’s position on $1bn arms procurement against Boko Haram

    SIR: A year ago precisely, Nigerians at home and abroad heaved a sigh of relief after reading the news of the sensational presentation of the captured Boko Haram  flag to President Buhari by Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Buratai at the State House, Abuja, an action which vehemently laid claim to the overwhelming defeat of  Boko Haram reign of terror in the north-east and the obliteration of the Islamic militants from their infamous Sambisa stronghold which was once upon a time the alleged home to the abducted female students.

    However, the issue of approval of a whopping $1bn for new arms procurement to fight Boko Haram has become another political hot potato among various political party leaders and well-meaning Nigerians who are averse to the plan.

    Only last year, President Muhammadu Buhari told Nigerians which was widely reported by the world press that Boko Haram has not been only degraded but technically defeated by the superior firepower of the Nigerian military.

    His sudden reversal today has added yet another feather to the heinous lies being churned out by the propaganda machine of the ruling All Progressives Congress. $1bn, you will agree with me, is a lot of money which could have been channelled into other areas to better the lots of Nigerians.

    Be that as it may, there is no denying the fact that the government of the day has different organizational capabilities; it is believed that increased accountability will lead to greater consistency and predictability in the functioning of national decision-making structures. Even if such approval is to be considered or made, it is not the duty of the executive but the legislature to consider it and approve before being forwarded to the former for implementation.

    The GPN is not aware that all the 36 states governors roundly approved this whopping amount. We reasonably suspect that the approval is tinted with political undertone as 2019 general elections have set sail which could be sighted on the horizon.

    The $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account, money clearly earmarked for holding revenues from oil production and protecting planned budgets from shortfalls due to volatile crude oil prices ought not to be tampered with under any guise. The sudden reversal signals that previous announcements of victory over the Islamic extremists have suddenly come to an abrupt end as we journey close to 2019 general elections. This, from all indications, is another ploy to divert our tax-payers’ money to promote party’s interests and personal aggrandizements.

     

    • Hon Perkins Folorunsho Ojeaga,

     Green Party of Nigeria (GPN),

    Benin City, Edo State.

  • Boko Haram: LG Chairmen ask court to void approval for $1bn

    Boko Haram: LG Chairmen ask court to void approval for $1bn

    Sixteen Local Government Chairmen in Ekiti State have asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to void the approval given for the Federal Government to withdraw $1billion from the Excess Crude Account of the Federation for the prosecution of its fight against Boko Haram.

    Their request is contained in a suit they filed, listing the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), the 36 state Governors and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission as defendants.

    The Chairmen, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1264/17, want the court to restrain the Federal Government, the 36 state Governors and their agents from giving effect to the appropriation and/ or approval of appropriation of  $1b or any other sum, from the Excess Crude Account of the Federation, as contained in the decision made on December 15, 2017 unless and by means of statutory allocation by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    They also want the court to declare that the approval of $1b by the 36 state Governors to purportedly execute the constitutional duty of the Federal government, which has been sufficiently funded from the Federation Account, without the their consent is ultra vires, unlawful, null and void.

    They equally want an order of court declaring that in the discharge of its constitutional duty to safeguard the security and territorial integrity of Nigeria, the Federal Government of Nigeria, being the 1st defendant’s principal (AGF), must be funded in accordance with its Appropriation Act and by means of due accruals from the Federation account only.

    The plaintiffs want the court to declare  that the 1st -37 defendants’ appropriation and /or approval of appropriation of the sum of $1 from the Excess Crude Account of the federation made at the National Economic Council meeting of December 12, 2017 without regard to the consent of the 38th defendant (the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission), the plaintiffs; and the due appropriation of the various states’ Houses of Assembly, is unconstitutional, unlawful and of no effect whatsoever.

    They equally want a declaration that they are entitled to full share of all revenue accrued and accruable to the Federation Account and the Federation Excess Crude Account or any other Account whatsoever operated by and for the Federation of Nigeria, including the sum of $1,000,000,000 (which was purportedly approved for the expenditure of the Federal Government by the 1st-37th defendants at the 83rd, National Economic Council meeting of December 15, 2017, in accordance with section 162 of the 1999 constitution and the provisions of Allocation of Revenue (Federation Account) Act.

    The plaintiffs raised some questions for the court’s determination. They include:

    *Whether by the provisions of sections 153 (1) (h), 162 and paragraph 18, part 1 of the third schedule to the 1999 constitution, the 1st -37th defendants can lawfully appropriate and or approve the appropriation of funds in the excess crude account of the federation of Nigeria, without affecting, reducing or obliterating the plaintiffs’ lawful share of proceeds from the federation accounts.

    *Whether the 2nd defendant can lawfully appropriate and /or approve the appropriation of funds in the excess crude account of the federation of Nigeria, without the consent and /or consultation of the plaintiffs.

    *Whether in the discharge of the federal government’s constitutional duty of safeguarding the security and territorial integrity of Nigeria, (as mandated by section 217 of the 1999 constitution, the Federal government can lawfully resort to funding other than by means of its Appropriation Act.?

