The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fighters

  • Troops kill seven Boko Haram fighters

    Troops kill seven Boko Haram fighters

    Seven Boko Haram terrorists have been killed in an ambush at Dawashi by troops of 7 Brigade in Maiduguri.

    A statement yesterday by Army spokesman Col. Sani Usman, said some items recovered from the terrorists include petrol, IEDs, 1 AK-47 and a Peugeot Station Wagon.

    The statement said: “Troops of 7 Brigade have ambushed and killed seven Boko Haram terrorists at Dawashi early this morning. The gallant troops that laid in wait at the terrorists suspected crossing point engaged them on sight, killed the seven terrorists and recovered One Peugeot Station Wagon loaded with 2,010 litres of Premium Motor Spirit packed in 67 Jerri cans, uniforms, some materials and Improvised Explosive making Devices (IEDs).

    “Others items recovered include, dry cell batteries, 1 AK-47 rifle, tools and fish”.

  • Chibok girls ‘now Boko Haram fighters’

    Chibok girls ‘now Boko Haram fighters’

    The hope of recovering the abducted Chibok girls yesterday dimmed further with the declaration by a returnee from Boko Haram camp.

    Twenty-one-year old Tabitha Adamu, one of the women freed from the sect’s camp and handed over to the Borno State Government last week, said the girls had turned to Boko Haram fighters.

    Tabitha, who is expectant for one of the sect’s commanders who forcibly married her, said she mingled with the girls at various times in the sect’s camp.

    According to Tabitha, she was taken from Bayan Dutse in Gwoza Local Government Area, when the insurgents invaded her village.

    [ad id=”403656″]She said: “They killed my father and brother. They took me along with my mother but at some point we were separated. Since then, I’ve not set my eyes on my mother. When he (Abu Kabir, my Boko Haram husband), wanted to marry me, he gave the women who were  taking care of us N5,000 as my bride price.

    “Before the marriage, I was asked to convert to Islam. I did so because many who refused were killed and they gave me a name (Samira). I answered the name but I know my true name is my real name. When we were rescued I told the soldiers that my name is Tabitha.

    “They asked me if I am one of the wives of the Boko Haram and I told them my story. They felt for me and they treated me well.

    “Many people asked me since we were liberated, particularly about the pregnancy. I don’t know the right answer to give because I actually do not know what to do. It has happened. I don’t know what the authorities would do about it but I think it is too late to abort it. But my prayer is that I give birth safely.”

    Tabitha said she completed her secondary education and earned a certificate in computer appreciation in Maiduguri before moving to join her parents in Gwoza, at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency.

    According to her, now that the government has promised to help her, she would be looking for a good future when she finally gains her freedom after the government might have trained her in a trade.

  • Medals for gallant fighters

    Medals for gallant fighters

    For their bravery and success in tackling insurgency, officers and men of the army have got a pat on the back, plus medals of honour, DUKU JOEL reports

    It may well be a brand-new world for the armed forces. In the first month of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the morale of the forces has been boosted with an official recognition of officers and men who fought insurgents, even managing to grab back lost territories.

    It was a big day for the honoured. That was why they all came smartly dressed. The atmosphere was congenial. The guns bonded smartly with their bodies, stretching from the length of their arms down to their knees with only the magazines popping out just slightly at the waist. No bullet was fired. No sound heard.

    It was not a time for chasing the enemies but a time for rewarding officers and men of the Nigerian Army for their gallantry in fighting the Boko Haram terrorists in Yobe State.

    Over 2,000 soldiers, serving and dead who fought the Boko Haram insurgents in the state got a medal of honour for service to fatherland.

    The two-hour occasion kicked off at 10:00 a.m. when the guest of honour and the Governor of Yobe State, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam arrived at the beautiful Hockey Playground of the August 27 Stadium. He was received by the General Officer Commanding 3rd Division, Maj-Gen. Fatai Alli, Commander of 27 Task Force Brigade, Colonel Usman Yusuf who were on the ground to boost the morale of the troops as they received the medals of honour.

    For many civilians that attended the event, very few could envisage the importance of the occasion until the citation of the medals was read out by the Master of Ceremonies (MC) who doubles as the spokesman of the 27 Task Force Brigade, Capt. Eli Lazarus.

