The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Militant Group

  • JTF kills militants’ kingpin in Ondo

    JTF kills militants’ kingpin in Ondo

    …One soldier killed, three injured

     

    Soldiers attached to Operation Delta Safe, a Joint TaskForce (JTF) at the wee hours of Monday killed a suspected leader of the militant group terrorising Ishawo and neighbouring creeks.

    The suspect identified as Ossy Ibori was gunned down around 3am, at Ajakpa in Ondo State, when he led his gang in an attack of military men deployed to safeguard the area.

    It was gathered that a soldier was killed and three others injured in the operation.

    However, the security forces retaliated and in the process, Ibori was killed, while other members of his gang jumped into the river.

    According to sources, the troop recovered weapons from the fleeing criminals.

    Another account stated that the notorious Ossy (Ibori) was lured out of Ishawo creek to Ajakpa wirh the help of his lover, where the soldiers eventually trailed him to.

    Ossy, said to have been the kingpin and among the masterminds of high profile murders and kidnappings within Lagos and Ogun, allegedly opened fire upon sighting military men.

    Confirming his death, Lagos Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said efforts were on to apprehend other members of his gang.

    Owoseni noted that most of the militants, who fled Lagos creeks as a result of ongoing operations, retreated to Ondo, their base.

    Owoseni said: “Around 3am today (Monday), a squad of soldiers posted to dislodge the militants that have been wrecking havoc in some parts of Lagos engaged the criminals in a shootout at Ajakpa. During which the suspected leader of the gang known as OC was killed. Efforts is ongoing to arrest other gang members”

    Contacted, the spokesman for the JTF, Major Abubakar Abdullahi confirmed the incident.

    He said: “Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE in line with its mandate to rid Niger Delta of all criminal acts of militancy and kidnappings in a special operation repelled an attack on troops location around Ajakpa community in the creeks of Southern Ondo State last night.

    “The attack was led by one notorious gang leader, Ossy Ibori with a hideout at Ajakpa, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State. The leader was gunned down during the gun duel, along with some of his gang members. His body was identified by some of the locals in the area.

    “While search for other criminals who jumped into the water with gunshot wounds is ongoing, troops had recovered one AK-47 rifle and four Magazines.

    “Criminal gangs led by late Ossy Ibori have been terrorising parts of Lagos,Ogun and Ondo states prior to this operation. They committed many atrocities threatening the peace and  security of the general areas.

    “Last month, the gang killed an army captain and four Policemen at Ikorodu. Also late last year, abducted students and staff of a secondary school. The criminals in addition, carried out several attacks at Ese-Odo community around Ajakpa,Safarogbo and Balowo areas.

    “The need to flush them out from their hudeout became necessary to ensure peace and security in Ondo state. Sadly in the process, one gallant soldier paid the supreme price while three others sustained gunshot wounds. They have since been moved to military hospital for proper medical attention.

    “While the operation is ongoing, let me appeal to law abiding residents of the affected communities to remain calm, vigilant and support our troops with valuable information on whereabouts of other criminals.”

     

  • Jonathan denies intelligence report linking him to militancy

    Jonathan denies intelligence report linking him to militancy

    …..Threatens libel against Newspapers

     Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dismissed allegations that an intelligence report has indicted him of sponsoring the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers.

    A statement from the former President’s media aide Ikechukwu Eze said “from what we know about intelligence gathering, there is no responsible Government agency that would rush, as claimed in the newspaper stories, to adopt the accusations of a questionable rebellious organization as its own findings, without applying the professional processes of rigor and due diligence.”

    The statement went to add that “there is no doubt that there exist such people who may have scores to settle with the former President but are now feeling frustrated by the fact that his national and international profile has continued to rise, despite their recourse to endless muck-raking character assassination. Such people will stop at nothing to continue to throw obstacles, albeit futilely, on his path.”

    The former President through his aide subtly threatened to drag the newspapers that reported the alleged intelligence report to court for libel, according to Eze, “apart from toying with the serious issue of libel, those newspapers lending themselves to be so cheaply used by miscreants, are also doing gross disservice to our collective good and the image of the country.”

    Goodluck Jonathan noted that “there were similarities in the two stories published the same day by the two newspapers that are too striking to pass the test of the normal newsroom process of diligent reporting and independent investigation.”

    He added that he was “convinced that such clear coincidences are only permissible in

    situations where general statements are issued, but not on matters of intelligence/security reports which do not fly into newsrooms as press releases.”

    He expressed concern that “the stories did not differ in content and substance from the trite allegations earlier made by the so called Reformed Niger Delta Avengers over the same lies of linking Jonathan to the militants.”

