The Nation Newspaper

Tag: kills

  • Boko Haram kills 14 volunteers

    Boko Haram kills 14 volunteers

    MORE deaths were recorded yesterday in Borno State as the Boko Haram sect continued its bloody campaign.

    No fewer that 14 members of the youth vigilance group, otherwise known as “Civilian JTF”, were killed in Benishiek, 72 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital, early yesterday.

    No fewer than 18 other members of the “Civilian JTF” were injured.

    A Special Adviser to Governor Kashim Shettima, Mr. Garba Ngamdu, confirmed the killings in the town, which is the headquarters of Kaga Local Government Area.

    It was gathered that the ‘Civilian JTF’ killed five Boko Haram sect members and seized four Pump Action guns from them.

    Ngamdu was at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) where the 18 civilian JTF men who sustained gunshot wounds were receiving treatment.

    The killings followed the attack on the sect’s hideout by the newly created 7 Division of the Army in Borno during which no fewer than 50 members were killed.

    “The youths in Benishiek lost 13 of their members; 12 died when they were ambushed around 12.30am and one died in the hospital when doctors were carrying out a surgery to remove bullets from his stomach.

    “The youths had privileged information that the insurgents were perfecting plans to attack them; they then mobilised and informed the military operatives in the locality.

    “However, somewhere along the line, the insurgents learnt that information about their imminent attack was leaked. They then changed their strategy. When they (attackers) went to Benishiek, they divided themselves into two groups. The first group attacked the military formation on the outskirt of the town and the second group took cover.

    “On hearing sounds of gunshots, the youth vigilance members moved in a direction the insurgents ambushed, which led to the death of 12 of their members on the spot,” he said.

    Speaking on his hospital bed, Mohamed Abuwar, one of the leaders of the “Civilian JTF” in Benishiek, said the terrorists wanted to sack the community, adding: “We successfully repelled the attack because they wanted to kill all of us and our parents. We mobilised to the outskirts of the town and stopped them from gaining access.”

    Another injured member of the group Zanna Fannami, who is injured said: “The terrorists are angry with us and want to discourage us…there is no going back; we have taken our destiny in our hands.

    “If I survive the injuries I sustained, I will continue struggling.”

    The spokesman of the newly created 7 Division of the Army, Lt Col Sagir Musa, could not be reached for comments.

    The road linking Maiduguri from Benishiek has been closed down by military operatives who are said to be combing the bush to apprehend suspects.

    It is the major road that links Borno with Bauchi, Kano and Abuja.

  • Boko Haram kills 20 in Borno

    Boko Haram kills 20 in Borno

    The Boko Haram sect came back with fury yesterday, despite the serious efforts by the military to crush its insurgency.

    Men suspected to be members of the sect, bearing sophisticated weapons, launched attacks in Borno State, killing no fewer than 20 people.

    They attacked schools and hospitals, setting some houses on fire in Gajiram, headquarters of Nganzai Local Government and Bulabulin Ngawra village in Konduga Local Government Area of the beleaguered state.

    Nganzai is about 73 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital. Bullabulin Ngawra is 45 kilometres away. The local governments share boundaries with the terrorists’ major camps in Marte and the Sambisa Forests, which the military said had been destroyed since June.

    The terrorists reported to be about 40, were armed with Ak47 rifles. No fewer than 15 people were killed in the ambush on Gajiram. The vigilance youths also known as “civillian JTF” and military men later engaged them.

    The terrorists also laid ambush to the Damboa-Maiduguri road, which was reopened two weeks ago, where they were believed to have shot dead five people.

    “The Boko Haram sect members attacked Bullabulin Ngawra in the early hours of today (Thursday) and killed five people. I believe that they attacked us because of how our volunteers have succeeded in curtailing their atrocities in our area,” an eyewitness said.

    Some Maiduguri residents told reporters: “We saw two Hilux patrol vehicles of the military conveying bodies and the injured heading towards University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), but we could not ascertain whether they were victims of the latest attack in Nganzai or Bullabulin Ngawra”.

    It was gathered that on Wednesday, the “Civilian JTF” and the military arrested 14 terror suspects with arms and ammunition in Bulunkutu ward, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) premises and Sulimanti ward of Maiduguri metropolis.

    The suspects, according to sources in Maiduguri, sneaked into the hospital through the perimeter fence, before the youths sighted them with rifles and ammunition at about 10.35am on Wednesday.

