The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor

  • Army investigates 1,400 Boko Haram suspects in detention

    The Nigeria Army says no fewer than 1,400 suspected Boko Haram members arrested by the military are undergoing investigation at its  detention facility.

    Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the outgoing Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said this during a handover at the army command headquarters in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

    Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru took over from Irabor who was posted to serve as the Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

    Irabor said a sizable number of the terrorists were intercepted, some were arrested while some willingly surrendered to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.

    “Investigation is still ongoing and I can assure you that many of the terrorists have owned up that “they actually took part in the activities of Boko Haram.

    “They are still undergoing process of de-radicalisation as part of the efforts to fully reintegrate them into becoming meaningful citizens.

    “On how many we have taken to court, I can only tell you that we are collaborating with the Ministry of Justice to commence that process.

    Irabor said the army had recorded remarkable progress in the fight against Boko Haram in the last one year and had continued to work tirelessly to conclude the operation.

    “In the past, a lot of operations were conducted and we had related some of them to you. We had strived in ensuring that peace returned to the North-East.

    “I urge the new theatre commander that it should be sustained.

    “Boko Haram has done no good to anyone. Your life, my life and that of average Nigerian’s, officers and soldiers must not be at stake.

    “So, we as responsible citizens have a role to play in bringing new ideas and innovations to deal with the new tactics of Boko Haram.”

    Responding, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru urged the Nigeria media to continue to give its support to the military to enable it to win the war against Boko Haram.

    Attahiru said it required a multifarious approach to win the war against insurgency; the command would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders and the civil society to win the war.

    “The command would also open Human Right Desk at the Division where cases of erring officers and soldiers are reported and treated”, he said.

     

  • Attahiru assumes duty in Maiduguri

    Attahiru assumes duty in Maiduguri

    The new Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole fighting insurgents, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has formally taken over the command in Maiduguri.

    Attahiru took over from Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor who has been posted as Force Commander of Multinational Joint Task Force, N’Djamena, having served in the Theatre for 15 months.

    In a brief ceremony at the Maimalari Barracks, Headquarters of the Theatre Command, Attahiru was presented with the military command’s flag by his predecessor after signing the handing and taking over notes.

    He later inspected the Quarter Guard where old flag was lowered and new one hoisted to signify the change of command.

    Attahiru, who was the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, was until his appointment, Director of Administration, Defence Headquarters.

  • Army arrests 126 Boko Haram militants in IDPs camp

    The Nigeria Army on Wednesday said it has arrested 126 suspected Boko Haram terrorists at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Damboa, Borno.

    The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, who disclosed this to journalists in Maiduguri, said the suspects were flushed out during mop up operations.

    Irabor said the mop up was conducted after Boko Haram terrorists stormed Sabon Gari area in Damboa local government area of the state.

    He said, “During the attack, we lost about six soldiers and equipment, some of our soldiers were also wounded.

    “After the unfortunate incident, a joint operation was carried out by 3 and 125 task force brigade of the army.

    “Based on intelligent report available, we learnt there was an attempt by Boko Haram to attack Damboa town and many of the insurgents have infiltrated the IDPs camp in Damboa.

    “We also have an intelligent report that many of those insurgents that participated in the attack on Sabon Gari have infiltrated into the IDPs camp.

    “During the raid on the camp, one of the terrorists in particular was identified to have taken part in the Sabon Gari attack.

    “When we searched him, we found a wallet on him containing the Identity card of one of the soldiers that was killed during the attack.

    “So, in essence, that gave the purpose for further operations that our troops of 125 Brigade and the Civilian JTF rounded up about 126 of the terrorists in the camp.

    “As you all know that peace has started returning to the areas, but we realise that the Boko Haram terrorists were hiding under law abiding citizens to continue to cause havoc.

    “The operation is a continuous one, even though the arrest had elicited reactions from some NGOs working in the camp, also the IDPs, who viewed what we are doing differently.

    “This was what really happened, though yesterday, there was an incident in Konduga where three suicide bombers detonated their explosives killing themselves and wounded some locals.

    “Also, we had a case where some of our troops on patrol in Dikwa ran into an Improvised Explosive Device, where two soldiers were wounded. But they are getting better in the hospital.”

    NAN

  • Why I refused to detonate my explosive – female bomber

    Why I refused to detonate my explosive – female bomber

    A teenager, Amina Yusuf, paraded by the military on Wednesday in Maiduguri said she failed to detonate her explosive because she did not subscribe to Boko Haram ideology.

    The 17-year-old told newsmen in Maiduguri that she was abducted five years ago, alongside her parents, in Madagali in Adamawa, after a terror attack on the village.

    “I was abducted alongside my parents in Madagali in Adamawa after the terrorists attacked our village. We were taken to a camp in the bush where we were forcefully indoctrinated by the group,” she said.

    The suspected suicide bomber alleged that her parents were killed after they had refused to be indoctrinated.

    “My parents were executed because they did not join the group.

