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  • Bloodbath in Rivers: Hoodlums attack police van, behead DSP, orderly

    Bloodbath in Rivers: Hoodlums attack police van, behead DSP, orderly

    Two policemen have been reportedly killed by hoodlums in Rivers state, Nigeria on Saturday at Ujju community near Omoku in Ogba/Edema/Ndoni council area, during the Rivers rerun elections in the state.

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) the newly-created 6 Division of the Army in Port Harcourt, Major General Kasimu Abdulkarim, made this disclosure Sunday.

    Abdulkarim said the hoodlums snatched the police patrol vehicle and weapons, killing DSP Alkali Mohammed, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Mobile Police Unit 48, and his orderly in the process.

    He said while three policemen escaped, five were still “missing in action” in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers, where the state’s Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, hails from.

    Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, and Obuah had earlier accused the Army and policemen of killing three PDP members (two in Bodo-Ogoni in Gokana Local Government Area and one in Tai-Ogoni Local Government Area) aiding All Progressives Congress (APC) members to hijack electoral materials.

    The GOC, however, declared that the allegations made by some respected politicians regarding deep involvement of soldiers during the elections were false and aimed at tarnishing the army’s image.

    To Abdulkarim, PDP leaders, “weighty” allegations that soldiers were involved in ballot box snatching, illegal escort of some politicians, arrest and detention of voters could cause members of the public to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform the public on the true perspective. He said the public should consider the allegations as “mere farce to garner sympathy”.

    The GOC maintained that the 6 Division remained apolitical, adding that its soldiers provided perimeter defence to ward off hoodlums and miscreants.

    “The most brutal incident occurred (during Saturday’s rerun) at Ujju community near Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State, where a police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen scampered into the bush. The Mobile Police organized a rescue mission.

    “Regrettably, the team discovered that DSP Alkali Mohammed of Mobile Police Unit 48 was beheaded along with his orderly. The patrol vehicle was taken away with weapons. Three policemen escaped. Five were missing in action.

    “This is the same area where soldiers of 34 Brigade were ambushed on November 20, 2016, where a soldier was killed. Also, on November 21, 2016, four personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed and their weapons carted away.

    “These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray the area as a flashpoint. Despite this barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionalism, guaranteeing peaceful elections.

    “Nigerian Army, as a respected institution with constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, could not watch miscreants and hoodlums abducting, maiming and killing innocent citizens, especially in senseless attacks on uniform personnel,” he said.

  • ‘Finish-off Boko Haram’, Buratai charges troops

    ‘Finish-off Boko Haram’, Buratai charges troops

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai has charged Nigerian soldiers to finish off Boko Haram remnants on time to enable Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) return to their homes.

    The Chief of Army Staff gave the charge when he visited troops of the 81 battalion in Damboa Local Government Area in Borno state.

    Buratai who reiterated the determination of the army towards enhancing the welfare of troops, said rotation of soldiers would take place after every six months of deployment.

    “I am sure you have read and heard the message I sent across. If you are aware of it then we must work to get out of this place. We must work to get out of this operation very quickly. We must defeat Boko Haram.

    “I was in one of the barracks and many of the troops were already there and I have assured your families that many of you will go back next Year.

    “81 battalion is my unit too when I was a lieutenant Colonel This unit has seen it all. You fought along with the Cameroonian troops in this battle which means you are better placed to deal with this criminals.

    “We must continue with the aggressive actions, patrol and ambush. You must move into all the hideouts of these criminals and fish them out. Some of your colleagues in Sambisa Forest are dealing with them properly.

    “You are better equipped, better motivated and mobile.The army has provided you with better equipment to fish Boko Haram out and deal with them completely.

    “I wish to commend your effort and I urge you all to maintain the momentum and keep it high. Nigerians are proud of you. President Muhammadu Buhari the Commander in Chief is also pleased with you,” he said.

    The COAS also visited Alpha Company of 25 brigade in Damboa where he assessed the newly constructed permanent headquarters of the brigade.

  • Rivers rerun: Army reacts to Wike, others accusations

    The 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, has said that the allegations made by Governor Nyesom Wike and other politicians, accusing the military of involvement in the Saturday legislative re-run elections in the state are aimed at tarnishing the image of the army.