    “The suspects disguised as injured and sick persons with rifles hidden under their flowing gowns. They perforated the barbed wires; before entering the hospital premises to seek medical attention. The vigilance youths saw the suspects and arrested them on the spot, before handing them to us here.”

    Some suspects were also arrested in Bulunkutu in Maiduguri when they were trying to collate information on the activities of the civilian JTF.

    The military spokesman in Borno Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, said he was not aware of the incidents. He promised to get back to reporters after compiling his report.

  • Mob kills Customs officer at Lagos border

    Two Customs officers were yesterday reportedly lynched at the Lagos-Seme border by angry youths over the death of a motorist identified as Saturday. But the Customs confirmed one officer dead.

    Saturday was said to have been shot dead by a Customs officer around Operation Two Area while attempting to smuggle rice into Benin Republic.

    His death angered onlookers who moblised stormed the Customs post at the border. They claimed that two others had earlier been shot dead by the Customs.

    The mob was said to have burnt a Customs’ patrol vehicle.

    The yet-to-be-identified officers, it was learnt, were heading for work. The mob also burnt their car.

    An argument, it was said, ensued between Saturday and the unidentified officer who reportedly killed him.

    It took the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Seme, Mohammed Mu’Azu, and the border patrol unit of the Nigerian Army, to restore normalcy.

    Customs sources confirmed that Saturday was shot because he attempted to escape after he was caught, adding: “He did not die, he was injured and he is currently receiving treatment.”

    A source debunked the allegation by the residents that the officers shoot indiscriminately and attack them at will.

    Customs’ spokesperson Ernest Olottah said their men were attacked because they had conscientiously tackled smuggling at the border.

    In a statement made available to The Nation, he said: “It is with heavy and sorrowful heart that the Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) announces the gruesome killing of one of our senior officers by some smugglers in the Ashipa area of Seme on Thursday August 29 (yesterday).

    “The deceased officer, while in his official uniform, unarmed and driving to the command’s headquarters for a routine meeting, was accosted by a mob, which forced him out of his vehicle. Buoyed by an identified chief of the community, the officer was murdered in cold blood and his vehicle set ablaze.

    “It is worthy of note that the intensification of our anti-smuggling operation, which has led to over 686 seizures since January, has placed us in the danger of attacks like this from criminals. These criminals are those being prevented from using the border for the anti-economic and other nefarious activities. Our operatives, owing to their uncompromising stance against smuggling and protecting the nation’s economy, have come under series of attacks by smugglers and some unpatriotic elements, who see smuggling as their right.”

    Olottah added: “Attempts made at disarming some of our operatives in the recent past were rebuffed Comptroller Othman Abdu Saleh, Customs Area Controller of Seme Border, has in collaboration with sister government agencies including the police, commenced moves to bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to book. But he has affirmed that this unfortunate incident will not deter operatives of the command under his watch from carrying out their lawful duties.”

  • JTF kills Boko Haram chief Shekau’s deputy, 17 others

    JTF kills Boko Haram chief Shekau’s deputy, 17 others

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday said that a Boko Haram commander, Momodu Bama, who was said to be the second-in-command to the leader of the sect, Imam Abubakar Shekau and 17 others, had been killed in a shoot-out between Special Forces and the insurgents.

    Besides, 24 members of the sect were arrested by the troops.

    Bama was one of the 19 leaders of Boko Haram declared wanted by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State on November 23, last year. There was no independent confirmation of Bama’s death last night.

    But it was learnt that the commander’s body was taken away by the insurgents.

    According to a statement by the Director of Information at the Defence Headquarters, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, Shekau’s deputy was killed along the “Bama corridor”. He was described as an expert in manning anti-aircraft guns for Boko Haram.

    The statement said: “As troops intensify pursuit of terrorists, who have been unleashing mayhem in Borno and Yobe communities, the death of Momodu Bama, said to be the second-in-command to the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has been confirmed by other arrested terrorists.

    “This followed encounters with the terrorists around the Bama corridor.

    “Momodu Bama has been personally leading the attacks against troops and innocent citizens in the communities of Yobe and Adamawa.

    “A specialist in manning the anti-aircraft guns of the group, he is known to be vicious and heartless with a penchant for personally slaughtering and executing his victims.

    “Momodu Bama has been a most wanted terrorist with a N25million bounty already placed on his head.

