The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Army

  • UNHCR, 2Face drum support for IDPs in Borno

    UNHCR, 2Face drum support for IDPs in Borno

    The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) partnership with the singer, Innocent Idibia, (2 face Idibia), have inaugurated awareness campaign to garner support for victims of violence.

    The UNHCR and the singer-songwriter are focusing their campaign to those who were affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region.

    Edibia said this at a musical concert organised by the Nigerian Army at the Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

    He said decided to partner with UNHCR because he was deeply touched by the condition of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    “I visited some of the IDP camps. Their condition is heart-breaking and saddening.

    “At the same time; I see hope in their eyes and eagerness to return to homes. And that hope could not have been there without the effort of the army,” he said.

    Edibia also commended the Nigerian Army’s efforts towards ending the insurgency and protection of lives and property in the country.

    The singer commended the Army for ensuring peace in the country.

    “Words alone cannot not express how wonderful you have been doing toward ensuring the return of peace in the country.

    “You are doing a wonderful work, putting your life on the line to defend and protect our country.”

    He, however, promised to extend the campaign to other parts of the country, with a view to drumming support for IDPs and the counter-insurgency campaign.

    Also speaking, Cesar Tshilombo, the Head of the UNCHR, Sub-Office in Maiduguri, said that the organisation would collaborate with 2Face to raise awareness on its operations in the region.

    “Having 2Face here will make the visibility of UNHCR operations. It is to let the people know that they not being neglected.

    “Today we are in Ngala, visited some of the camps and interacted with some of the displaced children. I think having 2Face around is a good partnership,” Tshilombo said.

    “We are specifically working

  • Army inaugurates one million litre water treatment plant in Enugu

    Army inaugurates one million litre water treatment plant in Enugu

    The Nigerian Army has inaugurated a water treatment plant at Abakpa Cantonment in Enugu, capable of treating and supplying one million litres of water daily to the barracks and its environs.

    Abakpa cantonment is the headquarters of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army.

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who inaugurated the project on Wednesday, said the plant would solve the over 30-year-old perennial water problem in the barracks and its environs.

    Buratai said that the project was the first water treatment plant constructed solely by Nigerian Army Engineers.

    He said the Enugu State Government provided the transformer to power the plant and additional funds for its construction.

    Buratai also said that the state government had promised to construct the road leading to the treatment plant from the cantonment gate.

    The plant sources water from Miri Ocha River, flowing behind the cantonment.

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar, who conceived and executed the project, said it was executed through direct labour by 44 Army Engineers.

    Abubakar said the plant used rapid filtration system, adding that water from the plant had already been certified fit for consumption by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi said the state government would collaborate with the army to replicate the technology to upgrade the water supply scheme in the state.

  • Nigeria, Cameroon meet on Boko Haram

    Nigeria, Cameroon meet on Boko Haram

    The Nigerian Army and their Cameroonian counterparts are holding bilateral talks on how to root out Boko Haram remnants from border regions.

    The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, disclosed this after military officials from the Central African nation visited the Military Command and Control Centre (MCCC) in Maiduguri, Borno State, on Tuesday.

    “The bilateral meeting between officials of the Nigerian military and that of Cameroon is to discuss how to end insurgency on our borders. The meeting involves security officials of Nigeria and Cameroon on how to raise the counter-insurgency efforts on our borders,” Maj. Gen. Attahiru said.

    He said the two countries’ security agencies sought to work closely in order to end Boko Haram insurgency in the border regions.

    Gen. Attahiru said Nigeria and Cameroon are working out modalities for a joint operation around Borno south-eastern region bordering Cameroon.

    The leader of the Cameroonian team, Brig. Gen. Valere Nka, said his country was pleased to have bilateral arrangement with Nigeria on the Boko Haram insurgency in areas bordering Lake Chad.

    “The capability of Boko Haram has been reduced compared to what it was three years ago when they seized communities and even declared caliphate,”Brig. Gen. Nka said.

  • Army distributes 1000 treated mosquito nets to Kaduna community

    Army distributes 1000 treated mosquito nets to Kaduna community

    The 1 Division of the Nigerian Army has distributed more than 1000 treated mosquito nets to residents of Hayin Danmani community in Kaduna North Local Government, Kaduna State.

