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Tag: borno

  • Boko Haram: ITF trains 1,100 youths in Borno

    Boko Haram: ITF trains 1,100 youths in Borno

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has trained no fewer than 1,100 youths in Borno in various vocational skills, the ITF Area Manager in the state, Malam Aminu Hassan, said on Wednesday.

    Hassan said in Maiduguri during the launch of the fifth phase of the National Industrial Skills Development Programme that the beneficiaries were vulnerable victims of Boko Haram insurgency.

    He said 700 women and 400 men, drawn from the 27 local government areas of the state, were trained by the organisation.

    According to him, the beneficiaries were equipped with skills to enable them generate wealth and become self-reliant.

    The ITF Area Manager said that during the three month training programme, the male beneficiaries were trained in poultry farming, plumbing, shoe making, carpentry and other related trades.

    “The women were exposed to knitting, pomade making, fashion design, shampoo production among other skills.

    “The Fund is partnering with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Borno State Government and Bank of Industry.

    “One of the cardinal policies of the Federal Government is to create jobs and wealth for all Nigerians.

    “Under the scheme, 500 candidates were trained in other states but because of the insurgency in Borno 1,100 were accommodated in the programme,” Hassan said.

    He added that those trained would receive resettlement allowances from the Bank of Agriculture to start their own businesses.

  • Sexual abuse: Police deploy 100 female personnel to Borno IDP camps

    The Borno Police Command said on Sunday that it had deployed 100 female policemen to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the state following allegation of abuse of women by camp officials.
    The Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental organization, had alleged mass abuse of girls and women by camp officials in its latest report.
    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Commissioner of Police in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that his command was taking steps to ensure the protection of IDPs.

    He said he had also constituted a high powered committee to oversee the running of the camps.
    “I have constituted a committee, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), with Divisional Police Officers (DPO) and other senior officers, to take over the daily running of the camps.
    “It is interesting to say that most members of the committee are females,” he said.
    ” I have also mobilized over 100 women police from different divisions, including mobile police women, to handle day-to-day interaction in the camps.
    “The male officers will be limited to handling of the territorial coverage and patrol with in the camps,” he said.
    He said that the objective was to further secure the camps and give confidence to the thousands of women in the IDP camps.
    “The deployment of women police is also to dig out true happenings in the camps regarding the allegation.
    “We feel that the victims might not want to talk freely to men, but they will be encouraged to open up to women policemen if the allegation is true,” Chukwu said.
    He insisted that prior to the alarm raised by the international Human Rights organization, the police had not received any complaint on the alleged abuse. .

    “We have not received any complaint on any case of Human Rights abuse in the camps, so the whole thing appear strange to me; in each of the camps, we have many police outpost.

    “In Bakassi camp for instance, we have five police units because every Local Government Area in the IDP camp has its DPO and other policemen, with all the complement of law enforcement,” Chukwu said.
    He however said that police investigation would unravel the truth of the matter once and for all. (NAN)

  • 5 terrorists, 1 soldier die in failed suicide attack in Borno

    Troops have foiled two suicide bomb attempts targeted at a military location in Yamtakei in Gwoza Local Government Area in Borno on Thursday and killed five terrorists involved in the attempts.

    One soldier also died in the failed attempts.

    According to a statement by the army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, issued in Abuja on Friday, at about 9.45 p.m. a suspected female suicide bomber attempted to enter the military location in Yamtake, but a vigilant sentry on duty gunned her down and she died instantly.

    Usman explained that the failed attack was followed up with another attempt by terrorists, but “was decisively dealt with by troops”.

    “The troops killed all the four attackers, including two suicide bombers and recovered two AK-47, three magazines, 109 rounds of 7.62mm (Special), one torchlight, one water bottle, three magazine carriers, one illuminator pyrotecnic  and some quantity of drugs.

    “Unfortunately, we lost a soldier in the process,” Usman said. (NAN)

  • Borno youths selling fuel to Boko Haram

    •Sect members ‘sending stolen cattle for sale’ 

    The Boko Haram sect has devised survival strategies after being degraded by the troops.

