The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sani Usman

  • Troops Kill Boko Haram terrorists in Bama

    Troops Kill Boko Haram terrorists in Bama

    Two Boko Haram Terrorists were killed in an ambush at the weekend by troops of the 202 Battalion of Operation Lafiya Dole operating in Bama local Government of Borno State.
    A statement on Sunday night by the Nigerian Army Director of Public Relation, Brig General Sani Usman said: ” On Friday 22nd September 2017, based on confirmed information, 202 Battalion, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, dispatched 2 ambush teams towards Feri-Feri and Tashan Goto axis in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
    ” Both teams came in contact with suspected Boko Haram terrorists trying to cross and dealt decisively with them by neutralizing 2 terrorists and recovered 2 bicycles and 3 wheel barrows.
    “The teams also canalized suspected Boko Haram terrorists while trying to circumnavigate the ditch at Shetimari, causing them to flee into the bush with gunshot wounds as traces of blood were seen during exploitation.
    “Meanwhile, At about 9.00am on Saturday 23rd September 2017, troops of 201 Battalion, 21 Brigade Nigerian Army while on fighting patrol in conjunction Mobile Strike Team 21, discovered an Improvised Explosive Device along Bama-Aulari road. It was however safely detonated by the Explosive Ordinance Device team attached to the patrol team.
    “In a related development, troops of 7 Brigade Garrison on 20th September 2017, arrested a suspected physically challenged Boko Haram terrorists’ informant, Mr. Audu Usman at Doron Baga, northern Borno State.”
  • Army kill two Shekau’s deputies on Sallah

    Army kill two Shekau’s deputies on Sallah

    The Nigerian Army on Tuesday said that two Boko Haram commanders were killed in a successful military operation at Alafa in Borno on Sallah day.

    Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen Sani Usman, said in a statement that the commanders who were killed in the onslaught were deputies to Boko Haram factional leader, Abubakar Shekau.

    The Boko Haram commanders were Afdu Kawuri and Abubakar Banishek.

    “This is in addition to Ba’Abba Ibrahim and two other Boko Haram commanders that died after sustaining injuries during their last ambush at Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno,” he added.

    Five other key leaders of the group and close associates of Shekau were neutralised in joint bombardment in August.

    Usman described Shekau’s latest video in which he taunted the army as an act of desperation and lies by remnants of the insurgents to instil unnecessary fear in law abiding citizens.

    In the video, the group denied the killing of its five key commanders and claimed it had wonderful Sallah celebration in the Sambisa forest.

    “We wish to challenge the so-called terrorist leader to produce the five key commanders earlier killed or the video of those Ameers he claimed not dead and are still with him.

    “It is also instructive to note that Shekau is scared and rattled by the 40-day ultimatum issued by the Chief of Army Staff to Operation LAFIYA DOLE to fish him out,’’ Usman said.

  • Our main thrust is to decapitate all terrorists’ factions – Buratai

    Our main thrust is to decapitate all terrorists’ factions – Buratai

    Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, says the main thrust now of the military operations in the North-East is the decapitation of all the remaining terrorists’ factions.

    “With this feat achieved, the relevance of Shekau is no longer of any consequence,” Buratai said.

    In a statement issued on Friday in Abuja, by Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations, Buratai commend the Theatre Commander, Operations Lafiya Dole and troops for neutralising five top commanders of the Boko Haram terrorists.

    He expressed satisfaction with the zeal and determination of troops to capture the Boko Haram terrorists’ factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, dead or alive, in line with his directive which is yet to be achieved.

    The army chief, on July 21, gave the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, 40 days deadline to capture the terrorists’ leader.

    The deadline expired on Aug. 30.

    He noted that the five key leaders of the insurgents recently eliminated by the troops “were the closest associates and right hand men of the terrorists’ group leader – Shekau.”

    “Within the same period, 82 of the Boko Haram terrorists were eliminated.