    Spokesman of the division, Col. Kingsley Umoh told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kaduna that the gesture was part of activities carried out to mark the 2017 Nigerian Army Day.

    He said that the mosquito nets were distributed to nursing mothers and pregnant women to prevent them from Malaria attack.

    Umoh said over 80 per cent of those who benefited from the medical outreach programme in the area were women.

    “Those who attended the outreach, mostly women, were diagnosed with hypertension which seemed to be dominant among other illnesses,“ he said.

    According to him, other illnesses identified by the Army medical team include allergic conjunctivitis, intestinal worms, Typhoid, Malaria, and malnutrition among children in the community.

    Umoh said that those found suffering from any ailment were given proper treatment while those with acute cases were referred to hospitals for appropriate medical attention.

  • Court dismisses Zakzaky’s suit against army, FG, others

    Court dismisses Zakzaky’s suit against army, FG, others

    The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Thursday dismissed the suit filed by the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky and Malama Zeenat El-Zakzaky against Nigerian Army, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai and two others over abuse of court proceedings.

    The Shii’tes leader and his wife had instituted a N2 billion suit against the army, Buratai, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Attorney General of Kaduna State over alleged invasion of their private house at No1 Wali Road Gyellesu, Zaria, Kaduna State, by armed soldiers who allegedly shot and killed three of their children and injured several other members of the Islamic movement.

    Justice Saleh Musa Shuaibu said the 34- paragraph affidavit with two annexures filed by daughter of the plaintiffs, Zuhalla Ibraheem, was not clear enough, as the deponent did not state reason why she was the one deponing to the affidavit instead of her parents.

    He said since the two suits separately brought by Sheikh el-Zakzaky and his wife were similar and seeking the same reliefs he decided to consolidate them to save time.

    The suit filed by lead counsel to the applicants, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), is seeking eight reliefs that include declarations by the court that the violent invasion of the applicants’ private residence at No 1 Wali Road Gyellesu, Zaria, Kaduna State, by armed soldiers was a flagrant violation of their fundamental rights, that shooting of the applicants by armed soldiers who are agents of respondents one and two is illegal and unconstitutional and the cruel inhuman treatment of the applicants at their private residence was a flagrant violation of their fundamental right to dignity of human person.

     

     

     

  • Nigerian Army offers free medical check to Badagry residents

    Nigerian Army offers free medical check to Badagry residents

    The Nigerian Army, 243 Battalion, Badagry, Lagos State, on Wednesday offered free medical check to over 100 residents in the area.

    The army officers also embarked on environmental sanitation and evacuation of refuse dumps at the Fibre market and the Nigeria French Language Village in Badagry.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the activities were carried out in commemoration of the Nigerian Army Day Celebration which comes up on July 7.

    The Commander of 243 Battalion, Col. Umar Garuba, told NAN that the Battalion carried out the exercise, yearly, by the Army for its host communities.

    “The free medical check-up is a way of giving back to the host communities for all the support they have rendered because we cannot do what we do without them.

    “Our medical team carried out tests and the results came out instantly.

    “Drugs are given where necessary and advice in cases that require full medical attention.

    “Cleaning up the environment and clearing the refuse dumps will help flush out all forms of diseases; this will in turn prevent the residents from falling ill regularly.

    “We will keep on carrying out similar exercises to ensure that the synergy that exists between the host communities and army is further strengthened,’’ he said.

    Garuba said that the low crime rate in the area was due to the vigilance of the Army and other security agencies.

    “OP MESA and other security agencies work together and this has resulted in suppressing crime in the area drastically.

    “We will keep on ensuring that it remains that way.’’

  • Over 700 Boko Haram militants have surrendered to troops – Buratai

    Over 700 Boko Haram militants have surrendered to troops – Buratai

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, said on Monday that over 700 Boko Haram terrorists have surrendered to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in Borno State.

    Buratai stated this at the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) and Photo/Art Exhibition in Abuja.

    He said the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents surrendered following intensive bombardment of their hideouts near Sambisa Forest by the Nigerian Army and supported by air assault from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) component.

    The army chief said: “Just a short while ago, I received the good news that about 700 Boko Haram terrorists in the fringes of the Sambisa forest have surrendered to troops.

