The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boko haram

  • UNDP constructs 300 houses for IDPs in Borno

    UNDP constructs 300 houses for IDPs in Borno

    The United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP ) has begun the construction of 300 housing units for internally displaced persons in Borno, the agency said in its fact-sheet.

    The prospective beneficiaries are victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in the state.

    The data made available in Maiduguri on Thursday show that the projects are in Ngwom community in Mafa Local Government Area.

    The UN agency stated that 288 of the houses were under construction, while work on the remaining 12 had not stated.

    The agency also stated that it constructed a clinic,  288 market stalls, 20 shops, as well as six classrooms, one administrative block and a store at the primary school in the community.

    It stated that the clinic would be equipped by the World Health Organisation ( WHO ).

    The agency said it had also distributed 210 bags of assorted fertilisers, 105 knapsack sprayers and 120 goats to farmers in the community.

    The agency also stated that it distributed  2,100kg of   sorghum seeds, 2, 100kg of millet seeds, 2, 362.5kg of cowpea seeds and 24 cartons of chemicals to farmers.

    It also highlighted some of its proposed projects, including a police out-post, borehole, installation of solar equipment at the clinic, distribution of agricultural inputs for fish farmers and livelihood support.

    It also proposes to provide unconditional grants to women and young girls, train youth entrepreneurs on micro and small business enterprises and train local government officials.

    “The training is to build the capacity of local government officials on provision of basic community services, maintenance of public infrastructure, planning and monitoring skill,” it stated.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram: CDS in Northeast as governor visits victims

    Boko Haram: CDS in Northeast as governor visits victims

    Chief of Defence Staff ( CDS ) Gen. Abayomi Olonisakinis has started an operational visit of troops fighting the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East

    This follows the renewed attacks by the sect in the region, the latest being Tuesday’s suicide attack in a mosque in Mubi while led to the death of no fewer than 50 people.

    A suicide bomber who disguised as a worshiper, blew himself up during early morning prayers at a Mosque in Dazala area of Mubi, causing the deaths.

    The CDS visited the Military Command and Control Centre, and the Theatre Command of the Operation LAFIYA DOLE in Maiduguri.

    Theatre Commander Maj. -Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru said “We are to provide first-hand information on the operational activities in the theatre.

    “The visit will avail the CDS with the opportunity to understand the issues, challenges and how to address them”

    Adamawa State Governor Mohammed Bindow yesterday urged residents to be more security conscious to avert further suicide attacks.

    He spoke when he visited victims of the Mubi bomb blast at the Federal Medical Centre in Yola.

    He announced that he would hold a Security Council meeting in order to restore stable and secure environment.

    He also said that he would reach out to the Mubi community and hold a meeting with the traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the area.

    The Governor condemned the bomb attack, saying that he was saddened by the development.

    He assured that the State Government would not relent in its responsibility of providing security to lives and property.

    Chief Medical Director of the Hospital Prof. Auwal Mohammed, said that 16 victims of the attack were received by the centre.

    Mohammed said that those with serious injuries were operated upon, and that their condition was stable.

    The United States (U.S.0 yesterday condemned the suicide attack.

    The U.S. Department of State in a statement by its Spokesperson Ms Heather Nauert, described the blast as a terrorist attack.

    The U.S. extended its sincere condolences to the Nigerian people and the families of the victims killed in the attack.

    “That the victims were targeted and killed in a place of worship demonstrates yet again the brutal nature of the terrorists whose sole aim is to threaten the peace and security of Nigerian citizens.

    “Such ruthless attacks on innocent civilians only serve to strengthen our resolve towards meeting these threats in cooperation with our Nigerian and regional partners.”

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said yesterday that its component of the Operation Lafiya Dole has successfully detroyed a facility being used by the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) to manufacture Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

    Director of Information and Public Relations Air  Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya said the facility was located in Yiwe, south of Konduga, Borno state.

    Adesanya said in a statement supported with a video footage of the operation that the suicide bombing which rocked part of Maiduguri, Borno state capital on November 18 was planned from the Boko Haram Terrorists’ facility.

    The statement reads: “In furtherance of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on 20 November 2017, successfully destroyed a Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) facility for manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

    “The BHT facility, which was in a place known as YIWE Forest, located 23km south of Konduga in Borno State.

    “Previous NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions had revealed the location to be a BHT hideout, from where the Maiduguri suicide bombing of 18 November 2017 was reportedly planned.

