TheNewsGuru

Tag: Attacks

  • Security agents working hard to stop herdsmen attacks – Buhari assures Nigerians

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said he is committed to ending the recurring clashes between native farmers and nomadic herdsmen in different parts of the country.

    He said security agents deployed to affected areas would achieve the feat in no distant time.

    According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President gave the assurance while receiving the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    “The President assured Nigerians that the rising attacks on communities by herdsmen will soon be brought under control by security forces deployed to the vulnerable areas across the country.

    “He said the unfortunate incident of attacks, which had resulted in loss of lives and properties, had already brought sorrow and hardship on many Nigerians, with the government deeply affected,” the statement read.

    The President also said his administration remained resolute and focused on delivering on the three-pronged promises of “securing the lives and properties of Nigerians, halting the pillage of the economy by corrupt public officials, and creating employment opportunities for the youths.”

    He said the initial economic challenge posed by recession was already dwindling, with the economy smarting out and posting better results on falling inflation rates, higher foreign reserve and better ranking on ease of doing business.

    “If you look critically into the 2018 budget, we have already taken into account key issues of more stable electricity, construction of roads and rails, and the airport concession,” he said.

    The President said the government would work more to accelerate and increase momentum in agriculture, power, gas, manufacturing and processing, while commending the Chinese government for its support in improving infrastructure in Nigeria.

  • BREAKING: Six dead as herdsmen strike again in Benue

    There was pandemonium in Benue State on Wednesday as some suspected Fulani herdsmen struck again in another set of renewed attacks on communities in Logo, Guma and Okpokwu Local Government Areas of state killing six people.

    Governor Samuel Ortom confirmed the attacks on Wednesday at the Government House in Makurdi, the state capital.

    He made the disclosure when he received a former military administrator of the state, Brigadier General Dominic Oneya (rtd), who led a delegation on a condolence visit to the governor.

    Governor Ortom said two women were reported killed in Guma LGA and two persons in Logo on Tuesday, stressing that pockets of killings were still going on.

    The state was thrown into another round of mourning on Wednesday as he confirmed another set of killings by suspected herdsmen in Odidi and Ojokpailo in Okpokwu LGA.

    The Governor reiterated his call on security agencies to arrest the leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore whom he alleged were still issuing threats of resisting implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law in the state.

    He thanked General Oneya for identifying with people of the state in their trying moment, stressing that it was a demonstration of a true friend.

    Ortom, however, noted that the crises between herdsmen and farmers had lingered for years without anyone coming up with a bold step to address the issues.

    He further stressed that implementing the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law was targeted at finding a permanent solution to the challenge in the state.

     

    More details shortly…

  • UN condemns deadly attacks on civilians in Borno

    The Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, on Tuesday condemned the deadly attacks targeting innocent civilians in Konduga, Banki and Ngala areas of Borno.

    Kallon expressed this view in a statement by Biodun Banire, Public Information Officer, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday in Abuja

    He said that four attacks in recent weeks, three of which were carried out by suicide bombers, had claimed the lives of over 45 civilians and injured countless others.

    Kallon said that the incidents were indicative of a surge in the brutal violence triggered by a regionalised conflict that is now in its eighth year.

    “Civilians are routinely killed in direct and indiscriminate attacks in the north-east of Nigeria.

    “This conflict, with all its brutality and horrors, is reaching new lows, with more than 80 children used as human bombs in 2017 alone.

    “I call upon all parties to the conflict to respect human life and dignity.

    “The latest attack occurred on September 18 in Konduga area, about 28 kilometers southeast of Maiduguri.

    “Three suicide bombers consecutively detonated explosive devices strapped to their bodies in Mashemari village, killing 13 and injuring many more,” he said.

    According to him, previous attacks in Banki and Ngala targeted camps for internally displaced persons and Nigerian refugees returning home.

    He said that these camps hosted thousands of vulnerable women, men and children, who had been forced to flee their homes and now rely on humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs.

    “The previous Konduga attack in August targeted a market in the town.

