The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Damian Chukwu

  • We’ll protect IDPs – Borno CP

    We’ll protect IDPs – Borno CP

    The Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr. Damian Chukwu, said on Monday that police in the state would ensure the safety of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri and the entire state.

    Chukwu while reacting to reports of mass protest by displaced people in Maiduguri said:  “Urgent and aggressive measures are already in place to forestall orderliness and ensure protection of lives and property in the state.

    “We must protect and respect the rights of one another. The IDPs like I continue to say must explore dialogue on matters that border on their welfare. We the security agents on the other hand have the duty to protect them in all they do. We need the cooperation of everyone to overcome the security challenges in the state.”

    The police commissioner described Sunday’s incident as unfortunate and unnecessary, while appealing to the displaced people to be patient and avoid taking the laws into their hands.

     

     

  • Police arrest IDPs over protest in Maiduguri

    Police arrest IDPs over protest in Maiduguri

    The Borno State Police Command have arested many IDPs in connection with the yesterday botched protest to return back to their ancestral home after more than three years of exile from Boko Haram crisis.

    The Nation reports that some displaced people from Bama in the early hours of Sunday staged a protest at the welcome to Maiduguri, Bama/Maiduguri high way  close to unversity of Maiduguri gate II to push foward their resolve to return to Bama where they have been displaced by the Boko Haram crisis for more than three years.

    The protest which was coordinated by Bama Initiative for Human Development, led by their  their  Chairman, Alhaji muhammad Hassan, said they are not satisfied with the snail process of returning them home hence the need for them to embark on the journey to go back “even if it means by trekking to Bama” .

    He noted that  70 per cent of the reconstruction and rehabilitation projects hadģ been completed in the area, saying that they were tired of living as displaced persons. “We are in Maiduguri for more than three years without meaningful means of livelihoods. The condition of our people is pathetic. The elongation in the process of returning displaced persons to their homes is moving at a snail pace and exposed them to unbearable conditions. “We could no longer send our children to school; many have died of hunger and starvation. Most of us live in host communities and no one is supporting us,” Hassan stated.

    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Police Commissioner in the state, said that the group had not notified the command over their planned return to Bama. He advised the IDPs to dialogue with the state government and other stakeholders over their demand so that adequate preparations would be made. “The police have a duty to protect you and we will not allow you to gather people and expose them to danger in the name of home return.

    “Also, there is massive reconstruction and rehabilitation works going on in the town, executed by the Federal and State Government under the Bama Initiative. We will not allow you to go because of your safety, you better go back and wait for the time when government will permit your return to the town,” he said.

    Our correspondent gathered that despite the effort of the police Commissioner and his advice to the protesters,  some of them refused to listen to the plea and rather turned riotous  giving the police no option but to arrest them.

    A police source confirm to our correspondent in Maiduguri that a good number of the protesters including the leadership are in police custody and they would be prosecuted. “I cannot believe that despite the subtle approach and caution by the CP to these people, some of them went riotous and we were left with no choice but to arrest them. It is the duty of the police to protect lives and property at the same time maintain law and order,” the source informed.

    Meanwhile, there is a papable apprehension in the air for a possible of more protest from IDPs within Maiduguri metropolis as the news of the arrest continues to spread among the camps.

    In the spirit of reconciliation, Borno State Government called on the protesting IDPs to be patient and give his government more time to actualize their return.

    Gov. Kashim Shettima who spoke through his  Special Adviser on  Communication and Strategy said government is nothe in any way holding back the return of IDPs as they are rather economic burden to the state.

    “It is to the government’s advantage if IDPs return home because their return will lessen economic burden of supporting them as displaced persons.

    “The greatest wish of the governor is the safe and dignified return of all IDPs to their communities. Much as he wants the IDPs to return, he is also concerned about their safety.

    “Gov. Shettima is consistently committed to the ongoing rebuilding of private homes, police stations, hospitals, schools, water facilities, markets, council secretariats and other essential services in communities across 15 local government areas of the state,’’ Gusau  said.

    Gusau further  explained that government had constructed 20,000 housing units in Bama and provided modern health facilities, schools and police stations in the area. He added that the Federal Government was currently training a special Anti-Terrorism Squad and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to be deployed to the town under the Bama Initiative.

    According to him,   the special squad and the agro-rangers, specifically trained to secure farmers in their farmlands would replace the military.

    “We have to ensure that there is full return of civil security before IDPs can return. “The governor encourages safe and dignified return only after putting the right things in place,” Gusau said.