    “Available Human Intelligence also revealed that the hideout contained IED-making facility for the insurgents’ suicide bombing attacks.

    “Accordingly, one Mi-17 Helicopter, 2 x Alpha Jet and 2 x F-7Ni aircraft were detailed to carry out air interdiction on the target over a 2-day period. Overhead the location, the aircraft took turns to deliver a combination of bombs, rockets and cannons on the target.

    “The subsequent Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) revealed that the strikes had destroyed the IED-making facility and other BHT structures, killing an unspecified number of insurgents in the process. The air strikes also caused a huge flame within the settlement, owing to the cache of IEDs stored by the BHTs, while a few fleeing insurgents were further strafed with cannons and rockets”.

  • Boko Haram: Olonisakin visits troops in North-East

    Boko Haram: Olonisakin visits troops in North-East

    The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, on Wednesday began an operational visit of troops fighting the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

    The CDS visited the Military Command and Control Centre, and the Theatre Command of the Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Maiduguri.

    The Theatre Commander, Maj. -Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, said the visit was part of a routine exercise to the Theatre of operation.

    Attahiru explained that the CDS would be briefed on activities of troops and the campaign against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.

    “We are to provide first-hand information on the operational activities in the theatre.

    “The visit will avail the CDS with the opportunity to understand the issues, challenges and how to address them,” he said.

    Olonisakin was accompanied by senior military and police officers during the visit to the Theatre Command.

    NAN

    Read Also: Boko Haram may be regrouping, NLC warns FG

  • Actionaid begins psycho-social support to IDPs in liberated communities

    Actionaid begins psycho-social support to IDPs in liberated communities

    A team of psycho –social support counselors trained by Actionaid Nigeria with support funding from UNFPA have commenced counseling of victims of Boko Haram on Sexual Gender Based Violence and other related issues in Borno State.

    Our correspondent who visited the NRC IDP Camp in Beneshiek, Kaga local Government saw the team interacting with the displaced people at the IOM Safe Centre at the camp.

    In what looks like an orientation or an introductory meeting, the PSS Team informed the IDP community of their mission and explained to them what they were expected to within the next two months in the community.

    The team leader of Kaga Local Government, Mala Kachala described their meeting with the community as fruitful, adding that, “with the kind of response we have received from the people today about this project, I am sure we are going to make serious impact in this community because the people are so cooperative with us. We are really encouraged by the turnout and we hope they will come out and speak about any kind of violence that has been meted against them”.

    Sani Abubakar, a resident IDP said the meeting with the Actionaid team has exposed them to some rights they ought to enjoy at the camp.

    Hauwa Bukar, did not have time to narrate her entire story but a scratch of clearly reveals a highly traumatized women left with a paralyzed husband and seven children to cater for from the small bean cake frying business she does every day in front of the camp.

    According to her, her hitherto energetic husband developed high blood pressure after a Boko Haram attack in their community that sent everyone packing. He never recovered from that attack and it presently confined in a house paralyzed with stroke.

    Her greatest worry is how to raise the seven children with N300 she makes from her kwese business. “I woke up every day and think of how to feed the children and take care of my husband. Sometime I feel like taking my life. I thank God for these people (Actionaid) for coming. From what they said, I have someone that can listen to my problems and help me solve them”, Hauwa informed our correspondent.

    Explaining the scope of the program, the Project Manager Health, Actionaid  Nigeria  Maryann Obidike, said forty  Psychosocial Support Counselors (PSSC) underwent five days intensive training under the program,  ‘Prevention and Response to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)’  at Command Guest House in Maiduguri where they were trained to give psychosocial Support on Sexual  and Gender Based Violence  to displaced people at designated IDP Camps and host communities.

    She informed that the  PSSC are divided into  four groups, ten each to cover liberated communities in four LGAs of Borno State which include Pulka in Gwoza, Beneshiek & Mainok in Kaga, Rann in Kala-Balge and Banki in Bama Local Government Areas.

  • Boko Haram: Group holds Rally for Buhari in Abuja to Celebrate Nigeria’s successes

    Boko Haram: Group holds Rally for Buhari in Abuja to Celebrate Nigeria’s successes

    A group under the aegis of Coalition for Peace and Stability, Tuesday paralyzed commercial activities at the popular Wuse Market in Abuja in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s success over terrorism in the country.

