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Tag: soldiers

  • Boko Haram: GOC refutes mutiny among soldiers

    The Nigerian Army on Friday dismissed speculations that soldiers of 21 Brigade in Bama shot indiscriminately and turned against their officers.

    Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezegwu, the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division of the army, denied the report in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

    “I want to assure that nothing like mutiny happened in Bama. Nothing happen. I just came back from Bama and nothing like that happened,” Ezegwu said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that some online publications had reported that there was a complete breakdown of order and discipline at the 21 Brigade in Bama where soldiers complained of mistreatment and began to shoot indiscriminately. (NAN)

  • Soldiers, Air Force men in IDPs camps sex scandal

    Soldiers, Air Force men in IDPs camps sex scandal

    Policemen, Civilian JTF members, ministry official arrested, says IG

    Soldiers, policemen and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) men and others have been implicated in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps sex scandal.
    The policemen and CJTF suspects have been arrested. The Army and the Air Force are expected to surrender their implicated men, Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris said yesterday.
    According to him, police investigators swung into action after the  Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on alleged sexual abuses, exploitation, harassment, gender-based violence and professional misconduct on IDPs. The camps were opened following the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast.
    Those indicted include two police officers, one prison warden, two civilian JTF members, a civilian from the Ministry of Agriculture, Maiduguri and three servicemen in the Army and the Air Force.
    The HRW report alleged that there were 43 cases of abuses and misconduct.
    Briefing senior officers at the Force Headquarters in Abuja yesterday, the IGP said: “About three or four weeks ago, I established a panel to investigate some allegations made by the Human Rights Watch.
    “Investigation was conducted by the IGPs Monitoring Team at the Force Headquarters and they made contact with the Human Rights Watch in order for them to help us verify some of the allegations but, according to the response we got, they said they don’t reveal their sources of information.
    “Despite that, our officers, with much tenacity and professionalism, were able to unearth some of the allegations and we have so far arrested some suspects. Some of these suspects are police officers, some are from sister agencies while some are civilians.”
    Idris went on: “As I am talking to you, we have two police officers under investigation and they are in detention now. We have a prison warden, two civilian JTF, a civilian from the Ministry of Agriculture, Maiduguri who is now in our detention.
    “In respect of our sister agency, we have written to them for them to avail us some of their personnel. These sister agencies, we are expecting three; obviously from the Army, and one from Airforce. Those are the people presently subjected to investigation.”
    On efforts made to forestall future reoccurrence, the police chief said: “We know that it is an unfortunate incident that happened in most of these IDP camps and we are putting a lot of measures in place to address some of these issues.
    “We have deployed a lot of women police officers in the camps in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe state and we are going into partnership with the United States (U.S.) to see how we can enhance the training of our personnel who we are going to attach to some of these IDPs.
    He added: “As usual, those in the police and the military, as a procedure, we are going to dismiss them first before we take them to court but I am assuring that they will be taken to court to answer for this criminal act which they conducted.”
    On Rivers rerun election; the IGP said the police would replicate what it did in Ondo State.
    “Rivers is the next challenge we are having, but by the grace of God, just as we did in Ondo, we will do in Rivers. We have started the deployment of officers and I will be in Rivers on Thursday to address the men.”
    On the preparation made for the Yuletide, Idris said: “Roadblocks have been cancelled and I cannot give a blanket order that police officers should not ask for licences because it is a way of checking crime.
    “We will try to limit the deployment of our patrol vehicles on the roads. We should try to ease the movement of people on the road and we will continue to deploy X-Squad, especially in the southeastern part of the country where these complaints are coming from and I want CPs, AIGs to ensure smooth movement of travellers during the Yuletide,” he said.
    On the uproar caused by some officers and men on special duty who are owed allowances, the IGP hinted that a permanent record would be created where names and account details of officers and men will be easily accessed.
    He said: “Henceforth, CPs should be involved because up to yesterday, we still have policemen that are sending eight digits account number instead of ten digits. I think CPs should have interest in these to avoid going back and forth. I have set up a panel to come up with how we can address some of these issues of payment of allowances in accordance with due process.
    “As a final solution, because we have a lot of elections ahead of us and this is just rerun, we are going to develop a permanent record for every police officer from  name till the last so that when we have special duty, we will just check the list we have and then take the account numbers from our record.”
    Idris urged his officers and men to drop their account details for easy processing.