    He disclosed that the state government had re-built houses and re-settled displaced persons in parts of Kaga, Konduga and Gwoza Local Government Areas of the state. Newsmen report that thousands of persons were forced to flee their homes when the Boko Haram insurgents sacked Bama town in 2014. Hundreds of people were killed, maimed or abducted while the entire structures in the town were razed by the insurgents.

  • IDPs in Maiduguri demand return to Bama

    IDPs in Maiduguri demand return to Bama

    The Bama Initiative for Human Development, an NGO, on Sunday in Maiduguri staged a peaceful demonstration demanding the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their respective communities in Bama.

    The group’s Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Hassan, said that the IDPs would want to return and continue their normal activities in view of the prevailing peace in the state.

    Hassan noted that about 70 per cent of the reconstruction and rehabilitation projects had been completed in the area, saying that they were tired of living as displaced persons.

    “We are in Maiduguri for more than three years without meaningful means of livelihoods. The condition of our people is pathetic.

    “The elongation in the process of returning displaced persons to their homes is moving at a snail pace and exposed them to unbearable conditions.

    “We could no longer send our children to school; many have died of hunger and starvation. Most of us live in host communities and no one is supporting us,” Hassan stated.

    He said that most of them were traumatised, coupled with serious neglect and poor living condition, adding that they are ready to trek back to Bama.

    The Police, however, stopped the demonstrators from embarking on the trek and urged them to drop the idea because of safety.

    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Police Commissioner in the state, said that the group had not notified the command over their planned return to Bama.

    He advised the IDPs to dialogue with the state government and other stakeholders over their demand so that adequate preparations would be made.

    “The police have a duty to protect you and we will not allow you to gather people and expose them to danger in the name of home return.

    “Also, there is massive reconstruction and rehabilitation works going on in the town, executed by the Federal and State Government under the Bama Initiative.

    “We will not allow you to go because of your safety, you better go back and wait for the time when government will permit your return to the town,” he said.

    In his reaction, Gov. Kashim Shettima urged the IDPs to cooperate with government to fast-track the completion of rehabilitation projects in the town.

    Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser to the governor, Communication and Media Strategy made this known in a statement issued in Maiduguri.

    “It is to the government’s advantage if IDPs return home because their return will lessen economic burden of supporting them as displaced persons.

    “The greatest wish of the governor is the safe and dignified return of all IDPs to their communities. Much as he wants the IDPs to return, he is also concerned about their safety.

    “Gov. Shettima is consistently committed to the ongoing rebuilding of private homes, police stations, hospitals, schools, water facilities, markets, council secretariats and other essential services in communities across 15 local government areas of the state,’’ he said.

    Gusau explained that government had constructed 20,000 housing units in Bama and provided modern health facilities, schools and police stations in the area.

    He added that the Federal Government was currently training a special Anti-Terrorism Squad and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) to be deployed to the town under the Bama Initiative.

    The spokesman added that the special squad and the agro-rangers, specifically trained to secure farmers in their farmlands would replace the military.

    “We have to ensure that there is full return of civil security before IDPs can return.

    “The governor encourages safe and dignified return only after putting the right things in place,” Gusau said.

    According to him, the state government had re-built houses and re-settled displaced persons in parts of Kaga, Konduga and Gwoza Local Government Areas of the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that thousands of persons were forced to flee their homes when the Boko Haram insurgents sacked Bama town in 2014.

    Hundreds of people were killed, maimed or abducted while the entire structures in the town were razed by the insurgents.

  • Man arrested for defiling 10-year-old girl

    Man arrested for defiling 10-year-old girl

    The Borno Police Command has arrested  a 40-year-old man, Muhammad Usman,  for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl in Maiduguri.

    Mr Damian Chukwu, its Commissioner, made the disclosure while parading the suspect on Thursday in Maiduguri.

    Chukwu said that the suspect was apprehended by detectives on June 10, at about 14: 30 p.m..

    “The suspect has confessed to the act. He has told investigators that he had canal knowledge of the girl at the Londonciki area of Maiduguri,” he said.

    Chukwu explained that the command was awaiting legal advice from the ministry of justice, before prosecuting the suspect.

    The commissioner, who expressed dismay over the spate of rape cases in the state, advised victims to always come forward and seek redress.

    “People must change their attitude toward rape. Victims should report, while relations of suspects must stop making unnecessary pleas to save them.

    “It is disheartening to see victims’ families asking the police to drop charges against rape suspects.

    “Unless we change this attitude, we will continue to witness rape in the society,” he said.

    The Police commissioner said that the command had adopted proactive measures to enhance its operation, protect lives and rid Borno of criminals.

    He said that additional personnel had been deployed to Maiduguri and liberated areas to enhance security, while a conference would be held every month, to review and appraise the security situation.

