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Tag: Nigerian Army

  • Troops kill two female bombers in Borno

    The Nigerian Army said two female suicide bombers were killed on Friday while trying to infiltrate troops in Kawuri, Konduga local government area of Borno State.

    The Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

    Nwachukwu said the suicide bombers trailed the troops to the military camp at 9:45 p.m., but were promptly detected by vigilant troops who engaged them in a gun duel.

    According to him, one of the suicide vests detonated immediately and killed the two suicide bombers.

    He said the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team had safely detonated the other suicide vest.

    NAN

  • Group commends 10-man panel to probe bias in military

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria, has described the report of the 10-man panel constituted to probe allegations of bias, aiding and abetting leveled against the Nigerian Army by a  former Chief of Army Staff, General TY Danjuma, and some partisan individuals in its Military Operations in Taraba state and some part of the North Central  geopolitical zone of the Country as a welcome development.

    The group in a statement issued in Lagos, and jointly signed by its Convener and Secretary, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani respectively lauded the panel for doing a diligent assignment, which vindicated the group’s earlier position and cleared the army of involvement in any negative act whatsoever, as accused by General Danjuma and some politicians. It also  congratulated the Nigerian Army, saying Nigerians never doubted that the army had been professional in its approach, towards prosecuting the war against terrorism,  insurgency and other forms of criminalities, many of which are politically motivated, across the country.

    The group further asserted that  Nigerians will continue to support the army in its quest to protect law abiding citizens from any form of internal and external aggressors.

    The Coalition called on the federal government, to immediately bring to book, perpetrators of ethnic violence and state sponsored militias across the country, particularly in Benue and Taraba States.

    “We are undoubtedly convinced that the essence of the allegations by General TY Danjuma and subsequently by Mr Ishiaku Darius, Executive Governor of Taraba State is to distract the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, from achieving its objective of flushing out criminal elements, who are falsely creating ethnic tensions across some states of the country, including Taraba. We are delighted, about the exoneration of the Nigerian Army, which was cleared of any wrongdoing as an institution and we see this as the removal of obstacles that terrorist sponsors had tried to place in the way of the army to reduce its ability to protect Nigerians.” the statement added.

    The Coalition of Civil Society Groups against Terrorism in Nigeria, has described the report of the 10-man panel constituted to probe allegations of bias, aiding and abetting leveled against the Nigerian Army by a  former Chief of Army Staff, General TY Danjuma, and some partisan individuals in its Military Operations in Taraba state and some part of the North Central  geopolitical zone of the Country as a welcome development.

    The group in a statement issued in Lagos, and jointly signed by its Convener and Secretary, Comrade Odeyemi Oladimeji and John Atani respectively lauded the panel for doing a diligent assignment, which vindicated the group’s earlier position and cleared the army of involvement in any negative act whatsoever, as accused by General Danjuma and some politicians. It also  congratulated the Nigerian Army, saying Nigerians never doubted that the army had been professional in its approach, towards prosecuting the war against terrorism,  insurgency and other forms of criminalities, many of which are politically motivated, across the country.

    The group further asserted that  Nigerians will continue to support the army in its quest to protect law abiding citizens from any form of internal and external aggressors.

    The Coalition called on the federal government, to immediately bring to book, perpetrators of ethnic violence and state sponsored militias across the country, particularly in Benue and Taraba States.

    “We are undoubtedly convinced that the essence of the allegations by General TY Danjuma and subsequently by Mr Ishiaku Darius, Executive Governor of Taraba State is to distract the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, from achieving its objective of flushing out criminal elements, who are falsely creating ethnic tensions across some states of the country, including Taraba. We are delighted, about the exoneration of the Nigerian Army, which was cleared of any wrongdoing as an institution and we see this as the removal of obstacles that terrorist sponsors had tried to place in the way of the army to reduce its ability to protect Nigerians.” the statement added.

     

  • Army arrests 40 suspects, recovers 400 jerry cans of petrol from vandals

    The Nigerian Army said on Thursday that it arrested 40 suspected vandals, cultists and impersonators and recovered over 400 jerry cans filled with petroleum products.

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Enobong Udoh, said in a statement that the suspects were arrested at different places between Lagos and Ogun states.

    According to the GOC, the arrests were made following reliable information received from well-meaning Nigerians during anti-illegal bunkering and anti-pipeline vandalism patrol.

    “This arrest was made in conjuction with Department of State Security, Inspector General of Police Task Force Team, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corp and Lagos Neighborhood Safety Corps.

    “We swooped on suspected pipeline vandals at Magboro in Ogun State along Lagos/Ibadan Expressway on May 16.