    The objective of this is to enable them to get cash, food and fuel supplies.

    Commandant of the Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Mr. Ibrahim Abdullahi , told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Borno state capital Maiduguri, yesterday that youths were being recruited by Boko Haram to supply fuel to Gamboru Ngala in the northern part of the state.

    Abdullahi said his men had intercepted a reasonable quantity of fuel packaged in cartons of groundnut oil, bound for Gamboru Ngala.

    He said since Boko Haram were running out of food and other supplies, they had employed all sorts of means to replenish their stock.

    “The command arrested a suspect, who confessed that he did not know the owner of the consignment that he was asked to deliver to the insurgents trapped in Gamboru Ngala.

    “He later confessed that each of the five litres of fuel is sold at N15,000 to the insurgents.

    “You will recall we raised the alarm that some agents of Boko Haram were transporting stolen cows from Mafa, Kalabalge and Bomboshe axis in the state to cattle market in Maiduguri.

    “The Boko Haram men usually send the cows to their agents in the city who will then sell them and repatriate either cash or fuel to the terrorists.

    “We are therefore warning the people especially drivers not to accept or convey any form of message that looks suspicious to any one, especially along the Gamboru axis.

    “We are also warning the drivers, park owners and union groups to always check their passengers and their luggages to avoid transporting bad elements that would cause havoc in the society.

    According to him, the command is working with other relevant security agencies to bring all the collaborators of terrorists to book.

    Also yesterday, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advised Borno residents, especially the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), to be more vigilant, following increased suicide attacks targeted at the displaced persons in Maiduguri.

    Malam Muhammad Kanar, the North East Coordinator of the agency said the attacks were a sign of desperation by the Boko Haram insurgents to cause havoc in the IDP camps.

    “It is true that they have been trying all these while to gain access into the city and wreak havoc, but the security agents have been up and doing in preventing them.

    “Those that came in on Saturday were the first two and then today we had another one that was detected early enough by the security agents, ” he said.

    Kanar said that residents must collaborate with the security agents by being more vigilant to prevent future attacks.

    “This is the kind of challenge we sometimes face in carrying out humanitarian service.

    ”But definitely, we have confidence in the military and other security agents, the challenges shall come to pass,” he said.

    Nine persons were killed in a twin suicide attacks in Maiduguri on Saturday while another suspected suicide attack was foiled by the military on Sunday near the scene of that of Saturday.

  • NGOs seek safety measures for public schools in Borno

    Following the abduction of over 200 Chibok girls in April 2014, schools safety became a major concern for stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs), that have also joined the crusade to provide some security and safety tips for operations of schools in Borno State.

    A research by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) with Gender Equality Peace and Development Centre (GEPaDC), on the security and safety of schools in Borno, has said a lot of gaps still existed in the security architecture of public schools in ensuring pupils’ safety.

    Presenting the report of the survey at a consultative forum on promoting safety and security of schools in the state, a co-researcher of the programme, Prof. Patricia Donli, noted that security of schools in the state is a key component of security as communications, mechanism, safety tips, emergency response measures etc still remain a challenge in the nation’s public schools.

    Speaking in Maiduguri, Donli, who is also the Executive Director of GEPaDC, said  questionnaire was administered across  various classes of people, including community leaders, teachers and pupils.

    Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) Executive Director, Dr. Abiola Akiyode Afolabi, explained that WARDC and GEPaDC decided to come together and think toward providing a framework that would form at least a minimum standard for security and safety of pupils especially in the public schools for government to emulate.

    She said: “We feel people should have minimum knowledge like exit route, panic alert, fencing of schools etc. that are not expensive, yet can be done by schools that are committed.’’

    She said the programme, a pilot scheme designed to last for two years, was being implemented in three northern states – Kaduna, Bauchi and Borno, where three council areas of Chibok, Konduga and Maiduguri metropolis are.