    Members of COPS, who marched from Wuse Market to the Presidential villa , likened President Buhari to the biblical David, who has succeeded in conquering terrorism in the entity called Nigeria.

    Comrade Abdulmumini Tijani, the national Coordinator of the group, who, spoke on behalf of the group, called on the Nigerian military to do all within it power to finish off the remnants of Boko Haram in the shortest time possible so that Nigeria would be in a position to celebrate total freedom from the blood-thirsty terrors.

    Tijani said, “The Institute for Economics and Peace has however auspiciously accelerated our achievement of this objective when it released the Global Terrorism Index 2017. From what is in the news about the report, it shows that the number of those killed in terror attacks have reduced by 80%. What we understand by this is that eight out of every ten persons that Boko Haram or other terrorists would have killed are alive.

    For us the Coalition for Peace and Stability, this is a testimony that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to fulfilling his campaign promise of restoring security in the country. It is remarkable that keeping this promise has international impact because the global terrorism related deaths fell since the figures for Nigeria dropped. It is our earnest hope that this international impact will translate into positive gains like restored investors’ interest in Nigeria.

    “We also expect that those supporting evil by providing sustenance to Boko Haram will see this report as reason to cut off the lifeline they provide to terrorists. Human life is precious and sacred and nothing should be done to cut it short for whatsoever reason.
    Our coalition not only congratulate President Buhari on this positive report but also commend Mr President for this achievement considering that most of the efforts that have gone into degrading and defeating Boko Haram are homegrown. The President was able to achieve the improvement in terrorism ranking without going cap in hand to beg for foreign intervention.

    “We also commend the Nigerian Army under the leadership it the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, who leads a military to be proud of. Soldiers under his command continue to perform no mean feats even with funding constraints, harassment from international NGOs and blockade of weapons supply by some interested countries.
    COPS urge stakeholders, NGOs and human rights organizations and all well-meaning Nigerians to increase their support of President Buhari’s war on terror because our desire is to record zero terrorism related deaths. The 80% reduction implies that there are still “20% deaths that are needless. Our belief is that when Mr President and the military get more support the remnants of Boko Haram can be further degraded to a point where they are not able to cause sorrows and tears among us anymore.

    “While calling for support for President Buhari, we urge his administration to dutifully take a critical look at the Global Terrorism Ranking to see what areas improvements can be made in a way that more gains are made by our military in the year 2017/2018. We particularly want the strengthening of the military to finish off the remnant of Boko Haram in the shortest time possible to that Nigeria would be a position to celebrate a total freedom from terrorists killing citizens.”

    COPS further appealed to Nigeria’s international partners to take note of what the country has achieved with minimal support and to on the basis of that extend to Nigeria the support needed to restore peace to the West African sub-region.

    Addressing the rally at the Villa, Shehu Garba, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, thanked the group for their support to the anti-terrorism war of the current government.

    Shehu said this is the kind of support the government needed as it works round the clock in ensuring a terror-free Nigeria.

    A visibly elated Shehu said, “This is the kind of support the government need at the critical time.

    “I must assure you that the president is not relenting on his words that Nigeria must be free from terrorism.

    “In fact, our gallant military troops are working day and night to ensure that all our towns and villages are captured from the extremists. As I speak, I can boldly tell you that no local government in Nigeria is under the control of the insurgents.

    “Our soldiers are also helping to combat terrorism in neigbouring countries.

    “That goes a long way to tell you that the government is keeping to its promise on war against insurgency.”

  • Boko Haram beheads six farmers in Borno

    Boko Haram beheads six farmers in Borno

    The Islamic Boko Haram group has beheaded six farmers at Dimge plantation in the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno.

    The killing is the latest in a string of attacks in the violence wracked North-East, where more than 20,000 people have been killed in nine years of insurgency.

    The killing occurred on Nov. 19, while the farmers worked on their farms in the plantation, an eye-witness, Jiddah Ahmad, told our correspondent in Jere town, near Maiduguri on Monday.

    Ahmad said that the insurgents abducted seven farmers as they worked on their farms and slaughtered six of them in a nearby bush.

    Ahmad, who is a younger brother to one of the slain farmers, said that two of the slain farmers were from Lawanti Gongulon Village in Jere.

    According to him, the remaining four are from Masu Community in the Mafa Local Government Area of the state.

    “My brother was working in the farm together with other farmers. They were accosted by the insurgents when they went to fetch water at a river.

