Habib Kekeno, the Caretaker Chairman of Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno on Tuesday said the military would reopen Maiduguri/Baga road on December 24 following relative peace in the state.
Mr. Kekeno, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, said the council had completed all the arrangements to reopen the road.
The Maiduguri/Baga road was closed in November 2014 by the military after Baga suffered five major attacks from Boko Haram insurgents.
The chairman said the continued closure of the road had negatively affected fishing and socio-economic activities of the state.
“It is hard to believe that Baga used to be a lively trading centre of 200,000 people where merchants would travel to sell cattle, leather goods and trade in fresh produce.’’
He said more than 2,000 fish traders and marketers were still producing fish in Baga, but they lacked access to transport their produce to Maiduguri.
“I went to Baga about 21 times and I can tell you that I have met our fishermen who stocked about N4 million fish, but do not have access to bring them into Maiduguri.
“Baga was the largest producer of fish in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Its fishermen bordered from Niger, Chad, Cameroon and some other countries.
“Before the insurgency, more than 300 lorry loads of fish are transported to Maiduguri and other parts of the country in a week. But now, no single truck comes from Baga.
“Borno get its fishes from Damboa Dam, Aloa Dam, River Yobe, others from Chad Republic, but there is no access road leading to these places anymore,’’ Mr. Kekeno said.
A yet unknown number of Boko Haram fighters were reported killed on Sunday after Nigerian troops returned fire in response to an attack on its location by armed terrorists in the Kangarwa area of Borno State.
People familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES the terrorists attacked troops of the 119 Task Force Battalion at about 4 P.M. on Sunday, shooting sporadically.
Nigerian soldiers responded promptly, killing an unknown number of Boko Haram fighters, and wounding several others.
One of our sources said at least 13 bodies of terrorists were counted after calm was restored. He said several other members of the sect escaped with “serious gunshot wounds”.
“We are sure most of those who fled with wounds will die eventually,” the source said.
One soldier however died during the battle while three others were wounded.
Military insiders said the attack was so intense that the army had to call for air support.
“The Nigerian Air Force responded promptly by dispatching two aircraft in support of ground forces,” one source said.
As the air force rained bullets from the air, the insurgents fled in different directions abandoning some weapons, insiders said.
Two Hilux vans belonging to the sect were destroyed while several weapons, including artillery guns, Ak-47 rifles machine guns and pump action guns were recovered.
The attack came five days after troops of 25 Task Force Brigade advancing to clear Boko Haram terrorists around the Sambisa Forest ran into two Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at Matube.
An official said one IED was successfully detonated while the other exploded and killed a soldier.
The remains of the soldier was evacuated to the headquarters of the brigade in Damboa, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) will take delivery of war -planes and helicopters from Pakistan and Russia to boost its fleet ahead of the final push against Boko Haram insurgents, it was learnt yesterday.
Nigeria has failed to procure fighter jets from the United States and Brazil.
Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who broke the news in Abuja, said Air Force personnel were undergoing training in many countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Egypt and China.
The news came as Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai ordered his men to end the insurgency this month.
Air Marshal Abubakar said: “We have been enjoying support from other countries. Sometimes arms procurement is shrouded in a lot of politics. Unfortunately, I’m not a politician, so I cannot say much on that. But what I can tell you is that right now we are expecting the Pakistani Chief of Air Staff in Nigeria soon. Pakistan has accepted to sell 10 trainer airplanes. And that is why the Pakistan Chief of Air Staff is coming for the induction ceremony in Kaduna.”
The Chief of Air Staff said the Air Force was assisting the Army and the Navy in the North and South fighting terrorism and militancy through operational strategy, air interdictions strategy and soft-core strategy.
He said the objective was to create an enabling environment for the ground and surface forces to operate with little or no hindrance.
He said the Service was carrying out massive reactivation of redundant aircraft and many of them are already involved in the fight against Boko Haram.
“Another sub -strategy is the reactivation of airplanes. We have embarked on the reactivation of airplanes and today we are on the 13th aircraft. What I mean by reactivation is that aircraft that were not involved in any fight before the coming of this Federal Government; they were parked before but are today part of the fight.
“The 13th aircraft as I speak to you is being worked upon in Yola and we are hoping that before the end of this month that airplane will be flying. When you train, you must reactivate the platform to be used in flying.”
He praised the competence of NAF pilots, saying: “In the last 18 months, we have flown almost 3000 hours with no incident. The pilots are among the most competent. Because the training curriculum is very clear. And that is why now in the Air Force you look at the wings, pilots wear wings. We have categorised the wings according to their skill levels.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has called on troops serving in the North-East to immediately embark on the final aggressive action and comprehensive sweep of the operational theatre to end the operation against the Boko Haram insurgents on a very high note.
Buratai made the call in a message to the troops, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
“In this regard, no stone should be left unturned. I, therefore, call on all officers and soldiers to buckle up and ensure that remnants of Boko Haram terrorists are completely cleared.
“I hope to be with you sometime this month – December, to motivate and positively influence the ongoing operations.
“This is with a view to having a colourful end of year and peaceful Yuletide in the North-East and indeed Nigeria.
“I urge all commanders to plan and embark on effective patrols, raids, ambushes and deliberate attacks in conjunction with other Services especially the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy, to rescue all those abducted by the terrorists.
“I also wish to remind all troops that captured and surrendered Boko Haram terrorists must be treated humanely and fairly and in strict accordance with the provisions of International Humanitarian Law and Laws of Armed Conflict,” he said.
Buratai, however, said that in doing that they must be prepared to enter “all fortresses, camps, dens and enclaves of the Boko Haram to completely flush them out and dominate these areas to ensure they are not reoccupied”.
“I wish to reiterate that December is a month of decision.
“It is either we succeed in clearing the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists or we continue to live in perpetual circle of their atrocities in the North-East.
“I, hereby, want to reassure all troops that I intend to return everybody to Barracks in 2017 only leaving behind a strong, highly mobile, effective and motivated force that will continue to do the good work that we have already started,” he said.
The chief of army staff also called on the troops to remain focused, disciplined, loyal, dedicated and patriotic to their duties and to Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also commended them for their sacrifice, commitment, loyalty and courage in the service of their fatherland.
The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has called on troops serving in the north-east to immediately embark on the final aggressive action and comprehensive sweep of the operational theatre to end the operation against the Boko Haram insurgents on a very high note.
Mr. Buratai made the call in a message to the troops, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
“In this regard, no stone should be left unturned. I, therefore, call on all officers and soldiers to buckle up and ensure that remnants of Boko Haram terrorists are completely cleared.
“I hope to be with you sometime this month – December, to motivate and positively influence the ongoing operations.
“This is with a view to having a colourful end of year and peaceful Yuletide in the North-East and indeed Nigeria.
“I urge all commanders to plan and embark on effective patrols, raids, ambushes and deliberate attacks in conjunction with other Services especially the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Navy, to rescue all those abducted by the terrorists.
“I also wish to remind all troops that captured and surrendered Boko Haram terrorists must be treated humanely and fairly and in strict accordance with the provisions of International Humanitarian Law and Laws of Armed Conflict,” he said.
Mr. Buratai, however, said that in doing that they must be prepared to enter “all fortresses, camps, dens and enclaves of the Boko Haram to completely flush them out and dominate these areas to ensure they are not reoccupied”.
“I wish to reiterate that December is a month of decision.
“It is either we succeed in clearing the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists or we continue to live in perpetual circle of their atrocities in the North-East.
“I, hereby, want to reassure all troops that I intend to return everybody to Barracks in 2017 only leaving behind a strong, highly mobile, effective and motivated force that will continue to do the good work that we have already started,” he said.
The chief of army staff also called on the troops to remain focused, disciplined, loyal, dedicated and patriotic to their duties and to Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also commended them for their sacrifice, commitment, loyalty and courage in the service of their fatherland.
No fewer than 22 marriage contracts were sealed and 81 babies delivered in the past 20 months at the Pompomari Internally Displaced Persons camp in Damaturu, Executive Secretary, Yobe Emergency Management Agency, Musa Jidawa , has disclosed.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Saturday that the camp, established in March 2015 for IDPs from villages in Gujba Local Government Area displaced by insurgents, also recorded 18 deaths during the period under review.
Mr. Jidawa, who is also the Secretary of the State Committee on Resettlement and Rehabilitation of IDPs, said the camp started with 4,211 IDPs but now hosts about 2,000 persons.
According to him, his agency also circumcised boys at the camp that were due for circumcision.
“The agency had within this period, circumcised 76 boys whose age range between five and 11years in an organised ceremony in accordance with their customs and tradition, to give them a cultural sense of belonging.
“The celebrants were each provided with new sets of clothes, one live chicken and a blanket as is the practice in their ancestral communities,” he said.
The Secretary explained that the circumcision was carried out so that boys of the age group did not outgrow the period of getting circumcised.
He said another camp, the Bukar Ali IDP camp, was closed down following requests by the IDPs to return home as security had improved in their communities.
“The state government relocated 391 IDPs in the camp comprising 92 households to their respective communities, with each household provided a return package of two bags of rice, a bag of beans, vegetable oil, cooking pots, nylon mats, soap and N20,000,” he said.
The American University of Nigeria (AUN) on Tuesday took a major step to reconcile residents of Mubi Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Mubi is one of the local government areas in Nigeria’s North-east zone that Boko Haram insurgents overran and occupied for months in 2014.
During the crisis, the relationship between Christians and Muslims in the town said to be one of the largest in the state, was seriously strained.
But through its Peer-to-Peer Challenging Extremism campaign tagged, #IAmABeliever, the AUN brought members of Christian and Muslim self-protection groups together for training and sharing of stories on how they survived the Boko Haram carnage.
The programme titled, “Stories-for-Peace Workshop,” was organized by AUN students in collaboration with Illusions of Reflection – a Mubi-based youth group.
The workshop was attended by over 500 members of the Boys Brigade, a non-denominational Christian security group and the Nigerian Aid Group of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, a Muslim protection group.
Two highly revered religious leaders, Hamid Hammad and Ezekiel Williams, also attended the event.
Addressing the participants, Sheik Hammad lauded the AUN initiative and emphasised the importance of true and uniting stories in peace-building.
“It’s a welcome idea. Peace is very important in the world and in our society. When telling stories, please make sure what you are going to tell is genuine and is not going to cause any conflict in society,” he said.
Rev. Williams, who is also a leader of the Boys Brigade, shared stories of how he escaped with 50 other Christians after being trapped in Mubi under Boko Haram for five days.
He attributed their survival and escape to divine intervention.
Other Christians and Muslims faithful also shared stories of close shaves with death, personal losses and trauma when Boko Haram attacked the area.
The AUN’s Dean of Arts and Science, Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob, who moderated the story-telling session, said throughout human history, shared stories have played a crucial role in bringing peoples and communities together.
“Stories provide a shared space for everyone to experience the tribulations and triumphs of the other, this can help bind a people together,” said Mr. Jacob.
The programme also featured a joint protection operation training for the Christian and Muslim groups.
AUN’s Assistant Vice President, Safety and Security, Lionel Rawlins, led the training on methods of protecting religious places from terrorist attacks.
Mr. Rawlins advised both groups to work together to protect each other’s places of worship.
The event ended with a 500-meter walk for peace, where Muslims and Christians marched holding hands to the gate of Adamawa State University in Mubi.
The university was among the educational institutions sacked by Boko Haram during the 2014 invasion.
More than a year after the Nigerian security forces liberated Mubi, tensions and mutual suspicion have continued to dog relationship between Christians and Muslims in the area.
The #IAmABeliever campaign is organized by students of Public Diplomacy & Strategic Media Intervention.
The course is part of a global university initiative to challenge extremism, with funding support from the Education and Cultural Affairs Bureau of the US State Department and Facebook.
The United Nations said on Friday that $1billion was needed in 2017 for the provision of aid to victims of Boko Haram terrorism in north-east Nigeria.
The Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, Peter Lundberg, in a statement said the Boko Haram menace was the largest in Africa, and that hope can be brought to the victims through support from the international community.
“The narrative on this humanitarian crisis can no longer be ignored and we are appealing to the international community to help us prevent the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians over the coming 12 months.
“This is the largest crisis on the African continent and I am confident that with the support of the international community and the private sector, we can begin to bring hope to the people of the northeast,” he said.
The UN official added that “a projected 5.1 million people will face serious food shortages as the conflict and risk of unexploded improvised devices prevented farmers planting for a third year in a row, causing a major food crisis.”
Millions of people have been displaced from their homes in north-east Nigeria since the insurgency began in 2009. Over 20,000 people have also been killed.
While tens of thousands of the displaced live in camps, millions of others live in host communities where they are barely able to fend for themselves.
The Boko Haram, despite losing most of their seized territory to Nigerian troops, still carry out attacks on civilians and security officials.
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that his administration remains committed to realising the key priorities of securing the country, fighting corruption, and salvaging the economy in spite of current challenges.
The president stated this when he received the Letter of Credence of the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. William Stuart Symington, at the State House, Abuja.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina on Thursday, Buhari said the security situation in the North East had improved significantly.
According to him, this followed support in training of the military and supply of hardware after the G-7 meeting in Germany in 2015.
He said, “When I was invited to the G-7 meeting after my inauguration on May 29, 2015, I thought I was going to be an observer at the meeting, but without prompting, I was asked to brief the leaders on the security situation in Nigeria, and I did.
“Since then, we have received support in training and military hardware, and I hope we have not disappointed.”
In his remarks, the U.S ambassador said that the interest in the well-being of Nigeria was of mutual benefit.
“We do it not only for Nigeria, but for ourselves. We did it because it was right for us and right for our people,’’ he said.
Symington said he would work hard to further strengthen the relationship between his country and Nigeria.
He assured that the President-elect Donald Trump would also be interested in the well being of Nigeria.
The United Nations on Tuesday confirmed that at least 16 local governments initially occupied by the Boko Haram in north-east Nigeria have been liberated by Nigerian forces.
The immediate past UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Safieldin, said he made on-the-spot assessment of some of the liberated local governments including Bama, Damboa, Monguno, Konduga, Dikwa, Gwoza, Pulka, and Banki .
Speaking to the New York correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, the official lamented the level of destruction on the communities by Boko Haram, saying there is real humanitarian crisis in the liberated areas.
“You can’t imagine the level of physical destruction of all the basic facilities such as hospitals, water supply system, the schools and the homes of the individual poor people.
“So it is a real humanitarian crisis in terms of the number. It is a real humanitarian crisis in terms of availability of humanitarian aid at the moment,” he said.
Mr. Safieldin’s comment confirms various statements by Nigerian officials that most of the territory initially occupied by the terror group have been reclaimed.
Despite the successes of the soldiers, however, attacks on soldiers and civilians still continue leading to hundreds of deaths.
On Tuesday, Mr. Safieldin also said that no fewer than 30,000 metric tonnes of food is required monthly to feed the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, caused by the Boko Haram insurgency.
He lamented that the monthly requirement was currently not being met.
“The available humanitarian aid at the moment is inadequate. Whether it is the aid coming from the government or aid coming from the international community; it is inadequate.
“Many people either don’t have any food or they have less than what is sufficient for one meal a day; we are talking of at least 1.8 million displaced people.
“To feed these people, you need an estimated 30,000 metric tonnes of food every month and this amount of food is not available from the government and it is not available from the international community.”
According to him, the liberation of more communities previously under the control of Boko Haram by the Nigerian military has meant more mouths to feed.
According to him, at least 800,000 people currently need urgent humanitarian assistance.
“Since March, the Federal Government and Nigerian Army have gained full control of at least 16 LGAs in the north-east; many cities and villages have become accessible.
“Many civilians have been relocated by the army from remote villages in which they (were) living under Boko Haram to the capital of the LGAs and 16 satellite camps have been established.
“There is a minimum of 300,000 civilians living in these satellite camps in addition to an estimated 500,000 people who are living in these liberated areas outside the satellite camps.
“So all together, we are talking of about 800,000 people at least, who are accessible, who need humanitarian assistance urgently because I have visited many of these places.”
He said IDPs living in formal camps in Maiduguri represented only 10 per cent of the population adding, 90 per cent of them live in host communities.
“The 90 per cent of the IDPs live in the host communities in Maiduguri and other urban and rural areas and they have been suffering, they don’t have enough food, medical care and shelter.
“The major problem at the moment, the 800,000 people who are in the very remote LGAs recovered by the army from Boko Haram, are the people that are suffering continuously for a long time.
“The humanitarian aid that is reaching them is insufficient and yet their voices are not heard and I would love to see the media from Nigeria reaching out to these people to see their suffering.
“So the good news of the victory of the army to recover these areas has meant an additional challenge on the humanitarian community to be able to provide more aid.
“However, at the moment, the humanitarian aid that is available is insufficient,” he said.
The Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, has said that troops have commenced advancing into Sambisa Forest, one of the major enclaves of Boko Haram terrorists.
Mr. Buratai said this on Tuesday in Abuja while unveiling packs of bottle water provided through private initiative in appreciation of troops fighting the terrorists in the region.
According to the Army Chief, the advancement is an onslaught to finally flush out remnants of insurgents from the forest and rescue all those abducted in that area.
He added: “This year (2016), the whole Army Headquarters will be moving into the North East to celebrate Christmas and New Year with our troops.’’
Mr. Buratai described the bottle water initiative for free distribution to troops as “quite historic and the first of its kind.’’
He said: “The scheme involves branding 50cl bottle water with the image of the Nigerian soldier.
“It has the Nigerian army logo and that of stakeholders and partners from the private sector with the words: Thank you for your service.’’
According to him, the initiative seeks to appreciate the efforts of Nigerian troops actively engaged in the defence of our dear nation.
“This will no doubt go a long way in boosting the morale of the troops to show that their labour is being recognized and applauded by Nigerians.
“This initiative is quite timely, coming at a critical stage of the operations, when the troops have embarked on `Operation Rescue Finale.’
“It will surely add vigour, impetus and stimulate the troops in this phase of the operation,’’ Mr. Buratai said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that several corporate and public sector organisations, as well as state governments graced the unveiling of the troops’ bottle water.
NAN also reports that the troops’ bottle water initiative was supported by Enugu State Government (N10 million), Ebonyi Government (N5 million) and the Nigeria Customs Service (N1.5 million), among others.
Thousands of Nigerians forced by Boko Haram fighters to flee abroad from their homes in the North-east have began to return home, the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has said.
A report by the agency said at least 29,581 of the documented 240,000Nigerian refugees who had fled into Cameroon, Chad and Niger are back in the country.
The report came months after the news that Cameroon planned to repatriate at least 56,000 Nigerian refugees.
The Nigerian government debunked an allegation that it had endorsed the plan for the repatriation.
In 2015, Cameroon, a non-member country of the ECOWAS, was accused of dehumanizing Nigerian refugees by chasing about 2,600 of them out of their territory without informing Nigerian officials.
In gross violation of the international etiquettes on refugees management, Cameroonian officials reportedly piled the Nigerian refugees into trucks and dumped them in border communities in Adamawa state.
Most of the returnees had lamented the unfriendly environment they endured in Cameroon before its government finally hauled them out.
They claimed that the Cameroonian gendarmes evacuated about 12,000 Nigerians in just four days by cramping about 40 refugees, including women and children, into vehicles designed for 12 to 15 passengers.
In June, the Nigerian government signed a tripartite agreement with the United Nations High Commission for Refugee, UNHCR, and Cameroon for the return of the refugees. About 80,000 Nigerian refugees were expected to return following the agreement.
According to the latest NEMA report on ‘humanitarian relief intervention,’ “about 29, 581 Nigerians who fled communities in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa as result of insurgent activities to Republic of Niger and Cameroon voluntarily returned last year”.
The report, which was issued by the spokesman of NEMA, Sani Datti, said “13,046 Nigerians returned from Niger Republic in May 2015 and were received in Geidam, Yobe State”.
This group were those forcefully repatriated by Cameroon.
Between April and December, 2015 “NEMA received about 16,595 Nigerians that had voluntarily returned from Cameroon through the Sahuda border crossing area near Mubi, Adamawa State”, the report further stated.
The report indicated that most of the refugees were being received back in IDP camps where officials of the concerned north-east states joined other aid agencies to provide them with humanitarian relief supports.
“Some of the Nigerians that fled to neighbouring countries (Niger, Chad and Cameroon) were provided with humanitarian relief support by Nigeria through NEMA to alleviate their suffering”, the report said.
“The displaced Nigerians have also received humanitarian supports from the host governments, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the host communities and Nigerian citizens living in the three host countries.
“There are presently 20,804 displaced Nigerians living in Chad, 80,709 in Cameroon and 138,321 in Niger”, the report stated.
NEMA said it hopes to get over the issue of humanitarian conflict, with the improving “successes recorded by the Nigerian Military with the support of Multi-National Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents”.
The agency said its focus was “gradually shifting towards Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Resettlement, Recovery and dignified return of IDPs back home while process for the return of Nigerian refugees from neighbouring countries is equally on-going”.
The relief agency also said it would sustain the humanitarian response through enhanced collaboration with the affected states and relevant stakeholders in order to overcome the challenges in the north-east of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, about 240,000 documented Nigerians remained trapped in Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic, waiting for help to return home.
Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has sued the Borno state government after being recently accused of having knowledge about Boko Haram.
Addressing newmen on Monday, on Sheriff’s behalf in Abuja, the deputy national chairman for his People Democratic Party-led faction, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh announced that Sheriff has sued the Borno State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, ?Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan?.
He said in Suit No. FCT/HC/CU/2494/2016, Barrister Lawan and three other persons are the defendants.
?”It is on record that when Sheriff was Governor of Borno State, he suppressed and completely routed the Boko Haram like Buhari did in 1993. ?Boko Haram Killed 5 members of his family in the process of his fight against them.
“But when the current Governor of Borno State, Shetima took over office Boko Haram became emboldened, virulent and malignant.
“Note also that Shetima became Governor because Boko Haram killed the man who was to be Governor. His death paved way for the emergence of Shetima who willingly and deliberately encouraged Boko Haram,” he said.
As the military offensive continues in the North-east, about 30 suspected members of Boko Haram were believed to have met their waterloo in the hands of Nigerian troops, when they attempted to ambush a convoy of local government officials and travellers along Bama road after Nguro-Soye in Borno State.
Troops from 121 Task Force Battalion, Pulka were escorting local government officials from Pulka to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, when the incident occurred on Saturday morning, according to reports.
The Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Gwoza Local Government Area, Hon. Saeed Salisu Sambo, who was in the convoy, disclosed that the terrorists detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) and followed it with sporadic gunshots which were immediately repelled by the gallant troops.
The troops were reported to have pursued and overpowered the armed attackers with military precision.
He said: “I must commend the gallantry of the troops led by the patrol commanders of the 121 Battalion, Captain S. Suleiman, and Lt. N. Ayuba.
“The incident happened at about five kilometres into Bama town, at about 10 a.m.on Saturday after leaving Nguro-Soye. The insurgents detonated an IED, followed by sporadic gunshots which were repelled by the soldiers.”
He said six soldiers sustained various degrees of injuries, adding that “more than 30 insurgents were killed by the rocket launcher fired by troops. I vividly saw them running away, as the military engaged them in response”.
The military did not confirm whether soldiers were also killed during the ambush.
