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Tag: Benard Onyeuko

  • FCT is safe – Defence HQ assures

    FCT is safe – Defence HQ assures

    The Defence Headquarters, Nigeria has assured that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja is safe. The Defence HQ assured residents of the FCT that the hierarchy of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies are undaunted and unrelenting in efforts to ensure the safety of lives and properties.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Major General Benard Onyeuko, Director of Defence Media Operations made this known during a press briefing on Nigeria’s military operations held at the Defence Headquarters on Thursday.

    Major General Onyeuko disclosed that troops of 7 Guards Battalion and 167 Special Force Battalion in conjunction with the air component of Operation WHIRL PUNCH conducted a clearance patrol around Bwari general area between 24 – 26 July 2022, and successfully cleared Kawu and Ido villages of terrorists who recently attacked soldiers in the FCT.

    “Consequently, about 30 terrorists were neutralized and their enclave and hide-out destroyed. Ground troops also recovered 6 x motorcycles, 2 x AK47 rifles, 1 x fully loaded LMG magazine amongst others during mob up,” Onyeuko disclosed.

    The Defence Media Operations Director also disclosed at the press briefing that 27 pipeline vandals were arrested in the Niger Delta region while a total of 5,159,500 litres of substance suspected to be crude oil and 1,432,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered, adding that all arrested economic saboteurs and recovered items were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.

    “The Statistic above shows a significant loss to the economy of the Country. It has a street value of about Two Billion Five Hundred and Thirty Four Million Seven Hundred Seventy One Thousand Five Hundred Forty Three Naira Eight Kobo (N2,534,771,543.08). However, the number of arrested individuals have also increased and could reduce the illegal activities of these of oil thieves. Operation DELTA SAFE has therefore sustained it efforts to ensure relative safe and peaceful operations environment in the Niger Delta,” Onyeuko.

    Read text of the press briefing below:

    PRESS BRIEFING BY DIRECTORATE OF DEFENCE MEDIA OPERATIONS ON ARMED FORCES OF NIGERIA’S MILITARY OPERATIONS HELD AT DEFENCE HEADQUARTERS NEW CONFERENCE ROOM ON 28 JULY 2022

    1. Defence Headquarters bi-weekly briefing on troops activities and operational successes being recorded in the various operational theaters of the 6 geo-political zones of the Country. In the past 2 weeks, kinetic and non-kinetic operations were conducted in the various theatre of operations which recorded significant results. The brief will cover operational activities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies which were conducted in tackling insecurity in the Country between the period 14-28 July 2022.

    NORTH EAST ZONE
    2. The Joint Task Force Operation HADIN KAI in the North East zone between the17 and 19July 2022 responded to the activities of Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province criminals who kidnapped some civilians and rustled some cattle at Balkani village in Jere Local Government Area. Troops made contact with the terrorists and rescued the kidnapped civilians and recovered the rustled cattle. Also, at another location troops rescued 2 civilians that were kidnapped by Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists at Kayamade village in Kondoga Local Government Area of Borno State.

    3. In similar operation, troops on fighting patrol repelled Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province attacks at Gwalaram village in Magumeri Local Government Area. Own troops fire power forced the criminals to flee the location. Also, troops came in contact with terrorists along Kwang – Kilakasa road, Monguno, Gajiran in a fire battle engaged the terrorist and neutralized 20 of the insurgents.Troopsfurther exploited the area and recovered 6x AK47 rifles, 3 bicycles, 1 Toyota Landcruiser van, 3 x tyres, 490 roundsof 108mm, 274 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, metal links, 5 x magazine, 2 x Improvised Explosive Device cylinders and 100 litres of Premium Motor Spirit among others items.Troops on 25 July 2022 rescued 4 women with children at Aulari in Borno State, while 2 were the list confirmed to be Chibok girls named Hanatu Musa and Kauna Sarah Luka who are on serial 7 and 38of the missing Chibok girls. Accordingly, within the weeks in focus, a total of 2,016 suspected Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and their families comprising of 360 adult males, 580 adult females and 1076 children surrendered to own troops at various locations in the North East theatre of Operation. All rescued civilians and recovered items were handed over to relevant authority, while surrendered Boko Haram Terrorists and their families were profiled and handed over to the appropriate agencies for further action.