    “On sighting the troops, the armed vandals fired sporadically before abandoning their vehicles loaded with the refined PMS and some empty jerry cans and fled to avoid being arrested.

    “Notwithstanding, the troops arrested 12 suspected vandals during a Cordon and Search Operation conducted around the vicinity,” he said.

    Udoh said 24 vehicles, comprising of three trailer trucks, nine buses, eight space wagons, one Hilux van, three salon cars and four motorcycles abandoned by the vandals, were recovered.

    “Other items recovered include 166 50-litre jerry cans loaded with refined petrol, 130 empty 50-litres jerry cans, approximately 8,300 litres of refined PMS.

    “However, while recovering them, one of the vehicles caught fire and was completely razed,” he said.

    The GOC said the troops also raided a location where suspected vandals were carrying out their sabotage activities along NNPC pipeline at Akute.

    “The vandals concealed their vehicles with refined oil products and fled on arrival of the troops.

    “Five suspected vandals were arrested at the scene and items recovered include: nine vehicles, comprising six buses, two heavy-storage trucks and one sports utility vehicle.

    “Other items recovered include one motorcycle, seven mobile phones, 371 of 50-litres and 42 of 25-litres jerry cans loaded with refined PMS, 106 empty 50-jerry cans, a hose of about 500 metres in length used for siphoning products with approximately 19,600 litres of stolen PMS being recovered,” the statement stated

    Udoh also added that 12 impostors were arrested by the Special Team of Operation Checkmate at various locations in Lagos and Ogun States while perpetrating various acts of illegality dressed in military uniforms.

    “Troops also received reports of cult-related clashes at Reshe in Ikorodu Central Area.

    “On arrival, troops met a chaotic scene where seven vehicles were vandalized, properties destroyed and some law-abiding citizens injured.

    “On intervention by the troops, seven suspected cultists most of whom were of the EIYE Confraternity were arrested.

    “Items recovered include: seven mobile phones, three ATM cards, one ID card, eight belts, one wallet, four rings, three wrist watches, black substance suspected to be charms and the sum of N13,080,” he said.

    The GOC also said that four suspected cultists were arrested during another Cordon and Search operation conducted at Odokekere general area of Ikorodu.

    “The suspected cultists were among those who escaped from the raid carried out on April 16 at Eginrin Depression area of Ikorodu during the initiation ceremony.

    “Items recovered include 1 Itel Phone and a brown belt,” he said.

    The GOC said all arrested suspected pipeline vandals, impostors and cultists were undergoing preliminary investigations after which they would be handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation and prosecution.

    He enjoined the public to continue reaching out to the numbers below to give useful information that would assist in ridding their areas of criminal elements:

  • President Buhari expresses confidence in Nigerian Army’s committment to end killings in Nigeria

    President Muhammadu Buhari has once again expressed his administration’s committment to end every act of killing in the country.

    The globallly recognized first President in Africa who earned the sobriquet from the United States President, Donald Trump made re—affirmed his committeememt to the safety of lives and properties in Nigeria after receiving briefing from the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai at the state house this evening.

    President Buhari who commended the efforts of the Chief of Army Staff in aligning with his vision on security, took to his official Facebook page to express his position of the efforts of the Nigerian Army.

    See full text below:

    I received a briefing from the Chief of Army Staff this afternoon. The Army recently established a new battalion in Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State, in addition to other deployments in troubled parts of the country. As I’ve assured again and again, our commitment to the peace and security of Nigeria is total.

  • Army donates clinic, borehole to Taraba community

    Nigerian Army has inaugurated a Primary Health Care facility and a solar powered borehole worth millions of Naira which it donated to Ibi community in Ibi Local Government Area of Taraba.

    Brig.-Gen. Bello Abdullahi, the Commander, 23 Brigade, Yola, who inaugurated and handed over the projects to the community on Tuesday in Yola, said they were part of the civil-military cooperation being  encouraged Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai.

    He said “we realised that the success of any military operation largely depends on support from the civil populace, hence, winning the hearts and minds of the people in the area of operation cannot be ignored.

    “It is, therefore, based on this premise and service to humanity that the army headquarters directed the 23 Brigade of the Nigerian Army to initiate and complete the construction of this solar powered borehole and renovate this primary health care centre in Ibi.”

    Abdullahi added that Exercise Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) under which the projects were  executed also tackled some contemporary security challenges facing Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, Kogi and Kaduna states.

    He explained that apart from the military exercises in these states, the Army also carried out town hall meetings and medical outreaches to ensure that host communities were kept abreast with and carried along in activities.

    He said quick impact projects were similarly carried out in areas of operation to improve the living conditions of host communities.

    The commander added that the town hall meeting and medical outreache for Taraba took place in Wukari in March 2018.