However, the soldiers injured during the encounter were rushed to the Brigadier Maimalari Barracks Hospital for medical attention, a source disclosed.
An emergency worker, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed counting the bodies of about 30 terrorists killed after the encounter.
The attack came at a time the Boko Haram insurgents have intensified their fight, resulting in the killing of senior military commanders and several troops in the battlefront.
The new attacks have sent signals of a resurgence of the terrorists, whom the federal government said had been “technically defeated”.
Over 1 million adherents of Tijjaniya from many African countries have converged on Yola, the Adamawa State capital, for three days to offer special prayers to free Nigeria from insurgency and recession .
During the three-day event, scholars within and outside the country including Dahiru Bauchi and the Deputy Chief Imam of Abuja Central Mosque, Ibrahim Makari, were led by a Moroccan scholar and the world leader of Tijjaniyya Islamic Movement, Muhammad Kabir, in prayers for peace in Nigeria.
Mr. Bauchi who spoke at the annual remembrance day of the founder of the Tijjaniyya movement, Ahmadu Tijjany, expressed optimism that the current insecurity situation would soon end.
“I am so optimistic that the attendance of these revered disciples and progeny of Maulana Sheikh Ahmadu Tijjani is a blessing to us and entire Nigeria.
“As they offer special prayers, almighty Allah will surely answer our prayers and bring to an end the insurgency as well as the economic hardship that plagued the country. ”
In his remark, Governor Muhammadu Jibrilla commended the scholars for their contribution to the maintenance of peace in the North East sub region and Nigeria in general.
He also appreciated the determination of the federal government in tackling security challenges in the area, calling for public support for the Buhari administration.
Hundreds of soldiers and police men were assisted by vigilantes and first aid groups to maintain security in Yola metropolis as mammoth crowd filled the town.
Two Nigerian soldiers were killed and another four got wounded when Boko Haram militants attacked a community in Askira Uba local government area of Borno State on Wednesday, two local sources told SaharaReporters.
One source disclosed that the Islamist militants stormed the remote village of Huyim village about 2 p.m. yesterday.
The besieged community is located some 18 miles away from Uba town, the local government headquarters. “They looted and carted away foodstuff and then burned down the whole village,” said the source.
Another source, a local hunter, told SaharaReporters that vigilantes in the attacked community sent an urgent request for troops to assist in repelling the attack. However, the troops’ vehicle rolled on land miles planted by the militants.
“The attackers came on motorcycles and opened fire. They looted farms products and took away livestock. We called the troops for assistance,” said one of the sources. He added, “Unfortunately, the troops’ vehicle drove over landmines. The mines killed two soldiers and four other soldiers sustained degrees of injuries.”
Two young female suicide bombers attacked a town in Cameroon’s far north region early on Thursday, authorities said, the fourth strike near the Nigerian border by suspected Boko Haram militants this week.
One of the bombs exploded in Mora, killing the girl and wounding at least four people, said Babila Akaou, prefect of the Mayo-Sava department.
Locals killed the second bomber before her device detonated, he added, without going into further details.
Fighters from Boko Haram have killed thousands in their campaign to carve out an Islamist state in their base in northeast Nigeria and have also launched attacks in neighbouring Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
The group has frequently used female bombers and children to hit targets.
The two girls, aged between 13 and 18, entered the town early on market day and were spotted by a watch committee, said Akaou.
“They were heading toward the market. They weren’t wearing shoes … which drew attention,” said a local named Abou. The girls passed by him around 7 a.m., he said.
Suicide bombers have launched attacks in Mora, about 30 km (20 miles) from the Nigerian border, several times before.
Similar attacks used to happen on an almost daily basis in Cameroon but the International Crisis Group reported this month that the frequency had fallen since September, leading analysts to believe Boko Haram was weakening there.
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday confirmed the death of B.U. Umar, a lieutenant colonel, in a Boko Haram ambush.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how Mr. Umar and soldiers of his 114 TF battalion were ambushed by Boko Haram after an initial bomb explosion.
While Mr. Umar died immediately in the attack that occurred at about 9:30 a.m. on November 15, another officer, a lieutenant, died later from the attack while eight others were injured.
On Wednesday, the commander of the Nigerian Army in the north-east, Lucky Irabor, confirmed the incident.
“On 15 Nov 16 at about 0930hrs own troops while on patrol to MUBI encountered an IED explosion along Bitta – Pirang road and thereafter were ambushed by BHT”, Mr. Irabor, a major general, said, according to the text of a press conference he delivered on Wednesday.
“Troops successfully cleared the ambush after a fight and unfortunately the Commanding Officer, Lt Col BU Umar lost his life on the spot. Subsequently, Lt Muktar also died in the hospital where 8 others soldiers who are wounded in action were receiving treatment. The wounded soldiers have been responding to treatment”.
Mr. Irabor also said a total of 5,235 people have been rescued from Boko Haram captivity in the past two months.
“In all the operations, a total of 5,235 people were rescued from the BHT”, Mr. Irabor said while detailing the achievements of Nigeria’s troops in the last two months.
He also read through a catalogue of military activities, most of which have been reported by the media.
The press conference, which was beamed by the government-owned Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, lasted about an hour.
The major general described the recent upsurge of suicide bombers as very unfortunate. He, however, said the impacts of the blasts have been minimal as only the bombers got killed in most cases.
“The impact of recent bombings in Maiduguri, though sad and unfortunate, was minimal due to the alertness of troops and other security agencies”, he said.
“Apart from the one wherein 2 CJTF personnel were killed and some others wounded, only the terrorists died, while one was captured alive. The captured suicide bomber is assisting in the investigation into cases of suicide bombings. The incidents are only indicative of a weakened and defeated BHT. Their ignoble adventure is destined to fail totally.”
Mr. Irabor said soldiers have intercepted several arms and ammunition from the insurgents. One of such interceptions was made on November 13, he said.
“At about 2130hrs, own troops at FOB Potiskum arrested a trailer truck with registration number Yobe (XA 960 NGU) along Potiskum – Azare road enroute Kano based on information from DSS”, he said.
“The truck was arrested with 22 sharpened new cutlasses, a knife, 7 catapults, 5 military belts, 41 iron rollers, 9 sharpened iron rods, 6 hollow irons, a first aid box, 2 tents and various black and red flags of IMN sect. The driver and 2 other persons were arrested with the truck. The suspects and items have been handed over to the Nigeria Police for further action.
The Nigerian military has said that through its “Operation Finale” has rescued 5,235 persons held hostage by Boko Haram insurgents from October to November 2016, recovered many weapons and killed several insurgents across various locations of the theatre.
The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, who disclosed this at a press briefing held at the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole, at Maimalari Cantonment Maiduguri, yesterday, said due to the ferocity of the attack by the Nigerian military the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists were fleeing their camps as many of them were being killed.
He said the Operation Finale which started on November 6th, 2016 was aimed at rescuing the Chibok girls and any other persons held hostage by the Boko Haram insurgents in the Sambisa forests and its environs, and also clear the remnant of the Boko Haram terrorists in the dreaded forest.
Irabor stated that during the period under review, his troops had killed several Boko Haram insurgents and arrested their food and other logistics suppliers at different locations within the theatre of operations, adding that the troops will not relent till the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents were completely wiped out.
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday handed over 316 cows suspected to have been rustled by the Boko Haram terrorists to the Borno Government for upkeep.
Col. Mustapha Anka, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations Department, handed over the cows to Alhaji Kakashehu Lawan, the Commissioner for Justice at a ceremony in Maiduguri.
Anka explained that the cows were arrested as part of investigation into alleged large scale rustling by the Boko Haram terrorists.
He said that the hand over followed a directive from the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 division of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu.
He added that Ezugwu was concerned about the condition of the cows and asked that they should be handed over to government for proper upkeep.
He said “on behalf of the 7 division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, I hereby hand over the cows to you for proper upkeep.
“The 316 cows were arrested in collaboration with some individuals in the society as part of an ongoing investigation into large scale rustling by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, ” Anka said.
He lamented that the army had challenges taking care of the cows, a development he said necessitated the need to hand the cows over to the state government for care.
“We observed that the cows were getting sick and dying due to lack of proper care, since the suspected rustlers have been taken to Abuja for investigation.
“It is based on this premise that the GOC directed that the cows be handed over to the state government for upkeep, pending the conclusion of the case.”
Receiving the cows, Lawan thanked the army for the gesture.
He said that the state government was already in possession of 150 cows, suspected to have been rustled by the terrorists.
He said “I think that today’s ceremony can be traced to a resolution of the State Security Council meeting last month which approved the taking over of 150 cows earlier arrested from suspected Boko Haram terrorists collaborators.
“The cows were kept by the 195 Battalion of the Nigerian Army before the council directed their handover to the state for proper care.”
He promised that the state government would take proper care of the cows, pending the completion of the case.
At least two persons were, on Wednesday night, killed in a suicide bomb attack in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
An electronic message sent to newsmen by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Borno State Command, Assistant Superintendent of Police Victor Isuku, said the attack occurred at Muna Garage.
“About 2106hrs of 23/11/2016, an explosion occurred at Muna Garage along Gamboru-Ngala Road, Maiduguri. Two persons including the suicide bomber died on the spot,” the message stated.
It added that a Mercedes-Benz car with registration number AX 571 ABJ, which was parked by the roadside, was damaged by the impact of the explosion.
Omojuwa.Com learnt that, on Wednesday, a loud explosion was heard around Muna Garage area, which has become the epicentre of bombing.
The area has recorded a series of bomb blasts in the last month.
The Nigerian Military said on Wednesday that it deployed Naval troops to Borno as part of its renewed efforts to end the Boko Haram terrorism in the North-East.
The Theater Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, Lucky Irabor, a Maj. Gen., told journalists in Maiduguri that the troops were inducted into the theater as the maritime component to strengthen its operation.
“The advance party for the maritime component of Operation Lafiya Dole has been inducted into the theater on September 8,” he said.
“They will be deployed at Naval Outpost in Baga and will later operate around the fringes of Nigerian side of the Lake Chad.
“However, they are now temporarily accommodated at the Federal College of Fresh Water and Fishery Technology in Baga, awaiting arrival of the main body and other logistics.
“Currently, they are conducting patrols in conjunction with troops of Multi National Joint Task Force in Baga,” he said.
The commander said the troops of the theater recorded successes in clearing Boko Haram insurgents under its “Operation KARYA GWIWA’’.
“On October 28, our troops commenced clearing operations on two axis to clear and destroy insurgents along Golgore, Doksa, Ajigin and environs.
“The troops located a terrorist’s camp and on sighting the team, they fled the camp abandoning seven motorcycles, five bicycles, a desert camouflage and a large quantity of drugs.
“All the recovered items were destroyed and during the operations, 37 terrorists were killed while two officers and five soldiers were wounded and a member of the vigilante died, during the offensive operation.
“On October 29, our troops continued their advance and later came under Boko Haram ambush at Ugundiri, where five soldiers sustained gunshot wounds.
“Two anti-aircraft guns were recovered from the terrorists and a gun truck was destroyed,” he said.
The fighter pilots of the Nigerian Air Force have killed several Boko Haram insurgents in multiple operations in the north of Borno State.
The Director, Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Grp. Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa, said in a statement on Tuesday that fighter jets bombarded a Boko Haram location at Kadari and killed an unspecified number of the insurgents.
Famuyiwa said that the fighter jets also carried out airstrikes on selected Boko Haram targets at Ngoshe on November 18, 2016.
He said that the airstrikes were carried out following intelligence gathered by an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft which spotted a large number of insurgents under a meeting at Kadari.
He said that the attack carried out by a three-ship formation of the Alpha jet was part of the Operation Rescue Finale of the Nigerian Army.
He said, “The Nigerian Air Force fighter jets have attacked a number of Boko Haram terrorist locations in northern Borno, killing several insurgents. On 16 November, 2016, an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance aircraft reported a gathering of BHTs under a tree at Kadari.
“An Alpha jet on armed reconnaissance was called in to strike the location thus killing a number of the insurgents and causing survivors to flee in different directions. On November, 18 2016, NAF fighter jets again carried out a series of coordinated air strikes against BHT locations at Ngoshe.
“The strike, carried out by a 3-ship formation of Alpha Jets against five carefully selected BHT targets, was part of Operation Rescue Finale by the Nigerian Army. A similar air strike was conducted on another BHT location near Kangarwa on 19 November, 2016.”
He added that another Alpha jet was also in action against the insurgents at a location close to Kangarwa.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) last week attacked several Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) locations in Northern Borno killing several insurgents and providing cover for many of its own troops.
According to a newly declassified video of the operation made available to The Nation by the Director Of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, the attacks were carried out at Kadara, Ngoshe and Kangarwa.
Active in the operations were NAF Alpha Jets, many of which was weaponised by local technicians before being deployed to the Northeast. According to Famuyiwa, on November16, 2016, an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft reported a gathering of BHTs under a tree at Kadari. An Alpha Jet on armed reconnaissance was called in to strafe the location thus killing a number of the insurgents and causing survivors to flee in different directions.
Also on 18 November 2016, NAF fighter jets again carried out a series of coordinated air strikes against BHT locations at Ngoshe. The strike, carried out by a 3-ship formation of Alpha Jets against 5 carefully selected BHT targets, was part of OPERATION RESCUE FINALE by the Nigerian Army.
In Ngoshe, the Alpha jets hit their targets five times while a similar air strike was conducted on another BHT location near Kangarwa on 19 November 2016.
In Kangarwa, based on ISR aircraft request, an Alpha Jet was scrambled for air interdiction at a location close to Kangarwa. The area was strafed with cannon at least two times. On the same day, the NAF provided ISR cover for own ground forces advancing from Ngoshe to Pulka.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets have attacked a number of Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) locations in Northern Borno, killing several insurgents.
This was contained in a statement signed by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa on Tuesday in Abuja.
Famuyiwa said On 16 November 2016, an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft reported a gathering of BHTs under a tree at Kadari adding that an An Alpha Jet on armed reconnaissance was called in to strafe the location thus killing a number of the insurgents and causing survivors to flee in different directions.
He said on 18 November 2016, NAF fighter jets again carried out a series of coordinated air strikes against BHT locations at Ngoshe. The strike, carried out by a 3-ship formation of Alpha Jets against 5 carefully selected BHT targets, was part of OPERATION RESCUE FINALE by the Nigerian Army.
“A similar air strike was conducted on another BHT location near Kangarwa on 19 November 2016. Based on ISR aircraft request, an Alpha Jet was scrambled for air interdiction at a location close to Kangarwa.
“The NAF, same day, provided ISR cover for own ground forces advancing from Ngoshe to Pulka. Please find enclosed the declassified video of the latest air strikes for your use” the statement added.
The Caretaker Chairman of Chibok Local Government Area of Borno state, Mr. Yaga Yarkawa, has lamented the renewed attacks by Boko Haram terrorists in the local government, insisting that with the recent attacks on Thlaimaklama village which has displaced many people from their homes, Chibok has again come under the control of Boko Haram.
Yaga Yarkawa told newsmen on Monday night in Maiduguri while visiting to receive food items donated by the State Government for onward delivery to displaced persons.
He said, contrary to claims by the military that Chibok is safe, there have been series of renewed attacks on communities of Kuburmbula, Tsilari, Kamdzilari, Kuburnvwu , Kautikari, Kwada, Buftari and Kakulmari villages bordering Damboa and Sambia forest, adding that the latest one was the one that took place at the weekend in Thlaimaklama village where the insurgents carted away 15 vehicles loaded with food items, and set ablaze three vehicles and several houses without confrontation from security operatives.
He pointed out that apart from attacking his communities these days, the terrorists have resorted to burning of farm produce of his people who had suffered during the planting season.
Speaking on the effort put in place by the council to address the recurrent attacks, Yarakawa said, “Due to the exploits of the insurgents, Kuburmbula, Tsilari, Kamdzilari, Kuburnvwu , Kautikari, Kwada, Buftari and Kakulmari villages bordering Damboa and Sambia forest, and Klaimakla communities are still fully under the control of terrorists.”
Also speaking on the renewed attacks on Chibok, leader of vigilante group in Chibok, Commander Aboku said that, “The Boko Haram terrorists are always on the move and this makes it difficult to effectively monitor and apprehend them with ease.”
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, has released a banner containing photographs and names of 55 suspected Boko Haram terrorists wanted for various attacks and terror activities in the northeast where the military is currently prosecuting a war
against the insurgents.
He launched the latest batch of the terrorist suspects on Monday in Maiduguri, bringing the total number of those declared wanted by the military since last year to 155.
The Army had late last year published the first set of 100 suspected members of the terrorist sect, Boko Haram wanted by the Nigerian state, and another batch early this year when the launched the Motorbike Battalion in Damboa, Borno State.
“I urge all to facilitate the tracking down the suspects for the good and development of the country,” the defence chief said while releasing the banner at a brief event at the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maimalari Contonement of the Nigerian Army Maiduguri.
“With this launching of an additional list of wanted terrorists, it is hoped that the public will collaborate to identify the wanted Boko Haram wherever they are,” he added.
He however, urged Boko Haram members who wish to surrender their arms and embrace peace to do so in time so as to benefit from the military Operation Save Corridors programme for repentant terrorists.
Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, noted that the army first published a wanted lists of Boko Haram late 2015, adding that it released the second later.
Buratai said the fresh lists which contained the name and photograph of Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram leader, was the third list released to the public.
He said the military published the list for the purpose of emphasis, urging the people to provide useful information regarding the Boko Haram men. He promised that such information will be treated with secrecy.
Nigerian troops fighting the terrorist Boko Haram group in the north-east state of Borno on Sunday intercepted two suspected members of the sect believed to be on a mission to procure drugs for libido enhancement, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and other illnesses.
A military insider said that the two men were intercepted by men of the 112 Task Force Battalion as they tried to cross from Anadawa village to Minari on motorcycle.
The troops, who mounted a roadblock at Kasasewa village, trailed the suspected terrorists to Anadawa and quickly opened fire on them after realising they were fully armed.
The two suspects, our sources said, died on the spot with troops recovering two FN rifles and 18 rounds of 7.62MM NATO ammunition from them.
Also recovered was a three-page shopping list which suggested the men were travelling to procure massive consignments of drugs, and other medical supplies.
Among the drugs listed for purchase were cartons of Viagra, used for treating erectile dysfunction, and MMC Sex Men, a known libido enhancer.
Also listed for purchase were three cartons of Maxman coffee enhancer for men as well as Viamax power coffee, known for increasing sexual desire in men.
The list also included an order for capsules that could be used to treat gonorrhoea, a venereal disease involving inflammatory discharge from the urethra or vagina.
Going by the list, the men also planned to procured various kinds of injectables ranging from oxytocine to anti-tetanus.
Several kinds of syrups were also listed for purchase.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Monday in Maiduguri unveiled the poster carrying photographs of 55 most wanted Boko Haram members, including their supposed leader, Abubakar Shekau.
The poster, with the inscription, written in English, Hausa and Kanuri languages, is the third edition of such posters, it has telephone numbers which the public could easily call or send text messages to, to indicate which of the characters they know or have information on.
Displaying the posters at the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole, Lt. Gen. Buratai said many terrorists whose names were on the list of 202 terrorists released last year had either been identified and arrested or killed.
Boko Haram has burnt down a village neighbouring the northeast Nigerian town of Chibok where the group kidnapped over 200 schoolgirls two years ago, local residents said Wednesday.
A group of Boko Haram gunmen invaded Goptari, 10 kilometres from Chibok, late Tuesday and set it on fire after looting food supplies and livestock.
The attack underscores the continued threat of Boko Haram in Nigeria’s volatile northeast, where the military is still battling for control despite making gains against the insurgents over the past year.
“They attacked the village around 8:00 pm (1900GMT), firing heavy guns which made people flee into the bush,” Samson Bulus from nearby Kautikeri village told AFP.
“The Boko Haram raiders looted homes and shops, taking along food supplies and livestock before burning the entire village,” he said.
Luka Damina, another Kautikeri resident said troops in Chibok engaged the attackers in gun battle but were subdued by the insurgents.
“The Boko Haram fighters overpowered the soldiers and seized a van with a machine gun mounted on the deck from the soldiers,” he said.
Witnesses, including a local chief, said a soldier was wounded during the shootout.
The attack came two days after a raid on nearby Kallali village where the Islamists looted and burnt homes, a local chief told AFP.
Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency against the Nigerian state that has claimed at least 20,000 lives and spilled across the country’s borders.
Aided by troops from neighbouring countries, the Nigerian military has recaptured swathes of territory from the Islamists since early 2015.
But Boko Haram has carried out sporadic attacks on remote villages in the restive region.
Last month eight people were killed outside a church in a village 30 kilometres east of Chibok. In August, 10 people were killed in another attack on nearby Kubrivu village.
The Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has called on the Federal Government to pay greater attention to the welfare of Nigerian soldiers on active servive and families of fallen soldiers.
Gov. Bello made this call while on a condolence visit to the immediate family of the late Lt. Col Muhammad Abu Ali in Kaduna on Sunday, 20th November. He was accompanied by the Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Imam Umar, where they both met with the widow of the deceased, Mrs Samira Abu Ali, and the three children.
Gov. Bello, while acknowledging the improvement in the welfare of soldiers, which has resulted in the increased morale of the rank and file and a decimation of insurgency in the North East, asked that military men and women be treated with respect and dignity as they continue to sacrifice their all for our peace and unity.
“We must give honour to whom it is due and our soldiers deserve the best of everything,” Gov. Bello said. “They give up their comfort, happiness and families just to keep the rest of us safe. They must be encouraged and I call on the Federal Government to make their welfare and that of the families of the soldiers that we lose top priority. No member of a soldier’s family should suffer financially when we they die.”
Lt. Col Muhammad Abu Ali was killed by Boko Haram insurgents on November 4 at Mallam Fatori in Borno State. He was 36 years old. Nigeria and Nigerians mourned him.
Gov. Bello was on a 2-week vacation when this unfortunate incident occurred. In a condolence message released by his Chief Press Secretary, Gov. Bello described the late officer as one of modern Nigeria’s finest officers, who gave his all in service to his country paying the supreme price in the process. To this end, a high powered state delegation led by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly was at the national funeral held in honour of the fallen officer and some of his colleagues.
On his return to Kogi State, the Governor paid a condolence visit on Brigadier General Abu Ali, the late soldier’s father, in his palace at Bassa-Nge.
While in Kaduna, Gov. Bello said the Kogi State Government will not only immortalise the late Lt. Col Muhammad Abu Ali but will also take the responsibility for the education of his three children up to university level.
To the officers and men of the Nigeria Armed Forces who are in danger zones, Gov. Bello said he appreciates their work. He is optimistic that given the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to ending insurgency in Nigeria, Boko Haram threat will soon be a thing of the past. He therefore urged them to not lose hope adding that Nigerians acknowledge and appreciate their sacrifices and all they do for Nigeria.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin, has said that the military operations in the North East were geared towards clearing Sambisa forest of Boko Haram terrorists to allow development of the sub-region.
Olonisakin disclosed this yesterday at the Theatre Command Headquarters, while inspecting newly acquired military vehicles and armoured tanks at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.
Olonisakin said that no meaningful development could take place without securing Sambisa Forest by clearing remnants of Boko Haram terrorists for the protection of lives and property in the region.
