The Nation Newspaper

Tag: weapons

  • Recovered weapons in Ondo unsettles Presidency

    Recovered weapons in Ondo unsettles Presidency

    •Security meeting likely 

    The Presidency is worried about the harvest of weapons from militants in the creeks of Ondo State, it was learnt yesterday.

    President Muhammadu Buhari, a source said, has ordered an emergency meeting to review the security situation in Niger Delta.

    The meeting is expected to hold at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.

    Governors of the nine oil producing states, security chiefs and other stakeholders are billed to attend.

    It was learnt that the meeting was being coordinated by the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mallam Lawal Daura.

    It is a fallout of the massive arms surrendered by repentant militants through the mandate of Ondo State Amnesty Committee, in conjunction with security agencies.

    A top security officer in Ondo State said the proposed meeting became imperative because it was believed that only the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) had the capacity to have such massive arms as seen in Ondo State last week.

    The Amnesty Committee, supported by security chiefs in the riverine Ajapa community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, recovered assorted offensive weapons from the militants.

    They include a Browning machine gun, General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), Daewoo K3, Colt Automatic rifles, Breda 30, Fiat Revelli modelling, AK-47 rifles, rocket launcher, CETME Ameli, Heckler & Koch MG4, pump action rifles and automatic cartridges.

    Military uniforms, police bulletproof vests, dynamites, grenades, bombs and helmets were also recovered from kidnappers of the six pupils of Igbonla Model College at Epe in Lagos State.

    The security source said: “What we saw was like a movie: no one ever envisaged that those boys could amass such heavy weapons and keep them. It is highly embarrassing, to say the least.

    “Immediately the photographs were released with the story and it was confirmed that those arms were from that community alone, apart from several others that were recovered from other villages, the President ordered that an appraisal be done immediately.

    “That is why the governors of the Niger Delta and security chiefs will meet on Wednesday. It is because no one had any inkling that apart from the NDA, any other such group could muster this massive hold of weapons.”

    The source noted that a responsible government must be worried because some of the weapons the militants surrendered were not just arms even a country can easily procure.

    He said: “It takes a process. But the question is: How did these boys get arms of this magnitude?”

    The source added that the meeting will put the modalities to know whether or not there are still more of such groups to surrender their weapons with a view to replicating same in other coastal states.

  • Two remanded for ‘possession of weapons, robbery’

    A Modakeke Magistrates’ Court in Osun State has remanded two men in prison for alleged possession of firearms and robbery.

    The accused, Olabisi John, 21 and Hezekiah Kolawole, 24, are facing a three-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful possession of firearms and robbery.

    The Magistrate, Bose Awosan, did not take the plea of the accused on the grounds of lack of jurisdiction to hear the case.

    She ruled that the accused be remanded in prison pending receipt of legal advice from Office of Director of Public Prosecution.

    The prosecutor, Ona Glory, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 16 at Asifa, Modakeke, in Ife North East Local Government.

    Glory said the duo, armed with guns and other weapons, robbed Ajibade Adebowale of his Bajaj Boxer motorcycle, registered as PKA 519 QF and valued at N27,500.

    The prosecutor told the court that the accused unlawfully had in their possession, locally-made barrel guns, which they could not give satisfactory account of.

    According to him, the offences contravened sections 1 (2) (a) (b), 3 (I) and 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    The case was adjourned till November 13 for receipt of legal advice.

  • Troops kill suspected insurgents, recover weapons

    •Defence minister visits Northeast

    The Army yesterday said it killed two suspected Boko Haram terrorists in an ambush on Alagarno forest in Borno State.

    A statement by the Director of Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said the operation was carried out by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in Forward Operation Base, Mainok, on Saturday.

    According to him, the insurgents were conveying logistics to their colleagues when the troops ambushed them.

    Two weapons, motorcycles, Jerry cans and grinded guinea corn were recovered from them, he said.

    Gen. Usman added that troops of 151 Battalion, 21 Brigade, on routine clearing of bushes, discovered multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) connected together and laid on the shoulder of the road “at a suspected terrorist ambush site on road Banki Junction, Bama.

    Troops disconnected and recovered the devices.

    On August 5, three suicide bombers were killed in the Simari area of Maiduguri, the police and a vigilance group said.

    The incident occurred about 10 pm., when a male and two female suicide bombers tried to infiltrate the town.