    The plaintiffs are: Deji Ogunsakin (Ado LGA); Bola Alonge (Ikere LGA); Lanrewaju Omolase (Ekiti South West LGA); Dapo Olagunju (Irepodun/Ifeelodun LGA); Samuel Adeniyi (Ekiti East LGA); Olumide Falade (Ise/Orun LGA); Sade Akinrinmola (Gbonyin LGA); Tayo Ogundare (Oye LGA); Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo (Ido/Osi LGA) and Taiwo Oguntuase (Emure LGA).

    Others are Kolawole Omotunde (Ekiti West LGA); Bolaji Jeje (Efon LGA); Adesola Adeyanju (Ikole LGA); Ganiyu Bakare (Ilejemele LGA); Adeniyi Adebayo (Moba LGA) and Abiodun Dada (Ijero LGA).

  • Updated: Governors approved $1bn for entire security architecture – Osinbajo

    Updated: Governors approved $1bn for entire security architecture – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday explained that the $1billion approved by governors across party lines was for the security architecture of the entire country.

    Controversies have trailed the approval of the fund from the Excess Crude Account, at the National Economic Council meeting last Thursday.

    The fund were earlier said to be devoted to fighting insurgency in the North East.

    But Osinbajo made further clarification on the matter when he spoke on Tuesday while declaring open the Retreat of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation with Secretaries to the State Governments (SSGs) at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the decision followed a security summit hosted two months ago by the NEC, which was “crucial in understanding and dimensioning the security problems of the country and the weaknesses of our security architecture.”

    He said the security summit examined problems of kidnapping, small arms trafficking, terror activities of Boko Haram in the North East, clashes between herdsmen and farmers and cattle rustling.

    He said: “It was on account of the security summit that the governors at the Nigeria Governors’ Forum subsequently decided that they would vote a certain sum of money, which has become somewhat controversial, the $1billion, to assist the security architecture of the country.

    “It was to assist all of the issues in the states, including policing in the states, community policing, all of the different security challenges that we have.

    “It was after the security summit that the Governors’ Forum met across party lines, again I must add, in order to approve and to accept that this is what needed to be done to shore up our security architecture.”

    Charging the SSGs on collaboration with the SGF, Osinbanjo said little would be achieved if relevant state government agencies do not work with the Federal Government to achieve the country’s developmental objectives.

    He said the role of the SSGs “is clearly central to cascading the action points and conclusions of the Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) in their states.”

    He said all policies of the federal government in agriculture are programmes of the states since land belong to the states.

     

  • Governors approved $1bn insurgency fund – Osinbajo

    Governors approved $1bn insurgency fund – Osinbajo

    Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said on Tuesday that state governors approved the removal of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to fight the Boko Haram insurgents after a national security summit organised by the National Economic Council.

    Osinbajo, who chairs the NEC, stated this at the opening of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation/Secretaries to State Governments’ retreat at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said: “It was after a national security summit of the National Economic Council that governors at their forum decided to approve some money for national security.”

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other Nigerians have condemned the decision of the Federal Government to approach the NEC for withdraw of the fund to fight insurgency.

    Read Also: Osinbajo: Buhari and I poorly paid

    The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan described the move as alarming.

    The party asked the federal government to explain the rationale behind such decision after claiming in the past that the Boko Haram sect has been defeated by the military.

  • No civilian killed in BH attack on WFP’s convoy – Army

    No civilian killed in BH attack on WFP’s convoy – Army

    The Nigerian Army on Monday denied the killings of civilians in an attack coordinated by the Boko Haram insurgents against the World Food Programme’s  ( WFP ) trucks on Saturday.

    Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, gave the clarification in a Short Service Message ( SMS )

    Nicholas said that the troops escorting the trucks had killed six insurgents and recovered weapons.

    He explained that there were no civilian casualties in the attack, adding that he was at Dikwa when the incident occurred.

    “There was an ambush but the soldiers killed six Boko Haram insurgents and recovered weapons. No civilian was killed.

    “I was in Dikwa that Saturday and this happened while I was within,” Nicholas said.

    Read also: Army sentences soldier to death for killing five civilians

    However, the Wold Food Programme ( WFP ) on Sunday said a driver of its hired truck and three other persons were killed in an attack at Ngala in Gamboru-Ngala Local Government Area of Borno.

    Adedeji Ademigbuji, the Communication Associate of the WFP, said in a statement issued in Maiduguri that a convoy of the WFP’s hired trucks conveying food items were attacked by gunmen 35 kilometres South-West of Ngala on Saturday.

    He disclosed that the convoy escorted by the military were conveying foodstuff for distribution to the vulnerable Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) in the area.

    He said that a driver of the hired truck, his assistant, and two other persons were killed in the attack.

    “WFP confirmed that a convoy escorted by the Nigerian Military including WFP hired trucks were subject of attack by armed groups, 35 km southwest of Ngala in Borno, on December 16.

    “Four people, including the driver of a WFP hired truck and his assistant, were killed in the incident.

    “WFP is working with the authorities to determine the whereabouts of the trucks,” Ademigbuji said.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram: NEC’s $1b approval in order, says Defence Minister

    Boko Haram: NEC’s $1b approval in order, says Defence Minister

    Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali has said the one billion dollars approved by the National Executive Council (NEC) for the war against Boko Haram was needed to finally terminate the sect.