    “Therefore, the commander (of theatre command) was very close to achieving the directive.

    “The theatre commander has asked for the extension of the deadline and it was granted.

    “Given deadlines and extensions are strategic means of focusing troops’ efforts in the theatre,” Buratai said.

    He urged the people of the North-East and indeed Nigerians to be more confident of the Nigerian troops and go about their normal activities.

  • Boko Haram top commanders killed by Army

    Boko Haram top commanders killed by Army

    The Nigerian Army said on Thursday it had neutralised several Boko Haram commanders and many of their foot soldiers in the ongoing operation against the insurgents in the North East.

    READ ALSO: Boko Haram destroyed 75% water, sanitation infrastructure in Northeast – UNICEF

    Army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said in a statement that the operation was conducted jointly with the Nigerian Air Force.

    Usman said the operation, undertaken based on credible intelligence information, targeted Boko Haram hideouts, adding that “more details of successes achieved will be made available as the operation continues.”

    READ ALSO: Boko Haram Escapee recounts orderal in Sambisa forest

    The spokesman named five top Boko Haram commanders neutralised in the operation to include Abu Dujana, Man Tahiru, a Deputy to Boko Haram terrorists group Hisba leader, Man Chari, Malam Abdullahi Abu Sa’ad and Goni Bamanga.

    “The Nigerian military would continue with the concerted onslaught on the reported Boko Haram terrorists’ locations till they have been eliminated,” he added. (NAN)

  • Surrender now to avoid humiliating death, army tells terorrists

    Surrender now to avoid humiliating death, army tells terorrists

    The Nigerian Army has called on the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists to surrender now to avoid humiliating death from the renewed onslaught of the army.

    The army, in a statement by its spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman on Wednesday, told the members that their leaders have already abandoned them.

    “This is to call on the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists wherever they are hiding, (to surrender) and give up forthwith.

    “This is because your ideology of Boko Haram is dead and no longer tenable.

    “There is no reason to be suffering or fighting a lost cause.

    “As you are aware, your leaders have abandoned you and could no longer be of any help to you,” it disclosed.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government recently redeployed service chiefs to the front line as well as purchased more fighter jets to combat the menace of terrorism in the Northeast.

  • Troops neutralise over 13 terrorists

    Troops neutralise over 13 terrorists

    Troops of the Operation Lafiya Dole neutralised over 13 terrorists on Saturday in various areas in Borno and Adamawa during clearance operations.

    The army spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, who confirmed this in a statement, said 12 were neutralised when the troops laid ambushed for them at Miyanti-Banki junction in Borno and one at Kafin Hausa in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa.

    Usman added that at Dukje-Mada road near Gulumba Gana village, the troops neutralized quite a number of the terrorists.

    “Unfortunately, two soldiers lost their lives when their vehicle stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) buried along the road, while four others sustained injuries.

    “The remains of the gallant soldiers, that paid the supreme price, and the wounded have been evacuated to Maiduguri,” he said.

    He listed items recovered from them as 18 bicycles, 30 bags of flour, one bag of groundnut, two bags of salt, two baskets of kola nut and five torch light, a carton of mixed juice sachets and four rolls of brocade material.

    Others, according to him, are two packets of sweet, one carton of washing soap, five packets of cold patch, two packets of Maggi cubes, two pairs of bathroom slippers, two packets of yeasts and four packets of Vedan.

    He also listed two rolls of sewing thread, four kegs of herbicide, 14 packets of insecticide, one keg of groundnut oil, a bag of pepper and cN4,000 as items recovered from them.

    Usman added that the troops recovered nine primed cylinders from the terrorists’ Improvised Explosive Devices making factory and destroyed the factory, as well as one AK-47 rifle with registration number 02527 MTD and a magazine.

  • Army arrest four fleeing Boko Haram terrorists, including father, son

    Army arrest four fleeing Boko Haram terrorists, including father, son

    The Army have arrested four fleeing Boko Haram terrorists, including a father and son at Kurnari village and Nayinawa in Yobe.

