The Nation Newspaper

Tag: troops

  • Boko Haram: Military deploys special forces, equipment to Northeast

    Boko Haram: Military deploys special forces, equipment to Northeast

    Indications emerged weekend that the Nigerian military has deployed Special Forces to the Northeastern part of the country to reinforce the numbers of troops on ground in an effort to curtail the recent upsurge of insurgent activities of the Boko Haram group.
    Within the past few weeks the activities of the insurgents have raised concerns about the assurances from the federal government that Boko Haram has been degraded and their remnants would soon be flushed out from the North east.
    However, the group in a couple of weeks has increased its tempo of attacks and suicide bombings within and outside Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, killings scores of people.
    The latest attack by insurgents is  the ambush laid on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) workers and geologists from the University on Maiduguri who are working on oil exploration activities in the Chad Basin.
    Prior to this attack on NNPC workers, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, gave troops and commanders of the operation Lafiya Dole 40 days ultimatum within which to produce, dead or alive, Malam Shekau who is the leader of the Boko Haram insurgent group.
    The Nation learnt at the weekend that special attention is now focus on the northeast with a view to establish reasons behind the current spate of attacks and suicide bombings resulting in the deaths of lots of people.
    Besides the troops on ground, more soldiers are being ordered to the flash points of the insurgents,  while the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the weekend deployed Special Forces and bomb detection cameras and other equipment into the northeast for reinforcement.
    A statement from the Director of Public Relations and Information (NAF) Air Commodore, Olatokunbo Adesanya hinted “the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has introduced additional measures aimed at increasing its operational capability in the ongoing counterinsurgency operations in the North East”.
    The NAF statement reads: “The measures include the deployment of additional NAF Special Forces and personnel of the Regiment Specialty to reinforce Base security and also fight alongside the Nigerian Army troops and NAF Special Forces that were already on ground.
    “In addition, the NAF has deployed thermal imaging cameras aimed at adding more value to the current efforts at detecting and checkmating the activities of suicide bombers before they carry out their suicide missions.
    ” This follows the spate of suicide bombings that have been recently recorded in Maiduguri. The thermal imaging camera uses infrared and reads temperature differences up to an appreciable distance away and can identify a person at an acceptable distance. The cameras, which are mounted on NAF aircraft, can also penetrate obscurants such as smoke, fog and haze.
    “The NAF, in recent times, has stepped up its counterinsurgency operations to further decimate the ability of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the North East. The focus has largely been the conduct of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions as well as interdiction missions on identified BHT targets.
    “This is in addition to range of other air operations and humanitarian intervention schemes aimed at winning the heart and minds of the populace in the conflict areas. The NAF remains appreciative of the support it is enjoying from Nigerians in its efforts at putting an end to the madness in the North East Geopolitical Zone of our country.
    Meanwhile, the army authority said it regretted the error in the information it provided earlier on the ambush and rescue of NNPC workers.
    Spokesperson for the Army, Brig. General Sani Usman, described the incident as unfortunate and regrettable.
    In a statement, General Usman said most regrettable was his earlier statement about the rescue of the NNPC staff.
    He said: “The incident of 25th July 2017 where some Boko Haram Terrorists ambushed our troops including members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) escorting some staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as well as that of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) on oil exploration in Borno Yesu District of Magumeri Local Government Area of Borno state is unfortunate and highly regrettable.
    ” Most regrettable also is my earlier release on the said incident about the rescue of all NNPC Staff. The error in the statement was not deliberate. The Nigerian Army in this present dispensation is reputed for timely dissemination of information on activities of our troops in all theatre of operations.
    ” We have strived to keep the public informed on our activities with no intention of distorting any fact. Our troops have doubled efforts in the pursuit of the Boko Haram terrorists while search and rescue is still on-going to secure the safe return of the remaining civilians.
    ” So far the search and rescue team has recovered additional bodies of 5 soldiers, 11 Civilian JTF and 5 members of the exploration team. Contrary to reports in some media, 6 members of exploration team out of 12 that went out are still missing, while one of the NNPC staff returned to base alive.
    “On the other hand, our pursuit team also recovered 2 of our own Gun trucks and an additional Toyota Buffalo Gun truck from the insurgents. In addition, the team also made the following recoveries; 4 Rocket Propelled Grenade Bombs, 4 Rocket Propelled Grenade chargers, 6 AK-47 rifles, 1 Anti-Aircraft Gun, 1 General Purpose Machine Gun,1 Anti-Aircraft Gun Barrel, 1 Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, 4 Dane Guns, 8 Tyres and 2 Tyre Rims.
    “Other items recovered include 1 Pumping Machine, 2 Tyre Jacks, 1 Super Battery, 5 Reflective Jackets, 3 Toyota Hilux, 4 Jerry cans filled with PMS, 1 Motorola Radio, 1 Geographical Positioning System (GPS), 21 empty Jerry cans, 2 Shovels and 3 Food Coolers. Troops also recovered 122 rounds of PKM ammunition, 213 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 1255 Anti-Aircraft Guns ammunition, 4 boxes of API 12.7mm ammunition, 1 AK-47 Rifle Magazine, a Digger, 2 Bows and 13 Arrows, 2 LLG Bombs, assorted drugs and assorted working tools.
    “The Nigerian Army condoles with the families of all that lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident. Search and rescue efforts are on-going. We are counting on the goodwill and support of the populace in volunteering valuable information that could help in the search and rescue operation.
    “What the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists are doing are pure criminal activities of kidnapping to gain funds. This has been noted and will be jointly addressed in conjunction with other security services.
    “The Nigerian Army remains resolute in the fight against terrorism and not relent in its effort to safe guard lives of citizens , properties  and the territorial integrity of the country”.
  • Troops neutralise eight bombers in one week

