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  • Aged woman regains sight at Army medical outreach in Rivers

    An aged woman, Mrs Margaret Okere, on Thursday regained her sight after undergoing an examination at the ongoing Nigerian Army medical outreach at Umuokwa Community, Igboh-Etche, Etche Local Government Area of Rivers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Army is conducting educational and medical outreach programme in host communities where the ‘Exercise Crocodile Smile 2’ is going on.

    Okere told newsmen during the programme that she had not been able to see for a long time.

    “I regained my sight after the doctors here examined me, gave me eye drop and eyeglass.

    “My grandson brought me here when he heard that there will be a military-free medical outreach. I give God the glory, as I can see very well now.

    “God bless the Nigerian military for carrying out this exercise,” she said.

    Mrs Promise Okechukwu, a native of Umuokwa, said that she and her baby were examined and given the necessary drugs.
    “Since I put to bed six months ago, my baby has been vomiting but today she has been taken care of free of charge by the army medical team.

    “I thank god and very grateful to the army for bringing this programme to my community,” she said.

    Another beneficiary, Mr Samuel Nwankwo said that the army free medical programme was the first ever carried out in the community.

    Nwankwo said that he was happy and thanked God for directing the army to come to his community.

    “Today, I have gotten the opportunity for my eye to be examined and necessary eye drop given to me.

    “I thank the army, they are not what people are saying they are, God bless them,” he said.

    Mrs Lilian Nwala, another beneficiary, said that she was at the centre for medical examination.

    “They are very friendly, as the medical personnel were attending to us one after the other.

    “I’m happy for the drugs they have given me after the examination, and I pray this continue,” she said.

    Another beneficiary, Mr Clement Emejuru urged the community to cooperate and get themselves treated.

    Emejuru disclosed that he was examined by a dentist and all the drugs he needed had been given to him.

    “What the army is doing is very fantastic, they are helping us to be healthy and live longer.

    “The army has never carried out shooting in Igbo-Etche before, so this is not a programme to scare us but to keep us alive,” he said.

    Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), represented by Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, Chief of Logistics (Army), said that the outreach was a civic responsibility to create smooth relationship with host communities.

    Buratai said that the army had always carried out positive activities in any community they were to ensure that the people were comfortable.

    “In some places that we are, if they don’t have water, we provide boreholes for them to get water, where there are medical challenges; we provide a solution for them.

    “Places where we think the primary or secondary school is lacking educational materials, we also provide for as part of our civic responsibility,” he said.

    The COAS said that the rumoured military vaccine was a creation of miscreants that were not comfortable with military’s resolve to fix them.

    “The army has the responsibility of protecting the Nigerian people’s interest, so whatever people say to tarnish the Nigerian Army, we will not bulge by that.

    “These are mere propaganda by miscreants and disloyal citizens who go about tarnishing the image of the country and the army,” he added.

    Dr Samuel Amaechi, the Eze Onyeishi-Agwuru of Igboh-Etche, commended the Nigerian Army for the free medical outreach and called on his subjects to take full advantage of the exercise.

    While urging other agencies to emulate the gesture, the traditional ruler also called for the sustenance of the programme.

     

  • We arrested 106 criminals, recovered 26 guns during Operation ‘Python Dance’ –Army

    The Nigerian Army said on Monday that its troops arrested 106 suspected armed robbers, kidnappers and cult members during the just concluded Operation Python Dance in the five South-East states.

    The Army, who noted that the suspects had been handed over to the state police commands, said 26 assorted guns were also recovered during the exercise.

    The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, and 82 Division, Col. Sagir Musa, said this in a statement, where he noted that the exercise, despite its controversies, had reduced crimes in the South-East.

    Musa added, “The one month Exercise Egwu Eke (Python Dance) II, conducted at the 82 Division’s area of responsibility, which covers the South-East geopolitical zone, helped in thwarting criminal activities such as illegal bunkering, armed robbery, kidnapping, violent secession agitations, banditry and communal clashes.

    “So far, 106 suspects were arrested for different offences, in different areas across the South-East and all were handed over to the police in the various police commands across the region. In addition, 26 assorted arms and some quantities of cartridges were recovered.

    “At the end of the Army exercise, available records from the Division’s Medical Hospital and Services indicated that 10,446 persons, excluding school pupils, benefited from the free medical outreaches conducted by the division.”