    Minister of Defence Mansur Dan-Ali yesterday began a two-day assessment visit to the Northeast.

    Dan-Ali will visit troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, to encourage and boost their morale.

    His media aide, Col. Tukur Gusau, told reporters the visit was part of operational engagement to enable the minister meet and interact with troops in the frontline.

    Gusau said the visit would appraise the performance of troops, to improve their effectiveness and capacity in counter-insurgency.

    He added that the minister will also visit the Theatre Command headquarters, and other military formations.

    “The minister will go to the front and interact with soldiers to know how government can support them to accomplish their mission of ending insurgency.

    “It will also facilitate implementation of proactive measures to address problems affecting the operation,” he said.

  • Sultan to govt: probe sources of herdsmen’s weapons

    Sultan to govt: probe sources of herdsmen’s weapons

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, has advised the Federal Government to probe the sources of weapons used by herdsmen accused of attacking Nigerian communities.

    Sultan Abubakar’s advice is contained in his Eid-el Fitr message delivered yesterday in Sokoto.

    “Real herdsmen do not carry guns; they only move with their cows and sticks.

    “There could be bad eggs among the Fulani, but those carrying arms and perpetrating heinous killings are not herdsmen.

    “Those carrying arms are criminals and should be treated as such.

    “Government should probe the sources of these weapons and take appropriate action so as to minimise these attacks,” he said.

    The Sultan praised the government’s measures aimed at combating insurgency in the North-east, and cautioned against complacency as the problem was not over.

    He urged Nigerians to complement the efforts of the security agencies toward securing the country, pointing out that security is a collective responsibility.

    He praised efforts by the Federal and Sokoto State governments to restore the glory of the educational and agricultural sectors, and called on Nigerians to support such efforts.

    The Sultan urged Muslims to reflect on, and uphold the virtues of the Ramadan fast, including patience, perseverance and brotherliness

    Emir of Kano Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II called on Nigerians to live in peace with one another.

    Sanusi spoke after he led the Eid prayers at the Kofar Mata Central Eid Ground in Kano.

    He said that there was the need for Nigerians to ensure peaceful co-existence so as to ensure economic growth.

    According to him, no society or country can achieve any development or greatness in an atmosphere of chaos and mistrust.

    Sanusi called on ‘well-to-do’ Muslims to support the less-privileged to alleviate their suffering.

    “I want to use this occasion to call on wealthy individuals to continue to support the poor so as to alleviate their suffering in the society,’’ he said.

    The monarch also urged Muslims to have the fear of God in all their activities, adding that “we all have to give account of our deeds one day to our creator”.

    The prayer was attended by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Deputy Governor Hafiz Abubakar, among other dignitaries.