“The corridor is always open for the terrorists to surrender. However, we will not wait until they surrender. That was why the Operation Crackdown is in place to ensure that we take over the Sambisa Forest, clear Boko Haram terrorists in those places and make the region safe for economic activities.
Olonisakin said for the insurgents to be destroyed in the sub-region it had become ‘fight to the finish,’ to make the North-East safe for the rehabilitation of the people and revive economic activities.
He expressed Nigerians’ appreciation of the efforts of the troops, urging them to continue to do much more until Boko Haram is totally defeated.
Olonisakin said: “I want to commend the troops and also the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen.Tukur Buratai, for his initiative in the re-modelling of the operational vehicles.”
On repentant insurgents, Olonisakin said: “There is always room for the insurgents or terrorists to surrender. We have put up ‘operation safe corridor’ initiative to have them surrender and integrate into the society.”
In a related development, at least 11 Boko Haram fighters were killed at the weekend as troops of the 103 battalion destroyed a market cum camp operated by the terrorist sect in northern Borno.
An unconfirmed number of terrorists were also wounded during the battle in Yale, about eight kilometres south of Bama and 12 kilometres south west of Dikwa, while arms, ammunition and other equipment were recovered, military insiders said.
Officers and men of the 103 battalion, in conjunction with their counterparts from 21 Brigade, 202 Battalion and 151 Task Force Battalion arrived the market at about 7:30 am Saturday and opened fire on suspected terrorists found on location.
A detachment of Civilian JTF, which has been assisting the military in the anti-insurgency war, because of its deep knowledge of the North-East terrain, also participated in the operation.
All the structures found at the camp were destroyed as suspected terrorists, caught by surprise, fled in different directions.
At least 11 of them were gunned down while several others were seriously injured. A number of the sect members escaped with gunshot wounds, our sources further disclosed.
But as troops withdrew from battle unhurt, Boko Haram elements staged a surprise ambush attack, which was also successfully repelled.
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has said the Boko Haram insurgents still retain the capacity for occasional deadly attacks in the North-eastern region of the country.
Atiku made the remarks at the 11th Founder’s Day ceremony of American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola in Adamawa State, which was also to mark his 70th birthday at the weekend.
The former vice president, while acknowledging the effort of the security to improve the security situation in the region, said more still needs to be done to restore normalcy in this area, adding that the insurgents remain and still occupy a specific geographical space in the region.
He said the improvement in the security situation also means that some internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been able to return to their homes to live normal lives.
“I would like to specially acknowledge the efforts of our security forces in making these possible,” Atiku said.
However, he said many citizens in the zone still remain vulnerable and live in fear, adding that more needs to be done to finally address the situation so that all the IDPs would return to their homes.
According to him, “Many citizens in the zone still remain vulnerable and we cannot say that the problem is over until every displaced person is able to return home, to the office, to the market, to the farm, and resume normal activities.
“We cannot say it is over until we rebuild the schools, the churches, the hospitals, the markets and the homes that had been destroyed. And we cannot say it’s over until the survivors of this insurgency receive the help they need, including psychological therapy to deal with the trauma that they have been through.”
Meanwhile, the federal government today begins an education advocacy programme for school-aged children displaced in the North-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe by Boko Haram insurgency.
A statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said the programme would include a writing and speech competition among the children.
He said the programmed is aimed at countering violene extremism.
He said: “The competition is open to all school-aged children (8 -18 years old) currently receiving various forms of education in the Internally Displaced Persons Camps and Host Communities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.”
He explained that the advocacy model would engage the children in conversations concerning their educational plans, intending to create a sense of involvement and enhance the success and sustainability of their education.
The programme, tagged ‘2016 Protecting Education Advocacy Challenge, PEACH’, will involve school-aged children residing in the camps and host communities across the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, and will be conducted in three stages.
The stages are self-expression through creative writing, focused mentorship and the development of an advocacy campaign which will be presented by the children themselves before a live audience.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Dr. Mariam Masha, who is overseeing the programme said education remained one of the pivotal tools in addressing ignorance.
The programme, according to her, is jointly hosted by the Office of the National Security Adviser, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) who would also actively participate in the focused mentorship for the children.
She described the programme as a huge opportunity to catch school-aged children residing in the various camps, aimed at actively engaging the vulnerable children who have been out of school, in advocacy to counter violent extremism.
She pointed out that whilst the maiden edition of the programme was targeting children displaced in the North-eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, subsequent editions would be on a national scale.
She also added that the education advocacy challenge would decisively engage the children, who she noted, were “at continued risks of exposure or influenced by radicalism.”
A yet unknown number of Boko Haram fighters were reported killed and several others injured in northern Borno on Saturday as Nigerian soldiers engaged the terrorists in intense gunfight.
The battle, sources said, began after Boko Haram fighters attacked troops of the 119 Task Force Battalion stationed in Kangarwa.
The Nigerian troops gallantly fought back, killing an unknown number of the attackers and injuring several others.
Nine soldiers were however injured in battle, our sources said.
On Saturday, a patrol team from Baga which went to evacuate the injured soldiers was also ambushed.
Members of the team repelled the attack and cleared the ambush, those familiar with the matter said.
It is the sixth time the battalion would be so attacked in recent times, military insiders told PREMIUM TIMES.
The army is yet to issue an official statement on the attack.
It was a few minutes after midday, and the sun was already blazing at the Dalori-1 camp for the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
At this time of the day, usually, only the trees can provide the much-needed cool to wade off dehydration.
The displaced children had to shift their play from the burning grounds to the cool shades of the cascading Neem trees. So was the case for the elderly inmates who had to also move out of their tarpaulin shelters.
Young men were spotted in various locations chatting away; some had already dozed off, apparently helped by the coolness of the trees.
Some women, mostly mothers, were seen from time to time bending out of their make shift homes to check on the foodstuff they had spread to dry in the perfect sun.
Most of the young girls, especially those in their teens and early 20s, also had their different spots under the foliage or at the common hall built by officials of the camp. The girls, usually, at this time of the day, would be busy chatting away their boring time.
Some of them with knack for making money, legitimately, were seen busy knitting designs on native caps, which they would sell off to merchants.
Very naturally, the atmosphere around the girls’ spot was more exciting and attractive. The young females could be heard interjecting their gossips and chitchats with occasional laughter, and teases.
Boko Haram
But Fati Salilhu, one of the young women in the camp, was not a party to the hilarity of the girls’ company.
A reporter sighted her sitting in a withdrawn mode under a Neem tree outside the camp tent she shares with other females. Her mind seemed to have travelled far away from the noisy happenings around her.
She was not looking shabby, despite being an IDP. Her slightly made up face had really done a great job at beaming up her natural beauty. But it had not hidden the telltale of a young woman who had passed through difficult times.
She was 22 years old and mother of a deceased child.
Fati was one of the females rescued from the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents by soldiers of the Nigerian army about two years ago. Though she speaks flawless Hausa, a major language in northern Nigeria, Fati said she is not a Nigerian.
“I am from Cameroon”, she told reporters.
She was brought to the IDP camp about a year ago, after she was rescued from the captivity of Boko Haram insurgents who had snatched her and many other women from Kolofata in the Republic of Cameroon.
“I am from Mozogore village in Cameroon. I am the last child of the 9 kids from my mother”, she told reporters in Hausa, a major Nigerian language also spoken in northern part of Cameroon near the Nigerian border.
Fati, was abducted in Kolofata town of Cameroon on July 28, 2014. It was the very day the wife of a deputy minister in Cameroon, Ali Amodu, was abducted by Boko Haram.
While the deputy minister’s wife (now freed) was taken from her home, Fati said she was flocked away, alongside other women, into the jungle from a hospital in Kolofata where she was watching over her sick aged mother.
It was the last time she knew freedom.
“I was abducted when I took my sick mother to the hospital in Kolofata”, she said with sobered voice.
“Boko Haram fighters came in and abducted some other women and me”.
Coming out of a forced marriage, after she was forced to abandon her secondary school education midway because her parents could not afford her fees, Fati became a wife at the age of 19.
The road to captivity
Like many others, Fati said the road to Boko Haram’s captivity was harrowing.
“After they had forced us to follow them at gun point, we were taken for a long walk through the jungles of Buni Yadi (in Yobe State) where we were camped”, she recalled.
“After some days, soldiers came and we had to flee to another location, which name I could not recall. From there, we were taken to a place called Tumbuktu, where we spent about five weeks. The soldiers came again, and they had to move us to a place called Kafela and we were kept there for about 7 months.
Painful loss of child
When Boko Haram captured her, the Cameroonian girl was nursing a baby – the product of her failed marriage. It was with that baby girl strapped to her back that she was made to traverse the jungles, mostly on foot.
Fati said she lost the baby while they were being forced by the Boko Haram members to flee during an attack on their location by soldiers.
“I lost my baby when we had to run towards Izza village”, she said.
“The attack on our location was massive, and as we were running with the Boko Haram people, we all feared for our lives; so we ran through the thick bushes. My little daughter, who was strapped to my back, fell off and was badly injured. She eventually died. Some men amongst our abductors collected the child and buried her somewhere in a shallow grave; I was not given a chance to mourn her, we had to move on.
The rescue
After about a year under the captivity of Boko Haram, a miraculous rescue came to them when the Nigerian soldiers eventually raided Izza, one of the largest camps of the Boko Haram, located somewhere between Gwoza and Bama local government areas of Borno state.
“We did not stay long in Izza, when the soldiers arrived attacking from the sky and on ground”, she said.
“We kept on running towards Izza amidst bombardment from air force jets. Many of us, including some Boko Haram members were killed. We made it to Izza, a big village where many abducted girls were kept but we did not stay there for long before the soldiers raided the place and rescued some of us.
“The soldiers took us to Bama, and from there we were taken to Giwa barracks. We spent about two months in Giwa barracks before they brought us here to stay in Dalori-1 IDP camp. Now I have spent about a year here in the camp.
Forced Marriage
Like most of the females taken into captivity, Fati had to become a wife to one of her abductors. A situation she had to accept, lest she suffered more torture or abuse by those who appropriated her liberty.
“I was forced to marry a Boko Haram member, named Abba Kaka. He said he was from Benishek town of Borno State. But the marriage lasted only two months because soldiers killed him.
“I was actually forced to marry him. In fact, the Boko Haram members threw me in jail for weeks when I refused to accept Abba Kaka’s hand in marriage”, she said.
Like many other girls, Fati said she was left with limited but cruel options. She just had to give in.
“We were made to undergo several punishments and torture when we were resisting to abide by their ways of doing things; they said we must accept their creed and belief that any other person that is not an adherent of Izalatul Ahlil sunna liddawati wal jihad (Boko Haram) is an infidel whose blood was legitimate to be shed.
“We were not hungry because there was food in abundance, but we had to live in a very difficult condition in which we sometimes found it difficult to change clothes or wash properly; some of us that menstruate would sometimes go without sanitary pads; we only used them if the Boko Haram fighters returned with loots and we were lucky to find such things like sanitary pads, and diapers for children.
“They kept telling us that they wanted to make us true Muslims, and there was no way they would allow us to see our infidel parents or relatives again.
“You know we were abducted at Kolofata, on the same night the wife of Cameroon minister, Ali Amodu, was kidnapped. And I could recall when the deputy minister’s wife, who was kept in different way from ours, was rescued after a shootout. They came to tell us that ‘your people in Cameroon are killing our members, so you too would not be freed; you would rather die in our custody’”.
“They said they would rather continue to move about in the bush with us, and that we too had to taste the bitterness of the pains they suffered each time their members were killed by soldiers in Nigeria and Cameroon. They kept threatening us daily; sometimes we cried and called for help; but they kept on telling us that crying was a waste of time. We went on like that for weeks and months until we became tired of crying. Yes, it was useless crying, so we decided to take our plight as our fate and began to live with it”.
Lonely and stranded in IDP camp
Unlike most of the rescued abductees who are Nigerians, Fati had not been able to link up with her family in Cameroon for over a year since her rescue.
“We were many that were abducted; but they split us up in the jungles and those of us that were brought to Dalori-1 IDP camp were four in number; they had all been joined with their families; it was only me that was left behind because I could not link up with my family in Cameroon”, she mourned.
“I have not heard from my parents, including my sick mother. I am not happy; each time I worried about leaving, I was told that it was not safe going to Cameroon”.
Fati Salilhu
“Since my rescue and arrival to Maiduguri, I have been well taken care of by the Nigerian military and camp officials till date, we get enough medication, toiletries and apartment to lay our heads at night. But of late, things have begun to get difficult in terms of feeding. The foods are not enough; it hardly comes in square.”
Life after camp
For the first time during the interview, the Cameroonian girl’s eyes lit up when this reporter asked about her life before the abduction on July 28, 2014. She recalled her dream of being a working class lady. But she fears a future of stigma as a lady who had once been married to a “terrorist”.
“When I was a free girl back in our village in Cameroon, I used to sell soft drinks and cold water. I do not have much education; after my primary education, I enrolled into secondary school. But along the line, I had to drop out to get married on the orders of my parents who said they could no longer sustain my education.
“I wanted to be a government worker, just like some of my friends that were able to advance their studies and are now working as nurses; while some are currently employees of government. I wanted to be a nurse too.
“Even if I return home now, I have no concrete plans for the future, because I have no education to qualify me for employment. I have to embrace whatever God puts in my way. If another husband comes, I get married, that is if you don’t show my photograph as a woman who had once married a Boko Haram (smiles). If I have resources, I will continue with my petty trade.
Her ultimate desire
“All I want now is to be allowed to return home so that I can reunite with my family members. Most of my siblings are working; some are soldiers in the Cameroonian military; some are doing government work in Marwa, others are doing business there. But I have no relatives here on the side of Nigeria. I know my mother weeps every day for me. May be she may even be mourning, thinking I am no longer alive. I just need to go home.”
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday said that judging by the current activities of the Boko Haram terrorists, 60 per cent of them are not Nigerians.
Buratai said this in Maiduguri when he received the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, at the headquarters of the Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole at the Maimalari Cantonment.
He said, “Your Excellency, I want to bring to your attention that while the Boko Haram insurgency can be said to have started in Nigeria, by and large as at today, I can say that almost 60 per cent of the insurgents are from our neighbouring countries.
“You can see that almost all of the recently surrendered insurgents are not Nigerians.
“This is a challenge that impacts more on the Nigerian side than the other countries. But by and large, our military is up to the task and we will continue to do our best to ensure that our country is secured.”
He said that there was no doubt that the terrorists had been defeated but added that troops would continue with their operations until the insurgents finally surrender.
The army chief thanked the UN for identifying with Nigeria in its efforts to rout-out the terrorists and solicited additional support from the world body.
Speaking earlier, Dr Chambas said that his visit was an expression of the UN’s identification with Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram and efforts to restore peace to the North-East region.
He restated the UN’s condemnation of the terrorists’ group, adding “we are behind the Federal Government’’ in its efforts to defeat the terrorists.
The Presidency yesterday denied the alleged payment of $21million to Boko Haram leadership for the release of 21 Chibok girls.
It said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had no such money to pay as ransom.
This was revealed in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity) to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu,
The statement said: “Over the past few days, some newspaper reports ascribing the recent terrorist attacks in Borno State to the government’s negotiation of the release of 21 Chibok girls, with a particular report alleging the exchange of US$21 million for the girls are false and should be disregarded by members of the public. This loose talk is journalism at its most irresponsible and it’s most dismaying.
“As a responsible government that is run on the basis of the constitution and budgets duly appropriated by the National Assembly, we have no such money under any allocation to pay out this outrageous sum of money as ransom.
“Beyond the call of journalism, the newspaper making this charge has a national duty to point how and where this money was paid, and to supply leads as to where the “powerful weapons” were bought by the terrorists.”
The recent ransom paid to Boko Haram in exchange for the release of some Chibok girls have contributed to the recent upsurge in the killings and disappearances of soldiers engaged in the fight against the insurgents, senior military sources have revealed.
The military men said that despite denials by the Federal Government, money was paid to the sect to secure the release of the abducted girls.
It was learnt that the insurgents demanded for $50m for the release of the girls but about a quarter of the sum was eventually paid.
It was also learnt that the Federal Government paid the cash in two currencies – the naira and the CFA Francs to the leaders of the sect to facilitate the release of the girls.
But, the highly-ranked military men who are engaged in the war, and who craved anonymity because they were not authorised to speak for the military authorities, attributed the recent upsurge in the activities of the insurgents to the huge ransom paid for the release of the girls.
Prior to the current increase in the attacks by the insurgents, it was learnt that the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, deployed in the North-East, had effectively cut off food and logistics supply to the insurgents.
Some of the sources, who are also commanders at the war front, said that the troops had effectively defeated the Boko Haram members, who were on the run while a good number of them had surrendered and taken to a rehabilitation camp established by the Defence Headquarters in Yola.
In October, 83 soldiers were reported missing days after they came under a Boko Haram attack. Though there have been increasing reports of soldiers either missing or killed since the Chibok girls were released, the military initially denied the report, it later said that only 39 soldiers were missing.
Also, on November 4, seven military men, including Lt.-Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali, were killed on their way to reinforce troops at Mallam Fatori during a Boko Haram attack. Two days later, one soldier was also killed while four others were wounded in the line of duty.
In October, 21 of the over 200 girls abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014 were released by the group.
However, the Federal Government denied exchanging insurgents for the abducted girls and paying a ransom to the sect.
But the military sources insisted that Boko Haram did not release the girls without getting anything in return and that the Federal Government indeed paid a ransom and released some of the group’s strategists that were detainees.
One of the sources said it was sad that the same government that was initially seen as tough enough to end insurgency in the country failed to negotiate with Boko Haram from a position of strength.
“It is unfortunate that in government’s desperation to secure the release of the Chibok girls, it has put our (soldiers’) lives in danger by yielding to the demands of the group to collect a ransom and secure the release of its commanders.
“It is now obvious that the group has reinforced and bought more weapons to fight us.”
According to another source, left to the military, the ransom and the exchange of Boko Haram members for Chibok girls would not have taken place.
“Funds were given to Boko Haram and now we can all see the result of that action; there have been renewed attacks recently and many of our men have been killed in the process but we will not relent, we will continue to do our best to secure this nation.
“The military had reservations about the arrangement but it was not in our hands; it was a political decision that we had to abide with and it was the DSS that was directly in charge of the operation,” the source added.
Another source, who is also active in the war theatre, said, “They got the Chibok girls and suddenly the Boko Haram that we had beaten and chased out of Sambisa are attacking and killing men of quality.
“It is very obvious that they have used the money they got from the deal to buy equipment and recruit men to carry out their heinous acts.
“The group is still in Mallam Fatori, theyhave infested the entire area and their strongest point into Chad is Abadam. It is from there that they disperse their men to carry out attacks.
“Another thing you must note is that the towns around the borders are occupied by mercenaries from foreign countries. Where did they get the money to fund that?”
Investigation revealed that Boko Haram members, who were routed out of their dreaded Sambisa enclave by the military, had regrouped at Abadam, and were still holding onto the fringes of Mallam Fatori in the northern part of Borno State.
It was further gathered that the group was engaging the services of mercenaries with their operational base in Abadam in the far north, close to Chad.
The latest incidents contradict President Muhammadu Buhari’s assertion on December 24, 2015 that Nigeria had “technically” won the war against Boko Haram and that the militant group could no longer mount conventional attacks against security forces or population centres.
Nobel Prize winner, Professor Wole Soyinka has said that the victory of Donald Trump in the United State’s November 8 presidential election could lead to the withdrawal of support in Nigeria’s fight against the Boko Haram insurgents.
Soyinka told Newsweek that Trump’s “bunker mentality” could see the American government take back their help for counter-terrorism operations in West Africa.
The Nigerian author and playwright had declared he will destroy his green card and return to Nigeria if the Republican candidate emerges as president elect of the US and later confirmed that he will keep his word and tear his green card, on the day Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the country.
Trump surprised the world when he defeated Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton in Tuesday’s vote.
Boko Haram, a militant group, which commenced immense operation against the Nigerian government in 2009, have killed thousands and displaced more than 2 million in the northeast.
The administration of Barack Obama, has provided financial support and military training to West African countries fighting the insurgents.
According to the US State Department reports on February, the country has provided $71 million worth of equipment, logistics and training to Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Benin that together formed a joint task force in 2015 to fight the militants.
Soyinka said, “One should expect that level of collaboration to diminish. Trump’s mentality is one of, ‘What are we doing there? What business do we have over there?’”
“I foresee Trump dismissing that kind of expectation offhand and closing in, shrinking, becoming smaller in terms of [the U.S.’s] presence in other parts of the world.”
The Argungu Emirate Council in Kebbi State has commenced preparations for the hosting of the Argungu International Fishing and Cultural Festival in 2017.
The Emir of Kebbi, Alhaji Samaila Mera, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Argungu on Thursday.
He said the emirate council was collaborating with the State Tourism Board to make proper arrangements for a hitch-free festival, which was among Nigeria’s top tourism events.
The emir said that the fishing festival was suspended for many years due to security concern following Boko Haram attacks on soft targets across the northern part of the country.
NAN reports that the festival was last held in 2009.
Mera said “the dramatic increase in security nationwide” has encouraged them to prepare to host the event, which used to attract tourists from all parts of the world.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for restoring normalcy in the North East, and saluted the courage and determination of the Nigerian military for the successes recorded.
The emir said apart from the main fishing event, the festival showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Kabawa, the main ethnic group living in Argungu Emirate.
NAN reports that the Kebbi State Government had also commenced renovation of the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival Village used to accommodate visitors during the festival.
The military said yesterday that it had both the capacity and capability to defeat the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists in the North East, and so would not engage mercenaries to achieve such feat.
In a statement from the Defence Headquarters, DHQ, released by the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, the military insisted that it had the ability to clear the remnants of the terrorists from the area without seeking any assistance of mercenaries. It said the statement was in response to a media report that it was considering the engagement of mercenaries in its prosecution of the war in the North East.
The statement read: “We read with dismay the disturbing newspaper report on Wednesday 9 November claiming that foreign mercenaries would be used to fight Boko Haram. “This story is not only mischievous and unfounded but also lacks merit and far from the truth.
“The DHQ wishes to state with emphasis that the Nigerian Armed Forces has the capacity and capability to clear the remnants of the terrorists from our land and that is what the military has been doing.
“It is not necessary or logical to go for mercenaries after the battle of Boko Haram insurgent had been won.
“The pocket of attacks witnessed in the last few days by the fleeing Boko Haram terrorists are isolated cases, though regrettable.
‘’That does not call for serious concern as it is not uncommon worldwide for such occurrence in any area that was once infested by terrorist groups.
“Those peddling rumours on the use of mercenaries are mischievous. They have done it before and failed and are at it again.
“Surely, they will definitely fail this time also. The unprecedented successes recorded against the deadly Boko Haram sect by the Nigerian military without seeking external force is there for all to see.
“The DHQ, therefore, urges our patriotic citizens to ignore the senseless talk and dismiss the story in its entirety as it was concocted to serve inglorious selfish interest.”
Reports reaching DAILY POST have it that an improvised explosive Device, IED, exploded this morning behind the Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State.