    He urged community leaders to ensure that facilities provided were properly maintained to benefit future generations.

    The Chief of Ibi, Alhaji Abubakar Dan-Bawuro, thanked the Army for not only restoring peace in his domain but providing social service projects for the people.

    He assured that the people of the area had since realised the essence of peaceful coexistence with one another.

    The chief said he would continue to mobilise his subjects to protect the facilities by not only ensuring regular maintenance, but also to live in peace to attract development.

    The primary health care centre had been furnished and equipped with state of the art facilities.

  • Army in final push against Boko Haram

    The Nigerian Army says on Tuesday it has lunched a new operation to totally flush out remnants of Boko Haram insurgents in the Lake Chad region.
    Lt. Gen. Tukur Burutai, disclosed at a press conference in Maiduguri that Operation Last Hold began on May 1, and has a target of August 31, to accomplish it’s mission.
    Represented by Maj.- Gen. Abba Dikko, the Commander of Operation LAST HOLD explained  that it was intended to facilitate the clearance of the Lake Chad waterways of sea weeds and other obstacles obstructing the movement of boats and people across the water channels.
    “It will also ensure the destruction of Boko Haram Terrorist camps and strong points in the Lake Chad Basin general area. The operation will also facilitate the rescue of hostages,”he said.
    Buratai said that the Army was determined to consolidate on its recent gains in the ongoing push especially in the Northern most part of Borno.
     “Operation LAST HOLD is expected to last for 4 months and it will entail deployment of additional manoeuvre brigades and other critical assets in Borno State.
    “The end-state of Operation LAST HOLD is the total defeat of the Boko Haram Terrorist Sect in northern Borno. This will pave way for the return of local administration and people to their responsibilities and communities.”
    According to him, “The operation will facilitate the restoration of fishing, farming and other economic activities in the Lake Chad Basin.
    “Additionally, it will facilitate the relocation of Internally Displaced Persons from IDP camps back to their communities,”said Burutai.

  • UNICEF Lies Exposed

    The recent attempt by the United Nations International Children Fund (UNICEF) through its Global Horizontal Notes (GHN) report accusing the Nigerian Military of violating the rights of children in the North East, has been described as a grand plot aimed at destabilising the military operations in the North East, a reliable source has informed this paper.

    The source stated that the accusation from UNICEF, through its Nigerian office is the handiwork of some international agents, working in collaboration with some powerful interest aimed at influencing international perception against the soaring image of the Nigerian military as the first force to curtail terrorism within a short period of time.

    “The allegations of use of underaged for warfare, rape of young girls in IDP camps are a grand plot to smear the name of the military and destabilize the operational spirit of the troops,” our source said. The source further added that there is an active French link in the evolving saga, given that one of the key players in the whole issues, Priscilla Kounkou Hoveyda, has worked in France and Iran.
    “Priscilla Kounkou Hoveyda is a lawyer who has worked in both Iran and France, and you know the issues Nigeria has been having with France as regards Boko Haram insurgency and Iran with the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.” the source who pleaded anonymity stated.

    “We cannot rule out the possibility of the influence of these countries. But there is a strong possibility we are dealing with a two hydra-headed sword in the person of Priscilla Kounkou Hoveyda” the source stated.
    The source also stated that the second staff of UNICEF behind the report, Maher Farea has strong links with Yemen having worked there for the more significant part of his work life.
    “Yemen is home to Maher Farea. He started work with a Micro Finance Bank in Yemen in 2009 and has worked ever in Yemen before he was transferred to Nigeria and deployed to the Northeast. This trend is also suspect, hence his involvement in the whole saga” our source stated.
    It was also revealed that UNICEF didn’t only concoct that story, but it also did that to spark controversy and dampened the morale of the fighting troops and operations commanders. The source further added that the UNICEF story has some inputs from Amnesty International (AI).