  • Nuclear weapons in politics

    In the recent time, acquisition of nuclear weapon has become popular. This is coming at a time the United Nations (UN) is stepping up its non-proliferation campaign to deter countries from acquiring the deadly weapon. Alas, acquisition of nuclear weapons has changed the narrative of warfare in the century; it has become a veritable tool to make countries become more visible.
    Since the use of atomic bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the Americans, nuclear weapons came to the focus because of its enormous destructive power. The use of these deadly weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki led to the end the World War II.
    A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reaction, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The politics and the role which nuclear weapons play in international politics and security are increasingly evolving.
    Crucially, these changes are manifesting themselves in competing ways for two different groups of countries. For wealthy and militarily powerful countries, nuclear weapons are playing a diminishing role in security planning. Conversely, some countries that lack advanced military capabilities may be coming to see nuclear weapons as increasingly important, or desirable, for their security.
    The differences between these two groups are reinforced by the fact that, over the past decade, two dictators who ended their nuclear programmes lost their regimes and also their lives. As a result, authoritarian leaders may now have interest in holding on to their nuclear ambitions. The interests of the United States (U.S.), a superpower, are advanced by its agenda to challenge any country with nuclear weapons programmes. The U.S. ends regimes and dissolves authoritarian rules.
    In this age of sophisticated warfare, countries are looking towards nuclear weaponry as guarantor of national sovereignty. The past decade has seen the development of a visible marriage between nuclear programme and leaders’ personal ambition. It is natural to assume a leader’s interest now go hand-in-hand with his nation’s agenda. What motivates many leaders want to want to acquire nuclear weapons is more personal interest than their nation’s sovereignty. If this gains more attraction, it may hamper the programmes of former U.S. President Barack Obama, who worked assiduously to halt and roll back nuclear programme, especially by Iran and North Korea.
    Nuclear politics, combined with existing challenges in both the Middle East and Asia, will force the the President Donald Trump administration to perform a difficult multilateral political, diplomatic and military task in these regions. Although little evidence supports the theory that Iran’s continuing nuclear ambitions and North Korea’s growing nuclear capability could touch off regional ‘proliferation cascades,’ both countries’ activities are likely to force the U.S. to work to assure its jittery allies in the Middle East and Asia that it will stand with them, even in the face of hostile, nuclear-armed powers.
    This pressure has already led the U.S. to respond by deepening diplomatic and political ties with regimes that feel threatened.
    In the Middle East, the U.S. will need to achieve its goals of dissuading Iran from developing nuclear programme for warfare, restraining Israel and reassuring the surrounding Arab states, even as the medium and long-term consequences of the Arab Spring and its effects on U.S. relations and influence in the region remain unclear.
    The U.S. relations with Russia will continue to be negatively influenced by the divide over the value of nuclear weapons and their role in international politics. Forces, such as Russia’s conventional military, have elevated the role of nuclear weapons in security calculus. This trend is reflected in Russia’s ongoing programme of modernising and improving its nuclear arsenal. The chief symptom of this thus far has been U.S.-Russian tensions over ballistic missile defense. It has other implications as well.
    Both Iran and North Korea are working to develop nuclear-capable ballistic missiles that could threaten U.S. allies in the Middle East and Asia. In the future, it may possibly threaten the continental U.S. itself.
    The U.S. response has been to field a continuously improving ballistic missile defence system that would shield it and its allies. Russia, unable to build a comparable system on its own, worries that a U.S. missile shield could blunt the effectiveness of its own strategic nuclear forces. Russia fears that this would upset the stable relationship that has existed between it and the U.S. for more than 50 years.
    In conclusion, based on these approaches, nuclear weapons are seen as the instrument to gain international interests. It is built based on the enormous destruction of power of nuclear weapon. This instrument is used in order to gain the objectives, which is more personal than national interest. Indeed, nuclear weapon has an important and special role in the international politics.

    Ibifiri, 400-Level International Relations, Landmark University

  • DSS impounds vehicles with weapons in Abuja

    The Department of State Services ( DSS) has seized vehicles containing weapons, Certificate of Occupancy and keys to exotic cars allegedly belonging to a former governor of Benue, Mr Gabriel Suswam, an official has said.

    An operative of DSS, Mr Tony Opuiyo, said in a statement that the items were seized in Abuja on Friday.

    He said the items were recovered at the property of Dunes Investment and Global Properties Ltd, located at No 44 Aguiyi Ironsi Way, Maitama, Abuja.

    He listed the items as Glock pistol with two magazines and 29 rounds of ammunition,  Mini-Uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds as well as 42 extra rounds of ammunition contained in a pack.

    Others are one AK-47, 21 Certificates of Occupancy,  one offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy, 23 luxury designer watches and 45 keys to various exotic cars.

    He said that the items were stashed in the boots of cars parked at the property, particularly a Mercedes Benz S550 (BWR 135AH), and Masarati 4.7 (BWR 207 AJ), which had been confiscated.

    Opuiyo said following the discovery and further investigation, the Service had invited Suswam, who was presently helping in the investigations.

    He warned that the Service would no longer tolerate any acts of lawlessness by those who ought to be law abiding and responsible citizens.

    “The Service has also observed with total dismay the inciting utterances of some political actors whose activities heat up the polity,” he said.

    He said that the Service would not hesitate to go after anyone who engaged  in acts capable of causing a  breach of peace.  NAN)

  • How we manufacture our own weapons, by Nigerian Army

    How we manufacture our own weapons, by Nigerian Army

    Unknown to many, some of the weapons being used against insurgents in the Northeast by troops are made locally by military personnel. The Army says the weapons are made from locally-sourced materials. Assistant Editor Seun Akioye, who was at an exhibition organised to showcase some of the weapons, writes on the ingenuity of the military.

