The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Military.

  • Exercise Cat Race: Military officer, three suspected kidnappers killed, victim rescued

    Exercise Cat Race: Military officer, three suspected kidnappers killed, victim rescued

    A military officer and three suspected kidnappers have been killed by the men of the Nigeria military force, “Exercise Cat Race”, in an attempt to rescue a kidnap victim.

    The officer was killed during the cross fire between operatives and suspected kidnappers in Okene, Kogi State. 

    It was gathered that the incident occurred yesterday at around 8am, at a check point along the Okene-Ajaokuta road when an unidentified man in company of the military men was to deliver the demanded ransom to the suspected kidnappers.

    An eyewitness account had it that when the suspected kidnappers saw the man and the military men, they opened gun fire on them, leading to the death of the officer and three suspected kidnappers. 

    The victim, who is the chairman of Always Petroleum and Gas, Alhaji Otinau Momohjimoh, who was kidnapped 10 days ago, in front of a mosque in Okene, was shot on the arm during the rescue operation, and is currently receiving treatment in a private hospital. 

    One of the suspected kidnappers was captured alive. 

    A source further disclosed that the officer who got married some months back, later died in the hospital while another man that was injured during the operation is currently receiving treatment. 

    Items recovered from the kidnappers’ hideout included charms and ammunition, while the body of the officer was deposited at the mortuary of the General Hospital, Okene. 

    The Chief of Army Staff,  Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, recently launched the

    Exercise Cat Race, in Benue State to check security situation in the six states of the north central. 

    When contacted, the Public Relation Officer of the Command Army Record, Capt. Weri Finikumor said that the operation was ongoing, stressing that he cannot confirm anything yet, but at the end of the exercise, will address the press.

  • Patriotism of the Nigeria military 

    A recent research by a UK risk analysis firm, Maplecroft published by CNN. showed that growing levels of conflict, terrorism, and the toppling of regimes in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as political violence in East Africa, are driving a rise in political instability not only in those sun continents, but worldwide. ‎

    The report showed that since 2010, one in ten of the countries surveyed have experienced a significant increase in the level of short-term political risk which ‎ includes “governments asserting control over natural resources, regimes being ousted by popular uprisings and the expropriation of foreign investors’ assets.”‎
    This is a confirmation of the fact that  the level of political instability affects the business environment in countries and the extent of its negative impact is according to the level of the severity of the situation in that area.
    Not surprisingly,  Syria and Somalia, which have become notorious for political upheavals currently have the worst business an investment climates in the world as nobody wants to enter or do business under a highly risky and volatile environment.

    The rest of Africa has not fared better as there have been scores of regime changes, attempted coups and other forms of political activism that have given rise to fear and trepidation in the last decade leading to malnutrition, hunger and starvation ‎
    Recently, the Nigerian Army Chief, LT. General Tukur Buratai raised an alarm over a possible coup in the country and warned officers and men in the military  who have been meeting with politicians in apparent attempt to stage a coup, to perish any thought about a possible regime change in the country and to be loyal only to the Nigerian State.‎
    This intervention has cast the Nigerian military, hitherto seen as hungry for power and desperate to grab power in a different light, it has revealed another aspect of the military institution showing that its men and officers are patriotic, selfless and progressive minded.
    It has also put a lie to the claim that they are self serving and lacking in civility who always prosper in at atmosphere of chaos.‎
    The Nigerian military has proven that it’s support for democracy, the deepening of the rule of law and strengthening of all democratic institutions in the country are not just values it believes in but ones it is prepared to go any length to uphold. ‎
    This is against the backdrop of the fact that an incursion into the country’s political space would have been beneficial to few in the ranking of that institutions who would have distributed top political positions to themselves and used other plum positions to settle a section of the restive civilian populace as was the practice in the past.
    But the Nigerian military this time around, chose to look beyond personal gains and assessed the impact on the entire nation and seeing the effect another round of uncertainty would have on the ranking of Nigeria among the comity of civilised nations, the confusion it would bring into the Nigeria political space and the attendant hardship on the populace  due to the instability that would be entrenched, chose to act in the most patriotic manner by exposing the intentions of a few rotten eggs within its fold. ‎
    It is said that Nigeria would have advanced further than this in both democratic experience and the shaping of its destiny if not for the first military incursion into politics in 1966.
    Like most adventures of that nature, not only did the coup not help solve the problems it identified, it further raised suspicions among the various components that make up Nigeria and the ensuing 30 month civil war which shook Nigeria to its  foundation. ‎
    Subsequent attempts at regimes changes have also had their negative impacts. Then overthrow of Yakubu Gowon by Murtala Muhammed gave cause for middle belt officers led by Bukar Dimka, to try and stage a counter coup leading to unnecessary bloodshed and tension within the country.
    The coup that brought Buhari in as head of state in 1983 was sacked unceremoniously with another that brought in Babangida in less than two years worsening the political climate then.‎
    So the nature of coups the world over especially in Africa and Nigeria has not been palatable.
    They serve to weaken democracy,, usher in dictatorship, destroy the business climate, introduce fear and in the end leave matters worse than they were.
    That is why this recent revelation by the military on the attempt by few to take us back to those dark ages and the effort it has so far made to check such adventure must be commended. I‎f  other countries and indeed Nigeria had in the past  had such early warning signs from their military such incidents would have been averted and the world would have been the better for it.