  • Soldiers to assist in securing Ekiti community

    Soldiers have been invited to assist in securing Ido-Ekiti in Ekiti State, following an attack on a police station on October 15 in which an inspector was killed, it was learnt.

    The Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro, while holding a briefing on the Ajodun Ido Ogaganmodu festival, said the attack by about 40 gunmen prompted him to request soldiers to help in securing lives.

    He assured his subjects of safety during the weeklong festival, which features community prayers, inter-school debate, widow’s empowerment, marathon race, cultural competition, medical outreach, beauty pageant, football competition, fundraising, among others.

    The first class monarch urged prominent indigenes to come and invest in the community.

    Oba Ilori-Faboro said the security challenges could be attributed to the town’s expansion and influx of people.

    He said: “I went to the governor to tell him that the police were not up to the task and I requested the deployment of soldiers to complement the police. We have soldiers in the town, about 20 soldiers with patrol vehicles and 20 mobile policemen. We also have the Baruba people, local hunters and vigilantes patrolling the town.”

    The ruler hoped the crisis that rocked the Federal Teaching Hospital would not recur as the panel raised by the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, had submitted its report.

  • Military deny missing soldiers report

    The Nigerian Army high command on Saturday strongly refuted claims that over 83 soldiers including one officer are still missing following a Boko Haram attack on troop’s location in Gashigar, a northern Borno community close to the Niger border.
    The army had reported some soldiers missing and 13 others injured after “escaping remnants of Boko Haram” fighters overran the troop’s location.
    Acting Director, Army Public Relations (ADAPR), Col. Sani Usman in a release said: “The troops did their best to defend the location in vain. In the process, 13 soldiers’ sustained injuries while some are still missing in action.”
    While Usman declined to mention the number of soldiers still missing, he said efforts were on to locate and rescue them. However, an online news portal claimed in a new report that at least 83 soldiers and one officer identified as Lt. Col. K Yusuf was missing.
    The news portal also claimed that corruption has returned to the military as Brigade and Troops commanders usually deduct N200 from the troop’s daily food fee of N500 leaving soldier’s morale perpetually low.
    However in an interview with our correspondent, Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Rabe  Abubakar decried unpatriotic comments about the Nigerian army which is doing its best to bring Boko Haram insurgency to an end.
    “ It is disgusting that this kind of story which has no source is published,” Abubakar said lamenting that some news portals allowed sentiments to cloud the sense of professionalism in reporting security issues.
    “ The question is who did they interview, where and when, this is purely mischief as we vowed not to hid any information from our citizens that’s why we give updates on daily basis. If there is anything like this it ought to come from us not an online media.
    “ In the past, when we had some setbacks, we reported it to our citizens, we are Nigerians working for our country, we love our people better than any other alien, why this story now when we are winning? All the allegations are concocted with sinister motives by the medium having failed in their previous campaign of calumny against us,” Abubakar said.
    The Defence spokesperson also said Nigerian troops are the most professional and have done the country proud anywhere they are deployed. HE said the Army has had the unprecedented gains by dislodging Boko Haram terrorists. “ Therefore this media is not reporting but speculating and should not be taken seriously,” he said.
    Also Col. Usman said he will not want to comment on the efforts so far to rescue the missing personnel so as not to hamper on-going efforts and investigations but insisted that the claims were false. “ I will tell you here that the story is not true, there is no truth in it,” Usman said.