    NORTH CENTRAL ZONE
    4. Troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE on 16 July 2022 arrested 2 notorious arms dealers, Mr Samuel Kwanu and Mr Ede Umar Yisa whom were said to have delivered weapons to one Mallam Saidu and some bandits in Gidan Bawa village. Items recovered from the suspects include; 2 magazines of 6 7.62mm special, 1 ussi rifle among others. Similarly, On same day acting on intelligence on kidnappers activities along Panda road linking Ayewawa and Dere in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State and Kampani Sabon Gari village in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State, troops of Operations WHIRL STROKE and SAFE HAVEN rescued 6 kidnapped victims and recovered 1 motorcycle. The suspects and recovered items were handed over to the relevant authorities.

    5. In another development, between 15 – 19 July 2022, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE responded to information on bandits activities at Chito and Maraba Ukyonugu villages both in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State. Troops neutralized 6 x bandits, destroyed criminal hideouts/camps and recovered 18 motorcycles. Troops also conducted operations along Road Nasme – Akpanaja -Ondori, Road Nasme – Antie – Ondori, Rukubi and Kekura villages in Doma and Awe Local Government Areas of Nasarawa State. During the operations, troops arrested 8 x suspected cattle rustlers and cultists. Items recovered include; 2 motorcycles, 1 x locally fabricated pistol, 3 x mobile phones and the sum of One Hundred Fifty Naira (N148,650.00) amongst others. All recovered items were handed over to the Nigeria Police Daudu Division for further action.

    6. On 20 July 2022, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN arrested Mr Awal Jumba a suspected kidnap kingpin at Vokti Mungi in Gindiri District Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. While enroute the barracks, Mr Jumba attempted to escape and he was neutralized. Item recovered include 2 motorcycles and 1 gionee L800 amongst other. Relatedly, troops in conjunction with vigilantes on 24 July 2022 arrested 3 suspected bandits Commanders; Mr Julius Simon (alias Bagga 37yrs), Mr Wolta Zambai (45yrs) and Mr Iliya Peter (alias Boubok 27yrs) at Shimankar village, Shendam Local Government Area Plateau State. Suspects confessed to be involved in buying/selling ammunitions. Suspects are currently in custody and undergoing further investigation. Items recovered include; 3 mobile phones andN5,600 cash amongst others. On the same day, troops arrested 2 kidnappers; Mr Musa Usman (27yrs) and Mr Adam Mohammed (25yrs) at Barkin Ladi, Plateau State. Suspects confessed to have carried out several kidnapping activities including the kidnap of one Master Jeremiah Elijah, a 6yrs on 21 July 2022.

    7. Relatedly, on 25 July 2022, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN arrested a notorious kidnapper/armed robber and cattle rustler; Mr Zwanlan Fatim – 42yrs at Shendam town, Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State. Troops recovered 1 x locally made pistol, 5 x cartridges, 1 x rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 2 x mobile phones, 2 x Union Bank ATM cards, 1 x ID card and assorted charms amongst others. In another development, on 26 July 2022, troops intercepted Two (2) rail vandals, Mr Abba Abdul – 23 yrs and Mr Joseph ZI – 26yrs at Bas village, Heipang District, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. Vandals were intercepted while conveying Eighty Six (86) railways UIC sleepers in a red Peugeot Boxer vehicle with registration No BAU 05 SX.

    8. Troops of 7 Guards Battalion and 167 Special Force Battalion in conjunction with the air component of Operation WHIRL PUNCH conducted a clearance patrol around Bwari general area between 24 – 26 July 2022. Troops successfully clear Kawu and Ido villages. Consequently, about 30 terrorists were neutralized and their enclave and hide out destroyed. Ground troops also recovered 6 x motorcycles, 2 x AK47 rifles, 1 x fully loaded LMG magazine amongst others during mob up.