    Troops neutralise eight bombers in one week

    Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have neutralised about eight suspected female suicide bombers in the last one week, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Kingsley Samuel said yesterday.

    In a statement, Col. Samuel said the bombers were unleashed by remnants of desperate Boko Haram terrorists trying to cause mayhem in the region.

    The statement reads: “Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, in the past few days, intensified efforts towards checkmating suicide bombings in Borno State.

    “The troops succeeded in foiling suicide bomb attacks by neutralising not less than eight female bombers who were unleashed by remnants of desperate insurgents.”

    Col. Samuel said one of the suspects was neutralised last Sunday by troops of 251 Battalion, 7 Division Garrison, while trying to infiltrate the Dalori Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp.

    “The bomber, who was sighted by vigilant sentries, refused several warnings to halt when challenged. Subsequently, she was neutralised, which detonated her explosive vest, killing only her.

    “The blast, however, left a hole on the camp’s fence,” he added.

    The spokesman said troops were maintaining strict vigilance in the state to forestall any breach of security.

    According to him, on July 16, two suspected female suicide bombers trying to infiltrate military locations at Mammanti village, about 10.15pm, were neutralised.

    “One suspected female suicide bomber, who attempted to infiltrate a location between Cimari and No-Man’s-Land, was neutralised about 2am on July 17.

    “On July 18, about 10pm, vigilant troops neutralised a suspected suicide bomber who was attempting to infiltrate a location at Dala village, along Maiduguri/Damboa road.

    “On July 22, troops neutralised three female suicide bombers in Kawuri, Konduga Local Government of Borno State,” he added.

    Col. Samuel attributed the successes to active collaboration with other security agencies.

    “The successes were made possible with the active collaboration of the police, Department of State Services (DSS), the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), vigilantes and other security agencies.

  • You have 40 days to capture Shekau, Buratai orders troops

    You have 40 days to capture Shekau, Buratai orders troops

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has directed the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maiduguri, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, to capture Abubakar Shekau, self-styled leader of the Boko Haram sect, “dead or alive”.

    And Attahiru has 40 days to accomplish the task.

    Buratai issued the order at the weekend, according to the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman.

    He quoted the Chief of Army Staff as directing Attahiru to “employ all arsenals at the disposal of the Theatre Command to smoke out Shekau wherever he is hiding in Nigeria.

    “The general public is please requested to also assist and volunteer information that would lead to the accomplishment of this task,” Usman said.

    Shekau assumed leadership of Boko Haram following the death, in 2009, of the founder of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf.

    He had been reported killed several times in the past only for him to appear in recorded video messages debunking such reports.

    On August 23, 2016, Sani himself had issued a statement saying Shekau was inflicted with “fatal injury” in a major air strike on Boko Haram’s location in Sambisa Forest.

    The bombardment was said to have been carried out while Shekau was leading his group in performing the Friday prayers at a secret location called Tayye in the heart of the vast forest.