    “The insurgents shot my brother before beheading him and beheaded another farmer on the same spot while an old farmer was set free,” Ahmad said.

    A member of the Civilian Joint Task Force, Usman Muhammad, also told our correspondent that the insurgents had earlier slaughtered four other farmers at the same plantation.

    Muhammad disclosed that the insurgents came to the farm on motorbikes and attacked the farmers.

    He said that the insurgents forced an aged farmer among the abductees to witness the brutal murder of other farmers, telling him to convey the message to families of the victims.

    “We are currently seeking clearance from the military authorities to enable us to evacuate the corpses for proper burial,” he said.

    The military and police authorities have yet to make statements on the latest killings.

    The military authorities have said that they have completely degraded Boko Haram but the group has continued to pack bloody punches on a regular basis.

    Nigeria’s North-East has remained the hotbed of the insurgency, although other areas of the country, including Abuja and Lokoja have not been spared.

    NAN

  • Adamawa pays N20m counterpart fund to scale up FADAMA project

    Adamawa pays N20m counterpart fund to scale up FADAMA project

    The Adamawa Government has paid N20 million counterpart fund for the implementation of the FADAMA III Second Additional Financing (AFII) programme to fast-track efforts to restore people’s livelihoods in the state.

    Mr Mohammed Bello, the State Project Coordinator of FADAMA, made this known on Friday in Yola, while presenting a report to the FADAMA mission team led by Dr Ben Herbert.

    Bello said that the FADAMA III (AFII) project, also known as North East Security and Livelihood Emergency Support Project, was initiated to respond to the food and livelihood needs of families who were hitherto displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency.

    He noted that the feats recorded in the project encouraged the state government to pay the counterpart fund.

    “The scope and scale up of Fadama III (AFII) project activities in the six northeastern states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi and Gombe is aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the project.

    “Adamawa is one of the participating states and it is expected that over 4,000 households in the state would have been supported by the end of the project.

    “FADAMA III (AFII) project covers all the 21 Local Government Areas of the state.

    “From the 4,000 supported households, 2,240 persons were returnees and 1,760 persons were from the host communities, while the project also engaged 20 facilitators across the state,’’ he said.

    He said that the FADAMA III (AFII) project had built the capacity of the beneficiaries and provided advisory services for them.

    “With regard to crop production, 2,331 households were supported under the project, which also supported fisheries.

    “The inputs distribution pattern showed that 12,950 kilogrammes of rice varieties like Faro 44 variety were distributed, while 207 hectares of rice farmlands were cultivated.

    “Other crops that were distributed include maize, sorghum, groundnut and onion, while fertilisers, herbicides and insecticides, among other inputs, were also dispensed.

    “Advisory services were given to 4,000 household beneficiaries across the state, with 2,331 beneficiaries in the crop sub-sector and 1,669 in the livestock sub-sector,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram may be regrouping, NLC warns FG

    Boko Haram may be regrouping, NLC warns FG

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised an alarm of what it called renewed threats posed by the Boko Haram insurgency to the security of the nation, saying available information have it that the insurgents were fast regrouping and pose potential threat to the nation.

    The congress said the insurgents have recently carried out some attacks in the north east which suggest they were regrouping to wreck more havoc on the people.

    President of the congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who spoke at the National Executive Council meeting of the Congress in Abuja also said that Labour leaders have now become target for assassination, adding that it has reported the recent murder of a Labour leader in Kogi state to the global watch dog for Labour issues.

    While lamenting that workers have been at the receiving end of the harsh economic realities in the country, Wabba said the Congress has received formal communication from the government that they were ready to inaugurate the national minimum wage committee to review the current minimum wage.

    While saying that the committee’s inauguration was supposed to have been done, he said it had to be shifted to allow leaders of the Trade Union Congress return from an official engagement outside the country, hug insisted however that the committee must be given a particular time line to conclude negotiation.

    He also called for the immediate constitution of Boards of agencies and parastatals with workers representatives, pointing out that information available to the congress has it that President has already approved the composition of the board.

    He said the congress has tried to do a lot of policy engagement and look at the various sectors and the challenges from the economic to security and social angles as well as issues in our polity, adding that “clearly speaking, it is obvious that workers have been at the receiving end.

    “Some of the new trend suggest that workers have come under some level of attack and violation of their fundamental rights. When a worker is not being paid after 30 days, his rights have been violated. The same applies to the pensioner.