     

  • Borno, Yobe tighten security ahead of Sallah

    Security in Borno and Yobe States has been tightened to ensure a hitch-free Sallah.

    Borno State Commissioner of Police Demian Chukwu said the command deployed personnel in the 13 major praying grounds in Maiduguri metropolis.

    He added that Ramat Square, which is the central praying ground, where the governor, Shehu of Borno and other dignitaries would worship, has been taken over by the police.

    The commissioner called on the people to be orderly, and give information to avert danger to the security agencies.

    Acting General Officer Commanding, 7 Division, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu, on behalf of officers and soldiers of the division, wished the Muslim Ummah and all law abiding citizens in Borno State a happy Eid.

    He urged Muslims to use the Sallah to pray for lasting and sustainable peace in the state and the country.

    In neighbouring Yobe State, traffic has been restricted by six hours today.

    A statement by Governor Ibrahim Gaidam’s spokesman, Adbullahi Bego, said vehicles have been restricted from 6 am to 2 pm today.

    The statement reads: “This is to inform the public that following meetings with heads of law enforcement agencies, the government has approved the placement of restriction on vehicles throughout the state between 6 am and 2 pm today.

    “The six-hour restriction is part of measures to ensure public safety as we mark the Eid. The public is advised that security agents will not allow any form of vehicles for the duration of the restriction.”

  • Nigeria risks bigger war over North East malnutrition crisis, Ndume warns

    Nigeria risks bigger war over North East malnutrition crisis, Ndume warns

    Senate Leader Senator Ali Ndume has warned that improper handling of the malnutrition crisis in the North East is capable of causing a larger war than the one being fought against the Boko Haram insurgents.

    The Boko Haram onslaught has displaced millions of Nigerians including women and children, leading to creation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps mainly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

    Scarcity of consumables and drugs in the region have also led to the death and malnutrition of some of the children.

    A recent United Nations (UN) agencies analysis, including that of the World Food Program showed that more than 4.5 million people are starving and in dire need of food in the area while the number could double within a short period.

    Speaking in Abuja at a cocktail party marking end of official Launch of the Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s, Get-Involved Initiative aimed at stemming growth of malnutrition in the area, Ndume noted that the crisis in getting worse.

    ” The situation in Borno State particularly in the North East and in the country as liberated generally is very very serious. If we don’t do something concrete now on these children that are growing up malnourished, sick with hunger, poverty and malnutrition in Borno state, then we are going to have another war that is worse than the Boko Haram.

    “So I want you to give the Wife of the President all the support. As estimated, if we don’t do something, for sure more than 50,000 children are going to die of malnutrition.

    “That is beside the people that are dieing right now because of hunger in Borno State,” he added.

    Thanking the Wife of the President for showing concern to the children, he called on mothers everywhere to emulate and try to do what Aisha Buhari is doing.

    “And I want to call on you the Wife of Mr. President to do more because what you have seen coming out of Bawa is a tip of the iceberg of what is happening in Borno state.”

    The Borno State Governor, Kashim Shetima said that the Wife of the President took the challenge of the crisis in the area head on by mobilizing resources to solve the problem.

    He said: “We cannot thank you enough. You deserve special commendation for your giant strides towards assisting the less endowed in our society.

    “She has so far given thirty trucks of assorted commodities to our people. We want to call on other well-to-do Nigerians to come out to give their widows might to her cause.”

    Speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Aisha Buhari said that she felt saddened by the magnitude of malnutrition facing the country.
    Noting that the magnitude of the problem can’t be solved by one stakeholder or group, she said that experts on nutrition have already articulated the current situation, the efforts being made and the future direction.

    “This is the time for all of us to once again renew our intentions and commitments towards ending the problem of malnutrition facing our country,” she said.

    Mrs. Buhari also called on traditional/religious leaders, private sector, civil society and the media to be part of the Get-Involved Initiative.

    The cocktail party was attended by many wives of state governors and cabinet members.