    According to the Army, among the outreaches were in the Isuokwaoto Local Government Area of Abia State, which had 2,005 persons and Nkwaagu community, Abakaliki Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, which had 1,401 persons.

    Operation Python Dance, which started on September 15 and lasted till October 14, was held in the five south-eastern states of Abia, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi and Anambra.

    The exercise also touched some parts of Cross River State.

    During the operation, the Army at the 82 Division divided its troops into four sectors.

    It said it conducted raids on suspected criminal hideouts and arrested fleeing cult members in various communities.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai officially ended the Operation Python Dance on Monday.

     

  • Army ends operation ‘Python Dance II’ in South East

    The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has officially ended operation Egwu Eke II, (translated as python dance II) which took place at 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Area of Responsibility and Cross River.

    Col. Sagir Musa, Deputy Director Public Relations of 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu, said this in a statement issued in Enugu on Monday.

    Musa said that Buratai, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar, declared the end of exercise at a ceremony in Sector 1 Tactical Headquarters at Umuahia, Abia at about 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct 14.

    He said that the exercise was ended with the traditional activation of campfire to formally signify the successful completion of the operation.

    “The COAS, through Gen. Abubakar, commended all the officers, soldiers and personnel of para-military organisations that collaborated and synergised, worked tirelessly and commendably throughout the one month period for the exercise.

    “He remarked further that the achievements recorded during the exercise in the areas of attainment of the mission specific training objectives, improvement in peace and security, curtailing the menace of violent irredentist groups in the theatre of the exercise (South Eastern part of Nigeria) is remarkable.

    “On the part of the government and good people of Abia State, the representative of the Governor of Abia State, Eng. Emmanuel Nwabuko, expressed appreciation of the government and people of the state for the numerous achievements of exercise Egwu Eke II in terms of improvement of peace, security and stability of the state.”

    He said that the government gave assurance that it will always leverage on the existing relationship between its people and the Nigerian Army whenever the need arises.

    Musa said that top commanders of formations and units within the division and representatives of Army Headquarters and Defence Headquarters attended the closing ceremony.

     

    NAN

  • ‘Stop assaulting Abia indigenes’ Ikpeazu warns Army

    Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has warned the Nigerian army against assaulting indigenes of the state.

    Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had clashed with soldiers during the Operation Python Dance in Abia State.There have been reports that soldiers were extorting indigenes and also arresting and torturing some of them.

    The governor urged the Commander of the 14 Brigade, Nigeria Army Ohafia, Brig.-Gen. Adul Ibrahim to monitor the soldiers.

    He said the state will not condone the abuse of human rights of indigenes.

    The statement read in part, “While the state government has always indicated its preparedness to cooperate with all security agencies in their lawful operations within the state, we shall not condone a situation where the presence of the Army in the state becomes a platform to (trample on) the human rights of our people and subject them to inhumane and degrading treatments without any lawful excuse.

    “The Government of Abia State shall no longer condone this unwarranted assault on the people of the state. Our people, as law-abiding citizens, deserve their basic freedom and fundamental rights to life, personal liberty and dignity of the human person.

    “These rights are guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the same law from which the Army derives its authority. These rights can only be tampered with in accordance with laid-down legal procedures and not according to the caprices of individual Army officers.”

  • CCTV showed army looting Kanu’s home, says family

    The family of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, claimed in a petition submited to United Nations, the European Union and other foreign countries, accusing the Nigerian Army of looting valuables from their son’s home during a raid on October 8.

    Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who is well known as Kanu’s personal lawyer, signed the petition on behalf of the traditional head of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, in Abia State, and Kanu’s father, Eze Isreal Okwu-Kanu.

    The Army had claimed that lethal weapons were recovered from the house.

    The letters read in part, “We are solicitors to the family of His Royal Majesty, Eze Isreal Okwu-Kanu, hereinafter referred to as ‘our client’ and on whose standing instruction we file this communication with the British Government.

    “It is our brief, that on the 8th day of October, 2017, our client’s son’s home (Nnamdi Kanu) in Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, in Abia State was invaded, and violently looted by rampaging Nigerian soldiers and their police counterparts.

    “The CCTV footage which picked the horrendous raids, revealed the brazen looting and carting away of valuables and household equipment by the above named security agents.”

    The separate letters were addressed to the Resident Representatives of UN and EU, the US Ambassador, the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, the High Commissioner of the British High Commission; and the High Commissioner, the Canadian High Commission.