    Within the  period of this administration alone, the Nigerian military has fought fierce battles to keep Nigeria one by degrading and weakening the base of insurgency in Nigeria.
    It has sacrificed many of its  gallant men and women as well as officers to achieve that. ‎
    It has also  lived up to the promise of the current administration to rescue the 276 school girls abducted in Chibok, Borno State in 2014  and has succeeded in rescuing alloys half that number so far with indications that it would more in that direction in the not too distant future.
    Within the same period, the Nigerian military has also succeeded in reoriented  its personnel to interact and interface with the civil populace in a manner that is a fresh breath away from its previous image of an institution that is intolerant to orderliness and decorum
    Add to this its recent donation to Nigeria, this exposure of a coup and the stern warning for men and officers to steer clear of politics and you will see a refreshing, highly professional and patriotic institution emerging.
    Nigeria must do all it can to sustain this attitude in the military and support the emerging culture of its officers for the country and it’s democracy  to grow to a stage where Nigeria would become a reference point for good governance, strong institutions and infrastructure development .‎
    ‎
    ‎‎Ugo, peace and conflict resolution expert writes from Canada Water, United Kingdom.

  • OPC applauds Buhari for dislodging Boko Haram

    OPC applauds Buhari for dislodging Boko Haram

    The Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in Kwara has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Nigeria military over their victory against Boko Haram insurgents in Sambisa forest in Borno.
    Mr Maruf Olanrewaju, the Coordinator of OPC made the commendation in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin on Wednesday.
    Olanrewaju said that the Federal Government deserved to be lauded for the destruction of the insurgents base, which he said, signalled their defeat in Borno.
    He said the feat was in line with the electioneering campaign of the president, and urged the military personnel, who he said, made the victory possible,  not to relent in their efforts to finally dislodge the group from the country.
    The OPC leader asserted that the congress would continue to partner with security agencies to ensure that the remnants of Boko Haram did not regroup and infiltrate the society.
    He also called on the public to be very vigilant with those coming in and out of their neighbourhoods in order not to give space to the fleeing insurgents. 
  • Soldiers sack Rivers community of alleged missing gun

    Soldiers sack Rivers community of alleged missing gun

    …over 10 houses burnt down

    Residents of Ihuaje community in Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers state have lamented the invasion of their community by men of the Nigeria Military.

    Sources from the community said the community has been deserted as military men attached to a construction community in the place attacked the community over their alleged missing weapon, burning houses and destroying valuables.

    Residents are now said to be living as refugees in neighbouring communities, while others are living in the forests.

    The Community Liaison Officer (CLO), to the company Esor Robinson Ewor confirmed the story to The Nation in the community weekend.

    Ewor also confirmed that the missing gun has been traced to an indigene of the community working in the company. He said the community has known no peace since the incident, July 26 and called on the military Garrison commander and the Government to Save their Souls (SOS), from the Soldiers.

    He condemned the action of the suspect and said that the community despite being directly involved in the crime is not resting on its oars in finding solution to the problem. The appealed for time to trace the whereabouts of the suspect and the gun, with the view of turning them to the military, but begged that they stop further destruction of their community.

    Narrating how the trouble started, Ewor said,   “It was on the July 26, that Military men attached to Construction Company HADO / Diarycent Nigeria Limited, woke to discover that one of their guns was missing.

    “The Soldiers are resident in the company yard’s operational yard. After the muster, they discovered that one of their staff who is an indigene of the host community was not absent, on further investigation, especially through the CCTV camera, he was found to have collected the gun and jumped the fence.

    “Efforts were made to recover the weapon from the culprit. While the efforts were on-going, a stronger group (suspected to be cult group), met him and collected the weapon from him.

    “Because the suspect is a member of this community, the Army now transferred their grievances on the community, insisting that the community should either produce the boy or return the weapon.

    “The boy is presently on the run but the community is making efforts to trace his where about to recover the weapon from him, but knowing the military, their way of life and impatience, invaded the community, burning houses, destroying motor bikes and several other things.

    “No fewer than ten houses have been destroyed, but thank God nobody has been killed, but people have left their houses to their relatives in the other neighbouring communities, while those that have nowhere to go to are now hiding in the bushes.”

    Asked how many times they have invaded the community said, “They were in the community on Wednesday, then Friday again and are still threatening to come back and level what is remaining in the community if the gun is was not recovered back to them.

    “That is why people of the community have all scattered. They destroyed one thing or the other, burnt houses in each of the visits,” he said.

    The community appealed to the military garrison commander to come to their aid and save the community and its residents from the cruel hands of these Soldiers, stressing that they should not exterminate the entire community and its indigenes for the offence of one person.

    The admitted that the culprit committed grievous offence but noted that he was neither sent by his parents nor the community to steal the Soldier’s gun.

    “We are appealing to the garrison commander to prevail on the Soldiers in the area to give us a respite allow us breath space while we assist in looking for the culprit.

    “The Soldiers are destroying the community.

    “People have deserted the community, everybody is living in fear, the military is paying unfriendly visits to the community from time to time, nobody is in the community right now.

    The CLO noted that the boy in question has not been associated with any form of criminality before this time. The community members know him very well. There are over 60 indigenes of the community in the community, including him, if he was of questionable character, I would not have recommended him to the company.” He insisted.

    When the Nation visited the community Saturday, the place was dry and void noise of human being and animals, save handful of old men that gathered in a meeting at the community chief’s residence.

    In his reaction, the Human right activist in the area, comrade Napoleon Ordu condemned the military invasion of the community over a crime committed in the company by their employee, and called on the authorities concerned to intervene in the situation before they community is wiped out.