As at the time of filing this report, information on the attack is sketchy and there have been no reactions from both the Army and the camp of Boko Haram insurgents.
It is, however, not clear if any causality was recorded.
Army Spokesman, Sani Usman, has not been briefed yet on the attack, but will get back to our reporter with details.
Troops from the 119 Task Force Battalion, 8 Division Nigerian Army neutralized 13 Boko Haram insurgents in Kangarwa, Kukawa Local Government Area in Borno State on Monday, according to a military press release.
One soldier, however, was killed in the battle while three others were wounded.
According to the press statement, the offensive lasted for nearly four hours, and troops had to call the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) for back up. The NAF subsequently deployed an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft and a Ground Attack Fighter aircraft to assist the troops.
During the offensive, troops neutralized two Hilux trucks and recovered one Hilux vehicle, one Browning machine gun, one anti-aircraft gun, two general purpose machine guns, one light machine gun, five Ak-47 rifles, and other arms and ammunitions.
Some residents of Maiduguri on Wednesday said that with the election of Donald Trump as the new U.S. President , the days of the Boko Haram insurgents were numbered. The respondents disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.
Malam Muhammad Ibrahim, a civil servant, said that the emergence of Trump as the American President did not come as a surprise.
He said that the Trump agenda of fighting terrorism would benefit Nigeria, especially regarding the fight against Boko Haram. ” I think Nigeria is going to gain a lot from the new president, especially in the fight against terrorism.
“Going by his words, it will be safe to say that the days of Boko Haram are numbered because he is going to kick out their main sponsors, the Islamic State Militants,” he said. Malam Abba Kali, a journalist, also said that the emergence of Trump presidency would also help in ending the country’s economic recession.
“I think Nigeria is going to be better for it, the new president will help a great deal in ending our current recession. ” I believe his policies will help revive the world crude oil prices as well as end the current global recession, ” he said. Mr Patrick James, another journalist, said that the election of Trump will give Africa the chance to use its human and material resources for development.
“Mr Trump has made it clear that he was going to send home Africans staying in America illegally. ” This is good news to us, let them come back and develop their continent instead of developing America, ” he said.
The 21 released Chibok girls recently released by Boko Haram terrorists have said they were not raped or abused during their stay in captivity, according to a source.
Their statement was contained in a confidential report based on their two-week debriefing prepared for President Muhammadu Buhari and seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“The girls said the Boko Haram men always assured them that they would eventually go back home to their families, and were careful about what they said around the girls and how they treated them,” said the source.
“They had been fed well and regularly, until the military cut off Boko Haram supplies.”
The report also said the daily routine of the captured girls included personal time in the morning followed by Quranic teaching and cooking meals.
According to the girls, they were not forced into marriage by the terrorists.
“The girls said that those of them who did not agree to marry were used as house girls (servants),” the source said.
The report also stated that the released girls said 61 of the 142 girls had married Boko Haram militants, 8 died during air strikes, 3 during childbirth and one of an unknown cause.
Rattled by the recent killings of the Commanding Officer of the 272 Special Task Force Task Battalion, Lt. Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali and six soldiers by members of Boko Haram, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) is mulling over whether to reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari on the urgent need to recall the South African mercenaries recruited by former President Goodluck Jonathan to help finish off the terror group.
Sources, who spoke from both the presidency and DHQ yesterday in Abuja, said some army chiefs have decided to impress it on the president that the sophisticated weapons the South African mercenaries possess could help in “finishing off members of Boko Haram” that has witnessed a resurgence in the war between the terrorists and Nigerian troops.
It was gathered that members of Boko Haram might have experienced a boost, especially after they received a huge payout from the presidency for the release of 21 Chibok girls recently.
In the last few weeks, there has been an upsurge of suicide bombings linked to Boko Haram. The terror group has also killed several Nigerian troops fighting in the North-east, including Abu-Ali and his men, who were given a national burial at the military cemetery, Abuja on Monday.
Following a bomb explosion along Banki, Usmanari, Kumshe road in Borno State, two soldiers of the 152TF Battalion of the Nigerian Army have been feared dead.
The explosion which occurred at about 8:10 a.m. this morning also left no fewer than eight soldiers injured.
According to the report, the explosion destroyed one canter truck, while the injured persons are currently receiving first aid treatment before they are evacuated by air to a hospital.
However, the Army has not released any official statement regarding the incident as at the time of filing this report.
This explosion is coming few days after Boko Haram insurgents killed Nigerian war hero, Muhammed Abu Ali and other soldiers in Borno State.
Zahra Buhari, one of the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that she never attended a burial ceremony until Monday when the remains of Abu Ali, the brave soldier killed by Boko Haram, were interred.
Ali, alongside six officers brought down in the line of duty, was buried at the National Cemetery, Abuja, on Monday.
The other soldiers who died in the attack were Muazu Ibrahim, Hussani Jafaru, Bassey Okon, Chukwu Simon, Salisu Lawal, and Patrick Paul.
Even, Tukur Buratai, chief of army staff, could not fight back tears when he read the funeral oration at the gravesides of the heroes.
The first daughter showered encomiums on the deceased, and narrated her experience at the event.
“I experienced a burial for the first time in my life. Right before my eyes I saw our 7 heroes laid to rest, I couldn’t hold back my tears,” she said in a statement posted on social media.
“I looked up and saw my mother wiping away her tears and then Lt. Gen. Buratai’s voice shaking as he gave his touching speech to bid good bye for the last time. Lt Gen Buratai listed town after town, village after village that were recaptured by the army led by our 7 fallen soldiers.
“Tears rolled down as though I had known them all my life. They sacrificed everything they had for us and gave it their all in every battle. I thought to myself “This is the epitome of patriotism!”.
“All our fallen heroes shall not be forgotten. The patriotism I had in my heart before the burial was very much but by the end of the event it had doubled!!
“The bravery, courage and patriotism of our soldiers is an example to every Nigerian, it is the true definition of leading by example.”
Governor Kashim Shettima has said Borno State has been dragged 50 years back because of attacks on lives and property by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
The governor disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while presenting a request to the National Universities Commission (NUC) for the recognition of Borno State University.
He revealed that a total of 5,335 classrooms and other academic buildings were destroyed by insurgents in 512 primary schools, 38 secondary schools and two tertiary institutions in the state.
According to him: “Borno State has been taken 50 years backward, no thanks to the vicious Boko Haram terrorists we inherited in 2011. As we all know, hate for education is the fundamental principle of the group. This explains why they focused their attacks on educational institutions.
The NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said the commission was working assiduously to ensure the smooth take-off of the new university.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has said more cooperation from the citizens would help the military to end terrorism in the country.
Buratai also described the death of Lt. Col. Mohammed Abu-Ali, the Commanding Officer of the 272 Tank Battalion as a great loss to the nation.
He stated this during an interview with journalists at a seminar on “Assessing the threats of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.”
According to him: “The death of Lt. Col. Mohammed Abu-Ali is a challenge to all of us to understand that the fight against insurgency is a collective effort by all Nigerians and indeed globally to ensure that terrorism is defeated.”
The Nigerian Army said on Monday that it had so far released about 1,271 detainees after clearing them of any link with the Boko Haram terrorists group.
The General Officer Commanding 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Brig.-Gen. Victor Ezugwu, disclosed this while speaking at a forum for the reintegration of children associated with armed forces or armed groups in Maiduguri.
Ezugwu, who was represented by Col. Yusuf Ali, said that most of those released were women and children.
He said, “The Nigerian Army gives utmost priority to the rights of detainees especially women and children.
“We always try to fast track investigation to determine their fate, while those found innocent were released with out delay.
“Consequently, between February and October this year we have had five releases.
“In February 135 persons comprising mainly women and children were released, 204 were released in May, while the remaining three releases were carried out in September and October”.
He said that the army had also improved on the provision of welfare for the detainees.
“As part of the military high command care for the vulnerable persons under our protective custody.
“We have identified areas needing attention including feeding, health care, decongestion of cells, respect for detainees rights, sanitation and personal hygiene.”
He said children and vulnerable persons were fed three times daily with balanced diet.
He said, “We always provide meat or fish in every meal and drinks every Sunday for them.
“If fact, some of those released would have preferred to remain with us if they had the choice rather than move to IDPs camps.”
Ezugwu commended the organisers of the forum, saying the event was timely.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has urged the army to intensify attacks against Boko Haram fighters in the North Eastern part of the country.
Buratai said this while speaking with journalists shortly after declaring open a seminar with the theme ‘Assessing the threats of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’ at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja on Monday.
The COAS was reacting to the death of Army hero, Lt. Colonel Muhammed Abu Ali.
Buratai said it was time to find a permanent solution to the menace of insurgency in the country.
He said, “It is incumbent onall of us to really reflect, to understand that we are really in a situation where need to ensure that the fight against insurgency received total support from everybody.
“This a loss too many that we just have to find a collective effort by all Nigerians and indeed globally to ensure that terrorism is seriously fought to the end. It is a situation where we really need to work together, to synergise together.”
The Minister of Defence, retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, has described the death of Lt-Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali as tragic and unfortunate development in the theatre of operations in the North East.
Abu-Ali was killed by the Boko Haram terrorists in their failed attack to capture Malam Fatori in northern Borno on Friday.
The minister in a statement issued by his Public Relations Officer, Col. Tukur Gusau, on Sunday also described the late Abu-Ali as a major pillar in the war against terrorism and insurgency in the region.
Dan-Ali, who said he received the death of officer with sadness, prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the “war hero an eternal rest”.
The minister also commiserated with the father of the deceased officer, Etsu of Bassa-Nge Kingdom in Kogi, retired Brig-Gen Abu-Ali, his family and the Nigerian Army.
Until his death Abu-Ali was the Commanding Officer of 272 Task Force Battalion at Malam Fatori.
He was nicknamed “Sarkin Yaki” in Hausa language (literally war chief) and led the army unit that recaptured Gamboru-Ngala, Baga and several communities from the terrorists in 2014.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Abdulazeez Nyako, said on Sunday that the lawmakers would view seriously the inadequacy of water and health facilities at the Internally Displaced Persons camps located in Borno and Adamawa States.
In an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Yola, Nyako said that despite the fund budgeted and allocated specifically for the provision of water and health facilities in the camps, the places were still hit by acute water scarcity and lack of enough health facilities.
He said: “The committee had already visited some major camps in Maiduguri and Yola, where we discovered they are suffering from lack of enough potable water and inadequacy of health facilities.
“We in the National Assembly, the Senate and House of Representatives, budgeted money for water supply and provision of health facilities for various camps in Borno and Adamawa.
“So far, we have not seen the effect.
“We will invite the Ministers of Water Resources and Health to explain what have they done with the fund provided for water supply and provision of health facilities in the camps.”
Nyako said that in the 2016 budget, the Senate allocated N1 billion each for water supply and provision of health facilities in the IDPs camps.
Similarly, another member of the committee, Senator Kabiru Gaya, told NAN that they were not satisfied with the water supply situation and the health facilities in several camps visited in Borno and Adamawa States.
Gaya, representing Kano South Senatorial District, said that the Ministries, Departments and Agencies responsible for the projects would be summoned to appear before the committee.
He said that the MDAs had abandoned their responsibilities, leaving the National Emergency Management Agency to undertake the responsibilities not meant for her.
He therefore praised NEMA for effective humanitarian services and assured that National Assembly would continue to support the agency.
Contrary to speculations that talks with Boko Haram over the remaining 197 abducted Chibok girls have broken down, the Federal Government has insisted that negotiation for their release is ongoing.
Three weeks ago, 21 of the girls were released, a development that rekindled the hope that others will get freedom.
One of the girls was found at the weekend with a baby. Troops of the 121 Battalion, Nigerian Army deployed at Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State, found Maryam Ali Maiyanga and her 10- month-old baby while screening escapees from Sambisa Forest.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed stated that there was no truth in the speculation making the rounds in Abuja.
The minister told said that the talks were still on, though he did not give details because of the security nature of the negotiation.
An earlier effort in the last few days to get information on the negotiations did not yield any positive result as security sources would not discuss the matter. Worse, there was no word from official security agencies as the Department of State Services (DSS) remains without a spokesman.
“It is not true (that the talks have broken down). Talks are still very much on course,” was all Mohammed volunteered.
Another source disclosed that as recently as last week Monday, when questions were put to the security services, they volunteered that negotiations were still on. “We make it our business to find out the level of negotiations going on, and of course with the way we asked, it was not possible for them to deceive us on the matter,” the source added.
It was learnt that the alleged freeze in discussions followed the failure of both parties to agree on the issue of money, though it could not be confirmed what money had to do with the negotiations, since the government has continued to maintain that it did not pay for the release of the first 21 girls.
The source said the insurgents’ negotiators appear to be asking for more money and release of some of their men in the government custody. “They are not happy with the initial claim that the girls were released for free,” a source said.
Troops of 8 the Task Force Division of the Nigerian Army on Thursday intercepted a group of suspected Boko Haram insurgents allegedly on a mission to loot logistics supplies in surrounding villages.
Colonel Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations Department, made the disclosure in a statement issued to newsmen in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Usman said that the troops were patrolling the Monguno-Brimari Road when the incident occurred.
The statement said: “On sighting the patrol, the insurgents engaged the troops in a shootout that lasted for about 15 minutes before they were overpowered by the superior fire power of the patrol.
“In the encounter, two insurgents were neutralised and their weapons including one FN rifle loaded with a magazine of 10 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, one AK 47 rifle with 3 magazines were captured.
“Also recovered from the insurgents were 2 motorcycles, drugs, wrappers and clothes.”
Amnesty International has condemned the 10 years imprisonment imposed by a Military Court in Cameroon on three young men, Fomusoh Ivo Feh, and his friends Afuh Nivelle Nfor and Azah Levis Gob – who were convicted of ‘non-denunciation of terrorist acts’ following a trial in Yaoundé.
Samira Daoud, Amnesty International Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa said Fomusoh Ivo and his two friends should never have been arrested in the first place, as they were simply exercising their right to freedom of expression.
“Instead of being in school like their friends, these three young men will now spend years of their lives in prison for a simple joke.
“This ruling is clear evidence that Cameroonian military courts should not have jurisdiction to try civilians. The Cameroonian authorities must quash their conviction and sentence and immediately and unconditionally release all three of them,” Daoud stated.
Ivo, 27, whom Amnesty International considers to be a prisoner of conscience, was arrested on 13 December 2014 after forwarding his friends a sarcastic SMS referring to Boko Haram. He was held in police custody in Douala before being transferred to Yaoundé Prison in January 2015.
A truck conveying eight suspected Boko Haram Islamists exploded near a military checkpoint in Maiduguri on Tuesday, killing the occupants, an army spokesman said.
The open truck burst into flames when the explosives concealed in it went off as the insurgents were trying to escape from a military checkpoint, Colonel Sani Usman said.
“They attempted to detonate at a checkpoint but were denied access by troops and as they turned back, it exploded killing all the eight occupants,” he said.
The checkpoint was the last security post leading out of Maiduguri towards the town of Gubio which was liberated from Boko Haram fighters last year.
A police spokesman put the death toll in Tuesday’s blast at nine.
“A van with nine persons on board emerged from a bush path to join the road to Gubio town.
It exploded killing all the persons on board,” Victor Isuku told reporters in Maiduguri.
Maiduguri, the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency, has recently seen an upsurge in suicide attacks and bombings.
On Saturday, nine people were killed in twin suicide attacks, targeting an internally displaced persons camp and a fuel depot near the city.
Last month, five occupants of a car were killed outside a garage on the outskirts of the city in what authorities said was a suicide attack.
Boko Haram’s seven-year insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and the border areas of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and has made more than 2.6 million homeless.
A sustained counter-offensive has seen the military retake swathes of territory from the insurgents, but the jihadist group still poses a security threat to civilians.
The firepower of the ground troops and joint air operation of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) monday forced a massive defection and subsequent surrender of 240 remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists.
The terrorists were given a run for their money during the Operation Gama Aiki, the codename used by the MNJTF and they not just surrendered but also dropped their arms and ammunition.
It was gathered that they had surrendered following the sustained offensive operations and blockage of logistics supply routes, which made the terrorists’ locations untenable.
According to Colonel Muhammad Dole, the Chief Military Public Information Officer, it was a result of the sustained offensive that the Boko Haram suspects and their families abandoned their locations and surrendered with their arms to the nearest locations of the ground forces in the operation areas.
He said: “The recent wave of mass defection took place in Sector 2 Area of Responsibility (AOR) Bagasola in Chad.
“A total of 240 Boko Haram terrorists surrendered; some of them with arms and ammunition. They are being profiled and camped in Bagasola.
“During his operational visit to Sector 2 AOR, the Commander MNJTF, Major General Lamidi Adeosun, addressed the e-Boko Haram terrorists and their families.
“The Commander commended the leaders of the ex-Boko Haram terrorists for their courage and taking the right decision to abandoned terrorism and insurgency for normal life.
“He assured them of safety and good care as long as they remain in the camps. He also urged them to encourage their colleagues in the bush to stop fighting and join them in the camps.
“This peaceful disarming and profiling of the ex-Boko Haram terrorists by the MNJTF forces, clearly demonstrated extent of professionalism and adherence to International Humanitarian Laws and Laws of Armed Conflict in combat operations.
“The Commander MNJTF donated token cash for purchase of two cows and 10 bags of assorted food stuff for each of the two groups for the welfare and up keep of the ex-Boko Haram terrorists and their families.
“This brings to the total number of surrendered Boko Haram terrorists to MNJTF troops in sector two to 464.
“While addressing a team of international non-governmental organisations operating in the camps, the vommander praised their commitment and sacrifice in discharging their humanitarian duties.
“He implored them to mobilise more resources and manpower, as more Boko Haram terrorists are expected to defect and join their colleagues in the camps.
“The ex- Boko Haram terrorists are expected to receive trainings in different skills and small businesses as scheduled by government agencies and NGOs.
“In another development, the Commander MNJTF made presentation of cash to representatives of officers and soldiers who were killed in action and wounded in action during Operation Gama Aiki.
“As part of encouragement and alleviation of suffering to the victims’ families and wounded personnel, the headquarters, MNJTF made provisions of one million CFA for each family of KIA and five hundred thousand CFA only for each wounded in action in the battle field.
“During the presentations in sectors two Bagasola (Chad) and sector four Diffa (Niger), General Adeosun prayed for the souls of the departed colleagues for the supreme sacrifice they made in the service to humanity and praised the courage and bravery displayed by the WIA.
“He equally consoled the families of the KIA and prayed for quick recuperation of the wounded in action. In Sector Two Bagasola, the Commander was accompanied during the visit to ex-Boko Haram terrorists camps by the Coordinator/Chief of Staff of the Chadian Ground Forces and Red Barrettes, Major General Ismael Hour, Deputy Commander, MNJTF, Brigadier General Musa Muhammad Djour and Senior Prefect of Bagasola.”
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said on Monday that despite what his administration might want people to believe, former President Goodluck Jonathan was never committed to ending the Boko Haram insurgency during his tenure.
Osinbajo said this in a lecture titled, “The unraveling of Boko Haram and the rebuilding of the North-East of Nigeria” which he delivered at the Harvard University’s Weatherland Centre for International Affairs, United States.
The Vice-President’s media office made the speech available to journalists on Monday.
While attributing his position to many factors, Osinbajo said it was politically convenient for the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party to claim that the Boko Haram sect was sponsored by a northern-Muslim political elite to discredit the government led by a Christian.
He recalled that when the All Progressives Congress was formed, the then ruling party was also quick to paint it (APC) as the political wing of the Boko Haram sect.
He said it was not until President Muhammadu Buhari who was then the leader of the opposition, was nearly killed in an attack in Kaduna that the false narrative began to lose credibility.
The Vice-President added, “Secondly, the ruling party also somewhat cynically seemed to have considered that since BH attacks were actually in the heartland of the opposition it was not necessarily an unwelcome development as it could only weaken the opposition.
“Third, extensive corruption in arms procurement estimated at about $15bn, ensured that the military remained poorly equipped and demoralised.
“A number of well-publicised mutinies occurred and troops involved were taken through widely unpopular court-martials.
“As the government dithered and equivocated BH proceeded to realise the objective of occupying territory and establishing Islamist states in Nigeria and in the Lake Chad basin.
“In Borno State alone, it occupied and hoisted its flag in 20 of the 27 Local Government Areas that constituted the state. In Adamawa State, BH took Mubi and some villages in Yobe State.”
Osinbajo said it was not until the abduction of more than 200 secondary schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok that public outrage against Jonathan’s government’s inept handling of the insurgency reached its peak.
He added that the government then incurred widespread anger when it denied that an abduction took place and suggested that the opposition had simply invented the story.
Osinbajo, however, said Buhari’s assumption of office changed the tide.
He said the strongest reasons for Buhari’s victory in the March 2015 presidential election was the expectation that going by his reputation as a no-nonsense soldier, he would defeat Boko Haram and restore peace to the North-East.
True to type, he said within six months of Buhari’s Presidency, the sect had been effectively dislodged from all the local governments they once held and had retreated into the Sambisa Forest and the northern border towns and villages.
He said the terrorists’ military capacity had been severely degraded and their supply lines effectively blocked.
Osinbajo said the ability of Boko Haram to get willing suicide bombers remained a mystery.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday ordered an immediate investigation into claims of sexual abuse against women and girls in IDP camps.
Buhari who was reacting to a damning report released on Monday by te Human Rights Watch, said anyone found guilt would be decisively dealt with.
The statement read, “Deeply worrying to hear the reports of sexual abuse and exploitation of women and girls by security personnel in IDP camps in the Northeast.
“I have seen the new Humans Rights Watch report, and asked the Inspector-General of Police and concerned State Governors to investigate immediately.
“Let me assure that these very distressing reports will not be taken lightly. We will act decisively on the findings of the investigations.
“We will protect the lives and wellbeing of these most vulnerable of Nigeria’s citizens. And we will ensure they return safely to their homes.”
There have been claims of sexual abuse by camp officials and security agents. Reports ‘uncovered’ a prostitution ring in one of the camps in Borno, a report which was denied by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
A rights group has accused Nigerian government officials and other authorities of raping and sexually abusing women and girls displaced by Boko Haram militants.
The Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that in July 2016, it documented the abuse and exploitation of 43 women and girls living in camps for internally displaced people (IDPs) across the northeastern city of Maiduguri in Nigeria’s restive Borno State.
The victims displaced from various cities, had their movement restricted in some cases after having spent months in military screening camps, the group said.
HRW claimed that the Nigerian government was not doing enough to protect the victims and to ensure that they had access to basic rights and services.
“It is bad enough that these women and girls are not getting much-needed support for the horrific trauma they suffered at the hands of Boko Haram,” said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher at HRW.
While four of the victims interviewed reported that they had been drugged and raped, a further 37 claimed to have been coerced into sex through promises of marriage and financial assistance. Many of the women reported having been abandoned after they fell pregnant, with their children suffering discrimination and abuse at the hands of other residents in the camp.
Read accounts from the victims’ interviewed here.
A situational assessment conducted by Nigerian research organisation NOI Polls further revealed that 66% of 400 displaced people living in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states had reported sexual abuse from officials within the camps.