  • How Sheriff aided Boko Haram, by Borno AG

    How Sheriff aided Boko Haram, by Borno AG

    Borno State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaka Shehu Lawan, has listed 40 ways former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff allegedly aided and abetted Boko Haram violence.

    Lawan said he was a discussant in a paper delivered by Prof Mohammed Tabiu of the Bayero University, Kano, titled: “Strengthening the Justice Sector: Implications and Challenges of National Security And Economic Growth”.

    In his contributions, he accused Sheriff engaging in acts of impunity that led to the festering of the sect while he was governor from 2003 to 2011.

    Reacting, Sheriff reportedly asked Lawan to publish facts in support of his connection to Boko Haram.

    Lawan, in statement, listed the “40 facts”, which he said were ether unknown to many or were simply ignored or suppressed.

    He said in 2008, Borno under Sheriff established a special joint police and military anti-robbery squad called Operation Flush, with the commander reporting directly to the governor rather than the Commander of the 21 Armoured Brigade in Maiduguri.

    According to Lawan, on June 11, 2009, a detachment of Operation Flush intercepted a group of Boko Haram members then known Yan Yusufiyya who were on a funeral procession and sought to know why they rode on motorcycles without wearing crash helmets.

    “An armed member of the Operation Flush eventually opened fire on 17 members of the Boko Haram sect with some of them sustaining fatal shots and were admitted at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital,” he said.

    He said the state government disregarded the incident and did not condemn it, with the sect’s leader Malam Muhammad Yusuf threatening a reprisal attack in a newpaper interview.

    “A day or so after the interview, Yusuf delivered a sermon in Hausa language,  titled, Open letter to President Umaru Musa Yar’adua’ and directed his followers to go and arm themselves in preparation of self defense and eventful Jihad in response to the shooting of his 17 followers.

    “Even while Muhammad Yusuf issued this directive and threat for Jihad, Governor Ali Modu Sheriff still disregarded the possible room to make peace with the sect,” Lawan said.

    According to him, on July 21, 2009, nine members of the sect were arrested for possessing 74 empty bomb shells and materials for improvised explosive devices, which they said was in preparation to defend themselves against Sheriff’s operation flush.

    He said a counter-insurgency operation was launched by the Federal Government, with soldiers deployed to Maiduguri, targeting Yusuf’s enclave which is the sect’s headquarters.

    “After the sect was dislodged, Sheriff invited traditional ward heads and ordered them to point at houses belonging to fleeing sect members with most of the houses brought down,” Lawan said.

    According to him, Boko Haram attacks did not preceded Sheriff’s administration.

    He said: “Shortly after winning the 2003 elections, Ali Modu Sheriff created the Ministry of Religious Affairs under a pioneer Commissioner, Buji Foi with who was later found to be one of the financiers of the sect under Yusuf. However, Sheriff didn’t introduce Sharia.

    “Whereas Sheriff has always claimed that the violence of Boko Haram preceded his administration, what is a fact in October, 2003, part of the Boko Haram members, then known as Taliban, broke away from Muhammad Yusuf claiming that they could no longer live in a place that wasn’t being governed by Sharia law and this was some months after Sheriff took oath of office on May 29, 2003.

    “The breakaway faction called themselves ‘Taliban’ led by someone nicknamed Mullah Umar. They set up a base outside Kanamma, a village in Yobe state, located on the border between Nigeria and Niger Republic. They nicknamed their new base ‘Afghanistan’. They declared the new base a sovereign State under Sharia law.

    “On 5th of July, 2011, former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff tendered an apology to the Boko Haram sect ‘for whatever he might have done wrong to them’. Why did he apologise if he knew he did nothing wrong to the sect,” Lawan asked.

  • Borno beefs up security for aid workers

    Borno beefs up security for aid workers

    The Borno Government is mobilizing  additional security for aid workers in the state in the aftermath of Thursday’s ambush attack on a UN humanitarian mission convoy near Maiduguri.