  • Female suicide bombers kill 19 in Borno

    Female suicide bombers kill 19 in Borno

    At least 19 people including 12 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) were killed in Boko Haram’s attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Tuesday.

    The state Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, who confirmed the attacks, said seven civilians died in the incidents.

    At least 860 CJTF members have been killed in Boko Haram attacks in Borno since 2014.

    Chukwu told journalists that at least 23 people were wounded in the attacks.

    The commissioner, who had since visited the scenes of the attacks, said four female suicide bombers attacked Moloi, Judumeri and Polo-Sabongari areas of Maiduguri.

    He said the attackers targeted a CJTF check point and detonated their explosives, killing seven of the taskforce members.

    “The suicide bomber detonated an improvised explosive device, blew up herself and killed the mourners.

    “About 12 CJTF members and seven civilians were killed in separate attacks.

    “The attacks occurred between 10:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on the outskirts of the metropolis,” he stated.

    NAN

     

     

     

  • Suicide bombings: Police rules out setting up post in UNIMAID

    Suicide bombings: Police rules out setting up post in UNIMAID

    The Police Command in Borno on Thursday ruled out the possibility of setting up police post at University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), following increased suicide bombings by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Damian Chukwu, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

    Chukwu was reacting to calls for the police to move and checkmate the activities of the bombers at the institution.

    He explained that setting up police posts in UNIMAID would create difficult precedence for other universities to follow.

    He added that “let me say here that once you establish a police post in UNIMAID, you will have set up a difficult precedence.

    “This is because every other university would want the police to set up posts in their campuses too.

    “It is not the universities, even other tertiary institutions would want such posts established in their campuses.”

    He, however, said the police had been collaborating with the university outfit to ensure security at the campus.

    He explained that “originally, the university security outfit had been in charge of security arrangements in the university.

    “But since January when we started having suicide bomb attacks, we injected some security agents, including policemen and the military into the system.”

    The police boss said that the action initially paid off as it led to reduction of suicide bomb attacks in the university.

    He, however, added that with the renewed attacks, the police and other security agencies had worked out plans to put an end to the bombings.

    He said that “very soon these incidences of suicide bombings would be a thing of the past, I can assure you.

    “The arrangement we are making now is such that it will be difficult for any miscreant or bomber to gain access into the university,” Chukwu said.

    Ms Becky Edubi, a female staff of the university was killed after multi suicide bomb attacks last Sunday.

    Two other staff were injured during the attack.

  • Two killed in Borno attack

    Two killed in Borno attack

    The Police command in Borno has confirmed the death of two persons in a suspected Boko Haram attack along the Maiduguri-Damboa highway.

    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Borno Police Commissioner, who confirmed this on Tuesday said that the dead persons included a police man and a truck driver.

    “You would recall that since the Maiduguri-Damboa highway was reopened, motorists ply the road strictly on military escort.

    “Initially it was only the military that provides the escort, but later the police was invited to join,” Chukwu said.

    He said that the convoy left Maiduguri with the military in the front while the police was at the rear.

    “The convoy had about 200 vehicles among which included an 80-seater bus conveying a newly deployed Mobile Police Unit from Oghara in Delta heading for Askira Uba one of the newly liberated communities.

    “The convoy also had a burial party of a late Special Investigation Bureau police woman who died last week,” Chukwu said.

    He added:”The convoy started moving around 10:30 pm and by 11:30 we got information that they were ambushed around Abari-Dalwa village about 30 kilometres from Maiduguri.

    “Six of the Mobile Police Men in the bus were injured, but as I speak to you they are responding to treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital”.

    Chukwu said that non of the policemen lost their weapons to the attackers.

    He, however, said that a policeman in the vehicle conveying the burial party for the deceased policewoman died during the attack.

    “A police Sgt. Bala Tiishe was killed in the vehicle.

    “A civilian, Mustapha Modu, driving a truck conveying drugs for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) was also killed,” Chukwu said.

    He said all other policemen in the convoy were unhurt.

    Some eyewitnesses told newsmen in Maiduguri that the convoy was ambushed around Dalwa village by suspected terrorists using anti aircraft guns and heavy weapons.

    Malam Bala Wambai, a traveller who witnessed the attack, said that the attack happened around 11:30.

    “The terrorists decided to attacked the convoy from the rear after the military escort had passed around Dalwa.

    “They specifically targeted a Borno State Government school bus conveying some mobile policemen,” Wambai said.

    He said a number of police men were injured in the attack which lasted about 30 minutes.

    “Our vehicle was just few meters away from the bus conveying the police men, so we all ran into the bush for cover.

    “When we came back we discovered that a large number of them were injured while many were missing,” Wambai said.