Irregular supplies of food, medical aid and clothing had led to the exploitation of some of the most vulnerable individuals living in the camps, with men using their positions of authority and privilege to have sex with women who sometimes only receive one meal a day.
The report said that victims of rape and sexual abuse were less likely to seek healthcare, with fewer than five of the 43 women interviewed reporting that they sought formal counselling following their harrowing ordeals. In addition, a medical health worker reported a rise in the number of people requiring HIV treatment, from about 200 cases in 2014 to more than 500 in July 2016.
Aid workers warned since early 2016 that women were being coerced into exchanging sex for basic necessities, with members of the security forces, along with other elements subjecting them to gross gender-based violence.
Following his visit to Maiduguri in August 2016, United Nations special rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Chaloka Beyani, said that the Nigerian government had “a tendency to downplay the problem of sexual violence and abuse” of internally displaced people.
HRW said it had since approached authorities regarding the finding of its report.
“Failure to respond to these widely reported abuses amounts to severe negligence or worse by Nigerian authorities. Authorities should provide adequate aid in the camps, ensure freedom of movement for all displaced people, safe and confidential health care for survivors, and punish the abusers,” Segun said.
Government officials and other authorities in Nigeria have raped and sexually exploited women and girls displaced by the conflict with Boko Haram, Human Rights Watch said Monday.
The rights group said in a statement that the government was not doing enough to protect displaced women and girls and ensure that they have access to basic rights and services or to sanction the abusers, who include camp leaders, vigilante groups, policemen, and soldiers.
Human Rights Watch said in July, it documented sexual abuse, including rape and exploitation, of 43 women and girls living in seven internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
The victims had been displaced from several Borno towns and villages, including Abadam, Bama, Baga, Damasak, Dikwa, Gamboru Ngala, Gwoza, Kukawa, and Walassa. In some cases, the victims had arrived in the under-served Maiduguri camps, where their movement is severely restricted after spending months in military screening camps.
“It is bad enough that these women and girls are not getting much-needed support for the horrific trauma they suffered at the hands of Boko Haram,” said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. “It is disgraceful and outrageous that people who should protect these women and girls are attacking and abusing them.”
Four of the victims told Human Rights Watch that they were drugged and raped, while 37 were coerced into sex through false marriage promises and material and financial assistance.
Many of those coerced into sex said they were abandoned after they became pregnant. They and their children have suffered discrimination, abuse, and stigmatization from other camp residents. Eight of the victims said they were previously abducted by Boko Haram fighters and forced into marriage before they escaped to Maiduguri, the group said.
Women and girls abused by members of the security forces and vigilante groups – civilian self-defense groups working with government forces in their fight against Boko Haram – told Human Rights Watch they feel powerless and fear retaliation if they report the abuse.
A 17-year-old girl said that just over a year after she fled the frequent Boko Haram attacks in Dikwa, a town 56 miles west of Maiduguri, a policeman approached her for “friendship” in the camp, and then he raped her.
“One day he demanded to have sex with me,” she said. “I refused but he forced me. It happened just that one time, but soon I realized I was pregnant. When I informed him about my condition, he threatened to shoot and kill me if I told anyone else. So I was too afraid to report him.”
The Nigeria army on Sunday night said some Boko Haram insurgents killed five of its soldiers in an ambush in Borno state.
Sani Usman, army spokesman, disclosed this in a statement.
He also said three members of a local vigilante were killed in the attack, while 19 soldiers were wounded.
Usman said the troops were attacked after clearance operations at the hideouts of the insurgents in the southern part of Borno.
“Operation Lafiya Dole troops carrying out clearance operations on suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ hideouts in Talala and Ajigin, southern part of Borno state, were ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists at Ugundiri village, Damboa local government area, Borno state, while returning to base after clearance operations yesterday,” he said.
“Unfortunately, five soldiers, three vigilantes and one Civilian JTF lost their lives during the ambush, while 19 soldiers and one Civilian JTF sustained various degrees of injuries.
“The bodies of the late soldiers and civilians have been evacuated to Maiduguri while the injured are receiving commensurate medical care and are in stable condition.”
However, the army spokesman added that the troops destroyed some heavy weapons of the insurgents.
“The troops destroyed the terrorists’ gun truck and recovered two anti-aircraft guns, two spare gun barrels, one general purpose machine gun, one rocket propelled grenade, one AK-47 rifle and 320 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition,” he said.
“Troops have been mobilised into blocking positions to further neutralise fleeing Boko Haram terrorists.”
The Nigerian Army has arrested a drug supplier for the Boko Haram sect.
This is according to a statement issued by Army spokesman Colonel Sani Usman.
The statement read, “Troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE on patrol from Bama to Pulka, intercepted suspected Boko Haram terrorists drugs and other logistics suppliers from Firgi and Zawan axis, Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, at suspected Boko Haram terrorists crossing point, trying to cross into Sambisa forest today afternoon.
“The troops pursued them but were only able to apprehend Kadiri Umate, 35 years, while others fled into the bush. The patrol team recovered 35 packets of 500ml of Glucose
“Intravenous infusion (Drip), assorted analgenics and pain killer drugs, clothes, bathroom slippers, insecticides, salt, kolanuts and a bicycle.
“The suspect is undergoing preliminary investigations.”
Soldiers on Sunday shot dead a suspected male suicide bomber trying to attack an IDP camp which nearly came under attack in Maiduguri, Borno State capital on Saturday, Premium Times reports.
One of bombs strapped to the suicide bomber immediately went off after he was shot by vigilant soldiers.
A leader of the civilian JTF, Alhaji Dan-Batta said the bomber was lurking around the camp fence when he was spotted.
He said,“The male suicide bomber was seen loitering around the back perimeter fence of Bakassi camp at about 9 a.m. He was shot down before he could advance closer to the camp. One of the bombs he was carrying exploded, but another is still strapped on his body did not explode. The anti-bomb squad operatives are trying to defuse that one”.
There has however not been reports of any other injured or dead person from the botched attack.
Recall that two bombs went off in Maiduguri on Saturday, including one in front of the same IDP camp.
The Presidential Committee on North-East Initiative has said that about $9bn has been lost to the destructive activities of the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
The committee also said that a strategic framework would be inaugurated soon by President Muhammadu Buhari in line with his determination to rebuild the North-East.
The Vice-Chairman of the PCNI, Alhaji Tijani Tumsah, said this on Thursday in Abuja, while briefing journalists on the outcome of its inaugural meeting.
According to him, the focus of the meeting was to discuss the mandate given to the PCNI to fashion out a way that would be most direct in terms of the delivery of that mandate, analyse the enormity of the task and fulfil the presidential mandate to give succour to the people of the North-East.
He however said the committee was not given the mandate to investigate and prosecute the people who allegedly participated in the diversion of relief items meant for the victims of insurgency in the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps.
Tumsah said, “We are not investigating anybody; there are people who are investigating such diversions. I’m glad you mentioned the Senate, the House of Representatives, police and the EFCC. Our mandate, going forward, is to provide a strategic framework for the implementation of all interventions going into the North-East in terms of humanitarian works, resettlement and eventual rebuilding of the North-East.
“In terms of cost, there is an immediate, short-term and long-term view. The entire rebuilding of the North-East, of course, will keep changing. But we do know that a substantial amount of resources estimated at $9bn have been lost to insurgency
“We are going to channel this strategic framework through a document that we have developed, that is going to be launched very soon. It is the plan of President Muhammadu Buhari to rebuild the North-East. That is the strategic implementation going forward.”
Speaking on the money meant for the rebuilding of the North-East, Tumsah said it was donated for a particular purpose – rehabilitation of the victims of terrorism.
Another member of the committee representing the Senate, Ali Ndume, said members of the committee were representatives of the North-East caucus, because of the peculiarities and the objectives for which the PCNI was set up.
PREMIUM TIMES has obtained an exclusive list of 30 people arrested by the Nigerian military for allegedly helping the Boko Haram to sell rustled cows.
The arrested people include at least four serving soldiers, two police officers, and some members of the civilian-JTF
The Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole, Lucky Irabor, had confirmed the arrest of the 30 people at a press conference in Maiduguri on Wednesday.
According to General Irabor, “those who have been aiding and abetting Boko Haram by way of encouraging cattle rustling ; so far we have arrested 30 of them, many are civilians and we have among them four soldiers and two policemen. They are being investigated and the outcome of the investigation will be brought to your notice.”
What Mr. Irabor, a major general, did not say was that the Boko Haram rustled the cows in the territory they still hold and sneaked them into Maiduguri, the Borno capital, to sell and buy other goods.
The military has since suspected that the insurgents are able to do this and raise fund for their cause based on the active connivance of security operatives and relevant civilians. Subsequent investigation led to the arrest of the 30 people.
The four soldiers arrested include Captain A. A. Hussaini, the operations officer of 195 Battalion in charge of Mafa Local Government Area where Boko Haram still control some areas. The council is a major route into Maiduguri from the North and East.
Another suspect is Lieutenant I. H. Irro, a liaison with 152 Task Force battalion. The other two junior officers are Staff Sergeant Alexander Chiegwe, the guard commander of the main check point from Mafa into Maiduguri, and Lance Corporal Yakpon Dona.
The policemen arrested are Usman Mohammed and Stephen Odoh.
The suspects also include three members of the Civilian-JTF. They are Babakkura Ali, chairman of Kasuwan Shanu branch; Bashir Abbas, the chairman of Sector 2 and Modu 2Star, a member from Mafa town.
The arrested civilians include members of the Livestock Traders Association, some herdsmen and a representative of the Shehu of Borno.
All the suspects are accused of being involved in castle rustling.
Top members of the Civilian-JTF who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES confirmed the arrest of their colleagues. They, however, said they do not have the full details of their arrest.
In the past year, kidnapping and cattle rustling have become another major security threat, aside Boko Haram insurgency which the Nigerian Army has been tackling.
Nearly a hundred kidnappers and cattle rustlers were either killed in shootouts or arrested by soldiers. Over a thousand cows rustled from herdsmen were also recovered.
Fulani herdsmen, accused of attacking communities using assault rifles, have complained that some of them resort to using guns like AK47 to defend themselves because cattle rustlers use similar weapons to attack them and steal their livestock.
The rustling of cattle has since become a major source of revenue for the Boko Haram whose activities since 2009 have caused the death of over 20,000 people and displaced millions of others.
One of the Chibok schoolgirls that came back with a child was already pregnant before she was abducted along with 219 other girls by Boko Haram gunmen on 14 April 2014.
A source close to negotiations to free the remaining schoolgirls told newsmen that there was no truth whatsoever in stories making the rounds that the girl was impregnated by one of her Boko Haram abductors.
The informed source clarified that contrary to some media reports, the girl had conceived before her abduction after being properly married.
“The girl and her parents have confirmed this. The child is not a Boko Haram Child,’’he said. The source also debunked stories that one of the girls came back pregnant, with some reports specifically saying one was four months pregnant.
“None of the girls released was sexually harassed or abused while in captivity by their abductors,” he said. “The current state of the girls is a source of joy as they are receiving the best medical, psychological and other forms of support from the authorities as directed by the Federal Government “All groups including the families, The Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) and Chibok Community are happy with their condition as medical experts work to address their health conditions.
“The girls have been visited by members of International Committee of the Red Cross, which played a great role in getting the girls freed. “It is obvious to everyone that having been in captivity, the girls were traumatised but since their release, they are showing signs of recovering well,’’he said.
Rumours, speculative reports about the state of the 21 released Boko Haram captives, are said to be creating stumbling blocks to further talks with the insurgents. The insurgents were said to be angry with Government for breaching some understanding reached with them when the 21 girls were being handed over 13 october.
However, government sources have denied any link with various speculative reports, especially in the social media.
The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will continue the global campaign against Boko Haram insurgency in a lecture he would deliver at the Harvard University, Boston, in the U.S. on Thursday.
A statement issued by the Vice President’s spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, on Thursday, said the lecture at the Harvard’s “Nigeria in the World” seminar is at the invitation of the university.
It added that Prof. Osinbajo would be talking on “Destroying Boko Haram and the Rebuilding of Nigeria’s North-East”.
Akande said Osinbajo would highlight the progress made by the Buhari presidency in degrading Boko Haram resulting in the freedom of thousands of Nigerians in Boko Haram captivity, including some of the abducted Chibok girls.
The Vice President who left Abuja on Wednesday after attending the Federal Executive Council meeting and the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative, is expected back on Sunday.
The Nigerian Army has arrested two officers and two soldiers for conniving with the Boko Haram sect in the war against insurgency.
The army disclosed this in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Sani Usman, yesterday.
According to him, two policemen and 24 civilians were also arrested for the alleged offence, adding that more suspects would be arrested.
“Please be informed that the ongoing investigation on suspected Boko Haram terrorists, collaborators and saboteurs in the fight against terrorism and insurgency has led to the arrest of nine more persons over the last 24 hours, thus bringing the number to 30.
“This comprises two officers, two soldiers, two policemen and 24 civilians. Many more suspects would be arrested and prosecuted based on evidences against them and level of culpability,” he said.
Aggrieved governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have protested against the mode of nominating non-career ambassadors by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The governors who held an emergency meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday expressed anger at an alleged decision by the president not to consult them in the selection of the nominees whose names have already been forwarded to the Senate for confirmation.
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha also recently confirmed the frustration of APC members while fielding questions from State House correspondents over federal appointments made so far by the President Buhari.
Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting with the president, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State said the APC governors raised issues on the ambassadorial appointments during the meeting which lasted about four hours. He disclosed that the governors had agreed to write formally to the president on the need to take a second look at the list of the nominees from the states.
Lalong who specifically spoke about the situation in his state said: “All the states that have complaints are going to put them in writing and the president promised he is going to look into them.”
He noted that a former deputy governor in Plateau, Pauline Tallen rejected her nomination as ambassador based on principles in line with the political disposition of the state and not necessarily about her husband as reported in a section of the media.
Governor Lalong said he had already complained to the president that appointment into federal positions from the state should not be concentrated in one particular zone.
“Pauline is an astute politician from my state, and part of the issue we also raised was on some of the appointments that were made.
“It is not only about her husband, I think it is the dimension of Plateau politics.
“All these appointments came again from one zone, in that particular zone. So the complaint that is coming from our state is not about her own personal interest, it is about the fact that two ambassadorial appointments are coming from the same zone,” the governor said.
Governor Lalong also said that “that is my zone. We had complained that the next appointment should go to the other zone, the central and the northern zone. And so when that appointment came the kind of uproar that followed that appointment also necessitated an intervention.”
Also fielding questions, Governor Okorocha said the emergency meeting with the president also discussed the successes made in fighting the Boko Haram sect and the recent release of 21 Chibok girls kidnapped over two years ago.
The Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, has issued a strong fresh warning to the Federal Government that it would resume bombing of oil facilities if the government made any further mistake to enter into negotiation with selfish leaders in the region.
The group said the so-called leaders only represented themselves instead of the interest of the people.
The Avengers in a statement accused some unnamed selfish Niger Delta leaders and groups of appropriating the overall interest of the region to themselves and cronies, while the majority wallowed in penury.
A spokesman for the NDA, who gave his name as Col. Rightman Hudson Opukurowari, in the statement, warned that any attempt by the government to engage in any form of dialogue with Niger Delta leaders who had allegedly hijacked the commonwealth of the people for their selfish interest, would be resisted.
Opukurowari said: “Since we had agreed to suspend bombing oil facilities and enter into genuine dialogue with the government, the administration has not shown any seriousness in talking to the right set of people to move the peace process forward.
“Two months after the ceasefire, it has become clear to the world that this government has not been sincere and serious in meeting the simple demands of the people to put in place a concrete plan of transforming the landscape and giving us any sense of hope despite our critical contribution to the commonwealth of the nation.
“From the way the government is going after we had suspended bombings, it is clear to the world that the Federal Government is not ready to make peace with us as earlier promised and we are under pressure to resume our attacks.
It is obvious that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has rather chosen to be nonchalant to the dialogue and has deliberately decided to invite only their political friends for a dinner in the name of dialogue, by their own selective measures, thereby ignoring the chance for real peace and dialogue with the appropriate persons and groups.
“The Government is trying to avoid a holistic approach to addressing the real issues affecting us and finding solutions to them but merely taking time off to engage those we see as “Niger Delta Vultures” sitting in Abuja with their sponsors, taking credit for our genuine agitations.
“We have watched and observed that with the body language of the President and the composition of the so-called dialogue group, no meaningful solution will be proffered unless the government invites all concerned and genuine individuals and groups for the purpose of finding a lasting solution to the crisis in the region.
“We hereby warn that any action taken by the government to provoke us to resume hostilities would be more brutal than before until we enter the promised land.
“We are concerned because these same persons invited for the scheduled dialogue have become Federal Government dialogue contractors and they do not represent the interest of the generality of the people.”
The Nigeria army on Tuesday said some suspected Boko Haram members attacked its troops at a location in Gashigar, northern Borno, dislodging them in the process.
Sani Usman, army spokesman, who disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, said 13 soldiers were wounded in the encounter.
“Yesterday at about 5.30pm, suspected escaping remnants of Boko Haram terrorists attacked troops location at Gashigar, border area with Niger Republic, northern Borno state,” he 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.
“The temporary setback made the troops to withdraw from the location. However, the wounded soldiers have been evacuated and they are receiving treatment, while efforts are ongoing in search of those missing and clearing the Boko Haram terrorists in the general area.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the federal government is ready to continue negotiations with Boko Haram for the release of the remaining Chibok secondary school girls as long as international organisations are involved.
The president’s media aide, ?Mr. Femi Adesina, said the president gave the condition during a meeting with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr. Peter Maurer, at the State House, Abuja, yesterday.
Buhari commended the role played by the Red Cross in the release of the 21 abducted Chibok schoolgirls who were freed last Thursday after the federal government paid an undisclosed amount of money to the terror group, urging the Red Cross to sustain its humanitarian efforts in Nigeria.
?He said his administration was prepared to continue talks with the Boko Haram insurgent group “as long as they agree to involve international agencies like ICRC”.
“We’ve seen the result of recent talks, 21 of the Chibok girls are back,” the president said, referring to the role played by ICRC in providing immediate humanitarian assistance to the girls, who had spent over 900 days in the hands of their abductors.
Buhari said Nigeria’s biggest problem was perhaps the issue of internally displaced persons (IDPs), noting that there were over 2 million of them, “made up of over 60 per cent women and children”.
“About 60 per cent of the children don’t know their parents, or where they come from. It is weighing heavily on government,” he added.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammdu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Sunday announced that the Boko Haram insurgents have expressed willingness to negotiate with the Federal Government on the release of 83 more Chibok girls.
Recall that the insurgents had on Thursday released 21 of the Chibok girls after over two years in captivity.
Reports filtered in yesterday that the group may give the government two conditions for the release of the girls.
Affirming the report, Shehu, in an interview with Reuters Foundation, said a faction of the Islamic sect released the girls to assure the current administration that they had them.
According to Shehu, “These 21 released girls are supposed to be tale bearers to tell the Nigerian government that this faction of Boko Haram has 83 more Chibok girls.
“The faction said it is ready to negotiate if the government is willing to sit down with them.
The Presidential media aide, also disclosed that the remaining abducted Chibok girls were with the Shekau faction of the terrorist group.
Boko Haram group was reported to have been factionalised, following the appointment of Musab Al-Barnawi by the deadly Jihadist group, ISIS, to head the sect in August.
However, the leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau had dismissed Al-Barnawi’s appointment, insisting he remains the leader of the extremist group.
The 21 Chibok Girls released on Thursday, October 13th by the deadly Boko Haram Sect after over two years in Captivity have finally reunited with their parents.
The 21 Chibok Girls who are currently receiving treatment at a government facility in Abuja, met with their parents for the first time since April 13th, 2014.
We welcome reports from the Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu, of the negotiated release of 21 of our abducted #ChibokGirls today. This wonderful development confirms what we have always known about the capacity of our goverment to rescue our #ChibokGirls.
While awaiting further details, we take this opportunity to salute the work of our security services at the front lines – the commitment, resilience and tireless efforts of our members of the Multi-national Joint Task Force and the civilian JTF. We also thank the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Swiss government and all negotiators involved in securing the release.
Following this development, we trust that our government will continue to work to keep the safety, security, and well-being of the other girls a high priority. We further urge the international community to continue to support our government’s effort to rescue all other abducted Nigerians, so that parents, the Chibok community, the nation, and the world can finally put an end to this nightmare once and for all.
Twenty one of the more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamist Boko Haram insurgents in April 2014 has been released to the Nigerian government, a government source told SaharaReporters.
The sources disclosed that the girls were picked up by military helicopter from Banki area of Borno state where Boko Haram militants dropped them off earlier today.
The release of the 21 girls comes as President Buhari began a three-day trip to Germany to discuss assistance for the rebuilding of the northeastern part of Nigeria ravaged by Boko Haram.
Saharareporters could not immediately obtain the names of the girls released today.
In line with the theme of this year’s International day for Girl child, “Girls Progress = Goal Progress”,
at AYAHAY Foundation, educating the girl child has been our priority. To celebrate this day however, AYAHAY Foundation announce the establishment of education centers in Abuja and Adamawa, educating internally displaced persons, and the foundation hopes to establish 8 more centres in a bid to educate more girls especially from Northern Nigeria.
As the world marks the International day for the Girl Child, “we are proud to also state that empowering girls through our scholarship programs over the years has been rewarding, the girls opportuned to have been part of the scheme from Kebbi, Adamawa, Yobe, Sokoto and Borno have continued to perform creditably well” , says Mrs Maryam Augie Abdulmumin, founder of the foundation.
Mrs Augie-Abdulmumin also announce that AYAHAY Foundation, through its Empowerment through Education program, has constructed Early Childhood Education Centers (ECEC) in FCT Abuja and Malkohi, Adamawa State to educate vulnerable kids displaced by Boko Haram.
“For us it is about how much we can do for the 10 million plus out of school children in Northern Nigeria, add that number to those displaced, we had to get them in school even as they’re in the various IDP camps. We have a target of 500 women and 500 children before the end of year.” says Maryam Augie Jibrin, Executive Director of the Foundation.
Mrs Jibrin stated, “The Centres offer the space, materials, and activities organized to promote active exploration and learning for children between the ages of 3-6, and also psychosocial therapy for the kids.
The Education program is under the AYAHAY Foundation’s Gift Basket Initiative, which was started in 2014 with the sole purpose of providing relief materials to the men, women and children who have become internally displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency in North-Eastern Nigeria.
Hajara Tafida-Isa, Program officer of the Foundation says “we know that providing relief materials is a short-term solution to a long term problem. This led to the birth of our Empowerment through Education Program.”
“Statistically, it can be seen that between 2014-2016, there was 89% increase in the number of IDPs, also 95% increase in the number of IDPs that were out of school. Similarly, 90% of schools were destroyed in the affected areas.” Ms Tafida – Isa Maintained.
“The Early Childhood Education Centers are 2 out of 10 centers that the Foundation plans to set up in IDP camps and host communities in Northern Nigeria.” Program officer of the Foundation added. “We have 92% of IDPs living in host communities, but only 8% in IDP camp.”
Ms. Hajara further explained with details that the Abuja Center is at the Durumi IDP Camp which has a population of two thousand, seven hundred and seventy-four (2774).