    NORTH WEST ZONE
    9. Troops of Operations HADARIN DAJI at the early hours of 27 July 2022 responded to a distress call from Bayi village in Tsefe Local Government Area of Zamfara on banditry activities. Troops trailed bandits to one Alhaji Bello Dan Iya’s residence and neutralized 1 x bandit. Items recovered include; 1 x AK47 rifle, 1 x magazine, 4 x rounds of 7.62mm special, 1 x MPs and 1 x sachet of marijuana amongst others. Earlier, on 25 July 2022, troops engaged one suspected bandit on motorcycle while commuting bush path along Gidan Garba, Magami Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Troops recovered 1 x AK47 rifle and 2 pairs of woodland camouflage. All recovered items are in own custody.

    SOUTH SOUTH ZONE
    10. The Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE in the conduct of operation OCTOPUS GRIP in the South South zone conducted operational activities in the creeks, communities and towns in the Niger Delta. Notably Madangho, Kokoye and jones creek in Delta State, Obi Sagbama village and Debu creek in Bayelsa State were patroled. Also, troops conducted patrol in Awoba, Cawthorne Channel, Boning Channel, Asaramatu in River State. Consequently, troops discovered and destroyed 80 illegal refining site, 60 wooden boats, 316 storage tanks, 262 ovens and87 dugout pits. Troops also recovered 9 speed boats, 15 outboard engines, 19 pumping machines and 17 vehicles. Furthermore, 27 pipeline vandals were arrested while a total of Five Million One Hundred and Fifty Nine Thousand Five Hundred (5,159,500) litres of substance suspected to be crude oil and One million Four Hundred and Thirty Two Thousand (1,432,000) litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil were recovered. All arrested economic saboteurs and recovered items were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.

    11. The Statistic above shows a significant loss to the economy of the Country. It has a street value of about Two Billion Five Hundred and Thirty Four Million Seven Hundred Seventy One Thousand Five Hundred Forty Three Naira Eight Kobo (N2,534,771,543.08). However, the number of arrested individuals have also increased and could reduce the illegal activities of these of oil thieves. Operation DELTA SAFE has therefore sustained it efforts to ensure relative safe and peaceful operations environment in the Niger Delta.

    SOUTH WEST ZONE
    12. Between the 15 and 17 July 2022, troops of Operation AWATSE intercepted large consignment of smuggled foodstuff along Seme -Badagry – Owode Road and a smuggler depot along Road Aiyetoro – Abeokuta and Oja-Odan village of Badagry, Owode, Imeko/Afon and Odeda Local Government Area of Lagos and Ogun States respectively. Items confiscated include; Four Hundred and Two (402) 50kg of foreign rice and One Hundred and Ninety Three (193) 30 litres of Premium Motor Spirit.

    13. In another development, during the conduct of Operation SAFE CONDUCT, troops on patrol along Road Osho – Egbedore village in Egbedore Local Government Area of Osun State arrested a political thug and recovered 1 locally fabricated pistol, 5 cartridges and a mobile phone amongst others. Troops also carried out a raid operation at Old Garage within Oshogbo metropolis and arrested a notorious kidnapper terrorizing the people of Osogbo alongside 9 of his gang members. Items recovered include 1 pump action rifle, 6 cartridges amongst others. All recovered items were handed over to the appropriate authority for further action.

    14. The hierarchy of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies wishes to re-assured Nigerians of its commitment and pact with all Nigerians. With the recent operations carried out between from 23 July we wish to assure residents of FCT Abuja in particular that we are undaunted and unrelenting in our efforts to ensure the safety of lives and properties. People should go about their normal business as their safety is guaranteed. The support and cooperation of all Nigerians is hereby solicited as security is everybody’s business. Citizens are encouraged to report any unusual persons in your community to security agencies. If you see something say something.

    BENARD ONYEUKO
    Major General
    Director
    Defence Media Operations
    28 July 2022

  • KADUNA TRAIN ATTACK: Bandits demand release of 16 top commanders and sponsors in government custody for 100 passengers abducted

    KADUNA TRAIN ATTACK: Bandits demand release of 16 top commanders and sponsors in government custody for 100 passengers abducted

    The bandits, who attacked the Kaduna-Abuja train, have said they would release the over 100 individuals abducted from the derailed train on March 28, if 16 top commanders and sponsors in government custody are released.