    Dan-Ali stated this on Saturday at the Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre (NAFRC), Oshodi in Lagos, after the retirement/graduation of 403 soldiers who underwent skills acquisition trainings.

    The retired soldiers comprised 281 from the Nigerian Army (NA), 17 from the Nigerian Navy (NN) and 105 from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

    According to the Minister, NEC’s approval was in line with decisions reached at the conference of Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence Staff of member states of the Multinational Joint Taskforce held in Chad.

    Although Dan-Ali did not give specific details, he insisted that Boko Haram has been substantially degraded and that approval was to finish what was left of the group.

    He said: “Boko Haram has been really degraded. I just returned from Chad from the conference of Ministers of Defence of the Multinational Joint Taskforce.

    “These are some of the initiatives we are looking forward to from the Federal government so that this Boko Haram is finally degraded and finished out.”

    However, The Nation gathered reliably that a greater chunk of the money would be spent on the acquisition of military equipment and capacity building for the militaries of neighbouring countries.

  • Release of $1bn for FG to fight Boko Haram alarming – PDP

    Release of $1bn for FG to fight Boko Haram alarming – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday described the approval for the release of $1billion to the Federal Government under the guise of fighting insurgency in the North East as curious and alarming.

    A statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the party was alarmed by the manipulative plot by the All Progressive Congress (APC) administration to secure approvals without recourse to due process, and for purposes of fighting the same insurgents it claimed to have since defeated.

    The PDP wondered why the federal government had to recourse to the National Economic Council (NEC) while avoiding the direct constitutional appropriation channel of the National Assembly for funding of items already provided for in the federal budget if it actually has nothing to hide.

    The party said: “The PDP supports the fight against insurgency. We hold our officers and men confronting the terrorists and securing our territorial integrity in high esteem, but we are concerned about the manipulative tendencies connected with the approvals as well as the veracity of claimed purpose of the fund.

    “Nigerians would recall that the APC-led Federal Government had claimed that it has since defeated the insurgents.

    “If it would take a billion dollars from a nation’s savings to kill what they long claimed was dead, then we challenge the APC government to come clean and tell Nigerians the whole truth.

    “The era of lies and propaganda is long gone and Nigerians now know the truth. The federal government must be held accountable and stopped from any move to fritter away our national savings.

    “We therefore call on the National Assembly to interrogate this proposed disbursement and subject it to a thorough but rapid interrogation.”

    The PDP also noted that the development has rubbished the integrity of the current administration and demanded that it apologise to Nigerians for lying to them about the actual state of the fight against insurgency in Nigeria.

    “By accepting the $1billion for fighting insurgency,  the APC-led federal government has admitted that it lied when it announced that it has defeated the insurgents. They should therefore apologise to Nigerians for giving them a false sense of security, resulting in their vulnerability to attacks by terrorists,” the party added.

     

     

  • NAF bombs Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa, kills more insurgents

    NAF bombs Boko Haram hideouts in Sambisa, kills more insurgents

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) said on Friday it has carried out more air strikes against the Boko Haram terrorists in the Sambisa general area in Borno State, killing scores of insurgents and destroying their hideouts in the process.

    The bombardment of the insurgents were conducted with four fighter jets and two helicopters after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissannce (ISR) missions have been carried out on the target areas.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole carried out the strikes in an operation code-named operation Ruwan Wuta III.

    He explained in a statement supported with a declassified video footage that “on  December 12, 20 17, the Air Task Force of OP LAFIYA DOLE commenced an intensive bombardment of the hideouts of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in Northern Borno and the Sambisa general area in an operation codenamed Operation Ruwan Wuta lll.

    “On the first day of the operation, an air interdiction mission was conducted on a BHT hideout in Kolaram, which is 37km East of Monguno.”

    According to AVM Adesanya, “Previous Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions by NAF platforms had revealed Kolaram to be an active BHT location from where the terrorists had launched attacks on our surface forces in Northern Borno.

    Read Also: NAF Jet bombs Boko Haram structures, kills scores

    “Accordingly, two NAF helicopters were detailed for a pre-dawn attack on the settlement, followed by another wave of attacks from four fighter aircraft.

    “Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) showed that several structures were destroyed, causing fire within the settlement while some insurgents were killed in the process.

    “On the same day, one NAF helicopter and some fighter aircraft attacked an adjoining settlement Southeast of Kolaram, targeting structures that had been observed to host significant BHT activities. The targeted BHT structures were destroyed and engulfed in fire, killing the terrorists hiding in them.

    “During the attacks on Kolaram and Southeast of Kolaram, some escaping insurgents were tracked as they fled northwards to Jubilaram, which is 38km Northeast of Monguno.

    ” Accordingly, another wave of air interdiction was launched on the location, which was also found to be active with BHT activities. Four NAF fighter aircraft took turns to attack structures occupied by BHT elements in the settlement.

    “Subsequent BDA revealed that the attacks resulted in a large part of the settlement being engulfed in fire, thereby destroying the BHTs structures and neutralizing the fleeing BHTs.”