“There are currently 50 children at the Abuja center and we are targeting 500 children in all the 10 centers. The center in Adamawa State is located at Malkohi, a community with a population of about eight thousand (8000). The center will cater to the educational needs of the IDP and the host community.” She maintained.
To make it conducive, the centers are built using mud blocks, thatch and have bamboo in the walls for ventilation. The items according to the facility manager, Mr Onyedikachi Izuegbu. “Will help keep the class cool even in the hottest days. “Handmade light bulbs made of chlorine and water which reflect the rays of the sun into the classroom were inserted through the roof because of the lack of electricity.”
“We have also initiated a second branch of the program which is the Adult Learning Program” He added.
“To ensure that our pupils get the right amount of help with their schoolwork while at home, their mothers have also been enrolled into our adult literacy classes where they will learn literacy and numeracy. All our teachers and instructors are Internally Displaced Persons.” He concluded.
AYAHAY Foundation in its efforts as part of its nationwide education outreach program in the country set up a scholarship program for bright children from Northern Nigeria. There are currently 12 students in the program who attend well-recognised schools in Northern Nigeria such as El-Amin International School, Minna, Niger State.
AYAHAY Foundation was established after two of Ms Augie’s close friends, Fatima and Aisha Yahaya, died in a car accident (AYAHAY is Yahaya spelled backwards.) The foundation, which is now made up of Maryam and about 20 other young individuals in different fields, has since 2013 been helping women and children especially, by equipping them with relevant entrepreneurial skills and providing them with relief materials.
AYAHAY Foundation before now, provided relief materials for the three northeastern states, Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa, which have for a very long time been afflicted by attacks from terrorist group, Boko Haram.
At about 12.25pm, three female suicide bombers attempted to attack a military location at Gwoza, Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State one Thursday.
The suicide bombers came through Pulka axis.
They were sighted by members of the vigilante group from a distance and alerted the troops about the impending catastrophe.
The very observant vigilante also noted that the women looked suspicious, walking awkwardly, with bulging hijab and distinct from other female farmers.
When the suicide bombers noticed that they were being observed, they hurriedly ran towards troops, aiming to detonate their explosives on them.
The troops immediately killed two of the female suicide bombers, while the other ran back into the bush but was pursued.
Unfortunately, a soldier sustained injuries due to the impact of the explosion.
The wounded soldier is currently receiving treatment at a military medical centre and he is in stable condition.
Today at about 6.30am, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE intercepted and neutralized a male suicide bomber at the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State.
The terrorist who attempted to infiltrate through the troops forward defences at Jidari Polo general area, came in through Alidawari village about 4 kilometres ahead of Jidari strapped with heavy Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) vest.
The vigilant troops on sighting him laid in wait for the intruder when vehemently refused to stop despite several warnings and challenges. A marksman neutralized the suicide bomber.
The combined team of Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Explosive Ordinance Device (EOD) safely detonated the IED laden vest on the suicide bomber.
Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman Acting Director Army Public Relations
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced another round of air interdiction missions codenamed ‘OPERATION FOREST STORM’ in the North East.
This new phase of offensive air operations is aimed at further degrading the capabilities of the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in the Sambisa general area with a view to restrict the freedom of action of the insurgents as well as neutralise any threat posed to movement of own ground forces in continuing with their rescue operations. The operation, which commenced about 3 days ago on 2 October 2016, is expected to last few days.
During this period, the NAF would be conducting series of air interdictions to take out a number of carefully selected targets in the Sambisa Forest.
Meanwhile, the Air Component of OPERATION DELTA SAFE has continued to rid the creeks in the Niger Delta of illegal oil refineries and barges used for carrying stolen petroleum products. The NAF today, using the EC-135 helicopters, destroyed illegal refineries and barges along east of Isaa town, Borikiri, old Bakana as well as Bakana and Bille Communities. Armed patrol over the affected areas also showed other illegal human activities as people were seen digging bays to bury storage tanks, drums and jerry cans.
While urging these criminal elements to seek legitimate means of livelihood, it is pertinent to state that the NAF will not relent in its spirited effort to stamp out these acts of economic sabotage and illicit activities in the region and other parts of the country.
A few dozen women sit on mats in the shadow of a neem tree. Their giggles rise with the hot dusty air as they sketch elaborate designs on their hands with henna.
Some of the women wear abayas; others wear short-sleeved blouses with long skirts and hijabs. They talk about their children, their hair, what they will cook that evening after breaking their Ramadan fast.
After a while, the conversation turns to their husbands.
“Oh, my husband, I love him so much,” says Aisha the Amira.
The flamboyant 25-year-old flings her head back as she laughs. In a flowing gown and a tall, majestic head wrap, she radiates the nobility of her title, Amira, or princess. A reddish-orange stone sparkles on her left hand.
“My husband gave me this ring,” she says, wiggling her shoulders. “My husband, he’s an Arab. So handsome and he always gave me money.”
The women look at her in silent admiration.
Then Hauwa speaks up. “He loved me and I loved him. We loved each other.” The blushing 14-year-old smiles and twists the hem of her skirt. She has been married for a year and a half.
Fifteen-year-old Iyeza-Kawu looks at the ground as she talks. She’s wearing a navy hijab with the logo of the United Nations Population Fund stitched on it. She describes her two-year marriage as a happy one and explains how her husband gave her a dowry of 25,000 naira (about $80).
There is another Aisha, a 27-year-old from Cameroon, who loved her married boyfriend so much that she agreed to elope with him. Her sister and brother didn’t approve, so Aisha married him in secret, crossing the border into Nigeria. Her printed blouse hugs her pregnant belly.
Tall and with a chiselled face, Zainab describes her husband as good-looking, quiet and of medium height. “He treated me very well and I loved him very much,” she says.
Little Umi, Zainab’s 11-year-old daughter, chimes in. “My husband was kind. He would always give my parents money.” Umi’s cheeks are framed in a dark purple hijab. Her black eyeliner is smudged. When she looks up, the sun lights up her eyes in dazzling shades of brown. She was her husband’s third wife.
Esther, 19, knew her husband well before they married. The professional nail cutter used to walk around the neighbourhood reciting verses from the Quran, she says.
All of the women speak in a flurry of Hausa and Kanuri, pausing to gaze at the henna on their hands, swatting flies from their sleeping children and turning around to check on their other children as they swing on a tyre that hangs from a tree.
But there is a sense of sadness and uncertainty to this otherwise typical scene. These women have not seen their husbands in weeks.
Aisha the Amira, Hauwa, Iyeza-Kawu, Aisha, Zainab, Umi, Esther and the others gathered here were all married to members of Boko Haram, the armed group that has been engaged in a seven-year uprising against the Nigerian government that has left more than 20,000 people dead and forced millions to flee their homes.
The women had lived with their husbands in Walasa, a town near the Nigeria-Cameroon border. But in May, Nigerian soldiers reclaimed the area. Most of the Boko Haram fighters fled, leaving their wives and children behind. Iyeza- Kawu’s husband was killed in the skirmish.
“My husband was not a terrorist,” she says. “The soldiers killed him.”
She and 33 other women were rounded up with their children, packed into vehicles and taken to a safe house in Maiduguri where they are now receiving psychosocial treatment designed to rehabilitate them back into society, away from their husbands.
“We will eventually reunite the women with their families and relations here in Maiduguri,” explains the state’s governor, Kashim Shettima.
But the pregnant ones among them say they fear that their children will never meet their fathers. And some say they have fond memories of their husbands.
The Amira says she met her husband one day as she was running away from a battle between Boko Haram fighters and government soldiers. As she was running, a man stopped her, she says.
“He asked me, ‘You get married?'”
She says she intrigued him because she was bold and intelligent. “It’s because I’m an educated girl. The other girls don’t go to school, so they are shy.”
Even though Boko Haram is opposed to boko, or Western education, she says her husband desired her because she was educated in Western schools. She is the only one in the group who can speak some English.
When he eventually asked to marry her, she deliberated for a month. When she agreed it was because she believed he was wealthy. He paid her dowry in naira and euros, she says.
“My husband is a Boko Haram commander. He’s an Amir, that’s why I’m an Amira,” she explains. “He had three wives. He divorced all of them when he married me, because he loves me very much and I’m like his baby.”
She lived a privileged life as an Amira.
She joined her husband in the Sambisa forest, from which Boko Haram allegedly operates its largest camp, and lived there for almost three years. The forest stretches for nearly 40,000 square miles in the southern part of the northeastern state of Borno, which has born the brunt of Boko Haram’s insurgency. Once upon a time, elephants and leopards roamed Sambisa. Now, it is Boko Haram members and their families who live among the scatterings of acacia, baobab, tamarind and neem trees.
In Sambisa, she says, she met some of the kidnapped Chibok girls, Boko Haram’s most well-known abductees, snatched two years ago from their secondary school in the town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria. Recently, Boko Haram released a video featuring about 50 of the missing girls.
She says she also met the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau.
Her lips curl into a grin as she remembers her husband. He gave her money every week, she says, and showered her with jewellery, makeup and new clothes.
For her, life in Sambisa was pleasant, she says. If anyone was sick, there were doctors to treat them. She was well fed with a full stock of rice, yams, coconuts, beans, juice and fruits.
As the Amira, she was responsible for helping to take care of the other wives. She distributed food to them, befriended them and taught them how to be good Muslim wives, she says.
All of the women attended near daily Quran classes.
Amira says she helped her husband “do jihad”.
“My husband has a gun. If my husband is coming back from traveling, he’ll call me on my phone and say , ‘Sweety, I’m coming home.’ So I’ll go put on makeup, body spray and I’ll cook food. When he comes home, I’ll collect his gun, magazine, bombs,” she says.
He taught her how to assemble and disassemble his guns, but there were so many pieces she says she would sometimes get confused.
When her husband went out on operations, she would occupy herself with her phone, she says. Many of the wives of Boko Haram members were not allowed to have one, but the Amira had one when she lived in Sambisa and she used it to browse online.
“I was using Facebook. And even now, if you look for my name on Facebook, you’ll see me there at the top. I’m the first one there,” she says.
Her phone was seized when she arrived at the safe house, but she had already memorised not only her husband’s phone numbers, but the numbers of many Boko Haram members who she says will answer her call at any time.
The other Aisha does not have such pleasant memories of life with the man she secretly married when she was a lovestruck 23-year-old. Before he joined Boko Haram, she says he was caring and allowed her to work. But afterwards, he forbade her from working and withdrew emotionally. He also became secretive, disappearing for days without telling her where he had been, she says.
“That’s how I knew he was with Boko Haram,” Aisha adds.
She says her husband forced her to cut off contact with her family. After the marriage, she left her parents behind in Cameroon and moved with him from village to village in northeastern Nigeria as Boko Haram took over territory there.
Although her husband became wealthier after joining Boko Haram, she says he was not a high-ranking member. So the life she lived did not resemble the Amira’s. She felt like a captive, she says, although she did find comfort in the other wives.
At 11, Umi is the youngest wife in the group. Her mother, Zainab, is with her at the safe house. Initially, her mother thought she was too young to marry, but Umi’s father insisted and gave her away to a Boko Haram member who lived in a nearby compound with his two wives.
She was married in Walasa, but the next day soldiers came and carried her away. Although she was only with him for a day, she says she is still in love with her husband.
A serious gunfight erupted between Nigerian Army troops and scores of Boko Haram insurgents at Ballabulin, Borno State, yesterday.
Following the gunfight, nine of the terrorists were killed, while weapons were recovered.
Vanguard reports that a statement by Army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said: “Today (Wednesday) morning, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, on patrol came across some elements of Boko Haram terrorists at Bulabulin.
“They engaged them in a gunfight that lasted for an hour. The troops killed nine terrorists and wounded several others.
“They also recovered two AK-47 rifles, two hand grenades, one Improvised Explosive Device, IED, five jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit and nine motorcycles.
“The troops would continue the clearance operation of the remnants of the insurgents in all their areas of operation with renewed vigour and determination.”
A gallant Nigerian, Celestine Nwabueke, has been praised after his heroic effort in helping a woman deliver a bouncing baby boy in a village in Borno state. According to multiple reports, the new mother -was aided the the gallant soldier with the help of other women who fled their community over fear of Boo Haram attacks..
According to reports, the woman wanted to name the child after the soldier to appreciate him but later changed her mind due to his religion and named him Abubakar.
Troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE on patrol yesterday, Wednesday, September 28th, came across some elements of Boko Haram terrorists at Bulabulin.
They engaged them in a fire fight that lasted for an hour. The troops killed 9 Boko Haram terrorists and wounded several others.
They also captured 2 AK-47 Rifles, 2 Hand Grenades, 1 Improvised Explosive Device, 5 Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit and 9 motorcycles. However, the troops hand held radio was badly damaged during the encounter.
Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has promised to rebuild churches and other structures destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Lassa as he visited liberated communities in the southern senatorial zone of the state.
“We will rebuild churches, private and public buildings destroyed by the insurgents,” Mr. Shettima said when he accessed the level of damage in Lassa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Wednesday.
He expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction, saying that the government would commence the rehabilitation in a short while.
“We are going to rebuild churches and others structures destroyed in Lassa and other communities around.
“We are saddened by the large scale destruction in Lassa which is a predominantly Christian community,” Mr. Shettima said.
He added: “We are doing this because we have a duty as a government to ensure fairness, equity and justice in all our endeavors,” he said.
“We believe that the Christian community has rights to be served like its Muslims counterpart, since we have rebuilt Mosques destroyed in other places, we must rebuild churches too.”
Mr. Shettima said the churches would be rebuilt before Christmas ahead of this year’s Yuletide.
On Wednesday morning at the cattle market, Maiduguri, Borno State, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE with assistance of Civilian JTF, arrested 3 suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorists group.
The suspects include Abba Go Dallagio, Abba Fanned and Alhaji Nwariye. During preliminary investigation they claimed that they entered into Maiduguri through Mafa with about 200 cows for sale at Maiduguri cattle market.
The suspects further stated that they are part of logistics elements of the Boko Haram terrorists group that assist in selling cows for the insurgents.
They further added that proceeds are remitted to the terrorists to fund their nefarious activities. So far, troops have identified and isolated 23 cows at the cattle market.
Similarly, one of their agent and spy at the market, Alhaji Ajid Umar, has also been arrested. A total of 170 cows were isolated in connection with him. All the suspects are in undergoing preliminary investigation.
Thank you for your kind cooperation.
Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman Acting Director Army Public Relations
Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole with an assistance of Civilian JTF, yesterday arrested 3 suspected members of the Boko Haram terrorist group at the cattle market in Maiduguri, Borno state. The suspects include Abba Go Dallagio, Abba Fanned and Alhaji Nwariye.
During the preliminary investigation, they claimed that they entered into Maiduguri through Mafa with about 200 cows for sale at Maiduguri cattle market. The suspects further stated that they are part of logistics elements of the Boko Haram terrorist group
that assist in selling cows for the insurgents.
They further added that proceeds are remitted to the terrorists to fund their nefarious activities. So far, troops have identified and isolated 23 cows at the cattle market.
Similarly, one of their agent and spy at the market, Alhaji Ajid Umar, has also been arrested. A total of 170 cows were isolated in connection with him. All the suspects are in undergoing preliminary investigation.
Lalai Nkeki, the father of Kauna, one of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls, has been killed by Boko Haram.
Hosea Tsambido, Chairman of the Chibok community in Abuja, told TheCable that Nkeki was killed at Kubumbalah, a village near Chibok, last Monday when insurgents attacked some villages in Borno State, killing at least eight other people and hoisting their flag.
The Nigeria army, though countered the report that some persons were killed in the attack.
“Kauna’s father, Nkeki, was killed in an attack at Kubumbalah, near Chibok two days ago by Boko Haram,” Tsambido said in a telephone interview.
“Kauna is one of the Chibok girls.”
The Nigerian Army has refuted the report that Boko Haram insurgents have hoisted flags in some communities near Chibok, Borno State.
A statement by the army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said the troops of the Operations Lafiya Dole are maintaining a high level of vigilance in and around the area to forestall infiltration by the terrorists.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had yesterday reported that the insurgents hoisted their flags in three villages in northern Borno, after over-running the area.
The report said the attack followed another one on Monday evening in three villages of Kubirivour, Boftari and Kuburmbalah.
According to the report, it led to the death of eight people, including a village elder.
The elder was said to have been slaughtered by the terrorists, as other villagers scampered into the near by bushes for safety.
Usman said there was no presence of the sect near the reported location.
According to the army spokesman, “At about 4.35pm, suspected remnants of the sect attacked Boftari, which is about 15 kilometres from Chibok town.
“On receipt of the information, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole stationed in Forward Operation Base Chibok, mobilised to the area. The troops encountered the terrorists’ ambush site shortly before Kuburmbula village. They quickly cleared the ambush and proceeded to Boftari.
“Unfortunately, the terrorists had set some houses on fire and fled. The troops put out the fire and are currently on the hunt for the terrorists.”
Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has promised to rebuild churches and other structures destroyed by Boko Haram insurgents in Lassa as he visited liberated communities in the southern senatorial zone of the state
“We will rebuild churches, private and public buildings destroyed by the insurgents,” Mr. Shettima said when he accessed the level of damage in Lassa in Askira-Uba Local Government Area on Wednesday.
He expressed shock at the magnitude of destruction, saying that the government would commence the rehabilitation in a short while.
“We are going to rebuild churches and others structures destroyed in Lassa and other communities around.
“We are saddened by the large scale destruction in Lassa which is a predominantly Christian community,” Mr. Shettima said.
He added: “We are doing this because we have a duty as a government to ensure fairness, equity and justice in all our endeavors,” he said.
“We believe that the Christian community has rights to be served like its Muslims counterpart, since we have rebuilt Mosques destroyed in other places, we must rebuild churches too.”
Mr. Shettima said the churches would be rebuilt before Christmas ahead of this year’s Yuletide.
The Nigerian Army, yesterday, confirmed a Boko Haram attack on Kwang and Boftari villages in Borno State, on Monday.
One member of the vigilante group in the area was said to have been shot during the attack while the terrorists fled with gunshot wounds.
Acting Director of Army/Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, who made this known in a statement, yesterday, said “suspected elements of Boko Haram terrorists, scavenging for food, attacked Kwang village and vigilantes from Dagu (which is about 4 kilometres from Kwang), responded and repelled the attack.”
Usman, who said soldiers have since been deployed to the area with clear orders to pursue and deal with the insurgents, disclosed another group attacked Boftari, which is about 15 kilometres from Chibok town.
“On receipt of the information, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, stationed in Forward Operation Base Chibok, mobilised to the area. The troops encountered Boko Haram’s ambush site shortly before Kuburmbula village. They quickly cleared the ambush and proceeded to Boftari.
“Unfortunately, the insurgents had set some houses on fire and fled. The troops put out the fire and are currently on the hunt for them.
“It is imperative to state that contrary to rumours flying around, no life was lost. Additionally, there is no presence of the insurgents in any of the villages, talk less of hoisting flags as alleged.
“The troops have continued to maintain high level of vigilance,” said Usman.
The Nigerian Army has refuted the report that Boko Haram insurgents have hoisted flags in some communities near Chibok, Borno State.
A statement by the army spokesman, Col. Sani Usman, said the troops of the Operations Lafiya Dole are maintaining a high level of vigilance in and around the area to forestall infiltration by the terrorists.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had yesterday reported that the insurgents hoisted their flags in three villages in northern Borno, after over-running the area.The report said the attack followed another one on Monday evening in three villages of Kubirivour, Boftari and Kuburmbalah.
According to the report, it led to the death of eight people, including a village elder.
The elder was said to have been slaughtered by the terrorists, as other villagers scampered into the near by bushes for safety.
Usman said there was no presence of the sect near the reported location.
According to the army spokesman, “At about 4.35pm, suspected remnants of the sect attacked Boftari, which is about 15 kilometres from Chibok town.
“On receipt of the information, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole stationed in Forward Operation Base Chibok, mobilised to the area. The troops encountered the terrorists’ ambush site shortly before Kuburmbula village. They quickly cleared the ambush and proceeded to Boftari.
“Unfortunately, the terrorists had set some houses on fire and fled. The troops put out the fire and are currently on the hunt for the terrorists.”
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno on Monday said he was going ahead with the planned rebuilding of damaged buildings in spite of recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the state.
Shettima stated this while interacting with newsmen in Bama, headquarters of Bama Local Government Area of the state.
He was reacting to the recent attacks by insurgents at the border villages of Logumani and Dara/Jamal, where an army officer and two soldiers were killed.
The governor, who relocated his office to Bama since last Wednesday to launch the reconstructions and renovation of over 2,500 destroyed houses, shops and public buildings in Bama in 2014, said “the Boko Haram insurgents are merchants of fear.
“They are also vendors of fear. They want to instill fear in us.
“I think we should be stubbornly enough to follow our convictions against the wanton destruction of lives and property not only in this state, but the entire affected sub-region of the country.
“We have the courage to realise our dreams of an enduring peace in the state and the North East.
“The Borno State Government and its entire citizens must put hands together to rebuild Borno brick by brick, as the rebuilding and rehabilitation processes of Bama has commenced last Wednesday.
“Any life that does not involve taking risk is not a life worth living. At the end of the day what story are you going to tell your grandchildren,” he asked.
Shettima added that the relocation of the Borno governor’s office to Bama since last Wednesday was an indication
that the Boko Haram insurgents have already been defeated physically and psychologically.
“So, let us maintain the tempo of visiting some of the affected towns and communities; lets visit those places and ensure that they are safe before the displaced persons return to their ancestral homes,” the governor added.
The leader of Boko Haram has mocked claims he was seriously injured by the Nigerian military and warned “you have not seen the worst yet”.
In a video posted on social media, Abubakar Shekau dismissed claims by the Nigerian air force that he had been seriously wounded in a raid, telling them: “I will not get killed until my time comes”.
The leader of the Islamist militant group also taunted parents of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, telling them their children would only be released if the government swaps them for detained Islamic extremist leaders.
Some 218 of the 276 schoolgirls abducted in April 2014 remain missing.
Shekau said: “You broadcast the news and published it in your media outlets that you injured me and killed me and here I am.
“Oh tyrants, I’m in a happy state, in good health and in safety.”
He added: “If you want your girls, bring back our brethren.”
In a statement, army spokesman Sani Usman said the footage was “unstable” and came as “another sign that the end is near for him”.
He said: “Boko Haram terrorism as it was known, is gone for good.
“We are just counting down to the day when all the few remnants will be totally wiped out or brought to justice.”
The air force’s announcement that Shekau had been seriously injured came days after Islamic State announced Abu Musab al Barnawi as the new Boko Haram leader.
In a 10-minute audio clip posted on social media, Shekau rejected the claim and dismissed Barnawi as an infidel who condoned living in an un-Islamic society without waging jihad.
Shekau became Boko Haram leader after founder Mohammed Yusuf was killed by security forces in 2009.
Boko Haram has killed approximately 15,000 people and displaced more than two million in a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating a state adhering to strict Islamic laws.
In the last week 10 soldiers were killed and 24 injured in a resurgence of violence in northeast Nigeria.
On Sunday, Boko Haram fighters ambushed a patrol in Abadam, Borno State, killing four soldiers and injuring 16 others.