     

    Dependable security sources said the bandits carried out the violent attack on the train just to abduct passengers who could be used to bargain for the release of their commanders and sponsors in detention.

     

    It was that gathered on Monday that the arrest of the suspects had severely hampered the deadly activities of the bandits who are collaborating with the Boko Haram terrorist group to unleash malevolent attacks across the country.

     

    The terrorists had on March 28 at Katari, Kaduna State, attacked the train which was heading for Kaduna from Kaduna.

    After the attack, security agencies reported that eight bodies were recovered from the attack scene and 26 persons were injured

     

    The Nigerian Railway Corporation said it was unable to establish contact with 163 passengers and seven crew members who boarded the train.

     

    On Monday, multiple sources explained that the bandits in their ongoing negotiations with the Federal Government were demanding prisoners’ exchange.

     

    The gang had last week released one of their hostages, the Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Hassan, due to his age. In a video showing the victim in their midst, the gunmen said the government knew what they wanted and threatened to kill the remaining hostages if their demands were not met.

     

    On Sunday, the terrorists released another video where some of the captives were seen calling on the government to come to their rescue.

     

    But a senior official said the terrorists were being hampered by the arrest of their top commanders, noting that their sources of funding had been greatly impacted by the arrest of their sponsors.

     

    He stated, “The bandits have made contact (with the government) but the issue now involves the Interpol because they have international collaborators. Security operatives are working to identify their connection to Boko Haram.

     

    “The bandits are after their people who are in custody. They are demanding the release of 16 sponsors and commanders in exchange for the abducted train passengers. That’s why they said in a video that the government knows what they want.”

     

    “We arrested some of their commanders and those sponsoring them in Dubai and Nigeria. We have about 16 commanders and sponsors in custody, so they are demanding their release because their sources of funding are declining. I hope the authorities would not release the commanders and sponsors to them because we are getting information on the bandits from the suspects,” the source noted.

     

    Commenting on the group’s threats to kill the hostages, the security officer argued that such an action would not give the bandits what they were demanding from the government.

     

    “If they kill their hostages, they would not achieve what they are looking for. The fact is that they are being starved of funds and that is why they are making the threat and it is also the reason for the attack on the train. They attacked the train just to get government attention and negotiate the release of their commanders and sponsors,” he stated.

     

    An intelligence official also corroborated the report that the bandits were demanding the release of commanders and ransom, noting that the marauders had been cooperating with Boko Haram fighters in their attacks in Kaduna, Niger, Zamfara, Katsina and others.

     

    The official noted, “What they want is prisoners exchange and money. It is a lie that they don’t want money; they want both money and prisoners exchange. They would release the passengers in exchange for many of their members in custody. They are collaborating with Boko Haram to pool resources together and constitute a bigger security threat to the country.”

     

    Efforts to get the reaction of the Military were not successful. As calls to the number of the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Benard Onyeuko, indicated it was not reachable.

     

    He has yet to respond to the message sent to him on the matter. However, a military source said the military does not negotiate with bandits.

     

    The source said, “It is not our duty to negotiate with the bandits or any other criminal elements. Ours is to fulfill our constitutional duties which we have been doing. “

     

    Earlier, the gunmen that attacked the train had released a video showing about two dozen of the hostages they kidnapped in the assault.

     

    The images were the first indicator of how many passengers may have been abducted in the brazen raid, in which eight people were killed.

     

    In the two-minute video, about 24 people are seen sitting in a forest area, including men and women. At least one man appears to be from South-East Asia while at least one another appears Caucasian.

     

    Behind them, a group of gunmen stood in a line.

     

    “We are the passengers who left Abuja for Kaduna on Monday on March 28, 2022. We were seized on our way,” one man said in Hausa language in the video.

     

    “Since then it is only us that knows the dire situation we are in, there are women and children, there are aged people with health challenges.”