    On March 28 this year, Defence Minister Mansur Dan-Ali, emerging from a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, assured Nigerians that the army would soon apprehend Shekau.

    He said: “If you have had the opportunity to go to Sambisa (forest in Borno), you will know that Boko Haram has been defeated, go and see what is happening in Sambisa.

    “We have dominated the whole stronghold where they used to be, there is where we call ‘camp zairo’ where their spiritual and their strong headquarters that they were using as communication base was destroyed and as at the same time occupied by our men of the armed forces.

    “So, I believe it’s just a matter of time, it took America about seven to 10 years to get Bin Laden so we will get Shekau as soon as possible.

    “I told you before now, the spiritual headquarters has been ransacked and vandalized. He (Shekau) is on the run, so he may be hiding in one of the enclaves of Sambisa forest that we are dominating.

    “We have opened up the place; we are using it as a training area whereby the army engineers will open roads. We shall be patrolling and be ransacking that forest for the whereabouts of Shekau,’’ he said.

  • Troops kill terrorists in Maiduguri

    Troops of the 3rd Battalion, with members of the Civilian JTF, at the weekend killed some Boko Haram insurgents at Jarawa Village in Kala Balge Local Government of Borno State.

    According to the Director of Public Relations, Army, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the operations were carried out by the 22 Brigade of Operation Lafiya Dole.

    Gen. Usman in a statement, said: “Following confirmed information about the convergence of suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Jarawa village, troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Brigade of Operation Lafiya Dole, in conjunction with some civilian JTF, carried out a successful clearance operation along that axis.

    “At about a Kilometre to Jarawa village, the troops entered the insurgent’s ambush, which they successfully cleared after a gunfire. They followed it up with a hot pursuit of fleeing insurgents into the nearby forest.

    “The troops were able to neutralise a large number of terrorists, including the notorious Abu Nazir and Amir in Jarawa. Weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, a double barrel gun, one primed heavy Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and three motorcycles were recovered.

    “Nine kidnapped children undergoing training at the terrorists’ training camp were also rescued and are being given preliminary humanitarian assistance in preparation to handing them over to the Kala Balge Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp management committee.”

  • Troops kill 13 Boko Haram members in Lake Chad

    Thirteen  terrorists of Boko Haram group were killed in Lake Chad by troops of 8 Task Force Division of the Nigerian Army at the weekend.

    According to a statement signed by Colonel Timothy Antigha, who is the deputy director, Public Relations of the 8 Task Force Division, the troops neutralised the 13 terrorists. A number of others escaped with gunshot wounds.

    The statement reads: “In the last 72 hours, gallant troops operating in Chikun Gudu, Tumbuma, Karami and Tumbuma Baba have neutralised 13 Boko Haram terrorists while many others escaped with gunshot wounds.

    “Similarly, troops recovered three AK 47 and one pump action rifle, assorted riffle magazines and 306 rounds of ammunition, tool box, deep freezer and a Toyota gun truck. In the same vain, troops destroyed two other Toyota Hilux vehicles, one Toyota truck, two Motorcycles and six bicycles.

    “In a related development, troops of 424 Battalion, acting on a tip off, rounded up 10 suspected Boko Haram smugglers. The suspects comprising six females and four males were arrested in Monguno and Nolwodo Malgori with assorted household items, food stuff and N63,060 cash.

    “The suspects are being profiled to determine the extent of their involvement in Boko Haram insurgency”.

  • Gunmen kidnap eight sailors in Bayelsa 

    Gunmen kidnap eight sailors in Bayelsa 

    Troops from the Nigerian Navy are making frantic efforts to locate the whereabouts of eight sailors kidnapped in the Atlantic Ocean, close to Brass waters in Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the victims identified as employees of Tethys Nig. Ltd and Sylver Global Ltd were abducted on April 19, about 17 Nautical Miles off Brass terminal.

    The unidentified gunmen were said to have forcefully boarded the vessel after firing gunshots in the air to instill fear in the sailors.

    The victims were identified as Smart Kungborde, Isaiah Ebiewe, Christopher Wisben, Gabriel Enayon, Sylvester Ovwigho, Mathew Enegbuma and Kelly Shaka.

    The abductors were said to have stolen all their victims’ valuables, hounded them into their speedboats and drove them to an unknown place.