    “Amnesty International is in the background of the report. They explored the UNICEF option because of credibility issues as regards their operations. So they felt that for maximum damage, they enlisted the support of a recognized organization, who ironically had staffers who were compromised easily.” He stated.
    Another source who works with UNICEF in their North East Operations stated that the trio of Priscilla Kounkou Hoveyda, Maher Farea, and Milen Kidane have been in the thick of UNICEF activities in the North East and they are aware of the efforts of the military towards the protection of women and children evident in the rescue of over 5000 women and children from Boko Haram captivity in the past two months.
    “ They know that the military command takes the issue of protection of women and children seriously and they have also been witness to disciplinary actions taken against errant soldiers in the line of action especially as it concerns the vulnerable group that consists of women, children and older people” he stated.
    For UNICEF to now make such statements against the Nigeria military without any form of correspondence or verification from the relevant authorities, leaves many stones unturned. Since when has UNICEF become an investigative organization? I thought they are meant to provide humanitarian assistance” he asked.
    A top military source who spoke on the condition of anonymity confided in this paper that the UNICEF story is a hoax meant to destabilize the operations of the military in the North East.
    “The military high command in Operation Lafiya Dole is aware of the smear campaign launched by UNICEF. It is also aware of the influence of external forces, even received advanced intelligence information ahead of the proclamation by UNICEF. But as an organization that is guided by operational policies, and rules of engagement, the military command is taking the smear campaign plot in good strides, but also keeping the records straight. “He averred.
    It would be recalled that since the Nigerian Army gained ascendency in its operations in the North East, there has been smear campaigns launched against it both from internal and external sources. This is despite the assurances given by the Theatre commander, Major General Rogers Nicholas that troops’ operations are guided by an operational code of conduct, Rules of Engagement, and respect for Fundamental Human Rights as well as International Humanitarian Laws.

  • Troops kill 10 bandits in Adamawa

    The Nigerian Army said on Friday that 10 armed bandits have been killed in Numan, Adamawa state by troops who were on clearance operations in the general area.

    The Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen Texas Chukwu said in a statement that one of the bandits was capture alive and he is currently being interrogated by the police.

    Brig. Gen Chukwu said: “Troops conducting clearance operation in Numan  general area of Adamawa State has neutralized 10 armed bandits following an encounter.

    “The ten bandits were neutralised during an operation which lasted for one hour.

    “Items recovered include:  18 motorcycles,   two Dane guns, one Sub Machine Gun,  one double barrel,  four cartridges,  thirteen rounds of 7.62mm ammunition NATO special, and  one cutlass.

    “Also, one of the bandits, Adamu Umar was captured during the operation.

    “Preliminary investigation is ongoing meanwhile, the suspect and the remains of the 10 bandits neutralized have been handed over to the Nigeria Police.

    “The general public is hereby advised once again to always report any suspicious activities to the law enforcement agents from prompt action”.

    Read Also: Troops rescue 1,000 Boko Haram hostages

  • Birnin Gwari killings: Buhari okays new security measures

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army, and a new Police Area Command, in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up the security response to the banditry affecting the area.

    The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, strongly condemned the latest massacre of innocent Nigerians in the area.

    He said “I am deeply outraged by this unwarranted, unprovoked and reckless destruction of lives by bandits who belong to the lowest level of civilization. I feel the pains and devastation of the families of the victims, and this administration will do everything possible to ensure we defeat these enemies of humanity.”

    “The new Army Battalion and the Police Area Command are the latest in a series of law enforcement measures to ensure more effective protection of lives and property, in and around Benue, Kaduna, Taraba, Zamfara and Nasarawa States.

    “Last week the Nigerian Air Force took delivery of two new helicopter gunships, for deployment to parts of the country affected by banditry.” he said

    A Quick Response Wing, he said, has also been established by the Nigerian Air Force in Taraba State, while a Joint Military Intervention Force is fully on ground in Benue.

    President Buhari also assured that security remains a priority for his government and his administration will not tolerate the persistent killing of innocent people in order to set Nigerians against one another.

    According to the President, “these persistent killings are not spontaneous; there are subterranean forces with a sinister agenda to instigate war in the country for selfish purposes.

    “Although unconventional war is particularly complicated, our security forces are making rigorous efforts to better understand these enemies with a view to decisively checkmating their evil attacks.”

    President Buhari extended his condolences to the families of the victims, the government and the people of Kaduna State over this unfortunate tragedy, assuring that his government will never abandon them to their fate.

    Read Also:Emir to Buhari: Killings targeted at embarrassing your govt

     

  • Army hands over seized tugboat, barge to EFCC

    The Nigerian Army on Thursday handed over a tugboat and a barge allegedly seized from oil thieves, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Delta State.

    Spokesman of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.

    However, he did not say whether the suspects were arrested or not.

    Uwujaren said the tugboat (MV Omar Success) and the barge (EBIs 1) were allegedly being used for illegal oil bunkering when they were seized.

    According to him, the Sector 1, Operation Delta Safe of the Army intercepted the vessels at a creek in Abadiama community of Burutu local government area of the state following a tip off.

    “Speaking at the event, Major Y. J. Yunusa, who represented the Commander, said the tugboat and barge were intercepted on February 1, 2018 while trans loading suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil.

    “Richard Ogberagha, an EFCC operative, who received the exhibits on behalf of the Benin Zonal Head of the Commission, Milafia Yakubu, said the EFCC would do a painstaking investigation and ensure that those involved were brought to book,” Uwujaren said.

    NAN