    “Others that died in the operation include Bama’s father, Alhaji Abatcha Flatari, who is also one of the spiritual guiding lights of the outlawed terrorists group. 17 other terrorists also lost their lives in the encounter while 24 were arrested.

    “The troops are continuing the pursuit of the terrorists while intensifying aggressive aerial and land patrols to ensure better security cover for the communities, especially in the two states.”

    Shedding more light on the encounters with Boko Haram members, a top source added: “The second-in-command to Boko Haram leader and 17 others were actually killed between Sunday and Monday in Bama corridor.

    “What happened was that after they attacked Bama town, we launched counter-attacks. It was in the process of trailing them that troops engaged the insurgents in some encounters which led to the death of the 18, including Momodu Bama and his father.

    “We did not even know that Momodu Bama was shot dead in the crossfire until we started interrogating the arrested suspects who confirmed it to us. They gave us sufficient testimony to reach our conclusion.”

    Asked if the military had retrieved Bama’s body, the source said: “As usual of the sect, they took away the corpse of Momodu Bama.”

    Bama was one of the 19 leaders of Boko Haram declared wanted by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State on November 23, 2012.

    A N25million ransom was placed on him by the JTF.

    Others were four members of the Shurra Committee of the sect, including, Shekau (N50million); Habibu Yusuf (a.k.a Asalafi) N25million; Khalid Albarnawai( N25million); and Mohammed Zangina (N25million).

    The Boko Haram Commanders are Abu Saad (N10million); Abba Kaka (N10million); Abdulmalik Bama (N10million) Umar Fulata(N10million); Alhaji Mustapha (Massa) Ibrahim (N10million); Abubakar Suleiman-Habu (a.k.a Khalid) N10million; Hassan Jazair N10million; Ali Jalingo (N10million); Alhaji Musa Modu (N10million); Bashir Aketa (N10million); Abba Goroma(N10million); Ibrahim Bashir (N10million); Abubakar Zakariya (N10million); and Tukur Ahmed Mohammed (N10million).

    In Maiduguri, JTF also confirmed Bama’s killing.

    JTF spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa told reporters that the person killed by security forces in neighbouring Adamawa State was not Momodu Bama as claimed.

    “It is either the suspect adopted the name of Momodu Bama, a popular Boko Haram operation officer and the second-in-command to Shekau, or the task force could not ascertain his real identity.

    “On the contrary, we killed Bama and his father, Abatcha Flatari, a Boko Haram spiritual leader, on August 4 during a counter-insurgency operation at Bama.”

    He added that “it took over a week to ascertain their identities”.

    A JTF statement said Bama, also called “Abu Saad” by sect members, was “one of the most vicious and heartless killers in the group with penchant for slaughtering his victims”.

    “He had a bounty of 25 million naira placed on him by the JTF and the said Momodu Bama’s father, Abatcha Flatari was one of the spiritual leaders of Boko Haram in charge of indoctrinating children who are mainly abducted to serve as foot soldiers.”

  • CAN: Boko Haram kills 16 in Borno church

    CAN: Boko Haram kills 16 in Borno church

    Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor yesterday alleged that Boko Haram members handcuffed and burnt to death 16 Christians in a church in Biu, Borno State.

    CAN, in a statement, said Pastor Oritsejafor was saddened by the twin explosions by Boko Haram in Kano metropolis where about 53 people were killed and scores injured.

    The statement by Pastor Oritsejafor’s Special Adviser on Media, Kenny Ashaka, said: “He is particularly traumatised by the unreported news from Biu in Borno State that 16 Christians were handcuffed and burnt to death by members of the Boko Haram sect within the precinct of a church in the ancient city on Sunday, a day before one of the explosions in Kano went off at the Christ Salvation Pentecostal Church at the peak of evening worship.

    “On behalf of CAN, the President commiserates with the victims of the bomb attack, the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the Kano and Biu tragedies and insists that these happenings are a further confirmation that the primary targets of the Boko Haram sect are Christians and their churches. He prays that God should grant unto the families of the departed the grace of comfort at this trying moment.

    “Pastor Oritsejafor says with the bombing of the Pentecostal Church, the killing of non-indigenes of Christian faith in Kano and the 16 Christians burnt to death in Biu, the Federal Government should consider the handshake to the Islamic militant group as having extended beyond the elbow.”