    He said: “As a result of the successes achieved by the Brigade and in recognition of the enormous sacrifices of the officers and men in furtherance of the Nigerian Army tradition on operations, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minnimah graciously approved the award of medals and honours to deserving personnel. These medals are: the Operation Zaman Lafiya Medals and the Purple Heart.

    To underscore the importance of the medals and also inform the audience on what they stood for, the Master of Ceremonies took time to read out the citation of the two medals, paying attention to every minute detail of the items of recognition.

     

    Operation Zaman Lafiya Medal

     

    Explaining the significance of “Operation Zaman Lafiya Medal, he said: “It is an additional medal to existing ones in the Nigerian Army. The medal is awarded to deserving personnel who have spent a minimum of six months in the ongoing operation in the Northeast against the Boko Haram terrorists.

    “The operation Zaman Lafiya Medal has seven stripes of four different colours namely; red, white, green, white, yellow ochre, white and red distributed vertically. “The red colour signifies the blood being shed in the operation. The white signifies peace while the yellow ochre (sandy brown) represents the terrain of the operation. The green white green stands for the national flag. The map of Nigeria also depicts the Northeast theatre while the Coat of Arms at the back signifies joint operations.”

     

    Nigerian Army Purple Heart Medal

     

    Throwing light on the second medal, he said: “The Purple Heart medal is awarded to any member of the Nigerian Armed Forces who, while serving within the theatre of operations, is wounded or killed. Specific example of such services include any action against an enemy of Nigeria; any action with an opposing Armed Forces of a foreign country in which the Nigerian Armed Forces are engaged. 

    “The Purple Heart differs from all other medal in that, an individual is not recommended for the award; rather a soldier or an officer is entitled to it upon meeting specific criteria.

    “However, not more than one award will be made for more than one wound or injury received at the same instance. Enemy-related injuries which justified the award of Purple Heart includes injuries caused by enemy bullet, shrapnel or other projectile created by enemy action; injury caused by enemy placed landmines or traps, among others.

    “It is also awarded posthumously to those killed in any operation. It is the most recognised symbol of combat injury and the sacrifice of personal safety.

    “The ribbon has the Nigerian Army colours between two stripes of purple. The medal is the shape of the heart (from which actions are initiated). Both sides are coloured purple (the deep love of a soldier for his country and humanity). The front side has four (4) drops of blood (the supreme sacrifice of a soldier) and Nigerian Army Purple Heart inscribed in a gold letters on the side.

    “The edge of the medal is golden (excellent sacrifice). The drops of blood increase in size downward to indicate the increasing degree of soldiers’ sacrifices for the benefit of humanity,” he said.

    Due to the size of the soldiers to be decorated with the medals and in an attempt to manage time effectively, some were selected for ceremonial presentation by the guest of honor, Governor Gaidam and Maj. Gen. Alli.

    Some of the wounded soldiers were seen walking with crutches to receive their medals, while the dead ones were also posthumously honoured.

    After the presentation of the medals, there was an address by Governor Gaidam during which he commended the troops for their gallantry and exemplary display of heroism despite the asymmetric war waged by the insurgents in the state and the region.

    Governor Gaidam noted that the Boko Haram insurgency is directed at gaining control over territory. In trying to achieve that, he said, Boko Haram terrorists employed various diabolical means, including armed attacks, suicide bombings, selective killings, threat text messages, intimidations, extortions, wanton destruction of lives, property and public installations, among others to achieve their objectives.

    He said: “Despite the challenges posed by unconventional and asymmetric warfare, our gallant, dedicated, disciplined and loyal members of the armed forces did not lose courage at critical moments…They refused to give up and faced each difficulty with confidence.”

    The governor added that to assist the military in ensuring peace in the state, his administration has continued to render various forms of support, including logistics, payment of allowances, footing medical bills of officers and men injured in battle as well as rendering support to members of the families of armed forces who died in the line of duty.

    “We pursue these policies as a token of appreciation and gratitude of the government and people of Yobe State for the exemplary heroism they display in the insurgency campaign.”

    According to the governor, officers and men of the armed forces killed in the line of duty ‘did not die in vain’, adding that “they lost their lives in the service of our great nation and their patriotic acts will remain evergreen in our memories”, he said.