    “The frequency of the attacks is on the rise and ‘softer’ targets, such as camps for displaced persons, are being identified by insurgents.

    “This is an extremely worrying trend, while the Government of Nigeria has made significant progress in many locations in the north-east, allowing thousands of people to return home, there is more to be done.

    “I urge the Government of Nigeria to increase efforts to protect civilians,” he said

    He said that the protection of civilians was the focus of the ongoing humanitarian response in the north-east.

    Kallon noted with concern that 8.5 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance in the most affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state’s.

    “Women, children and men face grave human rights violations and sexual and gender-based violence, including rape.

    “Since the start of the conflict in 2009, thousands of people have been killed, thousands of women and girls have been abducted and children have been used as so-called “suicide” bombers,” he said.

     

  • 223 killed in Boko Haram attacks since April – Amnesty International

    A recent data compiled by Amnesty International has pegged the number of people so far killed in different attacks by deadly terrorist group, Boko Haram in North-east Nigeria since April 2017 at 223.

    Most of the attacks occurred in Borno with many of them suicide attacks carried out by women and girls forced into the act.

    In neighbouring Cameroon, at least 158 people were also killed by the terror group within the same period.

    The attacks have continued despite the efforts by the Nigerian military and its neighbouring partners to combat the terror group whose activities have caused about 100,000 deaths since 2009.

    In a statement on Tuesday, Amnesty said its dat‎a showed an increase in Boko Haram attacks when April to early September 2017 is compared to the corresponding period in 2016.

    Read the full statement by Amnesty International below:

    A major resurgence in Boko Haram attacks and suicide bombings in Cameroon and Nigeria has left at least 381 civilians dead in the five months since the start of April 2017, with casualties more than double the previous five months, Amnesty International said on Tuesday.

    According to data collected by the organisation, a sharp rise in civilian deaths in the far north region of Cameroon and the Nigerian states of Borno and Adamawa has been driven by the armed group’s increased use of suicide bombers – often using women and girls who are forced to carry explosives into crowded areas.

    “Boko Haram is once again committing war crimes on a huge scale, exemplified by the depravity of forcing young girls to carry explosives with the sole intention of killing as many people as they possibly can,” said Alioune Tine, Amnesty International’s Director for West and Central Africa.

    “This wave of shocking Boko Haram violence, propelled by a sharp rise in suicide bombings, highlights the urgent need for protection and assistance for millions of civilians in the Lake Chad region. Governments in Nigeria, Cameroon and beyond must take swift action to protect them from this campaign of terror.”

    Northeastern Nigeria: Mass killings and abductions

    Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria have killed at least 223 civilians since April, though the real figure may be higher still as some attacks may have gone unreported. Between May and August, seven times’ more civilians were killed than in the preceding four months, while 100 civilians were killed in August alone.

    The deadliest recent attack came on July 25, when the armed group shot dead 40 people and abducted three others in an ambush on an oil exploration team in the Magumeri area of Borno state.

    Boko Haram suicide bombers have killed at least 81 people in Nigeria since April, while 67 people have been abducted – mostly women and girls – since the start of the year.

    There have been two reports of raids on villages in August, in which Boko Haram fighters rounded up and shot civilians, burned down homes and stole from people’s houses, shops and markets.

    Far North region of Cameroon: weekly suicide attacks

    In Cameroon, Boko Haram have killed at least 158 civilians since April – four times more than in the preceding five months. The recent spike in casualties has been driven by increased suicide attacks, with 30 – more than one per week – carried out since the beginning of April.

    The deadliest attack took place in Waza on July 12, when 16 civilians were killed and at least 34 injured after a young girl was forced to carry and detonate a bomb in a crowded video game centre.

    The town of Kolofata, in the Mayo-Sava district, has been especially targeted with nine attacks since April. Mora, the second largest urban centre in the Far North region, has also been hit three times.