    According to him, the Boko Haram sect is becoming more untrustworthy and that this latest killings of non-indigenes and Christians in their places of worship have further stirred the sensibilities of the people, adding that “with the persistent and continuing attacks on innocent Nigerians who are largely non-indigenes and churches in the northern part of the country for four years on by the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram, the need for an all-round strategy to rein in the Islamic insurgents has become more persuasive now more than ever before.

    “We in CAN commend officers and men of the special forces for taking extra-ordinary steps to protect the lives and property of innocent Nigerians.

    “The police and the State Security Service, SSS, should do the same and, in addition, sharpen their investigative skills. As it is, we would not be wrong to think that those who buy the extreme ideologies of the Boko Haram sect have infiltrated the ranks of all the security arms of the nation as intelligence sharing and management seem thwarted by agents of the sect within the system.

    “If personalities who do not have the mandate of the people speak as though representing them, those mushrooming as champions of the North would also add to inspire the terrorist into action against those who are from other regions and religions.

    “In the meantime, we plead with Islamic scholars to begin to restructure the unsymmetrical unity among them which has manifested in the evolution of five denominational ideologies, namely Suni, Shia, Tijania, Izala and Ahmadiyya. The real Islam that CAN knows should make true leaders of the faith to rectify the contradictions of arbitrary knowledge of the Qur’an to remind those pushed out of the line to seek the good of all.

    “Having waved the olive branch, constituted a committee to dialogue with the result that more Nigerians, especially Christians, are being killed during the month of Ramadan, CAN believes that her members are targeted for annihilation. This is a war of ethnic and religious cleansing by the Islamic fundamentalists. There is, currently, a particularly tiny tribe of contaminous and irascible Islamic clerics who take delight in inflaming passions. We urge them to keep passion aside and rally behind the Special Forces in order to defeat the current enemy. We urge them to tone down their rhetorics and take more and far reaching actions that would see an end to this undeserved violence on innocent Nigerians.

    “By doing this, they will be joining the league of the ‘civilian JTF in Borno State’ who have since been fired by nationalistic fervour to fight against terrorists. They should not throw barbs when the Northeast part of the northern region is a hotbed of the terrorists. As true believers in the fact that fundamentalism and terrorism are not of Islam, fearlessness, courage and determination should be their major weapons. Once again, we appeal to well meaning Nigerians, friendly nations in Africa and indeed the international community to come to the aid of Nigeria in her bid to stem this evil tide of violence.”

  • Boko Haram kills 20

    Boko Haram kills 20

    Suspected Boko Haram members at the weekend shot dead more than 20 civilians in northern Borno State, a military spokesman said yesterday.

    “The suspected sect members came armed and fired sporadic shots that killed over 20 innocent civilians,” Lt. Haruna Mohammed Sani, spokesman for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) said.

    The violence took place on Saturday in Dawashe village, the army lieutenant said in a statement.

    He said men from the Civilian Joint Task Force, a vigilance group formed in Boko Haram’s bastion Maiduguri, to combat the Islamist gunmen who have been terrorising the region for many years, entered Dawashe to search for suspects.

    The suspected Boko Haram members subsequently opened fire in the village, the spokesman said, adding that the 20 victims were mostly fishermen and traders.

    Sani said a dozen other civilians sustained gunshot wounds during the incident but provided no information on casualties among the belligerents.

    The toll and circumstances of the incident could not be immediately verified independently.

    Among those killed were five members of the “Civilian JTF” who were on a manhunt for Boko Haram in Mainok town, 58km west of Maiduguri.

    The attack on the “Civilian JTF” was the first since the group took courage to hunt down Boko Haram in the state in the last two months.

    It was also confirmed that a heavily armed Quick Reaction Squad from MNJTF had been deployed to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area.

    Dawashi, Daban-Masara and Malan karanti villages are believed to be the stronghold of the insurgent.

    The MNJTF said: “As part of the excellent Civil-Military Relations and humanitarian gesture demonstrated by Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), a dozen of Boko Haram victims affected by the attack in Dawashe District of Kukawa Local Government, got medical treatment in the Headquarters Field Ambulance in Baga town”.

    Some members of the “Civilian JTF” also confirmed to reporters in Maiduguri that five of their members who were killed are from Ajilari, Ngomari Airport and Bulumkutu Ward of Maiduguri Metropolitan.

    A member, Aliko Musa said: “it was a huge loss to us, some of our brave colleagues were killed yesterday by the outlawed Boko Haram; they paid the supreme price when we visited Mainok village in search of the terrorists but we shall not relent”, he added.