The Nigerian Army has described the controversial factional leader of Boko Haram terrorists, as mentally ill and unstable person whose end is near, despite issuing threats in the latest video.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, in a statement yesterday, said the video clip is a mere propaganda and sign of desperation for a man who was reported to have been “Fatally wounded” in military air strike.
“The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a video clip released by the so-called Abubakar Shekau faction of the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists group this morning.
“In it, the purported leader of the group in his usual insane manner made all sorts of assertions to the point of threatening various towns, groups and individuals.
“He also tried albeit failingly to deny the air raid by the Nigerian Air Force in which he was wounded,” Usman stated.
He said: “The video has shown beyond all reasonable doubt the earlier suspicion that the purported factional terrorists group leader is mentally sick and unstable.”
According to him, “The ranting is also another sign that the end is near for him which is part of the signs of all wicked people.”
Usman urged members of the public not to be bothered by the contents of the video clip, saying “the facts on the ground speak for themselves.”
The army spokesman said the video had further shown that Shekau has derailed and no longer believes and practices the Islam he professes to follow; as he was absent at the last Eid prayers video.
“It is equally reported that he could not even lead prayers. The public should not be fooled by this individual,” he advised.
Usman said no nation or society would believe him or any Boko Haram terrorist based on antecedents and as he has shown over times to be irrational and therefore unreliable especially when it comes to negotiations on the release of the abducted girls.
To this end, he said Shekau must release the Chibok girls unconditionally.
“We want to assure Nigerians especially the residents of Maiduguri, Kano, Kaduna and Zaria not to panic as we have more than what it takes to defend them and deal decisively with the remnants of the terrorists group,” he declared.
Usman further stated that Boko Haram terrorism as it was known, is gone for good.
According to him, the military is just counting down to the day when all the few remnants would be totally wiped out or brought to justice.
However, he said a window still existed for the repentant ones among them to lay down their arms and surrender to justice.
Also, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said it is not interested in whether Shekau is alive or dead but to continue with elimination of all forms of terrorism in the country.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, stated this in response to inquiries about the latest Shekau video clip.
Abubakar said the military has made tremendous gains in the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North-east, and would not be distracted by the antics of the terrorists.
He said: “The DHQ’s position has always been clear that whether Shekau is alive or not doesn’t in anyway matter to us. What is important and pre-occupies mind is to consolidate on the unprecedented gains and successes recorded to terminate the remnants of the sect in order to free completely the North-east.
“Indeed, we are set to free our dear nation from their unholy activities and mindless propaganda and show of shame. They are very much aware that their end is near as our coordinated operations are continuing.”
The Defence spokesman said the Boko Haram terrorists have been defeated except the few remnants who are in disarray and using social media to stay afloat.
According to him, Boko Haram members are surrendering in droves to the military and warned those that have failed to do so to either surrender or be exterminated.
“We have been heating them hard and so the only soft ground for them is the non traditional media where all cock and bull stories can be fashioned to serve their evil and inglorious acts.
“They know what we have done to them and what we are up to. They are losing by the day and their members are surrendering on daily basis,” Abubakar said.
He urged: “The remnant terrorist groups and their followers to turn up yourself for your own good before it is late.”
In a related development, the Nigerian troops have repelled the renewed Boko Haram attacks in Logomani, Borno State, killing 22 terrorists and lost four soldiers in the gun battle.
Usman, in a statement said some suspected remnants of Boko Haram fighters at 10a.m. yesterday, attacked the troops location of at Logomani along Dikwa-Gambarou road.
Usman said the terrorists came in a three waves attack using 36 hand grenades and rocket propelled launchers.
“Our troops fought gallantly and repelled the attack which lasted for about one hour. At the end of the fierce encounter, the troops counted 22 dead bodies of Boko Haram fighter. They also recovered two AK-47 rifles, FN rifle, G3 rifle and some 36 Hand grenades,” he stated.
Unfortunately, he said, the troops lost four soldiers and their rifles as a result of the effect of Boko Haram use of Rocket Propelled Grenades, while two others were wounded in action.
The DAPR said the wounded in action have been evacuated for further medical management.
He also disclosed that the location has been reinforced and replenished, while the troops have continued their clearance operations.
The Commissioner of police in Borno State, Damian Chukwu, has said that operatives of the Explosive Ordnance Department (EOD) under his command defused 67 Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) buried by Boko Haram insurgents at the military barracks in Bama.
Mr. Chukwu, who spoke to journalists on Sunday evening, said the explosives which have since been evacuated, may have been planted in the barracks shortly before troops of the Nigeria military liberated Bama town.
He said the defused bombs had enabled reconstruction workers to carry on with their work without any hitch.
The CP noted that Bama town, which now temporarily serves as the seat of the Borno government, following the relocation of the governor from Maiduguri last Wednesday, has been beefed up with more police to ensure the adequate safety for the visitors and workers alike.
“As the governor and his team were going to Bama to monitor reconstruction work, we put together various components of my operational units, the Police Mobile Force, the Counter-Terrorist Unit, the Special Protection Unit, the EOD i.e. the bomb disposal unit, the intelligence group as well as the conventional police, to go with them,” said Mr. Damian.
“In the process of doing reconstruction work in the military barracks, the soldiers and other people there saw some buried IEDs — about 67 of them — and called the attention of my men.
“It is believed that the insurgents buried those bombs while they were there, especially when the military came back to displace them.
“We had to deploy the EOD unit who brought out the bombs and destroyed them and then gave way for reconstruction work to continue.’’
The CP added that more police personnel have been deployed all the liberated local government headquarters with a view to protect the returnees and prevent the return of the insurgents.
Boko Haram terrorists Monday afternoon ambushed a military escort in Borno State, killing five civilians and injuring three soldiers in the attack.
The Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Col. Sani Usman, said suspected elements of the remnants of the terrorists who were foraging for food, ambushed troops of Operation Lafi Dole escorting commercial vehicles from Damboa to Maiduguri at Sanda general area of the state.
“Unfortunately, five civilians lost their lives in the attack and another died on the way to the hospital. Three soldiers also sustained injuries,” Usman stated.
He said the wounded have been evacuated to Maiduguri.
Consequently, he said another robust patrol team has been dispatched to reinforce the troops, clear the general area and pursue the terrorists.
Usman stressed that the unfortunate incident has brought to the fore the need for more vigilance and cooperation among all.
He said: “We would like to assure the public that we would not allow this isolated incident to thwart the peace and security commuters enjoy along the route and all other opened routes in the North-east.
“Troops are on the heels of the attackers and would not relent till they are apprehended or killed. Additional security measures have also been placed to avert reoccurrence.
“In addition, the Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole, wishes to clarify that alleged suspected Boko Haram terrorists attack at Chibok is not correct,” Usman said.
Members of the Boko Haram, in the early hours of Monday, crept upon sleeping villagers of Talari where they slit the throats of the village head and his son, reporters learnt.
The attackers also shot dead two other villagers as they were trying to escape.
An official of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Borno state, Abbas Gava, confirmed the incident to journalists on phone.
“The gunmen invaded the village in the early hours of Monday and they stormed the home of the village head, Ba’ Lawan, where they slaughtered him and his son”, he said.
“After killing the village head and his son, they burnt his home down and as the villagers began to run for their lives, the gunmen opened fire on them killing two persons, while many of them escaped with injuries”.
Mr. Gava said Talari, an agrarian community in Damboa Local government, is located between Kilakia Village and Chibok.
Boko Haram insurgents have recently increased hostilities against villagers in remote communities especially around Damboa and Chibok local government areas of Borno State, which share boundaries with Sambisa forest.
The Borno Police Command said on Monday that it had placed a self-proclaimed former spokesperson of the Boko Haram sect, Ali Konduga, under psychiatric investigation.
This, the police said, followed Mr. Konduga’s display of abnormal behaviour since his arrest last week.
Victor Isuku, the spokesman of the command, said this in a statement he issued in Maiduguri.
Mr. Isuku said that Konduga was arrested after a complaint by one Muhammadu Kala.
“On September 14, one Muhammadu Kala lodged a complaint at the GRA Police Station, Maiduguri, that Mallam Ali konduga of Gwange ward had trespassed into the premises of the house of Senator Muhammed Ndume.
“The DPO led a team of policemen to arrest the trespasser where he had gone to receive treatment for injuries he sustained as a result of a mob action,” Isuku said.
The police spokesman said that investigation, however, revealed that the suspect was of unsound mind.
At least eight people were killed outside a church in a suspected Boko Haram attack carried out by gunmen on bicycles in northeast Nigeria, local residents said on Monday.
The attack happened shortly after morning service on Sunday in Kwamjilari village, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) east of the town of Chibok, in Borno state.
“Some of the worshippers remained around the church and the gunmen opened fire and eight men died,” said Luka Damina, from nearby Kautikeri village, where locals fled.
“Unknown to the residents, the gunmen had stationed some of their comrades on the road leading out of the village and they shot anyone who tried to flee.
“Many people ran into the bush with gunshot wounds. But so far we can only confirm eight deaths.”
The attackers set fire to homes and fields of maize that were almost ready for harvest, according to a local chief in Kautikeri, who also said eight people were killed.
The chief said soldiers were later deployed to Kwamjilari from Chibok — the scene of a notorious kidnapping in 2014 when more than 200 schoolgirls were seized.
The Nigerian military has rescued 43 abducted persons and recovered 500 cows from fleeing Boko Haram terrorists in Mafa.
The military operation for the mission occurred Sunday morning after eight suspected Boko Haram terrorists abducted some cattle rearers and livestock at gunpoint at Dalakalari general area, Mafa Local Government Area.
Some well meaning people informed the military who swung into action and pursued the terrorists.
The terrorists, sensing danger, ran and abandoned the livestock just before Panamri village. The troops were able to rescue 43 persons and 500 cows taken by the terrorists.
The victims and the recovered cows have been handed over to the local authorities.
Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has commended the military for the security situation in the state, saying Maiduguri, capital of Borno is now more secured than Lagos and Abuja. The governor said this today in an interview with NAN.
He said with the return of peace, his administration would unfold a developmental agenda in the next few months.
“Maiduguri is more secured than even Lagos or Abuja. There are 2 million people living in Maiduguri; we celebrated Sallah without any incident,” he said.
“By the grace of God, we are poised for a great change. Believe me, in the next couple of months, you will see changes in the fortunes of the people of the state.”
Shettima also said that he had abandoned his bulletproof cars, and that only his guests who are afraid to move around without such vehicles, make use of them.
He said that the action was also aimed at showing that Boko Haram members had no super natural powers.
“We have to dare the terrorists; I have bullet proof cars, but I do not use them; I want to be exposed to the elements as the ordinary people do,” Shettima said.
“We have so many bullet proof cars but we only use them for our guests.
“Sometimes I drive myself round the town to see things for myself.”
On his achievements in office, the governor said: “There is no magic in our achievements, except that where there is will, there is the way; like I always say, there is no politics better than the contentment of the people.
`You are there not because you are the best among the people of the state; I am the governor not because of my political sagacity, intellectual prowess, parental back ground or physical strength.
“This is because even within my cabinet, there are many people who supersede me in all these attributes.
“Power to me is a very humble experience; it is about what you can do to a great number of people within the time allotted to you to pilot the affairs of the state,” he said.
Self-acclaimed spokesman of Boko Haram Islamist sect, Ali Sanda Umar Konduga, who was sentenced to three years imprisonment on criminal acts and freed last week, has been rearrested at the Maiduguri residence of Sen Ali Ndume, sources said.
Konduga (a.ka Al-Zawahiri) had alleged Sen Ndume who is the Senate Leader, provided contacts of certain personalities in the country to him, which gave him access to issue several threats of Boko Haram attacks to such people.
A source close to the family of the senator said Konduga was identified as same person that alleged Ndume provided him with telephone numbers of some politicians with which he issued threats of Boko Haram attacks. Ndume was charged to court for disclosing information to terrorism suspect under Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention Act.”
“He has been coming to the house since Sunday before Sallah. He asked for the senator but he was told the man is in Saudi Arabia,” the source said. He was however, arrested by the people around on the third visit on Wednesday, the source claimed.
Saturday Sun could not ascertain the purpose of Kinduga’s repeated visits to the senator’s house as at press time. Some residents around the area said he had come to apologise to the family for linking Ndume to Boko Haram activities three years ago. Others also said he may have come to request for financial assistance even after his role in the Ndume case.
Konduga was arraigned before Abuja High Court with Sen Ndume in 2014. He alleged the senator sponsored him to undertake Boko Haram activities. Ndume had pleaded not guilty to charges of passing classified information to an unauthorised person and of criminal intimidation.
Sen Ndume could not be reached on his mobile phone as at press time.
Confirming the incident on phone yesterday, an aide to Ndume who pleaded not to be named, said the Boko Haram suspect was arrested in the Senate Leader’s house, but added that, ‘boys’ who were around invited the police to arrest him.
The aide said the senator was in Saudi Arabia for his annual Hajj and could therefore, not be reached for further comments.
The Nigerian Army yesterday released 565 Boko Haram women and children detained by the military to the Borno State Government. Governor Kashim Shettima gave the explanation while receiving 366 breastfeeding babies, 149 mothers and 62 under-aged children evacuated by the Nigerian Army from camps operated by Boko Haram insurgents in different parts of the state.
Majority of them are believed to be families of the insurgents saved after the military took over the camps during operations. It was the fourth time he received such families and detained suspects freed by the military.
The General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, Brigadier General Victor Ezugwu handed over the 566 persons to the governor at a rehabilitation and reintegration centre newly opened by the Borno State Government in Maiduguri.
The centre is to provide medical services, education and welfare of the families which the state government is working in partnership with the UNICEF, NEMA, security agencies and other stakeholders to provide reintegration.
The governor said what is important to know, is that an average male member of Boko Haram has one great wish and that is for his child to inherit his doctrine of violence.
Lai Mohammed, minister of information, Friday, provided an update on the Chibok girls.
His words:”Good afternoon, gentlemen of the press.
Members of the public may recall that when the present administration came on board, Mr. President pledged to Nigerians to ensure the security of lives and property of every Nigerian, provide employment for the nation’s teeming youths and fight corruption. Since that time, the security agencies have been saddled with the responsibility of dealing with the threat of terrorism which has ravaged most parts of the Northern region.
You will also recall that from the physical destruction of communities and strategic institutions, the terrorist elements also engaged in abduction of women and children in the affected parts. Most painful was the abduction of the School girls in Chibok at the twilight of the past administration in 2014. When Mr. President assumed leadership of this country, he immediately directed security agencies to urgently fashion out strategies to trace, locate and ensure the safe and successful release of the Chibok girls. This was the mandate given to security agencies.
Gentlemen, it was consequent upon this directive that the security agencies, comprising of the Nigerian Army, Air Force, Navy, Police and the DSS, commenced action in June 2015. To this effect also, the DSS established a special tactical unit to review the gamut of actions so far carried out to secure the release of the Chibok girls, establish why the action has recorded no success as it were and to present a roadmap for possible success.
In this process, the DSS and the other security agencies observed the following:
Many persons or groups posing as negotiators actually had no veritable intelligence nor the reach to facilitate the release of the Chibok girls;
The efforts were clouded by persons with very partisan interests and whose main objective was solely to score cheap political points. It was obvious their approach had no relevance to the release of the girls;
Some informants or persons volunteering to be negotiators or facilitators saw and treated the girls’ fate and indeed the situation as a conduit to enrich themselves, thus making the whole thing a pecuniary venture; and
As a result of the conflicting and partisan interests, issues were muddled up to the extent that reasonable and fruitful leads either failed or simply came too late for any useful action.
It was therefore found that in the midst of these strong competing interests and unnecessary rivalries, nothing was achieved before the 2015 handover date. It was based on these that the security agencies set out to work for the release of the girls.
First, there was the need to identify those with relevant intelligence on the groups holding the girls, as well as establish sources of contact in touch with the group. This exercise was found not to be an easy task. On those holding the Chibok girls, there was also a high level of mistrust, as they too found many approaches or groups claiming to be in touch with them as false or unreliable.
In this new bid, many offers ranging from credible, not credible to outright off-mark information came to the Government. Some international bodies and countries also provided leads. It was out of this that relevant security agencies were able to strike a chord. By the third week of July 2015, a contact group was in touch with credible assets who had the reach, and who attested to the fact that some of the Chibok girls were alive. Mr. President was then briefed of these assets and intelligence and he gave his assent for further negotiations on the Chibok girls.
Precisely on 17th July, 2015, the DSS opened negotiations process with the group holding the Chibok girls. However, in return for the release of some of these girls, the group also made some demands. These included the release of some of their fighters arrested including some involved in major terrorist actions, resulting in several fatalities, and others who were experts in manufacture of locally assembled explosives. This was difficult to accept, but appropriate security agencies had to again inform Mr. President of these demands, and its viewed implications. Again Mr. President gave his assent believing that the overall release of these girls remains paramount and sacrosanct.
Meanwhile, following the above development, Government and the security agencies had sufficient leverage to work out the modalities of the swap. These included creating the safe haven, or necessary place of swap and working out the logistic details. Based on this, the DSS availed other critical sister agencies of this new situation. Immediately, the Nigerian Army and the Air Force sent some specialists to commence a detailed arrangement for the swap. This was during the last week of July 2015 and 1st week of August 2015. The officers representing the various agencies worked out the logistic details, such as the number of persons to be swapped i.e. number of girls and detainees to be exchanged, the vehicles and aircraft, as well as safeguards, i.e. safety of the persons, including the location of the swap.
When it was finally agreed by all parties, Mr. President was again informed that the preparations were concluded, and the first step for the swap would commence on 1st August, 2015. Mr. President robustly gave his approval.
On 4th August, 2015, the persons who were to be part of the swap arrangements and all others involved in the operation were transported to Maiduguri, Borno State. This team, with the lead facilitator, continued the contact with the group holding the Chibok girls. The Service was able to further prove to the group its sincerity, as it established communication contact between it and its detained members. All things were in place for the swap which was mutually agreed. Expectations were high. Unfortunately, after more than two (2) weeks of negotiation and bargains, the group, just at the dying moments, issued new set of demands, never bargained for or discussed by the group before the movement to Maiduguri. All this while, the security agencies waited patiently. This development stalled what would have been the first release process of the Chibok girls.
It may be important to note that in spite of this setback, the government and the security agencies have not relented in the bid to ensure that the Chibok girls are released safely. By the month of November, precisely 13th November, 2015, another fresh negotiation process with the group was initiated. This time, there was the need to discuss a fresh component in other to avoid issues that had stalled the former arrangement. There were however some problems that many may not discern, but should be expected in this kind of situation. Some critical persons within the group who played such vital role in August, 2015 were discovered to be dead during combat action or as a result of the emerging rift amongst members of the group then. These two factors delayed the process. In spite of these, negotiation continued on new modalities.
By 30th November, 2015 it was becoming glaring that the division amongst the group was more profound. This affected the swap process. By 10th December, 2015, another negotiation process was in place, but this failed to achieve results because of the varying demands by the group.
Gentlemen of the press, the security agencies since the beginning of 2016 have not only remained committed but have also taken the lead to resolve the Chibok girls’ issue. In spite of the current division amongst members of the terrorist group, which has seriously affected efforts to release the girls, renewed efforts have commenced using our trusted assets and facilitators. However, this job requires diligence and ability to deal with a group that can easily change its demands without notice.
Officers and men have sacrificed their time and energy, and some have already paid the supreme price since the abduction of the Chibok girls, fighting for the safe release of the girls. Many friendly countries and organizations have equally been very forthcoming in providing their human and technological resources to assist in the process. They are still doing so. We cannot as a nation ignore these sacrifices.
The Government and its security agencies remain committed to ensuring that the Chibok girls are safely released in fulfillment of the Presidential mandate. Let me emphasise that Government appreciates the resilience of Nigerians in the fight against insurgency and terrorism, and will continue to call on fellow Nigerians to hold that much is ahead and therefore support Mr. President’s resolve on this matter. I cannot end this without appealing to the parents and relatives of the Chibok girls. We are with you; we feel your pains and shall not relent until we succeed in bringing home our girls and every other citizen abducted by the group. It is important to appeal to all those who have shown concern in resolving this matter to continue to trust the efforts of Government to deal with the situation.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has picked holes in the continued detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, even when he had been purportedly released.
Kabiru Umar, popularly known as Kabiru Sokoto, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for mass murder in 2013.
The group wondered why government was keeping Kanu in custody when he had been granted bail by the court.
It noted that Justice Adeniyi Ademola convicted and sentenced Kabiru on December 20, 2013 for masterminding the 2011 Christmas Day bombing of Theresa’s Catholic Church at Madala in Niger State where over 44 persons were killed and 75 others injured.
A statement by its Spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Ironya, IPOB yesterday claimed most of the dead and injured were Biafrans.
“It added: Now, President Muhammadu Buhari has used his presidential powers and authority to release Kabiru Sokoto, the terrorist and mass murderer.
“On the other hand, Kanu, our leader was abducted in Lagos by agents of Department of State Services (DSS) on October 14, 2015, arraigned at the Magistrate’s Court and later at the High Court on frivolous charges.
“On both occasions, the presiding magistrate and judge struck out the cases and ordered that Mr. Kanu be released unconditionally. Up to this moment, those court orders have not been obeyed and challenged by the DSS.
“What is the rationale behind Buhari’s preference for the freedom of a terrorist and mass murderer over compliance with the rulings of courts of competent jurisdictions?”
The group had recently alleged that the DSS, Abuja headquarters placed the names of Kanu’s wife and 38 other IPOB members and Biafrans on a wanted list.
A statement by the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, alleged that the Federal Government and DSS were trailing unarmed members of IPOB including the wife of their leader, Mrs. Uchechi Okwu Kanu, who is in London nursing a new born baby.
IPOB wondered why its members were arrested while the Fulani terrorists who disguise as cattle rearers were not touched or harmed. According to IPOB, those on wanted list include: Mrs. Uchechi Kanu (Nnamdi Kanu’s wife, London, UK), Emma Powerful, Sunday Onyekachi, Ogechukwu Obiorah, Ann Okafor, Amaechi Sunday Kaju (Sheffield, UK), Dickson Ekeke, Ndidi Ojukwu, Emma Nmezu, Sidney Okoli (Mallorca, Spain), Andy Obeche, Ifriam Ezeiwu, Chkwuemeka Mfon and Ikenna Sunday Egono. Others are Chijioke Ekwueme, Godwin Osinachi, Udoka Amarachi (Dortmund, Germany), Uche Martin Doludo, Nduka Enuma, Ambrose Ero, Clifford Mbamere, Andy Obina Okafor, Stephen Oko (UK), Onyeka Joseph, Eric, Dike Benson, Uche Okafor, Daniel Ifeanyi (USA), Roland Abumere, Kenneth Uche Opara, Emenike Anyanwu, Obinwanne Markson Chukwujekwu, Chukwu I. Ojiugo, Ezinwanne Mba, and Jeff Amaechi among others.
“We are calling on international community, human right organisations, Amnesty International, America, Russia, France, Germany, China, Japan Israel and other countries of the world who love freedom, Human Right Watch, the Christian community and the United Nations (UN) to come to our rescue because the Nigerian government and security agents have perfected arrangements to kidnap and kill unarmed civilians who committed no crime against the government of Nigeria and humanity,” IPOB said.