    The displacement of Boko Haram fighters from the Sambisa Forest in Nigeria to the Mandara Mountains in Cameroon, following operations conducted by the Nigerian military, may explain some of the increase in attacks in Cameroon.

    Civilians in need of humanitarian assistance

    Across the Lake Chad region, millions of civilians are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance as a result of Boko Haram violence.

    A total of 2.3 million people have been displaced across the region. This includes 1.6 million internally displaced people and refugees in Nigeria and 303,000 in Cameroon. Another 374,000 are displaced in Chad and Niger.

    More than seven million people across the region face serious food shortages, including five million in Nigeria and 1.5 million in Cameroon. There are 515,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, more than 85 per cent of them in Nigeria.

    The recent increase in insecurity has made humanitarian operations difficult, or even impossible, in some inaccessible areas of northeast Nigeria.

    “Governments across the Lake Chad region must increase their efforts to protect the hundreds of thousands of civilians at grave risk of being targeted by Boko Haram violence, abductions and abuses,” said Alioune Tine.

    “Meanwhile, the international community should also rapidly scale up its commitment to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance to the millions in the region who need it.”

    BACKGROUND


    Amnesty International has been documenting human rights abuses and serious violations of international humanitarian law that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Boko Haram since 2010.

    Amnesty International has compiled and analysed media reports of Boko Haram attacks and casualties, which demonstrate a sharp increase in activity since April 2017 compared to previous months and comparable periods in 2016. The real numbers are likely to be higher, with some deaths unreported.

    In 2017 Boko Haram has also killed civilians during at least 10 attacks in the Diffa region of Niger.
    All parties to the conflict, including Boko Haram, are bound by the rules of international humanitarian law, which explicitly prohibits any direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects.

  • BREAKING: CharlyBoy, others suspend our #OurMumuDonDo protest over attacks

    …plans to restrategise

    The #OurMumuDonDo movement has suspended their #ResumeOrResign protests following the Tuesday attack on them by hoodlums at the Wuse Market in Abuja.

    The group announced the suspension of further protests on Wednesday at the unity fountain, Maitama, saying they needed to restrategise.

    Members of the movement were attacked by a mob at the Wuse market when the co-convener of the protests led his group to the market to address traders.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that one of the leaders of the group, Charly Boy popularly addressed as AreaFada was about addressing the people when some suspected hoodlums infiltrated the crowd, shouting ‘Sai Baba’ and hurling stones at the group.

    Charly Boy was allegedly injured and his car damaged during the fracas.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the protest started nine days ago with the groups asking President Muhammadu Buhari to either resign or resume official duties that he was elected to perform.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Buhari traveled for medical check-up in London on Sunday, May 7, more than a month he came back into the country from a previous medical vacation.

     

  • Renewed attacks: Osinbajo orders more push in war against Boko Haram

    …as

    …Air Force deploys Special Forces

    …AU, UN, ECOWAS back govt

    Sequel to the renewed and coordinated attacks by the Boko Haram insurgents, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday ordered for more aggressive push by the military against the insurgents.

    This development has led to the deployment of Special Forces to join hands with the military in the battle against the insurgents in Borno State.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that men of the Special Forces are trained to undertake difficult tasks.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that there was a recent resurgence in the attacks by Boko Haram’s following last week’s ambush of an oil exploration convoy in which almost 50 people are believed to have been killed.

    The army, which last week announced the recovery of 10 bodies, including those of one officer and nine soldiers, said yesterday it had recovered 21 more bodies, arms and ammunition from the ambush site.

    Army spokesman Brig.-Gen. Sani Kukasheka Usman, in a statement at the weekend, said:

    “So far the search and rescue team has recovered additional bodies of five soldiers, 11 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and five members of the exploration team.

    “Contrary to reports in some media, six out of the 12 members of the exploration team that went out are still missing, while one of the NNPC staff returned to base alive.”

    Gen. Usman, who described the incident as “unfortunate”, said that the error in the statement issued by the army on the rescue mission was not “deliberate”.