  • Police confirm clash with soldiers in Abakaliki

    The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed Saturday evening’s clash between its officers and soldiers from the Nigerian Army Cantonment at Nkwagu, near Abakaliki, the state capital.

    Police spokesman George Okafor, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed this yesterday to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki.

    But Okafor said the matter had been resolved amicably.

    According to him, the clash was unfortunate and efforts have been made by the two agencies to forestall such occurrence in future.

    Okafor said: “The matter has been peacefully resolved and we urge the public not to panic over the development but be assured of their safety at all times.”

    The spokesman, who declined further comments on the matter, also failed to confirm whether or not police officers involved in the clash sustained injuries.

    An eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, told NAN that the incident occurred at 1, Water Works Road in Abakaliki.

    He said: “Trouble started when a police patrol team on a road check requested for the identity cards and vehicle particulars of army officers from the Nkwagu Military Cantonment.

    “The soldiers rode a tinted Toyota Camry car with registration number BWR 886 AE and a black Toyota Jeep with the inscription of ‘Bride’ used to convey a newly wedded couple.

    “The soldiers, who were in their uniform – except one person, told the police team they were returning from a wedding and felt embarrassed by their request for the documents.

    “At this point, one of the police officers stopped the soldiers from passing and the latter angrily fired sporadically into the air.”

    The witness, who is a security agent, said the policemen called the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on phone, adding that one of them slapped a soldier.

    “The clash subsequently ensued and the policemen, who had the upper hand, took some of the soldiers to the command’s headquarters and confiscated their rifles.

    “The soldiers, who escaped from the scene, rushed to the cantonment and, on their way, allegedly attacked some policemen near the cantonment and held them hostage,” the security agent told NAN.

    The eyewitness said one of the policemen held by the soldiers was released and he rushed to the command to report that some officers were being held at the cantonment.

    “This development almost affected the peace moves by both security agencies, but the situation eventually normalised following intervention by top echelon of both agencies,” the source added.

    The Army authorities had not reacted to NAN enquiries or made public their reaction over the development.

  • Two soldiers die in BokoHaram dawn attack

    Two soldiers die in BokoHaram dawn attack

    Troops of the Operation LAFIYA DOLE Task Force Battle Group  and Multinational Joint Task Force in Abadam village have successfully repelled an early morning attack from elements of Boko Haram on their location.

    During the attack, which was lasted for about two hours, the troops killed 15 of the insurgents, with many escaping with gunshot wounds.

    However, two soldiers lost their lives, while four others were wounded in the fighting. The troops recovered weapons from the insurgents.

    The troops have continued mop-up and clearance operations of the remnants of the terrorists. They have also intensified vigilance and high level of alertness.

  • Soldiers kill 7 kidnappers, destroy camps in Bauchi

    Soldiers kill 7 kidnappers, destroy camps in Bauchi

    Soldiers on patrol duty in Bauchi State have killed seven suspected kidnappers and destroyed some camps belonging to hoodlums, the Army said yesterday.

    Army spokesman, Colonel Sani Usman said in a statement that troops of 33 Brigade carried out the operation, following a tip-off, which brought them in contact with the suspected kidnappers at Lame Burra forest near Dutsen Ganye, Gunduru and Kati Layin villages, Bauchi State.

    Usman said they recovered 2 AK-47 rifles and 3 Dane guns at the camp.

    “The troops are still combing the general area to further track down other fleeing members of the criminal gang,” he said.

    He also explained that following the initial successes of the army’s Operation FOREST KUNAMA, which was aimed at clearing all livestock rustlers and armed bandits’ camps in Bauchi and Gombe States general area, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) directed the troops to maintain continued presence at the Lame-Burra forest.

    “This is to prevent the criminal elements that fled from returning.

    “Subsequently, 2 Forward Operation Bases (FOBs) were established at Lame and Jimi to cover the Lame and Burra axis of the forest respectively.”

