TheNewsGuru

Tag: boko haram

  • Kaduna Govt reels out disturbing figures of carnages by Boko Haram, bandits

    Kaduna Govt reels out disturbing figures of carnages by Boko Haram, bandits

    The Kaduna State Government on Monday reeled out disturbing figures of many carnages and atrocities carried out by Boko Haram, bandits and other bad elements in the State.

    Samuel Aruwan, the State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs reeled out the disturbing figures in his remarks at the public hearing on the Firearms Act CAP. F17, LFN 2004 (Amendment) bill.

    The public hearing held at the Senate Conference Hall 022 of the National Assembly (NASS), Abuja.

    The Commissioner’s remarks read: “Distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria: The varied and increasingly alarming nature of security challenges across Nigeria is widely documented.

    “Northern Nigeria in particular, has seen an outbreak of violent conflicts and growing asymmetric threats in the last decade; from the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East, to the more recent scourge of banditry in the North-West and some North-Central states.

    “The activities of terrorists, armed bandits and kidnappers who currently ravage the rural landscape in most states of the North-West, killing thousands of citizens including women and children and even attacking military formations, has been enabled in large part by the unchecked proliferation of arms in Nigeria.

    “In recent years, the easy access to, and use of these arms has taken on an increasing level of sophistication, a fall-out of events in the sub-region and just beyond.

    “Access to these devices – locally made and imported – enables these criminal groups and other non-state actors to inflict untold carnage, destruction, instability, pain and loss on the society.

    “On the part of the Kaduna State Government, institutional and collaborative measures have been put in place to address the current security challenges, which in some parts of the state are interwoven with communal clashes.

    “Notably, a mandate ministry has been established to coordinate and support federal security agencies in their security operations.

    “From its inception in 2019, The Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, mandated the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, among other things, to coordinate the internal security of the state and to serve as bridge between the Kaduna State Government and federal security agencies, comprising the Military, Police, Department of State Services, and others. Another key function of the Ministry is the coordination of intelligence gathering.

    “In addition, as part of discharging its mandates, the Ministry publishes regular security updates often contain startling disclosures of banditry incidences, communal violence, killings, reprisals, number of deaths and other casualty details.

    “These updates are simply aimed at keeping citizens of Kaduna State informed about the complex security situation in the State, and to help them appreciate the enormity and dimensions of the problem.

    “It is expected that this awareness will help promote rational choices at community level and drive an informed, collective approach to security matters across the state.

    “It is our conviction that in matters as critical as security, the more the public knows, the better equipped people are to confront and manage challenges, including at local and community levels.

    “Distinguished Senators, ladies and gentlemen, the figures disclosed are disturbing, but highly instructive. In 2020, 937 citizens died as a direct result of banditry and communal violence.

    “Six hundred and seventeen (617) of these deaths, (two-thirds of the total) were within the Kaduna Central Senatorial District.

    “The Kaduna South Senatorial District accounted for 286 deaths (about one-third of the total), due in large part to sporadic clashes, alongside banditry which triggered attacks and counter attacks, especially between June and November 2020.

    “Kaduna North Senatorial District recorded 34 fatalities from banditry and violence.

    “On another front, 1,972 people were kidnapped in 2020, with Kaduna Central Senatorial District accounting for 1,561 of these. Similarly, 7,195 heads of cattle were rustled across the state. Kaduna Central Senatorial District was also hardest hit with 5,557 animals stolen.

    “Similarly disturbing figures are set to be published in the coming days for the first quarter of 2021.

    “These include quantities of munitions recovered by security forces, in line with vigorous investigations to dismantle gun-running networks, and block arms routes into the state.

    “The figures published show quite clearly the staggering human and economic losses suffered across Kaduna State due to the prevailing menace of armed banditry, alongside issues of communal violence.

    “This is the picture of mayhem unleashed by criminals mainly because of the easy access to arms and ammunition, into which bandits invest significant portions of their loot.

    “The Kaduna State Government continues to support Federal security agencies in their constitutionally defined roles toward combating this menace, but beyond boots on the ground and kinetic responses – which are, in any case, largely reactive – a lot more is clearly required.

    “As the clamour intensifies to devolve issues of internal security to the sub-national levels, other accompanying legislative steps are equally needed…26. … to seize the initiative from non-state actors, and restrict their capacity to gratuitously dispense suffering and anguish to Nigerians.

    “It is the position of the Kaduna State Government that the proposed Firearms Act CAP, F17, LFN 2004 (Amendment) Bill 2021, is a timely and crucial intervention towards arresting the deepening security predicament in which our country finds itself.

    “Firm legislation enabling stiffer penalties than what currently exists in the parent bill, to regulate the proliferation of small arms and light weapons within our borders, is an urgent and decisive step towards turning the tide of insecurity.

    “The actions of terrorists, criminals and insurrectionist elements constitute a declaration of war on the Nigerian state, and the security situation must be approached as such, and no less.