    Spokesman for the JTF, Lt Col Sagir Musa however denied the figure even as he confirmed the Mainok attack. According to him, only one of the Youth Volunteers died while another sustained injuries.

    The MNJTF, a joint military force set up in 1998 to combat border crimes, consists of troops from Nigeria, Chad and Niger.

     

  • Trailer kills three in Ibadan

    Trailer kills three in Ibadan

    A trailer yesterday crushed a taxi in Ibadan, killing the driver and two passengers.

    The vehicle, which was carrying granite, was reportedly coming from the Ojoo end of the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway when it skidded off the road due to a brake failure near the Iwo Road interchange axis of the expressway.

    An eyewitness, who preferred anonymity, told our reporter that the accident occurred about 1pm. He said the driver, on discovering the brake has failed, tried to use a structure beside the road to stop the vehicle, but he ran into the taxi, whose driver was dropping passenger.

    According to the source, the trailer crushed the taxi, killing the driver and two passengers, dragging the cab until it hit a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) parked by the road. The SUV was slightly damaged as it was hit from behind. It tore the taxi into two.

    The Nation learnt that on discovering the consequence of his action, the driver and his two assistants bolted to avoid being lynched by sympathisers.

    Confirming the accident, Oyo State police spokesperson Mrs. Olabisi Ilobanafor said three people died.

    She said policemen visited the scene and towed the taxi and the SUV to a nearby station for further investigation.

    According to her, the victims have been taken to the mortuary.

    Mrs. Ilobanafor said the trailer driver has been arrested.

  • Man ‘kills’ lover in bitter quarrel

    It was a turbulent end to a very tumultuous relationship: the remains of Adaukwu Godspower were retrieved from a shallow grave after she was allegedly murdered by her live-in-lover. Precious Dikewoha reports

    It was an unfortunate end to a fractious love affair in Okprowo Community of Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State. A 32-year-old man was arrested for the murder of his girlfriend of many years.

    The lives of those who knew and loved Adaukwu will never be the same, particularly her widow-mother, Mrs. Jakoja Godspower.

    When our reporter visited Okprowo, an uneasy calm pervaded the community. Indigenes of the town were seen discussing the “murder”. What was in the open was that the suspect (Chinemezu Ewo), during a usual fracas, allegedly pulled out a kitchen knife and stabbed Adaukwu to death.

    To cover the act, he allegedly threw the body of the woman he had lived with for years outside the fence of their apartment and dug a shallow grave, where he wanted to bury her remains.

    The late Adaukwu was of Edeoha village. Chinemeze hails from Okprowo community where they lived together. Members of the deceased family told our reporter that the suspect took away their daughter without their consent.

    When The Nation visited Okprowo community, residents said the death of the woman drew the curtain on years of quarrelling and brawling like sworn enemies.

    In fact, one of the indigenes told of how a month before the “last fight”, the two lovers engaged in an open brawl, which ended in Chinemeze stabbing Adaukwu on the head with a sharp object.

    “If she had taken a firm decision to leave him after that fight, she would still be alive today. But she would not listen to advice. She continued to stay with him, until death finally put them apart,” the source told our reporter on condition of not being named.

    It was gathered that nemesis caught up with the abusive lover when a neighbour saw him dumping the remains of his lover over the fence before proceeding to dig a shallow grave.

    “It was when he was trying to dig the grave in a swampy forest that he was apprehended by some good Samaritans who handed him over to the police,” the source added.

    Our reporter’s visit to the deceased’s compound in Edeoha, showed why the deceased apparently stayed on, in spite of the abuses she suffered in the hands of her man. One relation said the family was so poor that they were almost grateful that Chinemezu took the deceased off their hands.

    “He inherited Adaukwu without the consent of her family or paying a kobo on her head.”

    The mother of the deceased, Mrs. Godpower, was under medication when our reporter visited her because her blood pressure shot up after she heard of the fate of her daughter.

    Speaking with our reporter in her dialect, interpreted by one of her sons, the sobbing widow said: “Since he (Chinemezu) started befriending my daughter, it has been one quarrel or the other; each time they quarreled he would injure her.

    “I pleaded with her to leave the man, but she refused. They were not legally married, the man had never visited us to say ‘I want to marry your daughter’ but the two of them were living together. I decided to overlook them; the man didn’t listen to me because he felt I was not in support of the relationship.”