    He said, “Troops usually carry out periodic fighting patrols into the forest from the FOBs.

    Besides, soldiers have arrested a suspected Boko Haram terrorist named Adamu Damuna. He is currently being interrogated,” Usman said.

  • Soldiers arrest three over plans to kidnap 3-year-old baby

    Three persons identified as Mr. Chimeremeze Nwauzor, Mr. Chinato Nwauzor and Mr. Chinedu Apolos have been arrested and are currently cooling off their heels in one of the army camps in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, under 144 Battalion.

    The Nation gathered that the suspects; Chimeremeze, 21years and Chinato Nwauzor, 23years from Ntighauzo and Chinedu Apolos, 32 year old from Amauvuru, all in Obingwa Local Government Area of the state were arrested at Abayi Okoroato and Amauvuru respectively.

    They were said to have been arrested following a tip off after they have allegedly concluded plans to kidnap and keep three-year-old baby, identified as Glory Ndubuisi, with a view of demanding a ten million (N10million) naira ransom from her parents.

    A source, who pleaded for anonymity, told our correspondent that soldiers are still investigating the matter to track down other members of the syndicate and their prospective buyers as information has it that the boys were not acting alone.

    According to the source, the soldiers, after analyzing a tip off and as part of a pro-active step to stop the crime from being committed, swing into action, paving way for the arrest of the suspects and foiling of their “evil plans”.

    In another development, members of Umuimo Vigilante have arrested one Mr. Agoro Onyedikachi of Amuzu Village in Osisioma Local Government Area of the state.

    Onyedikachi was said to have been arrested by vigilante members after he had allegedly kidnapped one Mr. Julius Okwuono at Amapu Village in the same Osisioma at a gunpoint.

    It was gathered that the victim paid the sum of two hundred thousand naira (N200, 000:00) to regain his freedom on August 18.

    Sources, however, revealed that the suspect, after collecting the said sum, continued threatening the victim and demanding another sum of one hundred thousand naira (N100, 000:00 or risked being kidnapped the second time.

    It was learnt that luck however ran against the suspect as he was arrested after collecting the said ransom from the victim.

    Sources from the community said the suspect has been handed over to security officials, though it was yet to be established which of the security agencies he was handed over to at the time of filing this report.

     

  • Army kills 5 militants as ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ begins

    Army kills 5 militants as ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ begins

    •Avengers name Soyinka, Kalu others as committee members •Tension heightens  

    Troops of the 133 Special Forces Battalion of the Army have killed five suspected militants as Operation Crocodile Smile got underway in the Niger Delta at the weekend.

    Twenty three other suspects were arrested, the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said.

    The operation which was flagged off by the Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, is aimed at getting rid of all forms of criminal activities in the region.

    Meanwhile, there was tension in the Niger Delta region at the weekend following special military drills on the first day of Operation Crocodile Smile (OCM). This is coming as the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) yesterday named Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, former Abia State governor Orji Kalu and others as members of its panel to dialogue with the federal government.

    The operation was designed by the military to equip the amphibious and internal security operations in the riverine areas against the activities of Niger Delta militants.

    It is also designed to train Special Forces, formations and units located in the region.

    It is said to comprise both strategy perfection and public confidence building.

    Col. Usman said yesterday that in the course of the operation, some militants attacked the troops who then responded and succeeded in killing five of them. “Numerous others were injured and 23 suspects were arrested,” he said.

    The operation was carried out by the Special Forces at the militants’ camps.

    The army spokesperson said items recovered from the camps include two AK-47 rifles, 11 Pump Action Guns, a locally made revolver pistol, 292 cartridges of live Ammunition, 199 rounds of AK-47 rifle Ammunition, four electricity generating sets and a Camp Gas Cooker.

    The troops also recovered an abandoned Engine Boat left by the fleeing militants.