    “The incident of 25th July 2017, where Boko Haram insurgents ambushed our troops, including members of the CJTF, escorting some staff of the NNPC as well as that of University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) on oil exploration in Yesu District of Magumeri Local Government Area of the state is unfortunate and highly regrettable.

    “Most regrettable also is my earlier release on the said incident about the rescue of all NNPC staff. The error in the statement was not deliberate.”

    The Army had earlier claimed to have rescued all the abducted university personnel.

    UNMAID Vice Chancellor Prof. Ibrahim Njodi said the army recovered only five bodies and that four of its staff were still missing.

    The spokesman said the army had redoubled efforts in the pursuit of the insurgents to rescue the abducted personnel.

    “Search and rescue is still ongoing to secure the safe return of the remaining civilians.

    “The Nigerian Army condoles with the families of all that lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident,” the statement said.

    According to him, the army has recovered three of its gun trucks from the insurgents, in addition to four Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG), four RPG chargers, six AK-47 rifles, one Anti-Aircraft Gun, one General Purpose Machine Gun, one Anti-Aircraft Gun Barrel, one RPG tube, four dane guns, eight tyres and two rims.

    Other items recovered include one pumping machine gun, two tyre jacks, one super battery, five reflective jackets, three Toyota Hilux, four jerry cans filled with petrol, one Motorola radio, one Geographical Positioning System (GPS), 21 empty jerry cans, two shovels and three food coolers.

    Troops also recovered 122 rounds of PKM ammunition, 213 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 1255 Anti-Aircraft Guns ammunition, four boxes of API 12.7mm ammunition, one AK-47 Rifle Magazine, a digger, two bows and 13 Arrows, two LLG bombs, assorted drugs and working tools.

    “We are counting on the goodwill and support of the populace in volunteering valuable information that could help in the search and rescue operation”.

    Director of Public Relations and Information (NAF) of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, speaking on the action taken, said: “The measures include the deployment of additional NAF Special Forces and personnel of the Regiment Specialty to reinforce Base security and also fight alongside the Nigerian Army troops and NAF Special Forces that were already on ground.

    “In addition, the NAF has deployed thermal imaging cameras aimed at adding more value to the current efforts at detecting and checkmating the activities of suicide bombers before they carry out their suicide missions.

    “The thermal imaging camera uses infrared and reads temperature differences up to an appreciable distance away and can identify a person at an acceptable distance. The cameras, which are mounted on NAF aircraft, can also penetrate obscurants, such as smoke, fog and haze.

    “The NAF, in recent times, has stepped up its counterinsurgency operations to further decimate the ability of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the North East. The focus has largely been the conduct of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions as well as interdiction missions on identified BHT targets.

    “This is in addition to range of other air operations and humanitarian intervention schemes aimed at winning the heart and minds of the populace in the conflict areas. The NAF remains appreciative of the support it is enjoying from Nigerians in its efforts at putting an end to the madness in the North East Geopolitical Zone of our country.

     

  • Again, Badoo attacks family of five, kills couple, son

    Again, Badoo attacks family of five, kills couple, son

    The dreaded ritual cult, Badoo, has attacked a family of five at Olopomeji, Odogunyan, Ikorodu area of Lagos, killing a couple and one of their children.

    Two children between ages 4 and 2 were in critical conditions at the Ikorodu General Hospital.

    It was learnt that the incident happened around 1am on Wednesday.

    Following the attack, many residents of the community thronged the palace of Ayangbure of Ikorodu Oba Adewale Shotobi to protest against the killings.

    Details soon…

  • Eid-el-Fitri: DSS foils plans by terrorists to attack Kano, Sokoto, others

    The Department of State Services, DSS, announced on Friday that it arrested suspected terrorists planning to attack Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri during the Sallah celebration.

    The federal government had earlier declared Monday and Tuesday next week as public holidays for the Islamic festival.

    In a statement on Friday signed by Tony Opuiyo, the DSS said, “The past few weeks, this service has uncovered a sinister plot by terrorist elements to stage series of coordinated attacks using explosives on different cities across the country.”