    The attack prompted the UN to suspend aid to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northeast.

    Deputy Governor Mamman Durkwa told reporters in Maiduguri that government was disturbed by the incident.

    “We are going to collaborate with all security agencies to mobilize additional security for aid workers in the state to prevent  a re-occurrence of what happened on Thursday,” he said.

    Durkwa said he had held meetings with officials of the UN Sub-Office in Maiduguri on the issue.

    The deputy governor disputed media reports on suspension of aid work by the UN office in the state over the incident,saying:”The issue of suspension of aid work by the UN in the state is not true.

    “I met the UN officials and they told me that the attack would not deter them from doing their humanitarian work.

     ”Throughout our discussions, there was no mention of suspension of humanitarian work in the state.”

    The army and the UN Children’s Fund confirmed that two soldiers and three civilians ,including UNICEF officials and a contractor , were wounded in Thursday’s attack at  Meleri village, a few kilometres from Kawuri.

    The convoy,escorted by soldiers, was travelling from the newly-liberated town of Bama, where Doctors Without Borders has warned children die through starvation daily with 15 per cent suffering severe acute malnutrition and likely to die without food and medical aid.

    The attacks on the UN officials and soldiers came four days after personnel of Doctors Without Borders narrowly escaped being killed by landmines some few kilometres from where Thursday’s ambush attack was carried out.

    Humanitarian workers say there is a “catastrophic humanitarian crisis” in the areas where aid is being suspended.

    The UN said the attack was not only on humanitarian workers, but also on the people who mostly needed assistance and aid that the workers were bringing.

     UNICEF spokeswoman Doune Porter said yesterday that aid will continue in Maiduguri, the state capital, which is  hosting up to a million refugees.

    Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, in confirming  Thursday’s incident via a statement emailed to journalists, said:”Troops returning from Bama on humanitarian escort duty, were ambushed enroute Maiduguri by suspected remnants of Boko Haram terrorists hiding in Meleri village, a few kilometres from Kawuri.

    “The gallant troops, however, successfully cleared the ambush and exploited up to Afunori. Unfortunately, two soldiers and three civilians were wounded in the ambush, among whom were staff of United Nations agencies and other international humanitarian organizations.

    “The wounded have been evacuated to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, and they are in stable condition.

    “The Nigerian Army wishes to sympathize with our wounded colleagues, the United Nations and other non-governmental organizations whose personnel were also injured in this sad incident.

    “We wish to reiterate our determination and commitment to ensuring safety and security in the North East and safeguarding the lives of all persons.”

    The Chief of Army Staff,Lt-General Tukur Buratai, visited the wounded in the hospital.

    He interacted with the wounded soldiers and civilians and wished them speedy recovery.

    He commended the doctors and the hospital staff for their efforts in giving necessary care and treatment to them.

    Bama has been one of the most haunted towns since the Boko Haram insurgency began. Along the route to Bama lies the official gateway to Sambisa forest which is at Kawuri village.

    The distance between Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and Bama is about 85km.

  • Borno workers to return to liberated council areas

    Borno workers to return to liberated council areas

    The government of Borno State has directed civil servants in the 10 local government areas liberated by the military to return to work.

    The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Usman Zannah, gave the directive yesterday while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

    His words: “Governor Kashim Shettima has directed workers in the 10 liberated local government areas to return to work with immediate effect, following the return of peace to the towns.

    “Councils like Mafa, Magumeri, Dikwa, Konduga, Benisheikh, Askira Uba, Kala Balge and Kaga, among others, are free from Boko Haram and they are habitable. They were also rebuilt by the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Resettlement with the support of NGOs.

    “It is in line with this development that governor Shettima directed that salaries of workers must be paid in all liberated councils. We see no reason why workers should remain in Maiduguri when many have returned to their communities.

    “As you can see, we passed through Benisheikh, we are in Tomsukawuri now; we are moving to Metakorori and Ngamdu, and majority of the residents of these villages have returned.”