    According to a statement issued by Army Spokesman, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, on Tuesday, the arrested terrorists are: Bukar Waziri, 25, Mammade Lawan, 20, and father and son, Muhammadu Damina, 40, and Isah Muhammadu, 15.

    Usman said that the suspects were arrested on Monday after they fled their hideout at Talala and Buk in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno.

    “During preliminary investigation, they claimed that they were fleeing from the terrorists’ hideout at Talala and Buk in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State because of the unbearable military onslaughts and bombardments on their various locations,” the army spokesman said.

  • Army arrests wanted bandit, kidnapper on Kaduna-Abuja road

    Army arrests wanted bandit, kidnapper on Kaduna-Abuja road

    The  Nigerian Army confirmed that troops from the 1 Division in Kaduna State arrested a notorious and wanted leader of an armed banditry, Sani Ibrahim, alias “Burtu”, on the Kaduna-Abuja road on Wednesday.

    Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, Director of Army Public Relations, who confirmed the arrest in a statement on Thursday said, the suspect was picked up when the troops cordoned “armed bandits’ camp at Rijana forest.”

    According to Usman, Ibrahim has been on the wanted list of the security agencies in Kaduna State for a long time.

    He explained that due to disturbing resurgence of armed banditry and kidnappings along Abuja-Kaduna road, the troops carried out clearance operation at the Rijana forest.

    He said one motorcycle and 25 goats were recovered from the camp.

    Similarly, the army spokesman said the troops mounted ambush on Zamfara border with Kebbi and neutralised three armed bandits and recovered 134 cows and 13 sheep.

    He said that operations were ongoing.

  • Army wins 2017 national open kick-boxing championships

    Army wins 2017 national open kick-boxing championships

    The Nigerian Army Kick-Boxing Team has emerged winners of the 2017 national open Kick-boxing championships held at the Rowe Park Indoor Sports Hall, Yaba in Lagos.

    A statement by Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the army spokesman on Friday, noted that the army team won with nine gold, eight silver and four bronze medals.

    The army came ahead of the Nigeria Police team which came second with four gold medals, while Oyo State came third with two gold medals.

    The championship featured male and female teams from various states of the federation, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Nigeria Police, Para-Military agencies and kick-boxing clubs across Nigeria.

    The Nigerian army Kick-boxing team also won the second Nigeria King of the Ring Kick-Boxing championships held in Port Harcourt in April

  • Army probes soldiers’ misconduct in IDPs camp

    Army probes soldiers’ misconduct in IDPs camp

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. – Gen. Tukur Buratai, has ordered investigation into alleged misconduct by soldiers in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Bama, Borno.

    The  Director of Army Public Relations, Brig. – Gen. Sani Usman, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

    ‘‘The Nigerian Army has noted with great concern growing allegations of misconduct against some persons on security duties at an IDPs camp in Bama, Borno.

    ‘‘We would like to state that Nigerian Army personnel have been doing their best in bringing peace and security in various parts of the country especially in the North East; any act of misconduct could negatively impact on these good works,’’ Usman said.

    He added: ‘‘Although these allegations are unsubstantiated, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen.Tukur Buratai, has directed that the matter be thoroughly investigated by both the Director, Military Intelligence and Provost Marshal (Army).

    ‘‘We would like to reiterate that the Nigerian Army has zero tolerance for any misconduct among its officers and soldiers especially those that are trusted with onerous responsibility of guarding and securing those Internally Displaced Persons’ Camps.

    “Anyone found culpable would be severely dealt with,” he warned.

    The Director enjoined the public to make use of the newly established Nigerian Army Information and Call Centre to report any such issue and other security concerns to the Army authorities.

    He advised the public to report such matters by calling the short code 193 using any of the telecommunication service providers network in Nigeria.