    The parade was attended to by the General Officer Commanding 3 Division Jos, Maj. Gen. Alli, Commander of 27 Task Force Brigade, Col. Yusuf, the Field Commanding Officer Operation, Colonel Dahiru Bako, the Yobe State Commissioner of Police, Danladi Markus, the Director, State Security Services (SSS), other law enforcement agencies and officials of Yobe State Government.

    Though most of the soldiers refused to speak to the press to express their feelings, investigation revealed that medaling is a cherished tradition in the army.

    A retired soldier explained that soldiers proudly hang their medals at every opportunity available to them.

    “Soldiers value these medals so much. Don’t you see that they always put them on their shoulders at every opportunity they are in a ceremonial dress?

    The more medals you hang, the more respect you command in such gatherings,” he said.

  • Keshi must bring fighters into Eagles – Nwanu

    Keshi must bring fighters into Eagles – Nwanu

    Former Nigeria central defender and Stephen Keshi’s 1994 Super Eagles’ team mate, Chidi Nwanu, has called for a total overhaul of the country’s senior national team “to make it more productive and result-oriented.”

    Nwanu, who pastors a church in Belgium, told NationSport yesterday that the attitude of the players needs to change for Nigeria to continue being a major force in African football.

    Nwanu, who watched the Eagles versus Congo and South Africa versus Eagles ties on television in Belgium, told NationSport he was disappointed with the performance of the players in the two matches and that it showed clearly and glaringly that the players were no more in the mood to fight for victory.

    His words: “It is sad to watch the Super Eagles lose to Congo Brazzaville the way the team lost in Calabar to Congo. It showed that there is a great problem in the team and it is high time something drastic was done. I would recommend a total overhauling of the team for Nigeria’s name not to be put into disrepute.

    “The way I see these players now, there is a total decline in their performance compared with when the players fought gallantly in South Africa in 2013 to win the African Cup of Nation. So, there is need for my friend and brother Stephen Keshi to have a second look at this team and do a surgical operation through overhauling of the team.

    “Nigeria is a country blessed with lots of talented football players and we need players that are hungry, devoted and dedicated and ready to fight for shirts in the team.

    ‘Keshi should remember that during our playing days there was great fight for position in the team. Most times I did extra trainings and worked very hard just to ensure I picked the first team shirt ahead of Keshi himself while Keshi too was very resolute to keep the shirt. Same thing happened in other departments of the team during the 1994 team. This was the magic for the successes we recorded during that time.”

    The Belgium-based pastor also advised his friend Stephen Keshi to put sentiments aside and call up players that are playing regularly and doing well in their respective clubs abroad.

    Reacting on the exclusion of Villarreal of Spain striker Ikechukwu Uche from the team, Nwanu said that Keshi is experienced enough to be able to manage any player with stubborn attitude and that the alleged indiscipline of Ike Uche shouldn’t be the yard stick to ban him from playing for the national team.

    “Personal differences should be put aside and the needful should be done,” Nwanu said. “The national team should not be anybody’s palace. A coach should be able to accommodate any player no matter how bad such player’s attitude or character is.”

    “For example the media and fans fought for Osaze (Odemwingie) to be at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the player had great impact at the World Cup. So, this is what I am saying. Keshi should try and bring in fighters that want to prove a point.

    ‘Also, there should be at least two to three capable and quality players fighting for each position in the team. This will definitely improve not only the quality of the team but the performance too,” he advised.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • ‘June 12 fighters have lost out’

    ‘June 12 fighters have lost out’

    Veteran labour leader Chief Frank Kokori played a major role in the struggle for the revalidation the June 12, 1993 presidential election result. He spoke with MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE on the pains of the lost battle.

    Today marks the 20th anniversary of ‘June 12’. Looking back, how would you describe the journey?