    “It is a clear indication that the war on insurgency and terror is clearly being won. I want to congratulate not only our gallant troops and indeed the Navy and the Airforce, but all Nigerians.

    “The terrorists are surrendering because of the concerted efforts of the Nigerian military. They are in total disarray, they are hungry and are looking for a way out.”

    The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, who was the special guest of honour at the exhibition, said the roles of Nigerian Army in nation’s building cannot be underestimated, adding that there is no doubt the army was at the forefront of President Muhammadu Buhari’s change agenda.

     

     

  • Army offers free medical treatment to 500 in Anambra

    Army offers free medical treatment to 500 in Anambra

    The 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support), Onitsha on Saturday offered free medical treatment to more than 500 persons in Umuoji, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra.

    Col. Idongiset Akpan, the Commander of the Regiment, said the service and an earlier clean up exercise were some of the activities lined up for the week long 2017 Nigerian Army Day celebration.

    Akpan said the free treatment and cleanup exercise near Electrical International Market, Onitsha, were to maintain the excellent civil/military relationship and to imbibe the culture of clean environment.

    “It was also an opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the Nigerian Army, and also launder our image as a potent force for the defense of our democracy and nation building,” he said.

    He explained that the Army Day celebration was a yearly exercise to commemorate the creation of the Nigerian Army.

    Also speaking, Capt. Wilson Ejiga, the Regimental Medical Officer in-charge of the Cantonment Hospital, said cases of malaria, typhoid and other minor ailments were treated.

    “We conducted HIV counseling and testing and a number of investigation including, random blood sugar, urine text and any case that is beyond us were referred with a provision to take care the patient in the hospital,” he said.

    Mrs Njideka Oraedum, the Senior Special Adviser to Gov. Willie Obiano on Environment, Climate Change and Beautification, commended the Army on the gesture.

    Oraedun assured that the state government will provide more receptacles in the area to ensure that people do not drop their wastes indiscriminately.

  • Army Day Celebration: Soldiers clean-up Lagos community

    Army Day Celebration: Soldiers clean-up Lagos community

    The Nigerian Army on Saturday defied the early morning downpour and deployed his officers and men in Mushin, a Lagos mainland industrial hub and a congested residential area with inadequate sanitation and low-quality housing, for a clean-up exercise.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Peter Dauke, and the 9 Brigade Commander, Brig.-Gen. Elias Attu, led the soldiers in a massive sanitation exercise in the streets of Mushin.

    The soldiers were seen clearing the refuse dumps and the drains blocked by bottles of water, nylons and waste.

    According to Dauke, the environmental sanitation is part of the activities lined up to commemorate the 2017 Nigerian Army Day Celebrations.

    He expressed the hope that the exercise would further boost the Army-Public relations.

    “Sanitation is one of the activities lined up for this years’ Army Day celebration which will be followed by a medical outreach.

    “Sanitation is the civic responsibility of everyone and we feel part of our corporate social responsibilities is to interface with the public and the government in this vicinity.

    “This is why we are contributing our quota by interfacing with other security agencies to keep this vicinity clean,” he told newsmen.

    The GOC appealed to residents of Mushin to maintain a clean and healthy environment, saying “cleanliness is next to Godliness”.

    “Everyone should ensure that they do everything possible to make their environment clean.”

    “Our environment must be clean for us to live healthily,” he said.

    Traders and food sellers as well as residents, who came out for the exercise, expressed gratitude to the Army for their intervention.

    They noted that the soldiers defied the rain to carry out the exercise.

  • Army provides free medical services to IDPs in Chibok

    Army provides free medical services to IDPs in Chibok

    The Nigerian Army said it has provided free medical treatment to about 300 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Chibok, Borno, as part of activities marking this year’s Nigerian Army Day Celebration.

    The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Samuel Kingsley, said this in a statement on Saturday in Maiduguri.

    “As part of their contribution to the host community and activities marking the Nigerian Army Day Celebration,

    “Troops of 28 Task Force Brigade Nigerian Army were at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Chibok to render free medical service to the community,’’ Samuel said.

    He added that the task force had so far attended to more than 300 persons “since morning and still counting.”

    NAN