    Sam Nwafor, a Colonel and Deputy Director, Research & Development at the Nigerian Army School of Artillery had a peculiar grin on his face anytime a superior officer stopped at his exhibition table. On display before him were several round metal pins, which on first observation, looked like ordinary pins.
    Soon, the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, stopped by. “This is the firing pin for 122 MMD30 Howitzer field gun; this is locally-made, using local materials,” Nwafor told him, a big grin crawling to his face.
    Gen. Usman paused and asked if the pins have been tested. “Yes, and they are working very well,” Nwafor replied, directing a corporal to show the General a video of the test.
    The video showed the gun in operation in what looked like a battlefield, the Col. suddenly yelled: “Fire,” the Corporal pulled a button and the gun boomed. The grin reappeared on Nwafor’s face. “This gun is one of the most accurate guns in battle. It is very critical to our operation, that is why making these firing pins locally is important,” he said.
    The 122 Howitzer field gun is one of the most important weapons in the fight against Boko Haram terrorism in the northeast. The Soviet Howitzer was designed in 1963 at the Artillery Plant 9 in Sverdlovsk by Fedor Fedorovich Petrov. It was instrumental to Russia’s plans in the Cold War. Till date, the D-30, being manufactured internationally, is still being used in more than 60 countries armed forces, including Nigeria’s. But as effective as the gun is, it has always come with its own peculiar problems.
    Nwafor explained: “The more you use the guns, you see that the pins which fire the gun keep wearing out very quickly and to import a replacement is always a hard thing. So, we sat down and decided to manufacture our own, which will be stronger and more durable than the imported ones.”

    Research, innovation
    as keys to self-dependence

    When the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, mounted the podium at the first Nigerian Army Research and Innovation Summit in Abuja, he recounted a joke someone made about the Army, needing “Juju” to fight Boko Haram terrorists since the Army was not getting the needed weapons.
    The summit’s theme was: “Research and Innovation, Developing Synergy with Indigenous Institutions for Enhanced Capacity in the Nigeria Army”.
    Lt.-Gen. Buratai, who dismissed the Juju claim, agreed the military would have made faster progress with the required weapons at troops’ disposal. The Army chief admitted that over dependence on foreign equipment caused series of setbacks for the Army at the initial stages of the war on terror, saying the army has” learnt its lessons.”
    He said many of the key weapons used in turning the tide against Boko Haram were products of hard work and ingenuity of the Nigerian Army Corps of Engineers, who worked hard to refurbish armoured tanks that were hitherto unserviceable.
    The COAS said: “To this end, about 178 armoured fighting vehicles of various types were completely refurbished by the Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at the various Army workshops across the country.
    “These were the weapons and equipment operated by well-trained, dedicated and motivated officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army that turned the tide of operations in the Northeast in our favour.
    “Our experience in the Northeast and other theaters of operation has assisted us in drawing useful lessons which have shaped the ongoing transformation process of the Nigerian Army.
    “We also learnt the hard lessons of over reliance on foreign equipment and spares which was a huge setback in the initial stages of our operations.”
    The aim of the summit was to leverage government policies and programmes towards enhancing research and innovation for improved operational capacity of the Army in synergy with indigenous companies with a view to achieving self-dependency in weapons manufacturing. It created a platform for the Army to showcase the ingenuity of its engineers, inventors and the weapons they had made, that helped in the defeat of Boko Haram insurgency.