    Maj.-Gen. Kasimu Abdulkarim, the General Officer Commanding of the 6 division reacted to the allegations in a statement made available the Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

    Abdulkarim flatly denied accusations that soldiers were involved in mass killing and arrest at Tai and Gokhana Local Government Areas of Rivers.

    “It is true that soldiers of 6 Division Nigerian Army provided security during the Rivers legislative re-run election.

    “These people allegedly accused soldiers of ballot box snatching, illegal escorts of some politicians, arrest and detention of voters during the general conduct of the elections.

    “The weighty nature of these allegations could cause members of the public to view soldiers negatively, hence the need to adequately inform the general public on the true perspective.

    “The public thus need to consider them as mere farce to garner public sympathy,” the GOC said.

    According to Abdulkarim, the 6 Division, Nigerian Army remained apolitical in the conduct of the election. Its soldiers provided perimeter defence to ward off hoodlums and miscreants.

    He said that the troops were in no way involved in any form of ballot box snatching, neither were they involved in the escort of politicians as alleged.

    “They acted swiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the police and other security agencies especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokhana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku amongst others.

    “Susceptibility of mentioned areas warranted providing security for the electoral officials, voters, international and local observers, in conjunction with other security agencies by soldiers for a peaceful election to thrive in the environment,” he said.

    The GOC said those areas were violated by armed men, who engaged security personnel in shootout.

    “In Gokhana, armed hoodlums engaged the soldiers providing outer perimeter defence for the electorates.

    “In Abonema there were three explosions that created bedlam.

    “Subsequently, 11 NYSC members were abducted along with electoral materials.

    “However, 10 of them were rescued two hours later by the soldiers while one was rescued about eight hours later.

    “At Emouh five NYSC members were abducted with election materials in a Siena bus.

    “The corps members were rescued while the suspect was handed over to the police.

    “Several shooting were recorded in some communities such as Bodo, the home town of the Secretary to the State Government, and Mogho in Gokhana Local Government Area, including snatching of ballot boxes.

    “The most brutal incidence occurred at Ujju Community near Omoku in Onelga where police patrol team was ambushed. In the ambush, 10 policemen scampered into the bush.

    “These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order which portray the area as a flash point.

    “In spite these barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionalism in guaranteeing peaceful election,” he said.

    Abdulkarim said that the army as a respected institution with constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property, could not watch miscreants and hoodlums abduct, maim and kill innocent citizens, especially “in senseless attacks.”

    He described the accusations of soldiers partisanship as “sham and phoney”.

    He said that the division would continue to remain apolitical in the discharge of its roles.

  • Buratai launches four policy handbooks for Army

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday launched four handbooks on four policies for the Nigerian Army.

    They are the Nigerian Army Strategy in the North-East; Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Telephone and Human Rights.

    Launching the handbooks at the venue of the ongoing Chief of Army Staff Conference in Owerri, Buratai urged officers and men of the Army to read and apply the policies accordingly.

    On policy on strategy in the North-East, Buratai said it was formulated and published for the benefit of officers, especially commanders operating in the area.

    He also said that the strategy was good for all aspiring commanders across all the army formations.

    He said, “Once you read and apply it, you will definitely operate seamlessly in all Theatre of operations.”

    The handbooks were restricted to army personnel.

  • Yuletide: Nigerian Army to dismantle some road blocks in South-East

    The Nigerian Army “Operation Python Dance’’ in the South-East says some of its road blocks will be dismantled to facilitate free flow of traffic during the Yuletide.

    Col. Musa Sagir, Deputy Director, Public Relations of 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu, disclosed this while on patrol with newsmen at the River Niger Bridge head, Onitsha and Awka, on Sunday.

    Sagir said that it had become imperative to remove totally or shorten some of the check points, particularly within the bridge head, Onitsha, as the Yuletide drew closer.

    He called on other security agencies operating within the bridge head to support the Army to ensure free flow of traffic in the area.

    He said that the operation was not to witch-hunt any group or individuals but it was purely for military training and crime prevention.

    “Our men stay on the side of road watching in case of any criminality and obstruction on the road.

    “You have seen that we are not looking for any group or individual to arrest since our operation started on Nov. 27 and will end on Dec. 27 in the five eastern states.

    “The Nigerian Army has to ensure safety, peace and security, and to ensure that Nigeria’s security challenges are reduced to the barest minimum.

    “No holidays for all the military personnel in the South-East throughout the period of the exercise,’’ Sagir said.