    Mr John Yusuf, another traveller, said that the attackers were eventually chased away by a combined team of soldiers and policemen who responded to distress calls by the victims.

    “We saw them evacuating two corpses after the attack,”  Yusuf said.

  • 13 killed in Borno attacks

    13 killed in Borno attacks

    The Borno State Police Command has confirmed the killing of 13 persons in Wednesdays attacks in Maiduguri, the state capital.

    The state Police Commissioner,  Mr. Damian Chukwu, disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday.

    He said: “Suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Alidawari Village near Jiddari Polo area in Maiduguri on Wednesday.

    “The terrorists entered the village through Molai general area, an outskirt of Maiduguri.

    “They fired anti- aircraft guns to Jiddari Polo near the Federal High Court.”

    Chukwu said the attackers razed few houses in the village.

    “They set fire on some houses and makeshift tents in the neighborhood.

    “However, the police, comprising the Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) and others were swiftly deployed to the scene to engage the attackers,” he added.

    The police commissioner told journalists that the military also mobilised and repelled the attack.

    “The military massively mobilised and repelled the attack in a gun duel that lasted about an hour.

    “The command also invited the fire service who promptly put out the fire on the affected houses,” Chukwu said.

     

     

  • Boko Haram: Security agencies return personnel to liberated communities in Borno

    Some security agencies have deployed their personnel back to communities in the 24 local government areas in Borno liberated from the Boko Haram insurgents by the military.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Damian Chukwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri that his command had deployed its men in almost all the liberated communities.

    “We have our men in the local government areas liberated from the Boko Haram insurgents.

    “We are in Kala- Balge, Monguno, Gwoza, Askira-Uba, Damboa, Chibok, Nganzai, Gubio, Damasak, Konduga, Kukawa, Bama and other areas,” Chukwu said.

    He said, however, that the command had yet to mobilise its personnel to three local government areas – Abadam, Guza Mala and Marte.

    “The only local government areas we have yet to deploy personnel are: Abadam, Guza Mala and Marte, and this is due to an ongoing military operations there.

    “We are waiting for signals from the military to enable us to move in and as soon as the signals come we will deploy our men,” the commissioner said.

    He said the police deployed men from different departments to the areas due to their peculiarities.

    “Based on the peculiar situation in the state, we deploy personnel from police departments such as the Mobile Police, Counter Terrorism Unit and Explosive Ordinance Department (EOD),” he said.

    Similarly, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) in the state says it has deployed its officers and men back to the liberated communities.

    The NIS Comptroller in the area, Malam Musa Jahun, said the command had returned personnel to three main border posts in the state.

    Jahun said that the NIS had reopened its posts in Gamboru, Banki and Damasak.

    “The first area we returned was Gamboru-Ngala, a border community with the Cameroon Republic. We deployed our men in the registration and control posts for refugees returning from Cameroon.

    “We have been there for almost four months now, but we are just providing skeletal services. We are registering returnees in conjunction with the UN Commission for Refugees,” he said.

    ” Any place that is liberated from the terrorists, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) will usually perform a kind of celebration after which the paramilitary chiefs will meet with him to decide on the next line of action.

    “The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other paramilitary bodies will then move in,” the comptroller said.

    He said the Service had also commenced rebuilding of its structures damaged by insurgents.

    “We have started rebuilding our structures. We began with that of Gamboru station. The NIS service headquarters has reconstructed the housing blocks, while the Borno Government has assisted in rebuilding the offices.

    Also, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it had also deployed its personnel back to the liberated communities.

    The NSCDC Head of Operations in the state, Mr Danladi Daorong, said,“we have our men in a couple of places such as Bama, Konduga, Jere, Mafa, Gubio, Dikwa and Gamboru.

    “We are in the process of deploying our men in Damboa, and other few areas,” Daorong said.

    He, however, said that lack of logistics, especially operation vehicles, was hindering the exercise

    “Our operations are hampered by lack of mobility as we do not have vehicles to move around.

    “However, we are doing our best in the circumstances,” he said.

     

  • suicide bombers killed in another failed attack

    The Borno Police Command on Monday confirmed the killing of three suspected suicide bombers after a foiled attack near Maiduguri.

    Mr Damian Chukwu, the Commissioner of Police made this known in a statement in Maiduguri.

    “Information just received indicates, today at about 0510 hours three female suicide bombers attempted to enter Mamanti village in Jere Local Government Area.

    “They were intercepted by vigilantes called Civilian JTF.

    “In the process, one of the bombers detonated Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) strapped to her body killing herself alone.

    “The other two tried to escape but were shot dead by security personnel on duty”.

    Chukwu said that the police anti bomb unit had been drafted to the scene to render it safe.