    Jonathan lambasted the two newspapers and said he was amazed “that a newspaper would be quick to report that ‘the intelligence gathering was said to be a confirmation of a similar claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger

    Delta (MEND)’, even without subjecting such frivolity to any ethical interrogation.”

    He went on to say that “the two publications wore the cloak of the deceit from the same misguided characters that are hell-bent on pulling down the former President, despite his clear record of diligent service to his country and long standing commitment to the good of society.”

    Jonathan lamented that “there is no doubt that there exist such people who may have scores to settle with the former President but are now feeling frustrated by the fact that his national and international profile has continued to rise, despite their recourse to endless muck-raking character assassination. Such people will stop at nothing to continue to throw obstacles, albeit futilely, on his path.”

    Jonathan claimed that he is “aware that the same people approached other well-meaning newspapers with the same false information, but they were wise to turn it down on account of its absurdity.”

    He however advised media houses to be “careful not to make the country a laughing stock by being hoodwinked into passing off the perverted voices of irritant groups as that of our well respected official and security authorities.”

    The full statement reads: Our attention has been drawn to two stories entitled ‘Report links Jonathan to Niger Delta Avengers’ and ‘FG probes Jonathan over N/Delta bombings’ published in both the Nation and Daily Trust newspapers, respectively, of Thursday 18 August, 2016, with the claim that some intelligence reports had linked Jonathan to the renewed militancy in the Niger Delta.

    We obviously would have ignored the allegation, having responded recently to the exact same fabrication peddled by a shady militant group, but for the new dimension of bringing in the authorities, while hiding under the often-abused journalism latitude of quoting nebulous ‘sources.’

    Firstly, we note that there were similarities in the two stories published the same day by the two newspapers that are too striking to pass the test of the normal newsroom process of diligent reporting and independent investigation.

    We are convinced that such clear coincidences are only permissible in situations where general statements are issued, but not on matters of intelligence/security reports which do not fly into newsrooms as press releases.

    We are also concerned that the stories did not differ in content and substance from the trite allegations earlier made by the so called Reformed Niger Delta Avengers over the same lies of linking Jonathan to the militants.

    For instance, we are amazed that a newspaper would be quick to report that “the intelligence gathering was said to be a confirmation of a similar claim by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND)”, even without subjecting such frivolity to any ethical interrogation.

    From what we know about intelligence gathering, there is no responsible Government agency that would rush, as claimed in the newspaper stories, to adopt the accusations of a questionable rebellious organization as its own findings, without applying the professional processes of rigor and due diligence.

    It is sad that the two publications wore the cloak of the deceit from the same misguided characters that are hell-bent on pulling down the former President, despite his clear record of diligent service to his country and long standing commitment to the good of society.

    There is no doubt that there exist such people who may have scores to settle with the former President but are now feeling frustrated by the fact that his national and international profile has continued to rise, despite their recourse to endless muck-raking character assassination. Such people will stop at nothing to continue to throw obstacles, albeit futilely, on his path.

    We are aware that the same people approached other well-meaning newspapers with the same false information, but they were wise to turn it down on account of its absurdity.

    Our media houses should then be careful not to make the country a laughing stock by being hoodwinked into passing off the perverted voices of irritant groups as that of our well respected official and security authorities.

    Apart from toying with the serious issue of libel, those newspapers lending themselves to be so cheaply used by miscreants, are also doing gross disservice to our collective good and the image of the country.

     

  • Militant group kicks over allegations linking Jonathan to Avengers

    Militant group kicks over allegations linking Jonathan to Avengers

    A militant group, Niger Delta Cleanser (NDC), yesterday deplored allegations that former President Goodluck Jonathan is a sponsor of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

    Speaking yesterday after an emergency meeting of NDC in Port Harcourt, its spokesman Fikenibai Miesin asked all militant groups in the region to place the unity of the various ethnic groups above personal interest.

    Miesin urged the federal government to do the needful and ignore such allegations that some highly placed citizens of Niger Delta region were sponsoring the Avengers.

    He said if the region was truly developed and the youths empowered the current agitation in the region would not have arisen.

  • Militant group condemns allegation against Jonathan, others

    Niger Delta Militants under the aegis of the Niger Delta Cleanser (NDC) has condemned the attitude of those who have continued to mention the names of respected sons of Niger Delta like the former President Goodluck Jonathan and other personalities as the sponsors of Niger Delta Avengers.

    They accused a new militant group operating under Niger Delta Avengers as the one pointing accusing fingers at Jonathan and other highly placed citizens of the region.