    It was, however, gathered that troops of the Forward Operation Base (FOB) Fomoso at Egweama in Brass were making some efforts to free the captors.

    Navy authorities in the state kept mute on the matter following an indication that the affected vessel belonged to a powerful politician and retired senior naval officer from the state.

    But the politician with the companies was said to have established contacts with the gunmen and had gone far in negotiation for a ransom to free the abductors.

    A senior security source, who spoke in confidence, confirmed the development and said the victims were still held by the kidnappers.

     

  • ‘How we soften the ground for the troops’

    Air Commodore Charles Ohwo, Commander, Air Component, Operation Lafiya Dole, speaks about the air operation aspect of the anti-insurgency war

    THE air component is responsible for providing air access for the operation. For Operation Lafiya Dole, we do this using our platforms. We do reconnaissance and send out our fighter jets on attack missions. We also provide medicals and evacuate our troops when need be.

    Our operations involve softening the ground for ground forces of the Nigeria Army, to aid their better movement during operations. Before any operation is conducted, we have what we call a coordinating conference. Thereby we understand their operations and fit into what their plans and targets are. And so far, we’ve been able to live up to the details and needs of the air component. We have been instrumental to the successes of the operations conducted here so far via Operation Lafiya Dole. There is no operation that has been conducted here that the air component has not been of useful support.

    This is an unconventional warfare but it is no challenge per se. The intelligence and surveillance aircraft have very powerful cameras that can zoom in and identify enemy fighters. These videos are analysed and based on that, fighter jets are deployed to support the ground forces. As we do these operations, we connect and communicate with the forces on ground. We relay to them what we see and advise them on how to go about it so that they can have a seamless resistance from the enemy.

    So far, so good, we have made tremendous progress in eliminating Boko Haram. Yes, we are having suicide bombers; it’s just a case of somebody drowning and looking for soft targets to record what seem like successes. The theatre is restrategising to contain and totally put an end to these suicide bomb attacks.

  • Troops rescue 211 civilians, clear terrorists from 2 villages

    The Nigerian Army has rescued 211 civilians held captive by the Boko Haram terrorists at Cingal Murye and Maja villages in Northern Borno on Saturday.

    Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the Director Army Public Relations, said in a statement on Sunday that troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Operation Lafiya Dole, rescued the victims during an operation in the villages.

    The statement said that one terrorist was neutralised while 11 bicycles were recovered from the fleeing terrorists.

    “In addition, the patrol team escorted two heavy duty trucks and 18 pickup vans to recover Internally Displaced Persons’ food stuff from Mala Maja,’’ it added. (NAN)

  • Troops destroy illegal refineries in Niger Delta

    Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), at the weekend raided and destroyed three massive illegal refineries in Delta and Rivers states.

    A statement from the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Major Abubakar Abdullahi, said the raid was borne out of the troops’ desire to frustrate activities of economic saboteurs in the region.

    He said the raid in Delta State was conducted by the Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) along Lapase Creek in Warri South area of the state.

    “During the raid, 11 metal tanks, five dug pits with about 1750 tons of suspected stolen crude oil and 170 tons of illegally-refined AGO were impounded”, he said.

    Abdullahi confirmed that troops of Sector 3 destroyed a large illegal refinery with multiple dumps at Alakiri in Rivers State.

    He said: “The bunkerers on sighting our troops set fire on parts of their bunkering camp to deny access to the illegal site. However, the troops on patrol put off the fire and destroyed the illegal refinery site.

    “We are, therefore, appealing to the law-abiding members of the public to support operational activities of Operation Delta Safe with valuable information.”

  • Troops secure Banjul for Barrow’s return

    Troops secure Banjul for Barrow’s return

    Nigeria, Senegalese, Malian and Ghanaian troops mobilised to The Gambia were yesterday approaching the capital, Banjul, to secure the city ahead of President Adama Barrow’s return.

    Barrow is due to move into the Presidential Villa this week following Saturday night’s departure by Yahya Jammeh.

    Witnesses told reporters that troops were seen in Barra, a town on the opposite bank of the Gambia River from Banjul, massing near a ferry terminal.

    “I saw a lot of them. Too many to count,” said Pamadou Joof, 26, who operates a pirogue, a type of small boat. “They had vehicles and a lot of guns.”