    Two suspects, Yusuf Adamu and Abdumuminu Haladu, were apprehended by the domestic intelligence agency during the early hours of Friday in Sokoto.

    According to the statement, Mr. Adamu and his accomplice were to command the operation in Kano.

    “However, the Service had earlier arrested the facilitator of the Kano attack, an explosive expert by name Bashir Mohammed at Unguwar Barnawa, Shekar Madaki, Kumbatso LGA, Kano State on June 20”.

    “Their plan, together with others now at large, was to assemble the explosives and use them on select targets during the Eid-el-Fitr Celebrations”.

    “Their aim was to hit on soft targets such as markets, public parks, public processions, recreation centres, as well as worship centres especially the Eid Praying Grounds and other densely populated areas during the forthcoming Eid-el-Fitr Sallah celebration. The latest plan by the terrorists was to unleash mayhem on Kano, Sokoto, Kaduna and Maiduguri,” the agency said.

    However, the service assured Nigerians that the planned terrorist attacks in the states have been foiled by the agency.

    The agency said during the arrest of Mr. Mohammed in Kumbotso, Kano, a search was conducted at his residence where it recovered “Eight (8) AK-47 rifles, Twenty (20) fully loaded AK-A7 magazines, Twenty-seven (27) hand grenades, Seven hundred and ninety-three (793) rounds of live ammunition.”

    One gas cylinder, three laptops, one mobile phone, a motorcycle, a car, and a printer were also recovered.

    The DSS also said it uncovered plans by the terrorists to infiltrate the ranks of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, which has been demanding the release of its leader Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, held without trial since December 2015.

    “This is in an attempt to assume a formidable cover to unleash violence and evoke a complete state of chaos in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja during the group’s Qudus Day Procession/Rally scheduled for Friday in Abuja and several States in the Northern parts of the country”.

    “Sequel to this, the Service is warning members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) to desist from staging any form of procession or demonstration as the terrorists will seize the opportunity to unleash mayhem”. Mr. Opuiyo said.

    The rallies by the IMN had, however, been held across many cities, in a largely peaceful atmosphere, before the DSS statement.

    “The Service is working, in concert with other security agencies, to ensure that no section of the country is attacked during and after the Sallah celebrations”.

    “Law abiding citizens and residents are not only assured of their safety but enjoined to go about their normal businesses without fear of attack. It pledges to engage all stakeholders to ensure a hitch free Eid-el-fitr festival across the country,” it stated.

     

  • Leave our country or face renewed attacks – South Africans tell Nigerians

    The Nigeria Union in South Africa, on Wednesday claimed that two communities in the country, have asked Nigerians to leave their territories.

    President of the union, Ikechukwu Anyene, said the Kuruman community in Northern Cape Province gave Nigerians till Thursday to leave.

    He also said the Klaafontein community, Extension 5, Johannesburg, directed landlords not to renew the rent of Nigerians in the area, blaming them for the rise of illicit drug trade and prostitution.

    “The Nigeria union held series of meetings with the affected communities as well as police and local authorities on the recent threats to Nigerians.

    “We have also written reports on these incidents and sent to the Nigerian Mission and the South African police.

    “We recommended interventions before the June 16 deadline to the mission and we are waiting for their response.

    “The union is worried that any incident involving non -South Africans are attributed to Nigerians,” Anyene said.

  • Attacks: NSCDC deploys 50 armed personnel to UNIMAID

    The Borno Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) has deployed 50 armed personnel to check incessant attacks at the University of Maiduguri.

    Its Commandant, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, told newsmen on Monday in Maiduguri that the measure was necessitated by the rising cases of suicide bombing and other attacks at the institution.

    He said that the personnel had been deployed to strategic locations like the business centres, motor parks, worship and social centres, among other areas.

    The official urged the students and members of the university community to be calm and report any suspicious movement around the vicinity to security agents.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the institution has recorded four incidents of attacks in the last few weeks.