    “I was married off to a Boko Haram militant with whom I lived in the camp,” she said.

    “One day I was asked to wear the bombs. I was brought to Maiduguri with an instruction that I detonate the bomb where there is a large crowd of people,” the teenager added.

    She said that she declined to detonate the explosive because she did not want to die.

    “They said I should press the button but I refused and allowed security men to capture me alive.

    “My four siblings are still with the terrorists in the camp,” Yusuf said.

    Maj.- Gen. Lucky Irabor the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole had presented her along with two unindentified girls to newsmen during a weekly briefing in Maiduguri.

  • Army arrests 963 Boko Haram suspects in Borno

    The Nigerian Army on Wednesday said it has arrested about 963 persons suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists during an operation in Borno State.

    The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.- Gen. Lucky Irabor, disclosed this  at the weekly review of the Operation Rescue Final at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri.

    “On January 3 at about 1240hrs, four women and 13 children were apprehended by vigilantes at Buni Yadi and were later handed over to our troops,” the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted Gen. Irabor as saying at the forum.

    “Preliminary investigation revealed that the women were wives of Boko Haram terrorists who fled from Sambisa forest as a result of our operations. All suspects are in our custody undergoing investigation.

    “On January 9, a surrendered Boko Haram member was identified as a male sympathiser and spy in Monguno area. We also identified two wives of Amir (Boko Haram Commander) from the arrested members.”

    He added that on January 5, at about 1030hrs, following a tip-off, troops and the Civilian Joint Task Force arrested four Boko Haram suspects at Shuwari village.

    “The suspects are: Modu Auwami, Mamye Modu, Usman Kachanawa and Mallum Maji.

    “During preliminary investigation, some local witnesses identified Auwami as one who provided medical treatment to injured terrorists.

    “The other three suspects claimed they were abducted by the terrorists and that they only spent few days in their camps,” the army commander said.

    He said the suspects were now in the Army’s custody undergoing further interrogation.

  • Army arrests 1,240 Boko Haram suspects in Sambisa raid

    The Nigerian Army said it had arrested about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram terrorists during a mop-up operation by troops inside the Sambisa forest.

    The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. -Gen. Lucky Irabor, disclosed this while giving update to journalists on Operation Rescue Final at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.

    Irabor said 413 of the suspects were adults, 323 were female adults, 251 male children, while 253 were female children.

    He said the suspects were apprehended during a mop-up operation against the sect members in the forest.

    “We are interrogating them to know whether they are Boko Haram members, because there is no way somebody that is not their member would live inside Sambisa forest, “the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the army officer as saying to journalists on Wednesday.

    “We are still on the trail of the terrorists and I want to assure you that all escape routes have been blocked.

    “Within this period, also, about 30 fleeing suspected Boko Haram members have surrendered to the Niger Multinational Troops on the shores of the Lake Chad and we learnt that they were taken to Difa in the Niger Republic.

    “The suspects included 24 male and six females.

    “We would like to use this opportunity to encourage the terrorists to give up the fight because the window is still open.”

  • Suicide bombings will end soon – Army

    Suicide bombings will end soon – Army

    The Nigerian Army on Wednesday assured that the recent spate of suicide bombings in Maiduguri would soon be a thing of the past.

    Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theater Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole stated this while briefing newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Irabor stated that the army had put in place mechanism to end the bombings.

    “I am delighted to be with you again this afternoon to acquaint you with developments within the theater of operation. The troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have continued with the ongoing operations to clear the remnants of Boko Haram Terrorists.

    “Since our last interaction, our troops have conducted many operations with immense successes,’’ he said.

    Irabor said that the army had been able to minimise  impact of the bombings on the public.

    “The impact of recent bombings in Maiduguri, though sad and unfortunate, was minimal due to the alertness of troops and other security agencies.

    “Apart from the one wherein two Civilian JTF personnel were killed and some others wounded, only the terrorists died, while one was captured alive.

    “The captured suicide bomber is assisting in the investigation into cases of suicide bombings.’’

    He said that the continued bombings by the terrorists were a sign of weakness.

    According to him, the incidents are only indicative of a weakened and defeated Boko Haram terrorists, their ignoble adventure is destined to fail totally,’’ Irabor said.

    He advised members of the public to be more conscious and alert to their environment.

    “I wish to remind the general public to be more alert and security conscious with their environment, especially when a strange face comes around.

    “I also commiserate with all the victims of the recent suicide bombings by terrorists within the theatre. We shall continue to work to ensure the safety of lives of every citizen, ” Irabor said.

    He urged Boko Haram remnants to take advantage of a window of opportunity by surrendering their arms.

    “Let me once again use this medium to remind the remnants of Boko Haram that their miserable days are numbered because their future is going to be disastrous if they fail to surrender and lay down their arms.

    “Let me therefore, encourage them to take advantage of this window of opportunity now to surrender as failure to do so would be hugely regretted,” Irabor said.