    Usman had said on Friday that ‘Exercise Crocodile Smile’ was  not  all about guns and boats.

    He said that apart from the training aspect of it, the Army’s Medical Corps was involved in medical in Sapele, Delta State.

    He said:”It will be recalled that we have shown you the massing up of the troops yesterday (Thursday).Today (Friday), the buildup of logistics has commenced.

    “The human side of the ongoing exercise includes free medical outreach for Sapele communities in Delta.

    “The Nigerian Army Medical Corps has fully deployed to the area attending to medical needs of the communities free of charge.”

    It was gathered the Operation Crocodile Smile has resulted in massive deployment of troops to the creeks of the Niger Delta through the Sapele waterways.

    Residents reported witnessing many military gunboats, war-kitted soldiers and other maritime military hardware moving into the creeks.

    The deployment was said to have created apprehension among residents of the riverine communities causing an atmosphere of a siege.

    The President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, said he has been inundated with complaints of people scampering for safety and fleeing into the forest on sighting the troops.

    He argued that in the spirits of the ongoing dialogue to resolve the crisis in the region, the federal government ought to have called off all military operations in the Niger Delta.

    He said it amounted to insincerity on the part of the government to be demanding dialogue while conducting an exercise to launch a major military operation in the region at the same time.

    Eradiri insisted that any form of military action in the region could jeopardise efforts of leaders such as Chief Edwin Clark to stop the crisis.

    He said: “The EK Clark Committee has brought all Niger Delta leaders together. The MEND and the avengers support them. The other day, the Minister for Petroleum, Ibe Kachukwu met with them again.

    “The unfortunate fact is whether government is sincere in this whole business. How can the military within the period announced that they are carrying out an exercise in the Niger Delta?

    “As at yesterday night, there was this rumour that they were going to attack Gbaramatu and the entire community started scampering into the forest because soldiers were seen mobilising in Sapele.

    “When we asked, they said the military had met the governor and said they wanted to do a two-week drill in Niger Delta. It is wrong. They should suspend any form of activity because there is an interpretation of a sinister motive in their activities.”

    A statement by Ballatyne Agiri, contact person for the East and Central zones of the Niger Delta Avengers said Soyinka will serve as adviser to the committee.

    Other members of the committee are Professor Steve Odi Owei Etibom, Dr. Anthony A. Ani, Nalaguo Chris Alagoa, Mrs. Alice Mobolaji  Osomo and Mr. Inienimi Ballantyne Agiri.

     

  • “Battered” by soldiers, expelled from school

    “Battered” by soldiers, expelled from school

    Three months after Folashade Leshi was allegedly battered by soldiers, the Mass Communication student of the Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, has been expelled for allegedly “molesting” soldiers. Folashade alleges victimisation, vowing to fight her expulsion. SANYA BOLUWATIFE reports.

    Folashade Leshi, a Mass Communication student of the Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State, may have paid a heavy price for a protest that rocked the school last April. During the protest, she was allegedly brutalised by soldiers attached to a military security outfit code-named Operation Mesa (OP Mesa). About four months after, she was expelled by the school management.

    Folashade believes the school’s action  was not fair. She has alleged victimisation and vowed to fight her expulsion.

    Already, she, through her lawyer, Habeeb Whyte, has given the school a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the “unjust decision”, threatening to go to court to enforce her rights should the school fail to do so.

    Folashade’s expulsion came on the heels of an invitation she got to appear before a panel of enquiry set up by the Ogun State Ministry of Education. She was preparing to go to Abeokuta, the state capital, when she got a letter dismissing her from the school.

    The development, CAMPUSLIFE gathered, prompted the government panel to stop the inquiry. A source at the ministry told CAMPUSLIFE that the panel members were disappointed over the school’s “hasty decision”.

    Folashade’s travail began when she attempted to gain entrance into the school to pay a fee that would allow her to write an examination. Some students staged a protest against the school’s directive to bar those who did not pay their fees from writing the examination. The protesters burnt down the polytechnic’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre.