    A copy of the letter sent to the British High Commission sighted by our correspondent on Saturday, stated that since the invasion of the family home of the Kanus on September 14, 2017, neither a family member nor any lawyer in their legal team “has been able to establish any form of contact with Nnamdi Kanu.”

    The letter added that the IPOB leader might have been killed during the military operation.

    It added that the raid on October 8 lacked any legal backing as there were many pending suits challenging the earlier invasion by soldiers and another challenging the court order proscribing IPOB.

    The letter read in part, “The raid and consequent looting in the home of our client’s son, (a British citizen) by the soldiers and their police counterparts does not enjoy the protection, backing, and legitimacy of any known legislative enactment in Nigeria.

    “It is, therefore, not unlikely, that he may have been killed in the well-coordinated bloody onslaught in his home. The attached CCTV footage picked clearly the horrendous activity of these rampaging security personnel in the home of our client.”

    The family urged the foreign governments to treat the proscription of IPOB with circumspect, adding that the legality or otherwise of it was already being challenged in court.

    The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen. Sani Usman, could not be reached for comments as his mobile rang out. He had yet to reply to a text sent to him as of the time of filing this report.

    Usman had, during a briefing last Thursday, insisted that the army did not raid Kanu’s house as alleged.

    The deputy Director, and 81 division Spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, also was not available for comment as of press time.

  • PHOTOS: Army launches ‘Operation Crocodile Smile II’ in Lagos

    The Nigerian Army on Friday said the increase in crimes in coastal areas of the country compelled it to step up training and operations in the amphibious environment.

    PHOTOS: Army launches ‘Operation Crocodile Smile II’ in Lagos

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, said this at Takwa Bay Island in Lagos State when he launched “Exercise Crocodile Smile II.”

    According to him, the ‘Order of Battle’ 2016 provides for the amphibious battalion in the island to keep the coastal area of Lagos State safe.

    He said “a detachment of Nigerian Army has since been stationed on the island; more army presence will also be felt soon on the island and other parts of the country in line with the 2016 Order of Battle as fund becomes available.”

    The army chief recalled that the first phase of the exercise which took place between August and September 2016 in Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Imo and Rivers states recorded tremendous success.

    He said it degraded activities of militants and illegal oil bunkering, destruction of kidnappers’ den and rescue of kidnapped victims, destruction of cultists’ camps, among others.

    Buratai, however, said the success of Exercise Crocodile Smile I in those states pushed some criminal elements to other parts of the country, thus necessitating “readjustment” of area of operation of the second phase in 2017.

    He added that it was in that regard that the exercise was being conducted in the South-South and South West regions.

    He noted that it was being done with sister agencies to sharpen troops’ combat skills on land and amphibious environment and consolidate on gains achieved in the first phase.

     

     

    NAN

  • Army releases 760 Boko Haram suspects to Borno State Govt

    The Nigeria Army on Friday said it has transferred 760 suspected Boko Haram members to Borno State Government for reintegration into the society.

    The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement in Maiduguri.

    Nwachikwu said the suspects were handed over to the government at the Bulunkutu State Rehabilitation Centre, Maiduguri.

    He disclosed that the suspects were arrested during the ongoing crackdown on the insurgents in the North East by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole.

    He said the suspects were cleared after interrogations and investigations by the Joint Intelligence Centre (JIC) of the Theatre Command.

    He added that the suspects were handed over to the state government by the Coordinator of the JIC, Brig.-Gen. Abdulrahman Kuliya.

    “The JIC has cleared 760 suspects. The crackdown on Boko Haram terrorists is yielding positive results, culminating in significant reduction in terrorists’ activities in the North East,” the statement quoted Kuliya as saying at the forum.

    He urged members of the public to provide useful information to security agents on suspicious activities in their communities.

     

  • Boko Haram’s menace over in Nigeria – Army

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, said on Wednesday that the military is now on the verge of completely routing out Boko Haram terrorists and other criminal elements across the country, insisting that their operations have been contained.

    He, however, said it is important for the media to support the military in its ongoing campaigns to secure the nation.

    According to Buratai, the misunderstanding and misconception by various human rights organisations and journalists about the ongoing military operations in the country will be a thing of the past once the narratives about military operations take a positive dimension.

    The army chief made the remarks while declaring open a two-day Media Workshop and Second/Third Quarters Directorate of Army Public Relations Study Period 2017 with the theme: “Enhancing Human Rights during Internal Security Operations Through Effective Information Management.”