    I will say that it is quite a long period and everything is historical. We are happy that today, we are breathing the air of freedom in a democratic Nigeria; where people can now criticise openly in the newspapers. They can come out to demonstrate openly and say a lot of things about the President and the political leadership of this country. Every Nigeria is now free to speak out his mind, which is quite an achievement for the country. If we had not had dictatorship, military and civilian benevolent democracy, we will not appreciate what is freedom. Now, you could be arrested for any crime and be taken to court for trial. With the judiciary that is encumbered in democracy, you could be given a fair hearing and be granted bail. You could have representation of lawyers to defend you at courts. I think that is quite an achievement. But when you are under dictatorship which was that period we are now talking about, which is 20 years ago, in Nigeria there was nothing like democracy and freedom. In the military era, if you say anything that is against the President or those in power, you could be handled the way they like it and nobody heard about it. Today, we are very happy that we have reached a stage in Nigeria where freedom is no longer a luxury. But notwithstanding, that does not mean that our aspirations and most of the good things Nigerians were talking about when they went for the struggle have been achieved.

    Those who annulled June 12 have not told Nigerians the reason for that 20 years after…

    It is very unfortunate actually. But I think the fault is with Nigerians and you don’t have to blame the military people who were in power at that time and those who are still lucky to be alive, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), a coupist who caused the whole problem. This is because Nigerian themselves have not called him to order. Sorry to say that Nigeria’s situation has not helped even matters because those who struggle to get things done have not actually benefited from it. They have not actually found themselves in position to benefit from it. In other part of the world, freedom fighters end up being the real leaders of their countries. They set the milestone that guide their countries. A typical example is the Russian revolution, the American struggle. Coming back home we have South Africa where the African National Congress (ANC) took over the leadership of the country after the independence struggle. Uptill now they ANC governs the country and has made good laws guiding the country. They embark on genuine reconciliation, those guilty were told and the necessary atonement made. In Nigeria, the situation has not really been so, and nobody has been told they did one wrong or the other. Nigeria situation has always been that of opportunity. The people who struggle at the end of the day actually do not benefit from the power equation. Take Nigeria independence struggle for instance, the Southerners were more in the struggle. We have the likes of Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and others they were the people who were in the forefront and in the north we have the likes of Ahamdu Bello and Tafawa Balewa. But it was like the was forcing the North to join the independence struggle. That was why it took much longer time before the independence came. Those in the South were proposing some date closer to 1954, 1956 and 1957, but because of the North, independence had to be delayed. And when independence actually came, the party that came to power was the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC). This, I will say, Nigeria got on a platter of gold without the shooting of guns. It was achieved based on dialogue and negotiation.

    But if you look at the process that brought Mozambique, Angola and other countries to independence, where the people died for the cause and particularly, what ANC actually passed through to get South Africa independence, one will understand that Nigeria got hers on a platter of gold. So, when you come to power on a platter of gold, you don’t seem to know how to manage it. Nigerians who were in their comfort zones are those ruling you today. The capitalist bourgeoisies took advantage of the freedom and lunched themselves to power. They could not come out to do things that we did. And unfortunately for us in this part of the world, when the political whistle was blown to start political activities they in their comfort zones who hobnobbed with the military to launch themselves to power. They had made corrupt and stupendous wealth; they now have the money to throw around because the people are so poor. The people were easily manipulated by them. The civil society that went into the struggle was not even as organised as people thought. They were not organised to take over the governance and when the whistle was blown they were in disarray. The bourgeoisies who were more organised took over governance. The civil group was not deep in ideological social philosophy. It was later they now started to regret but already those people have entrenched themselves. And being a corrupt system, you can’t uproot them because they will always use money.

    The agitation for power shift to the North is now rift. Is this justifiable?

    You cannot tell me that 14 years is not a long period. But to me, I believe that people should demand for power when they know they want to make a good use of the power and not for self aggrandisement. The north has always held power for self aggrandisement but they struggle for it through coups or other methods. The southerners got it on a platter of gold after June 12. The norths now said oh, let us pacify this people and they gave it to us on a platter of gold. It has never been like that before. They had to even allow the candidates that contested the elections to come from the South. Obviously, they just wanted power to be in the South for between four and eight years and now it is going to 14 years. Obviously, you can’t say they want it back. And honestly, they want it back because power in Nigeria has so much patronages. The country has been so mismanaged that there is no other business as lucrative as government business. So, the most lucrative business in Nigeria is government business. They want if for self aggrandisement which too often resides in the hands of few. And now, the power is in the hands of President Goodluck Jonathan and the governors who are now enjoying it. Who do you think will want to give it up? Nobody wants to give it up. That is the Nigerian system; first of all they stay there to accumulate corrupt wealth. Thereafter, they live forever with the wealth acquired in a corrupt manner. But when we now reach a stage where you will account for how you make your wealth, they will be afraid to seek power and steal public fund.