    “I was not aware of the last fight; I was in the house when I received a message that my daughter was dead. I then rushed to Okprowo community, where people took me to the bush where my daughter was buried.

    “I was there when the police came and took away the body and till now I am not aware of what police is doing. I don’t have money and I don’t know people, but I want the police and government to teach Chinemezu and other abusive men a lesson.

    “My body system has totally changed from the day I saw my daughter’s remains. The doctor said it is high blood pressure and other sicknesses he mentioned. I have not paid for the little medication he gave to me.”

    Elder Francis Ojoro, a relative to the deceased, said the family was awaiting the body of Adaukwu to perform some traditional rites before her burial.

    “When police release her remains before we bury her; we will perform a traditional ritual so that her spirit will continue to fight whoever killed her.”

    Rivers State police spokesperson Mrs. Angela Agabe confirmed the incident.

    She said: “I have contacted Ahoada Police Station and they told me investigation on the matter is going on. They want to know the real cause of her death.”

  • JTF kills 50 Boko Haram suspects

    JTF kills 50 Boko Haram suspects

    The end came at the weekend for about 50 suspected Boko Haram members in Borno, one of the three states under a state of emergency.

    They were killed by the Joint Task Force after a raid of Zabarmari ward in Jere Local Government Area of Maiduguri .

    Three suspected terrorists on their way to Jigawa state to unleash terror were arrested at Borno Express Motor Park on Saturday by volunteered youths, a.k.a Civilian JTF, a security source claimed yesterday.

    Zabarmari, according to the source, is one of the black spots where Boko Haram operates in Maiduguri.

    The source said: “At the weekend, we received intelligence report that Boko Haram terrorists regrouped and were residing/ hiding in Zabarmari ward. We mobilised our troops to the area. On getting there, the suspected terrorists noticed our presence and started shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is Great) as they fired sporadic gunshots at the JTF troops. We had no option than to repel the attacks as we succeeded in killing about 10 of the suspects.

    “We did not take their bodies away, leaving them in the area. The following day when we mobilised our men to the area, we found out that hundreds of the terrorists were at the grave yard burying their dead and and as we approached, they started shooting at our troops which led to the exchange of gun fire, where we succeeded in killing over 40 of them”. The JTF source said. He could not be quoted because he does not have the authority to speak..

    “As I am talking to you now, our men are still in Zabarmari hunting for any suspected terrorists who might have escaped the deadly encounter”. He added.

    On the arrests of three suspected Boko Haram members who were allegedly on a suicide mission to Jigawa Statre, the source said, “The men of the JTF are highly delighted with the zeal/effort being put in place by the vigilance youths popularly called Civilian JTF.

    The JTF source added: “They (the vigilance team) handed them to the JTF unit and one of them, now dead, said, they were from Bama Local Government Area on a suicide mission to Jigawa and other states in the north. In fact, the deceased, before his death, told us that already, all their weapons of massive destruction had been transported to the target areas before luck run out of them”.

    Due to the total closure of GSM network services in Borno state, JTF Spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa and Police spokesman Gideon Jubrin could not be reached to confirm the story.

    Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika yesterday said the military is winning the war on terrorism.

    He added however that it is a war that has tested the Army because insurgents have been disguising as civilians to ambush soldiers.

    Gen. Ihejirika spoke at the Inter-Denominational Service at the All Saints Military Protestant Church, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, to mark the 2013 Army Day Celebration. The army is 150 years old.

    He said the military had made tremendous achievements, but a lot still had to be done.

    “Wining the war starts from in-house, I am aware of the improved capacity of the units, improved capacity of the officers and men, and this is what gives me the confidence that we will excel.

    “And as for the operation itself, the nature of insurgency is such that you will continue to have occasional setbacks because you are dealing with people who disguise as civilians,’’ he said.

    Gen. Ihejirika said some soldiers had been ambushed a number of times in the current operation, adding that it was made possible by the fact that the insurgents disguise as civilians.

    He said some of the soldiers might not be on their best guard.

    Gen. Ihejirika said attitudinal change would “transform the Nigerian Army into a force able to deal with contemporary challenges.”

    The Civilian JTF yesterday apprehended two women attempting to smuggle assault weapons into the Monday market in Maiduguri.

    Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NANS) that the women, who concealed the weapons in their dresses, were arrested at the Bulabulin entrance gate of the market.

    One of the witnesses, Malam Modu Bulama, a trader, said that they were in the market when they heard noise from the gate.