    The weapons of war

    The men of 35 Battalion Nigerian Army in Kastina waited expectantly for Defence Minister Mansur Muhammed Dan-Ali, COAS and other dignitaries to inspect what they called “one of the greatest innovations,” in the military.
    Their innovation is the famous Combat Fighting Motorcycle (CFM), popularly known as the Jackal. In the Northwest, cattle rustling bas become a big security threat, with the perpetrators killing and maiming at will. These perpetrators of the crimes often use the motorcycles to get away on rough terrains. So, the engineers at the 35 Battalion remodeled some motorcycles, weaponised them and deployed them in the anti-terror battle.
    The CFM was redesigned in such a way that two soldiers could ride on it facing opposite directions with a gun attached.
    “The idea is that with these, we can move as fast into any terrain in pursuit of the criminals and terrorists. There are different types – one is fitted with machine gun at the back and others have Ak-47,” Warrant Officer (WO) identified as Salley, explained.
    “With these ones, we can follow the cattle rustlers to their villages. Is that that not innovation?”, the minister shouted in excitement.
    The COAS said the military has a plan to give at least a battalion of the machines for each Division.
    Dan-Ali, who was impressed, told the engineers: “We need to do another; the one with three tires; that one will have more stability.” The men agreed to take up the new challenge.
    The CFM, which has been deployed in Kastina and Kano states, has assumed a frightening reputation from criminals.
    “We have been very successful with it in Folgore forest in Kano. This is the latest machine all over the world, even the developed countries are praising us over this invention,” Salley boasted.
    The Infantry Patrol Vehicle (IPV) with off-road mobility and a crew of three was one of the star attractions at the summit. Weighing 650kg and powered by 150-200 Horse Power Engine, the IPV has a 130 kilometre per hour capacity.
    It provides force multiplier and the required flexibility to undertake all tasks across the entire spectrum of military operations, including range fighting, fast action mission, urban and border patrols.
    The IPV is fitted with two machine guns and have been deployed in all the theatres of operation.
    The Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have also been ingenious in the modification of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for combat operations. One of such is the modification of 4 x4 Hilux Trucks with Peak Cap Turret.
    The Peak Cap is mounted on the Hilux and it has 18mm hardened steel and can be modified to carry any gun. It has a mechanical traverse of 360 degrees. The Peak Cap also offers protection up to 30 meters from small arms and 100 meters from machine guns.
    There is also the Buratai Overhead Manned Turret (BOMT) which is one of the ugliest weapons but which offers an “all round protection” according to the Army. Weighing one tone, it provides all round observation with the aid of periscopic sights and the plate thickness can give protection for up to 30 meters.
    The BOMT invention was necessitated by the delivery of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPVs) BOMT has been installed on the MRAPVs now being used in the Northeast.
    The Nigerian Army Institute of Technology (NAITE) in Markudi, has also invented the unmanned aerial vehicle with two transmitters which can survey human presence and an unmanned drone with transmission capacity up to 100 meters. Though the vehicle and drone have been tested, they are yet to be deployed to the theatre of operation.
    Brig.-Gen. Ayo Ibikunle of Nigerian Army Ordinance Corps was modest about his latest invention – the Hand Grenade ASI-17 Smoke (Smoke Grenade).
    According to him, the Army was importing the small but important weapon, which is used to give location of troops to the aircrafts and also useful in covering the movement and number of troops from enemy snipers.
    “I made these grenades using all local materials, this was what we used to import but they are available now,” Gen. Ibikunle said.
    However, one officer who was not ‘modest’ about his invention is Lt. Col. Muhammadu Buhari Gremt of the Nigerian Army 81 Division Abeokuta.
    The officer invented what he called Collapsible Ammunition Incinerator Device (CAID) which is used to dispose deteriorated ammunitions in a safe and environmental-friendly way. Gremt said the former method of ammunition disposal was dangerous and unfriendly to the environment but his CAID can dispose more ammunition in a safer manner.
    Gremt boasted: “The CAID destroys Pyrotechnics gunpowder and small quantity of high explosives, compared to open burning this is mobile and can be broken down by four men and assembled in two minutes and it has been tested and used in burning 375,000 rounds of ammunition.”
    There was also the Hydro electrical power plant which though crude in appearance has been used to generate three megawatts of electricity used to power a military check point. The officers and men of the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering in Markudi promised that a bigger plant will be built to generate electricity to an entire street.
    The cadets of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), who came with 11 innovations, were, however, the stars at the exhibition. Among their innovations was the dehydrator, used to dehydrate vegetables, extracting the moistures and preserving the nutrient which is essential as food for troops.
    There was also the incubator, which according to the NDA Instructor, Captain Dike Garba (rtd), can incubate 3000 eggs in 21 days. Garba also showcased the Solar meat dryer which can dry one kilogramme of meat into Kilish in nine hours; the Eagle-Bot an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Detector and Disposal equipment; the Side Car for Perimeter Patrol which is also cost-effective.
    Others are: the Star tilt-rotor unmanned aircraft which takes off vertically and can go up to five kilometers for aerial surveillance. It also has aerial bombardment capabilities. One of the novel inventions by Cadet Ebenezer Mojeed was the Automated Sniper Rifle (ASR) which is designed to be mounted on observational post or likely adversary route.
    According to Mojeed, the ASR has surveillance device with the monitor in the hands of an operator who is hidden from sight. The operator is able to view the enemy position and using the controls, can engage and repel the adversary.
    Mojeed operated the ASR which also has traverse capabilities and using the consuls began to fire, but instead of bullets, water was sprayed all over the audience. “We are using water in place of bullets for the purpose of this demonstrations, he said.”