Meanwhile, the Summit Club of Asaba, a Non-Governmental Organisation, has dissociated the people of the Delta State capital from the call for the establishment of a sovereign state of Biafra.
In a statement by its President, Prof. Fidelis Njokanma and National Secretary, Chinedu Onyia, the group stated that it has become necessary to make their position known on the impression being created by the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and IPOB that Asaba was part of the agitation for Biafra.
In May this year, the agitators for secession crossed the Niger Bridge to stage a demonstration in Asaba, which resulted in a violent clash with the police and soldiers.
The group observed that Ahaba was never consulted on the issue of the agitation for Biafra, stressing that they never expressed any desire to be part of the call for secession from Nigeria.
Emphasizing that any person or group of persons would not conscript Ahaba into a struggle, the club said the people do not subscribe to the motives and methods of the agitators.
The group which stated that it would reject any attempt to make Ahaba a battleground, remarked that its people were prepared to defend their inalienable rights to freedom or association.
The body urged the Delta government to take advantage of security reports and apparatus to preempt any incursion by the agitators into the state in the future.
The club noted that the state government must demonstrate its ability to appy the full weight of the law and its willingness to deploy law enforcement agencies to deal decisively with any future occurrences.
Members of Boko Haram under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau has released a video showing thousands of its members praying during recently concluded Eid ceremony; the militant group showed members in three separate praying grounds in Borno and the Lake Chad area.
However, the leader of the faction, Shekau was conspicuously missing in the video. The group used the opportunity to threaten President Muhammadu Buhari, insisting its members are still many and remain resilient despite the military action that killed scores of its foot soldiers and reclaimed Nigerian territory under its control.
Seven Niger soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in two separate attacks by Boko Haram Islamists over the past week, the army has said.
The two attacks took place in the southeastern Diffa region near the border with Nigeria, according to a military statement released late on Tuesday.
Five of them were killed in an ambush on Monday morning carried out by “members of the Boko Haram terrorist group” which also left six others wounded.
In an earlier incident on September 8, two soldiers were killed and another two wounded when their patrol vehicle went over “an improvised explosive device”, the statement said.
Earlier this month, five villagers were killed and two others wounded in the same area in another attack by the Nigeria-based jihadist group in the first such incident since early June.
Boko Haram’s seven-year insurgency has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and border areas of neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and made more than 2.6 million homeless.
One of the factions of the deadly Boko Haram sect has unveiled a new video showing how the terrorists in their thousands observed prayers during the Eid ceremony.
The militant sect under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau showed members in three separate praying grounds in Borno and the Lake Chad area. Meanwhile, the leader of the faction, Shekau was obviously absent in the recording.
The recording, narrated in Hausa, showed was posted on YouTube on September 13, Tuesday, and the group said it was using it to send out message that it remained a strong force.
The Boko Haram faction threatened President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that its members are still many and stay resilient despite the Nigerian army operation that killed scores of its foot soldiers and recaptured Nigerian territory under its control.
The group said: “This is our eid prayer from us and by the support of our leader Imam Abubakar Al-Shekau. We are extending our greetings to our people and fighters. “Message to the infidels and the leader of the entire infidels (kafir) who is the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, that he should know we are very strong and doing very good. “By the will of Allah under the leadership of our leader (Shekau) will capture Buhari with our hands.”
While the Buhari government claimed that it had defeated the militant group after retaking much of its territory, the terrorists still have a massive capacity for inflicting destruction and casualties. Recently, two rival factions in Boko Haram have launched a war for true Islam in Borno state, close to Lake Chad. One faction is loyal to Shekau, the group’s leader since 2009, and the other led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who was recently announced as the group’s commander in a publication of the Islamic State militant group.
There have been deadly clashes between two factions of the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, security and local sources have told the BBC.
Details of the violent fighting in the Monguno area of Borno state near Lake Chad are sketchy because of lack of mobile communications in the north-east.
It was sparked after so-called Islamic State (IS) announced last month that Abu Musab al-Barnawi was the leader of Boko Haram, replacing Abubakar Shekau, the reports claim.
However, Mr Shekau, who initially pledged the group’s allegiance to IS, said he was still in charge.
Some analysts believe the split could help the Nigerian military in its efforts to defeat the insurgents.
There has been no comment yet from the Nigerian authorities on the fighting.
When the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ (BBOG) advocacy outfit set out for the presidential Villa, Tuesday; like they’ve promised to do every 72 hours hence, they were accosted by a pro-Buhari group who promptly told them that the call to rescue the over 200 girls still in Boko Haram custody was a scam.
A sense of sickening déjà vu doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt when I first read the news of all that transpired.
I can deal with the police always cordoning off the BBOG movement and demanding for a protest permit even when the officers know the group has been permitted by the courts to march around town peacefully.
I can handle the police calling on tanks and personnel each time the BBOG movement embarks on its routine peaceful marches.
Bring Back Our Girls group marches to Aso Rock on August 22, 2016 play
I can even handle sniggering APC faithful and online Buhari ‘overlords’ who now regard the BBOG movement with disdain—the same group they festooned with accolades only a year ago. The same group they cheered and urged on only a year ago under a different landlord in Aso Villa.
But what the heck is ‘With Buhari we stand’? Who paid these jobless band of renegades who carried placards and who were spoiling for a fight with an advocacy group that has done a good job of keeping the subject of the rescue of the Chibok girls on the front-burner for 3 years now?
“Buhari is a man of peace, stop frustrating him”, the pro-Buhari group chanted.
They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves if they know what it is to feel an ounce of shame.
The BBOG group has sent out a notice that they’ll be embarking on their marches every 72 hours. And just as well.
That resolution was reached after video tapes emerged showing that the Chibok girls are still alive.
The group has braved the rains and shine to demand for the rescue of the girls. They’ve been met with tanks and uncouth police bosses and they’ve been tagged a political outfit when it suits shameless political jobbers.
I’m ready to wager that we all would have moved on with our lives if Oby Ezekwesili, Bukky Shonibare and Aisha Yesufu weren’t out there on the front-lines, advocating that government should speed up efforts to rescue the abducted girls while it is yet day.
We can regard Ezekwesili, Shonibare and Yesufu with disdain today because we are sympathizers of the government and party in power, but sending hecklers after them is beyond the pale.
And if the presidency has a hand in this show of shame; if it is now in the habit of hiring protesters like was done in the past, then the ‘change’ Nigerians voted for may just be the scam some have said it is.
In-fighting has broken out in Boko Haram after the Islamic State group announced a new leader of its Nigerian affiliate, according to reports in the country’s remote northeast.
IS said last month that Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram’s founder Mohammed Yusuf, had replaced Abubakar Shekau at the head of the designated terrorist organisation.
But Shekau then insisted he was still in charge of the Islamist group, whose insurgency has killed at least 20,000 people since 2009 and forced more than 2.6 million from their homes.Sources in northeast Nigeria now say there have been deadly skirmishes between the two factions, even as Nigeria’s military seeks to finally rout the rebels in a sustained counter-offensive.
Last Thursday, several fighters from Shekau’s camp were said to have been killed in two separate gun battles with IS-backed Barnawi gunmen in the Monguno area of Borno state near Lake Chad.
Nigeria’s military declined to comment on the reported in-fighting when contacted by AFP.
Mele Kaka, who lives in the area, told AFP: “The Barnawi faction launched an offensive against the Shekau faction who were camped in the villages of Yele and Arafa.
“In Yele, the assailants killed three people from the Shekau camp, injured one and took one with them, while several were killed in Arafa,” he said by telephone from the state capital, Maiduguri.
The attack prompted residents of Arafa to flee, he added.
Fighters from Barnawi camp had the previous day attacked gunmen loyal to Shekau in Zuwa village in nearby Marte district, killing an unspecified number, Kaka said.
“The Barnawi fighters told villagers after each attack that they were fighting the other camp because they had derailed from the true jihad and were killing innocent people, looting their property and burning their homes,” he went on.
“They said such acts contravene the teachings of Islam and true jihad.”
The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State has shut down mosques located in the school hostels over some allegations raised against a group called Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN).
A statement by the Department of Student Affairs (DSA) said the mosques, located in Fajuyi and Awolowo halls of the school allegedly harbors female students for prostitution and teaching of an alien doctrine with a fashion similar to the current Boko Haram insurgency.
Dr. G. O. Akinola, head, Division of Students Affairs gives further details on the closure.
Below is full statement:
The Division of Students Affairs (DSA) acting upon the Statutes and Regulations of Obafemi Awolowo University hereby declares closed until further notice, the two purported mosques in Awolowo and Fajuyi Halls for the reasons of peace, free movement of students and staff within the Halls and the overriding need for the security of all persons, assets and installation in the Halls.
The reasons for this closure are as set out below:
1. On Friday 12th August, 2016 when the current executive members of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ife Branch were to be inaugurated at the Central Mosque, the Division of Students Affairs (DSA) was invited and was duly represented by the Vice Dean of the Division. There were issues at the inauguration when we were told of another group of Muslim students who wanted to impose themselves and their doctrines which are not consistent with the Constitution of the MSSN members. At that point the Vice-Dean was asked to interact with this group with a view to finding out what their arguments and positions were;
2. After the Vice-Dean’s interaction with the group (which is yet to give a name to itself, although they insisted that they should be called MSSN too), we decided to call members of the group to a meeting at the DSA.
They came on Tuesday, 23rd August 2016 at 6.15pm. After several attempts at making them attend the parley failed, we eventually held a meeting with them on this 23rd August. We stressed at the meeting the point that the DSA is only aware of the existence of only one MSSN as a registered Muslim students’ group on the campus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
We impressed it on the group that even the DSA is also aware that the National body of the MSSN recognises only one MSSN group here on campus. We therefore advised the group to, if they have any issue of disagreement between them and the mainstream MSSN, please for sake of peace on campus and interest of their members take steps to sort them out with the Executive of the MSSN on campus.
3. The meeting deliberated extensively on how to bring this settlement about and at the end of it, it was agreed that a period of one (1) week be given to permit the group interact with the mainstream MSSN and settle their disagreement amicably failing which the two ‘mosques’ at Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls would be closed down for peace to reign.
Note that this splinter group of the MSSN had begun to use the two ‘mosques’ in these Halls as a base for their anti-mainstream MSSN rhetorics and doctrinal disagreement on campus, including recruitment of students for their separate teachings. Note also, that these two ‘mosques’, converted as such were originally Cafeteria buildings meant for the respective halls under the University’s master plan.
We also agreed at the meeting that if the DSA found that they were able to make progress on the reconciliation, even if they have not completely reached an agreement on doctrinal or worship issues, the suggestive closure of the ‘mosque’ would be suspended to permit for more room for rapport and deeper reconciliation. We agreed that we were going to meet again on the very day that the one-week ultimatum to reconcile expired, that is Tuesday 30th August, 2016.
Meanwhile, desirous of a way to convince the DSA that the splinter group meant well, they invited the to visit the two ‘mosques’ in Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls to see that there was nothing sinister in the activities of the splinter group and that if anything at all, they have been peaceful and law-abiding.
4. However, on Thursday 25th August, a meeting was held with the University recognized MSSN Executive members. This same MSSN Executive is also recognised by the OAU Muslim Community and by the National body of MSSN in Nigeria. That meeting was called to hear the complaints of the splinter MSSN members and their grievances. The recognized MSSN was informed of the University’s plan to close the ‘mosques’ in Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls if the splinter group of the MSSN failed to make peace with the mainstream MSSN and reconcile accordingly;
5. On Friday 26th August, the MSSN National body paid a courtesy visit to the DSA to discuss the furore over the recognized MSSN on campus. The visitation team led by the President of the National MSSN, Muhammad Jameel Muhammad came in company of the campus mainstream MSSN and some of his officials. The thrust of their visit was to make a passionate appeal to the DSA on their fear for the possibility of “Emergence on the OAU campus of an extremist group of Muslim students in a fashion similar to the current Boko Haram insurgency besetting Nigeria”.
They expressed some fears and strongly felt that the splinter MSSN group in OAU and what they referred to as “their strange doctrinal principles and procedures” could lead to the materialization of such fears. The visitation team pleaded with the University through the DSA to do all that was lawful and needful to see that such fears were allayed.
The visitation team also reiterated their support for the recognized MSSN mainstream organization and its president. In addition, the team gave a copy of the MSSN Constitution and 5 copies of the articles of faith of the MSSN titled “MSSN at a Glance” to the DSA;
6. On the night of 27th August, 2016 reports came to the Acting Dean, DSA, that the splinter MSSN group were planning to hold a religious programme in Awolowo Hall Cafeteria the following day (i.e. 28th August, 2016), for which they had not sought or obtained permission.
The Acting Dean reported to the University Chief Security Officer who immediately sent a group of his men to see how things would go with a view to apprehending any illegality or untoward behaviours and report forthwith. Report came that the religious programme held and that the leaders of the splinter MSSN presided at that programme. The point here is that the group failed to seek or secure approval for this religious activity in the Cafeteria.
7. However, on the night preceding the expiration of the ultimatum given to the Splinter MSSN group, to make peace with the mainstream MSSN and reconcile accordingly, a text message was sent to the Vice Dean, DSA, from the Splinter MSSN group that they had contacted someone who would help broker the reconciliation talks and that the person said he would see the Chief Imam of the Central mosque later. The DSA quickly apprehended this as delay tactics as the text could have been sent earlier.
Otherwise, why the night preceding the expiration of the ultimatum to reconcile? In any case, on the agreed date when the ultimatum expired (Tuesday 30th August, 2016), the DSA expected them to come for a meeting at the DSA’s office, but to our chagrin they refused to show up.
8. Meanwhile, acting upon the invitation earlier extended to the DSA by this splinter MSSN group, the Acting Dean and Vice Dean at about 10.45am on 31st August, 2016, visited the Fajuyi and Awolowo Halls with a view to seeing for themselves samples of the activities of the splinter MSSN group.
We told them of many irregular and outright illegal things we have heard them do at the ‘mosques’. We made them realise that they had been holding unauthorized religious programmes in these ‘mosques’ and several other places on campus without approval from the DSA. They, however, argued
that they had not been violent but law abiding and that they had never done anything illegal or irregular in any of their religious meetings.
9. But on this our visit to Awolowo ‘mosque’, we discovered a door leading to one of the rooms in the ‘mosque’ was securely locked from inside and the occupants refused to open. We threatened to force the door open if they refused any further, and after much persuasion, the door was opened and we discovered to our utter amazement that a group of girls numbering about a dozen were locked inside the room either fully or partially veiled. Our amazement was that the room in which they were locked or locked themselves was in a male hall, we wondered to no end why purported female students would be locked up in a male hall during lecture hours, no matter the excuse. Before we could interrogate them, some escaped through the backdoor of the room but we were able to apprehend three of them from whom we collected their identity cards.
10. At the Fajuyi Hall, we also discovered to utter shock that a group of girls who purported themselves to be students were locked in a room in the ‘mosque’. We interrogated them and they claimed that they were kept there by their leaders who happen to be the leaders of MSSN splinter group. They, in addition claimed that they were praying in the room. Our dilemma was why a group of female students would claim to be praying during lecture hours in an exclusive male hall at around 11am! There were five girls in this room and we collected the identity cards from four of them. The fifth one who was fully veiled said she had not her identity card on her. However, a male student who vouched for this fully veiled girl volunteered to stand in for her until she produced her identity card. We collected this male student’s identity card.
11. Having observed the seeming obstinacy of the splinter MSSN group to interact with the DSA and to fulfill the requirements of the agreement reached on 23rd August, we again were forced to send a follow-up invitation to them stating that they should come to the DSA for a meeting on Wednesday, 31st August for a serious interaction at the DSA’s office. But to our utter dismay they sent a text message to the DSA that all of them in the group would be having Continuous Assessment tests from 10am to 5pm on 31st August, 2016. We replied that text message that no test of any kind could possibly last from 10am to 5pm in this University and that in their own interest they needed to show up for the meeting on or before 2.00pm on 31st August to discuss the issue of reconciliation as agreed in our last meeting with them.
12. The splinter MSSN group eventually came in the afternoon of 31st August at about 1.15pm. We intimated them with our findings and told them they had to put a stop to their practice of harbouring girls in rooms within the ‘mosques’. Their leaders insisted that they could not abide by that demand and that they reserved the right to keep any of their female members in the rooms in the ‘mosque’! We explained to them that what they were doing was contrary to the laws of the University and the regulations guiding religious worship and students’ conduct. But they held their ground that since the ‘mosque’ was a place of worship they could not abide by the rules and the need to desist from keeping female students within its rooms at any time. The meeting ended in a stalemate.
13. We thereafter pleaded with the Chief Imam of the University to take full charge of the ‘mosques’ and prevent forthwith any breach of the University’s rules within its walls. He declined flatly and said he would rather not be held responsible for what ever happened in those ‘mosques’ as he had since dissociated himself from the practices and doctrines of the splinter MSSN who controlled it.
14. It should be noted that the Federal Government, of Nigeria of which Obafemi Awolowo University is an integral part, has not legalized prostitution in Universities. It is pertinent to note also that no female should be camped in a male facility under the guise of religion, as this is tantamount to running a brothel which will breed prostitution; and this is illegal. It is only fit, proper and responsible that any grossly abused university facility be closed down.
15. Consequently, acting within its powers to prevent any breakdown of law and order and to ensure freedom of movement of persons within the respective halls of residence, especially at this time of dire security concern in the country, the DSA has therefore acted this 2nd day of September, 2016 to seal off and close down henceforth, the two ‘mosques’ in Awolowo and Fajuyi Halls until such a time that orderliness and the rule of the University would be respected within its walls.
The Nigerian Army and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) are tightening the noose round the neck of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad area, according to indications yesterday.
The troops have blocked all supply routes to the insurgents in the build-up to the next stage of liberating the over 200 Chibok girls abducted two years ago by the terrorists.
The blockade covers arms, ammunition and other logistics, highly placed sources said.
The number of MNJTF troops deployed in the Lake Chad Basin by Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republic had hit 10,500 by yesterday.
The MNJTF forces are receiving intelligence and reconnaissance assistance from France, Britain and the United States.
New reports by an international aid organisation, Mercy Corps, have revealed how Boko Haram insurgents use informal micro credit schemes and promises of safety to recruit hundreds of youths and pupils as fighters.
The beneficiaries, the reports funded by the Ford Foundation added, received amounts ranging from N10,000 to N1m in order to buy motorcycles, restock their trading stores and grow their small-scale businesses.
The reports, presented on Thursday in Lagos, also highlighted how repression from the military and access to interest-free finance, among others, had perpetuated terrorism and elicited sympathy from communities in the North.
However, the Lead Researcher and Global Director, Conflict Management for Mercy Corps, Rebecca Wolfe, said many of the locals did not know that the credits were from the insurgents.
The reports noted, “Roughly one out of three respondents had completed secular secondary school and about the same number had completed some sort of Islamic schooling.”
Titled, “Motivations and Empty Promises: Voices of former Boko Haram combatants and Nigerian Youth and Gifts and Graft: How Boko Haram uses Financial Services for Recruitment and Support,” the reports revealed that peer pressure and the availability of girls were also incentives to the beneficiaries.
According to Wolfe, 47 former members of the insurgent groups, comprising 21 females and 26 males, 45 community members and seven others, who refused the sect’s incentives were interviewed during the study.
She added, “Sometimes the people did not know. It is usually something like a friend coming to give them money for their business and they later find out that the friend is a member of Boko Haram. I asked them, ‘Don’t you people know?’ But it turned out that sometimes, they did not know what they were getting into.
“One male recipient shared how he was complaining to a friend that he wanted a job so he could better provide for his parents. The friend then liaised with Boko Haram leaders to secure a motorcycle to allow the recipient start a business,” she said.
Meanwhile, the reports recommended that the government should, in the post-conflict era, “increase the quality, availability and diversity of financial services, particularly to youths with small, informal businesses. Increase transparency and accessibility to government-led economic programmes. Explore financial services to help youths achieve their ambitions, among other interventions.”
A member of the team, Ballama Mustafa, who urged the government to make its presence felt in remote communities in the region, added that interventions should be interest-free and should not exclude locals, who are not literate.
He added, “There are diverse paths to membership. Some were abducted and some joined because they had friends who were insurgents. Some joined to avenge the deaths of their family members or friends. When the military invades a community after a terrorist attack, you find that the military arrests people indiscriminately. But Boko Haram also does that. When they go into a community, they can kill parents who have prevented their children from joining them. One of our recommendations is that communities and schools should create counter-narratives to dissuade youths and pupils from joining the sect.”
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said on Thursday that one of its fighter jets had carried out an attack on a location where some injured top leaders of Boko Haram were hiding inside northern Borno.
The Boko Haram leaders were believed to be part of those that survived the August 20 air raid that led to the death of well over 300 insurgents according to the military records.
Spokesman for the NAF, Ayodele Famuyiwa, a Group Captain, who made this public in a statement, said the air raid was effected following intelligence that revealed that some of the Boko Haram commanders had fled to take refuge at secret camp called Tumbun Rego where they were to get medical care.
NAF had also released a link to the video footage showing how the camp was being bombarded.
New reports by an international aid organisation, Mercy Corps, have revealed how Boko Haram insurgents use informal micro credit schemes and promises of safety to recruit hundreds of youths and pupils as fighters.
The beneficiaries, the reports funded by the Ford Foundation added, received amounts ranging from N10,000 to N1m in order to buy motorcycles, restock their trading stores and grow their small-scale businesses.
The reports, presented on Thursday in Lagos, also highlighted how repression from the military and access to interest-free finance, among others, had perpetuated terrorism and elicited sympathy from communities in the North.
However, the Lead Researcher and Global Director, Conflict Management for Mercy Corps, Rebecca Wolfe, said many of the locals did not know that the credits were from the insurgents.
The reports noted, “Roughly one out of three respondents had completed secular secondary school and about the same number had completed some sort of Islamic schooling.”
Titled, “Motivations and Empty Promises: Voices of former Boko Haram combatants and Nigerian Youth and Gifts and Graft: How Boko Haram uses Financial Services for Recruitment and Support,” the reports revealed that peer pressure and the availability of girls were also incentives to the beneficiaries.
According to Wolfe, 47 former members of the insurgent groups, comprising 21 females and 26 males, 45 community members and seven others, who refused the sect’s incentives were interviewed during the study.
She added, “Sometimes the people did not know. It is usually something like a friend coming to give them money for their business and they later find out that the friend is a member of Boko Haram. I asked them, ‘Don’t you people know?’ But it turned out that sometimes, they did not know what they were getting into.
“One male recipient shared how he was complaining to a friend that he wanted a job so he could better provide for his parents. The friend then liaised with Boko Haram leaders to secure a motorcycle to allow the recipient start a business,” she said.
Meanwhile, the reports recommended that the government should, in the post-conflict era, “increase the quality, availability and diversity of financial services, particularly to youths with small, informal businesses. Increase transparency and accessibility to government-led economic programmes. Explore financial services to help youths achieve their ambitions, among other interventions.”
A member of the team, Ballama Mustafa, who urged the government to make its presence felt in remote communities in the region, added that interventions should be interest-free and should not exclude locals, who are not literate.