    Buratai, who was represented by the Commander of Army Garrison Headquarters, Major Gen. John Malu said: “I am particularly delighted that this study period is coming at this time that the nation and the military are at a very critical phase of various security challenges affecting our nation.

    “It is critical since the military is on the verge of completely routing out Boko Haram terrorists and other criminals from the nation’s territory. This comes with a very important role for the media and the DAPR tasked within the information management of the Nigerian Army.

    “It is pertinent to state that the Nigerian Army in conjunction with other security agencies had reached a very important stage in the war against terrorists, having contained their operations to desperate, albeit murderous, suicide attacks and attacks on soft targets with a few futile attempts to portray themselves as a coherent force.

    “We will continue to engage and degrade them up until they are completely no more. We are determined to achieve this within a shortest possible time.

    “At this point, let me call on citizens of our nation, particularly human rights activist and media practitioners to partner with the Nigerian Army and the DAPR in the collective effort to bring to an end the menace of various security challenges affecting the nation.

    “The reportage and editorial dimensions taken by journalists will in no small measure aid the efforts of the military. While carrying out your role as the fourth estate of the realm, I implore you to do your part in the collective effort to stamp out evil from our nation.”

  • Senate probes compulsory dismissal of 38 officers in Nigerian army

    The Nigerian Senate has begun an investigation into the dismissal of 38 men of the Nigerian Army, after one of the affected officers, Abdulfatai Mohammed, wrote a petition to the National Assembly.

    Mr Mohammed’s petition was received by the Senate through Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta, APC) on July 19 this year.

    The petition was then referred to the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions chaired by Samuel Anyanwu, (Imo, PDP) for investigation. The first hearing of the committee on the petition has been slated for Wednesday.

    At the hearing, the parties, including the Army and the affected officer, will make presentations in connection with the petition, alleging arbitrariness in the manner the officers were removed from service by the military.

    The army had in June 2016, announced the compulsory retirement of the 38 officers on different ranks on the grounds of alleged professional misconduct during the 2015 general elections, as well as involvement in the $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal.

    However, series of investigations (Premium Times), revealed that the Army breached its own rule by retiring most of the officers without query or indictment by any panel, thereby raising the question of arbitrariness.

    At least thrice, they have petitioned the Presidency. But at no time has any of them been replied.

    The petition to the Senate is the latest of their efforts at seeking reinstatement.

  • Nigeria @57: Coalition salutes Nigerian Armed Forces as guardian of democracy

    Nigeria @57: Coalition salutes Nigerian Armed Forces as guardian of democracy

    As Nigeria celebrates its 57th independence anniversary, The Coalition of Civil Society Organization for Transparency and Good Governance has commended the sacrifices of the military, describing the country’s Armed Forces as “guardian” of the country’s democracy.

    This was part of resolutions reached at the end of a one-day plenary session held by the coalition.

    The communique issued at the end of the meeting called for an end to every secession agitation while urging advocates of restructuring to channel their demands through the National Assembly since it would help Nigeria evolve into a better country.

    The communique signed by Patriot Sabo Odeh, Chairman, CDC and Rev Samson Onwu, Secretary, CDC commended the military for defending Nigeria’s democracy since 1999 when the country returned to civil rule and deferring to civil authorities which it respects at all times.

    It reads in part, “We appeal to the Nigerian military not to relent in going after terrorists that do not want Nigeria to keep existing as a united country.

    “Plenary charged all stakeholders in the Nigerian project to always remember that patriotism demands everyone to be forward-looking in their approaches. To this end, a committee to evolve a new narrative of greatness for Nigeria’s 100 years of independence was constituted and terms of reference given for all Nigerians to work together as one family in love and unity for the good of our country.”

    The group said it has taken note of the increasing agitation for restructuring of Nigeria, but observed that the content, nature, process and procedures for achieving the restructuring being canvassed are unconstitutional and constitute unnecessary heating of the polity for selfish and primordial interest.

    It further noted that criminals and terrorists are hiding behind these demands of self-seeking Nigerians to attempt dividing Nigeria in violation of all known international instruments.

    “These terrorists, in addition to canvassing their manifestoes, are currently attempting to intimidate, blackmail and subdue the military and security agencies including direct attacks on troops.

    “The plenary asserted that the agitations by terrorists that are pursuing secessionist agenda must be immediately tackled without sentiments and bias if Nigeria is to celebrate more Independence Anniversaries as a united and prosperous country,” the communique added.