    The 28-year-old Mass Communication student was battered at the polytechnic’s gate by the soldiers, who tried to disperse the protesters.

    CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the soldiers told Folashade to leave the vicinity, but the student refused, insisting that she wanted to pay the examination levy. It was learnt that the soldiers descended on her, allegedly beating her with horsewhip and the butt of a gun.

    The soldiers took Folashade, who was bleeding, to the Rector, alleging that the Mass Communication student tore their uniform.

    The Rector, Prof Bilesanmi Awoderu, was said to have directed the Dean of Students’ Affairs (DSA), Ms Sade Jokotagba, to hand over Folashade to the police. The student was released from Ijebu-Igbo Police Station after the intervention of a local chief.

    After she was released by the police, Folashade wrote a petition to the Ministry of Education and the school management, alleging battery. The school responded with a letter inviting her to face the Students’ Disciplinary Committee (SDC) headed by the DSA.

    On April 22, Folashade was invited to face the school panel. It was learnt that the panel accused her of violating the school regulation by disobeying security officers attached to the school. But Folashade denied that she was part of the protesters, claiming she was making effort to pay the examination levy when the soldiers pounced on her.

    On July 18, she got a call from the Ministry of Education to appear before its panel on July 22. However, two days to the panel’s sitting, she got a letter from the school management, which stated that she has been expelled from the institution because she “molested” the soldiers attached to the school.

    Folashade alleged that the SDC did not give her a fair hearing, noting that the school panel failed to produce the soldiers she allegedly “molested”. She claimed that the soldiers of the OP Mesa invited by the school to disperse the protesting students assaulted her with horsewhip and the butt of a gun. She also accused the school management of unlawful detention, demanding compensation for abusing her rights.

    Whyte’s petition to the school and Ogun State Governor. Ibikunle Amosun reads: “We have gone through the content of your letter and in addition to further facts and available documents obtained from our client, we arrive at the following: that our client, indeed, attended the SDC, but the chairman and members of the committee did not accord her fair hairing.

    “The Operation Mesa officers, who our client was alleged to be unruly to, were not invited by the committee to substantiate their claim. The commandant of the OP Mesa was also not invited. The security officer went beyond their authority to harass, intimidate and recklessly assault out client.

    “We hereby give the school seven days to reverse the letter of dismissal, re-absorb our client as bonafide student of the institution, failure of which we shall not hesitate to institute a legal action to enforce our client’s rights.”

    When CAMPUSLIFE met Folashade last weekend, she told our correspondent that the move by the school was wrong, describing her expulsion as “unjust” and “wicked”.

    She said: “I feel so bad, learning that the school management took that unjust and wicked decision. How could an arm-less lady molest heavily-armed military officers? These people are just being wicked and they want to make me a scapegoat for the protest. I don’t know what I did wrong. But, I assure you that justice will prevail.”

    A student of the polytechnic, who pleaded anonymity, said: “Everyone is scared to fight for Folashade. Even members of the Students’ Union Government are scared. This is wrong and I just hope the management retraces its step and reinstates her.”

    A former student leader, Olusegun Olupona, advised the management to reinstate the student, saying: “An injustice done to one is an injustice done to all. Why would the school expel a student, who was unlawfully battered by soldiers on the order of the Rector? Students will rise up to defend their colleague if the school does not reverse this decision.”

    CAMPUSLIFE made attempts to get the school’s side of the story. Jokotagba, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone on Monday, confirmed Folashade’s expulsion, but declined to give further comments. She said the school did not have any reaction on the issue, but asked our reporter to visit the campus for further clarification.

    She said: “We don’t have anyone that can speak on the matter. I will advise you to come to the school for further clarification. The issue of Folashade Leshi’s expulsion has gone beyond what you think. Unfortunately, I cannot give you further details except you come to the school.”