    “We rushed to scene, but on getting there, we saw two women in veil with assault weapons,’’ he said.

    Bulama said each of the women concealed an AK 47 rifle, a pistol and some items believed to be Improvise Explosive Devise (IED) in their veil.

    A member of the gropu, Malam Usman Ibrahim, corroborated Bulama’s claim, adding: “we were on a routine checking at the gate when these women came with heavy veil.

    “At first we did not bother to look at them, but we realised that one of them was shivering, we said something must be wrong,’’ Ibrahim said.

    He said that when they were searched, “we found that each of them concealed an AK 47 rifle, a pistol and IED in their veil.

    “We were surprised at the discovery, so we took them to officials of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on Operation Restore Order (ORO) for investigations,’’ Ibrahim said.

    JTF spokesman, Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, could not be contacted for comment, but a senior military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the story.

    The official said the JTF was already investigating the case.

  • Boko Haram kills four teachers, two pupils in Borno

    Boko Haram kills four teachers, two pupils in Borno

    Six people were killed yesterday in Maiduguri, the beleaguered capital of Borno State, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram’s activities.

    The killings occured, despite the state of emergency, imposed on the state. Yobe and Adamawa states are also under state of emergency.

    Some gunmen, who are believed to be members of the sect, stormed Innovative Secondary School, a private outfit in Customs area of Maiduguri, the state capital, killing four teachers and two students.

    Another set of suspected terrorists laid ambush to a garden farm on the Maiduguri- Mafa- Dikwa road and killed two farmers. One of the dead was the owner of the Mango and Guava gardens.

    It was gathered that as the gunmen entered the school premises at about noon, they met a female teacher who had gone to invigilate the ongoing NECO exams. She reportedly pleaded with them to spare her life which they did but not after taking her bag and the question papers. They then ordered her to leave the school premises.

    The gunmen subsequently approached the teachers, who were sitting under a tree and opened fire, killing them on the spot.

    It was also gathered that, another set of terrorists ambushed a village on Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa road where they killed two farmers and a gardener.

    A source said: “The spate of killings of innocent people is becoming a source of concern to people; it is unfortunate that pupils, teachers and poor farmers have now become targets of terrorists.”

    A top security source, who is not authorised to speak to the media, said: “Some of the terrorists who fled from their camps in Sambisa have regrouped, launching attacks in Maiduguri and other areas, particularly the recent attack on schools in Yobe and Borno. I am sure that the security agencies are aware and we will take decisive measures to ensure that there is no hiding place for the terrorists in the state.”

    It was difficult to reach the spokesman of the Joint Task Force Spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa and police spokesman Gideon Jubrin – apparently due to the cutting off of telecommunication facilities.

    The military yesterday extended its ban on telecom facilities use to Thuraya satellite phones as a step to stop the Islamist militants from communicating.

    Authorities had earlier cut the mobile network in states under the emergency rule to disrupt Boko Haram’s operations.

    Lt.-Col. Musa said the ban was imposed after evidence emerged that Boko Haram used satellite phones to co-ordinate attacks on civilians, including in two school attacks in the past week.

    Suspected Islamist militants fired on a school in Maiduguri on Tuesday, killing nine students. The attack followed one in Damaturu, Yobe State, which is also under emergency rule, that killed seven pupils and two teachers.

    “Effective from 19th June 2013, the JTF imposes a ban on the use and sales of Thuraya phones and accesories,” Musa said in a statement handed out to journalists.

    “Anyone seen with Thuraya phones, recharge cards and accessories will be arrested,” the military spokesman said.

    The move will make it even more difficult for journalists to report from the conflict zone, something press freedom groups say Nigeria’s military has been trying to do anyway.

    The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) yesterday said eight of the suspected terrorists who perpetrated the Borno mayhem had been apprehended on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

    In a statement, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the Director of Defence Information, said the Special Forces have stepped up the mop-up, cordon and search operations “to ensure that the vestiges of terrorism are effectively decimated.

    “The DHQ has noted a number of attacks and killing of innocent citizens ostensibly carried out by terrorists in Yobe and Borno in the last couple of days.

    “Although this isolated incidents were undertaken by relocating terrorists, the whole trend and development remains unfortunate and condemnable.

    “Nevertheless, the public is hereby reassured that these incidents are by no means indicative of a relapse in the counter-insurgency operation aimed at curbing terrorists’ activities in the country.”