    A Reuters witness  saw war planes flying over Banjul, which remained calm despite some concern over how the army, a pillar of Jammeh’s regime, would react to his departure.

    Jammeh, who refused to accept defeat in a December election, flew out of Banjul late on Saturday en route to Equatorial Guinea to begin an asylum as the regional force was poised to remove him.

    The regional operation was launched late on Thursday after Barrow was sworn in as president at Gambia’s embassy in neighbouring Senegal, but it was then halted to give Jammeh one last chance to leave peacefully.

    There were speculations about whether Conde and Aziz had any agreement with Jammeh.

    Senegalese Foreign Minister Mankeur Ndiaye told Reuters that while Jammeh had sought a promise of immunity from prosecution, no such guarantee was made.

    “President Jammeh and his team concocted a declaration to be endorsed by (regional bloc) ECOWAS, the United Nations and the African Union that gave him every guarantee, essentially impunity,” Ndiaye said

    “This declaration was signed by no one.”

    Jammeh’s loss in a Dec. 1 poll and his initial acceptance of the result were celebrated across the tiny nation by Gambians grown weary of his increasingly authoritarian rule. But he reversed his position a week later, creating a stand-off with regional neighbours who demanded he step down.

    “We will look for arms caches and detect mercenaries, so that we can restore calm,” said Marcel de Souza, president of the ECOWAS commission, explaining to reporters overnight the new phase of the military operation.

    “Adama Barrow hopes to go back as quickly as possible.”

    Rights groups accuse Jammeh of jailing, torturing and killing his political opponents while acquiring a vast fortune – including luxury cars and an estate in the United States – as most of his people remained impoverished.

    The repression has forced thousands of Gambians to seek asylum abroad over the years. An additional 45,000 people fled to Senegal amid growing fears of unrest in the wake of last month’s election, according to the United Nations.

    Hundreds of Gambians carrying sacks, suitcases and cooking pots began returning by ferry from Senegal’s Casamance region yesterday.

    Hawa Jagne, 22, a cloth trader, hugged her sister Fama as she stepped off the boat.

    “I’m so relieved to see her,” Jagne said. “Everyone is free. You can do whatever you want, because this is a democratic country. You can express yourself. No one can kill you.”

    President Barrow has thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and other West African leaders for ensuring a successful transfer of power in his country.

    He also promised Gambians he was ready to operate a transparent and all-inclusive administration.

    He told reporters in Dakar, Senegal that it was about time the country was repositioned to achieve greatness and development.

    “The time is now. There cannot be a better time because Gambians had waited for too long for this opportunity to come.

    “This government would involve all well-meaning citizens, irrespective of political leanings and religion to build the country.

    “We shall together do this in order to redeem the good image of the country and move it to greater height,” the President said.

    Barrow said Gambians were very happy that the change they yearned for had finally come, adding that all hands must be on deck to develop the country.

    He promised to unite all the warring factions for the good and development of the country.

    “With unity of purpose a lot can be achieved within the space of little time that everybody can be proud of anytime anywhere.

    “With everybody on board, Gambia can become one of the great countries of the world, going by its potential and human resources,” he said.

    He called on Gambians to support the government, adding that he was ready and willing to deliver dividends of democracy to the good people.

    “We shall embark on robust policies and programmes where everybody will have equal chance as that is key in democracy.

    “We are going to redeem all items in our manifesto for the benefit of the people. Gambia is back and we are ready to move it forward.

    “We are also going to encourage people, especially Nigerians, to invest in the country and create more employment.

    “We will encourage them and other foreign investors to go into production.

    “We do not want the idea of buying and selling because your life will depend on others. So, we will encourage people to go into production,” the President said.

    He also assured the people of adequate security, promising to leave a good legacy.

    Barrow expressed delight for the support extended to him during the trying time, adding that the people must remain dogged and resilient for the government to deliver dividends of democracy.

    He specially appreciated the role played by President Muhammadu Buhari and ECOWAS and other international bodies that ensured that his mandate became a reality.

    There was a breakdown of security in Banjul, the Gambian capital, yesterday leading to a massive looting of public property.

    It was reported that some security chiefs who were supposed to maintain security of lives and properties were behind the looting.

    “There is massive looting taking place at the State House,” a Gambian newspaper reported.

    It said Jammeh’s exit created a gap which is expected to be filled with the arrival of ECOWAS troops in the capital.