    “I want to salute your courage for confronting these challenges head on. We will continue to act in a way and manner that will make sure we advance issues of social justice in our system and rule of law and respect for dignity of law should be respected. Some of these challenges are numerous.

    “In the social angle, we are aware of the usual threat to throw our members out of their jobs and that has a lot of social consequences that will add to the problem. Unemployment of our youths is one of the challenges that Labour has tried to tackle over times.

    “Importantly also is the emerging trend in our security paradigm. Hitherto, we have celebrated the successes in areas where we have security challenges in the country. In the recent past, we have seen how the issues of Boko Haram has been responded to.

    “I think there is an emerging trend that suggest that they are actually regrouping. In recent time, we learnt that they have launched two attacks and this has actually raised some concerns. The same thing applies to the emerging agitations in the Niger Delta region.

    “The stability of any system is predicated on peace and stability. Without peace, no investor will be encouraged to do any kind of investment anywhere in Nigeria. That is why the primary purpose of governance anywhere around the world is peace, security and welfare of the people.

    “Therefore, peace and security is very important. When we have instability anywhere, it means that the issue of inequality will continue to be exacerbated. Therefore, we are concerned with all of this, but importantly is the issue of due process and the rule of law.

    “Workers have come under serious attack because those rights have been violated and we have evidences that such rights have been violated. Our political elites who swore by the constitution to uphold the sanctity of the rule of law and respect for human dignity have been acting with impunity. Anywhere there is lack of respect for the rule of law, there will anarchy and so, there will be survival of the fittest.

    “There is a new agitation through a process that is aimed at exploiting all of us by making sure that Labour issues are removed from the exclusive legislative list. We must strengthen our engagement. On no account should any state sign any undertaking on this issue without advancing our position.”

     

  • The International day for tolerance

    The International day for tolerance

    “Law alone cannot secure freedom of expression, in order that every man presents his views without penalty, there must be spirit of tolerance in the entire society.” – Anonymous.

    The International day for tolerance is a time for people to learn about recognizing and respecting the rights and beliefs of others. It is also a time of reflection and debates on the negative effects of intolerance globally.

    Live discussions and debates take place across the world focusing on how various forms of injustice, oppression, racism and unfair discrimination have negative impacts on the society.

    Many educators use the theme of today to help students understand issues centered on tolerance, human rights and nonviolence.

    This day can be traced back to the 50th anniversary of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) on November 16 1995. Member States adopted a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

    The Declaration affirms that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference. It is respect and appreciation of the rich variety of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human.

    Tolerance recognizes the universal human rights and fundamental freedoms of others.

    Driving home the essential values and condiments of the International day for tolerance, it is pertinent that as a people we see the strength in our diversity regardless of the upheaval in various parts of the country; the agitations of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB ), the Niger Delta militants or even the devilish sect – Boko Haram in the North.

    We share a collective destiny as a people, therefore, let us join hand together and create a congenial country that posterity will be proud of.

    People are naturally diverse; only tolerance can ensure the survival of mixed communities in every region of the globe.

    This day is an opportunity to speak out on human rights, laws, especially with regard to banning and punishing crimes and discrimination among minorities.

    Finally, today is committed to strengthening tolerance by fostering mutual understanding among cultures and people and this is more important than ever in this era of rising and violent extremism and widening conflicts that are characterized by a fundamental disregard for human life.

  • Benin republic deploys 150 troops to fight Boko Haram insurgents

    Benin republic deploys 150 troops to fight Boko Haram insurgents

    The Republic of Benin has deployed 150 soldiers to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), to fight Boko Haram insurgents in the Lake Chad region, an official has disclosed.

    Col. Mustapha Anka, the Chief Military Public Information Officer of the Force, made the disclosure in a statement he issued on Thursday in Maidurguri.

    Anka said that the troops comprised eight officers and 142 soldiers, adding that the contingent had arrived MNJTF’s headquarters, Farcha Camp, Ndjamena, Chad.

    He quoted the Force Commander, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, as urging the troops to be good ambassadors of their country.

    Irabor, however, admonished the troops to be law-abiding, disciplined and display a high sense of professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

    “Gen. Irabor reminded the troops of their tasks, which involve garrison duties for the MNJTF.

    “The commander thanked the President of the Benin Republic, Patrice Talon, the government and good people of the republic for their unflinching support in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in the Lake Chad region,’’ he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Benin is the fifth West African country to join the MNJTF, beside Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad. (NAN)