    The re-naming of the University of Lagos after Chief M.K.O Abiola protests. Does that mean the man is no longer popular?

    No, the man is still very relevant. It is just that the way the government went about it angered the people. The way the government sold it to the people was not unwelcome. Even the most ardent supporters of Abiola felt it was wrong. If it was done when Abiola just died it would have been better. Many people will just merely grumble and that will be the end. You see, this type of things are not tampered with easily. You can’t just go to Oxford University over night and change its name to Margaret Thatcher University. Even when you consider the ages of the students, most of them were not born when the incident happened. You now went to their university which they are very proud of its name and say Unilag the brand name is now ‘MAU’. To me, this is right but it was not done in the proper way and untimely. There are other things that could be name after the man. It was even painful that most of the Pro-Abiola people could not speak against it. They were just grumbling, they could not just come out and say oh it was bad at that time. But to me too, I sympathise with the country and the system. The way it was done was political; at that time Jonathan aim was to please the people of the Southwest and when he did it the situation boomeranged. There are other good things he can still do in Abuja and Lagos for M.K.O Abiola. Goverment can even name the National Assembly because Abiola was the symbol of that democracy or declare a public holiday in his honour.

    You were almost forgotten in prison for your role in June 12 when General Abacha held sway. What lesson should Nigerians learn from the dark period?

    You see, when you struggle for your country that does not mean you will come and demand for compensation or that you want to enjoy something. It is just a 50-50 situation. For instance, how many people will pray to pass through what Nelson Mandela passed through by spending 27 years in jail? They cannot even afford one year in jail, nobody wants that. Mandela was just lucky, a lot of his compatriots just died unsong. Mandala suffered and suffered and old before becoming the president. Again, the people were better organised because they have a freedom fighting machine that knew what they wanted. To them, if they survive it good. What is even killing in the Nigerian system is the tribal sentiments attached to what we do and has become a national problem. There are certain people who will appreciate you and there are some who will not. The Nigerian civil society could not have come out with anything better because it was disorganised. We never agreed that this is what we wanted, so we lost everything to the bourgeoisie class. There is no system in the world that people will patronise you for just championing a change without the clear cut focus of leadership that you want to provide. Even in the West, people never went as far as what we went through. If I had been a Yoruba man, they will just give me a governorship on a platter of gold. I know what happened to late Lam Adeshina, People like Bola Tinubu, Segun Osoba and Bisi Akande, they were all made governors without money but for the role they played in the struggle. But I am from a different part of the country and my own belief was different from theirs. To me, it was Just NUPENG, give this to NUPENG or give that to NUPENG. It was just about the union alone and not political. If I had gone to Delta State at that time I could have become a governor even though it is more difficult to achieve this there than the West. At that time, I was the number one hero of democracy in this country. Apart from Abiola who was the symbol himself. Who again? Then the human rights people like Gani Fawehinmi who was not a politician, he later realised. That was why I said, we the human rights people were disorganised. We never knew what we were looking for.

    But you later contested elections in Delta State…

    No, I just had somebody who I was more interest in him becoming the governor. And I was just fighting for him, since I was getting older than the age that will provide me the rigour to serve as governor. The Delta politics too was heavily monetised. If you don’t have money, you can’t even run since huge money way involved. In 1999, you don’t need much money to contest elections. If it was monetised then, people like Lam Adeshina, Akande could not have become governors. People you even say were rich at that like Tinubu and Osoba were modestly rich.

    For those who don’t have money and want to serve the country, how do they go about it?

    They have to go their gods. It is so bad that people are being discouraged. In the South-south I think it only Cross River State that is only modest in terms of money you pay to become a councillor. Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom are on the high side. In the SDP days, you did not need much money to become a councillor but now a young boy there would need at least N2 – N3 million to become councillor. For local government chairman, you need up to N20 million that is the minimum. Who among the activists or student activists can afford such money? If you are talking of becoming a governor then you should be coughing out money running into billion of naira.