    Speaking yesterday after an emergency meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, the spokesman of the group, Col. Fikenibai Miesin urges all splinter groups in the struggle for the liberation of Niger Delta to place the unity of the region above their personal interest.

    Miesin called on the Federal government to do the needful and forget the allegation that some highly placed sons of Niger Delta region were responsible for funding of Niger Delta Avengers.

    He said if the region was developed and the youths empowered what is happening in the region today wouldn’t have surfaced, adding that the only way to maintain peace in the region is for the government to implement some of the conditions listed before now by his group.

  • NDV announces presence in Akwa Ibom

    NDV announces presence in Akwa Ibom

    …claims responsibility for attack on NNPC gas Pipelines

    …vows to shut down major oil platforms, flowlines

     

    A new Militant Group, Niger Delta Volunteers, NDV, yesterday announced its presence in Akwa Ibom State.

    The group in a statement signed by its spokesman, Commander Ekpo Ekpo, claimed responsibility for last week’s attack on gas pipeline belonging to NNPC/NGC supplying gas to ALSCON, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.

    The pipeline was attacked last Thursday but the Akwa Ibom State Government and the State’s Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani claimed it was a leakage.

    NDV said its professionals attacked the pipeline at exactly 11:45am last Thursday to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari who was due in the country that same day.

    The group said the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government and the Niger Delta militants should be extended to Akwa Ibom state otherwise it would shut down some major platforms and flowlines in the state.

    They also vowed to move after some ‘selfish’ Paramount Rulers in the State who connive with oil companies to ‘siphon’ money meant for community development.

    NDV said it would soon unveil its website, twitter and facebook account.

    The statement from the group reads: “We the Niger Delta Volunteers has condemn the recent claim by Akwa Ibom State government that the attack on NNPC gas line was leakage.

    “The gas pipeline belonging to NNPC/NGC supplying gas to ALSCON, Ikot Abasi, was attacked by our professional at exactly 11:45am on Thursday 16th June, 2016 as a welcome to the Mr. President which was due in the country that Thursday to record our grievances and announce the presence of the Niger Delta Volunteers in Akwa Ibom state to fight injustice, marginalization and oppression for the common people.

    “It is very sad that the Governor we work and deliver can deceive the whole world that the attack was leakage even the community around that axis can testify that it was explosion and not leakage as claim.

    “It is not surprise because the government is full of deceit and we urge the state government and his entire cabinet to deliver dividend of democracy to the people than deceiving them.

    “We are so shock that Akwa Ibom State government crying that there is money to pay salary can pay over seven pages on The Nation newspaper of Monday June 20, 2016 from pages 33 – 39 which worth millions of naira just to deceive the whole country on project not in existence.

    “We demand that the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government and the Niger Delta militants should be extended to Akwa Ibom state otherwise we would shut down some major platforms and flowlines in our state.

    “Very soon we will move after some selfish Paramount Rulers in the State who connive with oil companies to siphon money meant for community development, enough is enough.

    “Soon we will unveil our website, twitter and facebook.”

    Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani, had told some newsmen that the rumored bomb attack was not a militant attack.

    But a highly placed source at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed the attack on the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline.

    The source said: “Yes there was an attack on the pipeline. The pipeline is between Akwa Ibom and Rivers states boundary along Ikot Abasi – Port Harcourt road.

    “Right now engineers from NNPC, Port Harcourt are there working on the pipelines. Our officers and other security agencies are also there too.”

    But the Police boss said what happened was a technical problem and that some engineers from Port Harcourt, Rivers state were currently working to rectify the leakage of gas from the pipeline.

    CP Mani said that the Akwa Ibom state was safe from the activities of the militant group.

    Also, the Akwa Ibom State Government had debunked rumours of pipeline bombing in Ikot Osute, Oruk Anam local government area, even as it calls for calm among citizens who may have been troubled by the purported development.

    Reacting to the rumours after a visit to the site, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah said: “there is no iota of truth in the claims making rounds in the social media”, stating that what happened was an eruption occasioned by leakage in the old pipeline of the Nigerian Gas Company, NGC, which traversed the area.

    “No pipeline has been bombed in Akwa Ibom State those peddling such rumours are ignorant of the true situation in the affected area.

    “As at Thursday morning, when security operatives and officials of the State government visited Ikot Osute, the state Ministry of Environment, NGC personnel and other gas companies operating the area were on site, working round the clock to ensure safety in the area.”

    Mr. Umanah enjoined Akwa Ibom people and indeed Nigerians to remain calm and go about their businesses as government was committed to protecting lives and property of all citizens in the State.

    He assured that security agents have cordoned off the area to forestall against any eventuality