  • Pope seeks use of’ weapons of love’ to fight terrorism in Nigeria, others

    Pope Francis yesterday urged the World to use the “weapons of love” to combat the evil of “blind and brutal violence”, following last week’s attacks in Brussels, the Belgian capital.

    Delivering his Easter homily at St Peter’s Basilica, after a week of sombre religious events commemorating Jesus’ death and resurrection, Francis, speaking under tight security for tens of thousands of people, spoke of violence, injustice and threats to peace in many parts of the world.

    “May he (the risen Jesus) draw us closer on this Easter feast to the victims of terrorism, that blind and brutal form of violence which continues to shed blood in different parts of the world.

    He mentioned recent attacks in Belgium, where at least 31 people were killed by Islamist militants, as well as those in Turkey, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Iraq.

    “With the weapons of love, God has defeated selfishness and death.

    The 79-year-old pontiff urged people to channel the hope of Easter in order to defeat “the evil that seems to have the upper hand in the life of so many people”.

    The pope condemned the Brussels attacks several times during the past week, including at a Good Friday service where he said followers of religions who carried out acts of fundamentalism or terrorism were profaning God’s name.

    Francis expressed the hope that recent talks could resolve the conflict in Syria in order to end the “sad wake of destruction, death, contempt for humanitarian law and the breakdown of civil concord”.

    He urged Europe not to forget those men and women seeking a better future, including many children fleeing from war, hunger, poverty and social injustice.

    The European Union and Turkey have agreed to stop the flow of migrants to Europe in return for political and financial concessions for Ankara.

    Turkey and The Aegean islands have been the main route for migrants and refugees pouring into Europe in the past year.

    Francis called for dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, and resolutions to conflicts and political tensions in Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Burundi, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Ukraine

    Terrorism was a dominant theme Sunday, from the scores of police and military personnel checking bags and scanning crowds to the pope’s message of rebirth, which he said he hoped would “draw us closer to the victims of terrorism, a blind and brutal form of violence.”

    The Vatican and Rome have attracted repeated threats from extremist groups in recent years, something Francis has tried to confront in part by reaching out to other faiths. On Good Friday, for example, he washed the feet of Christian, Muslim and Hindu migrants.

  • Burkina Faso: Gunmen seize weapons in armoury

    Suspected loyalists of Burkina Faso’s deposed President Blaise Compaore seized weapons in an overnight raid on an armory in the capital, security sources said Friday.

    The arms theft came less than a week after al Qaeda fighters killed 30 people in a restaurant and hotel popular with foreigners in Ouagadougou, exposing the security challenges facing new President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

    Two military sources said gunmen arrived at the weapons depot at around 4 a.m. Friday  and overpowered the security detail on duty. There were no casualties, but the assailants carried off an unknown quantity of weapons.

    The sources said at least one of the attackers was recognized as a member of Compaore’s elite Presidential Security Regiment (RSP), which was disarmed and dissolved last year after the ex-leader’s spy chief General Gilbert Diendere used them to mount a failed coup.

    Diendere has been charged with crimes including treason.

    Government spokesman Remi Dandjin, part of a new cabinet named only last week, confirmed the attack but said he was not able to give details other than that gendarmes and police had secured the zone.

    Compaore was driven from power and forced to flee Burkina Faso in Oct. 2014 amid a popular uprising opposed to his attempt to alter the constitution and extend his 27-year rule. He lives in exile in neighbouring Ivory Coast.

     

  • ‘Probe Boko Haram source of weapons’

    ‘Probe Boko Haram source of weapons’

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has asked the government do a detailed investigation of the source of arms for the terror groups in the country and step up intelligence gathering as one of the ways to stamp out the Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

    In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade Musa Lawal, the congress condemned Friday night’s suicide bomb attacks in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Saturday’s incident in Maiduguri, describing it as needless and mindless.

    ISIS has claimed responsibility for the Friday’s twin bomb attack in Kuje and Nyanya areas of Abuja.

    The congress appealed to the sect to stay action and listen to the voice of reason, adding that human life was sacrosanct, therefore ought not be to be taken for whatever reason by any person.

    The TUC said soldiers and policemen should be drafted to different parts of the cities, including the interior villages to ensure the safety of Nigerians, adding that: “It is expedient now, added the statement that, intelligence reports be stepped up especially as it is being rumoured that the  insurgents could have sent out more suicide bombers to the FCT and some states in the Northeast.”