    “A crucial aspect of re-defining our governance system at this time, therefore, is ensuring that the coercive powers of the State, including and especially the use of force, remain firmly in the control of the State.

    “It is therefore our ardent appeal that this amendment be passed into law with dispatch”.

  • If you are meant to die by bullets you will even in your bedroom, Defence Minister tells troops

    If you are meant to die by bullets you will even in your bedroom, Defence Minister tells troops

    Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Magashi Bashir, has asked the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole not to fear any bullet from the terrorists.

    He gave the charge on Sunday during a visit to the Theatre Command in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, in the company of the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor and other service chiefs.

    “Don’t fear any bullet, the bullet will come and it will go,” he said. “If you are not meant to die by a bullet you will never die but if you are meant to die by a bullet, even in your bedroom bullet will come and reach you, which is what I experienced during service.”

    According to the Minister, the motive of the visit was to assess the fighting spirit of the troops of operation Lafiya Dole and also to motivate them.

    He also intimated the troops of the Federal Government’s plan to recruit more hands to relieve battle fatigued soldiers.

    Magashi added, “Very soon we will embark on the recruitment of other soldiers and officers so that we improve the manpower holding of our armed forces.

    “We will bring new equipment, new skills in which I will like all of you to benefit from to enable you to be more proficient, more effective in this assignment you’re doing. We have lost time; we are now almost ten years in this operation.

    “There are many other operations that we are doing in terms of banditry and other things in this country and I am sure that given the right tools, you will do this country proud. We believe in you, your training, professionalism and we believe you can do the country the requirements of beating the Boko haram as we have it now.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the minister recently told Nigerians to hold the Cabinet responsible for any failure that may arise during their period of service to the country under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    He said: “As the inner caucus of President Buhari’s administration, who are trusted with the responsibilities of the protection and peaceful coexistence of the nation, Nigerians should blame them for failure or otherwise of the government.”

  • BREAKING: Boko Haram forces UN to suspend humanitarian work in Damasak, Dikwa

    BREAKING: Boko Haram forces UN to suspend humanitarian work in Damasak, Dikwa

    The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria (UNOCHA) said it is putting on hold operations in Dikwa and Damasak in Borno State.

    Edward Kallon, UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria disclosed this in a statement made available to TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) on Sunday.

    According to Kallon, the decision is due to the incessant attacks by the Boko Haram terrorist groups in the two communities. He said the UN is forced to safely relocate the humanitarian staff to other locations.

    “I am deeply concerned about the recent attacks on humanitarian operations in Dikwa and Damasak, affecting humanitarian assets and personnel.

    “We have temporarily suspended operations in these areas in order to safely relocate humanitarian staff and are closely monitoring the situation.

    “We intend to resume operations as soon as possible, so that civilians affected by the conflict continue to receive the assistance they need.

    “I condemn in the strongest terms attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure which may constitute violations on International Humanitarian Law,” Kallon said.

  • BREAKING: Troops arrest top Boko Haram informant in Yobe

    BREAKING: Troops arrest top Boko Haram informant in Yobe

    The Nigerian Army on Sunday said troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have arrested a suspected top Boko Haram informant whose spying activities and that of his accomplices were responsible for the attacks on troops position by terrorists in Kamuya, Yobe State.

    The Nigerian Army revealed the names of the suspected top Boko Haram informant as Modu Ari, saying the suspected informant was apprehended by troops of 27 Task Force Brigade, and therefore, has tightened security around Kamuya.

    According to a statement by Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima, Director Army Public Relations, on interrogation, the suspect confessed to have revealed troops’ movements and position to his Boko Haram collaborators.

    “Investigation is however ongoing to unravel the network of local informants whose nefarious activities have endangered troops on clearance operations around the fringes of Timbuktu Triangle.

    “The unfortunate sabotage of troops movement by Ari and his accomplices made it possible for the terrorists to attack the rear element of troops on patrol.

    “Though the attack was swiftly repelled by troops from the Tactical Headquarters of 27 Task Force Brigade and Army Super Camp 3 Buratai, our troops suffered some casualties.

    “In spite of the setback, the Chief of Army Staff has encouraged troops of Operation Tura Takaibango to keep their fighting spirit up and to remain dedicated in the effort to flush out the remnants of the terrorists as quickly as possible.

    “He charged them not to relent even in the face of gross unpatriotic acts of some locals who are snitching on their movements and positions.

    “The COAS also admonished citizens to, as a matter of patriotic duty, avail the troops of credible and timely information that will help them flush out the adversaries,” the statement reads.

  • IPOB, Boko Haram, farmer-herders clashes are not new – Lai Mohammed

    IPOB, Boko Haram, farmer-herders clashes are not new – Lai Mohammed

    Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture has said ethnicity issues, IPOB, Boko Haram and farmer-herders clashes bedevilling the nation are not new and that the government was seeking ways to address them.

    Mohammed made this known on Sunday in Lagos when he appeared on Bond FM radio programme, “Ibi Abasede”, urging Nigerians not to listen to promoters of secession.

    He stated that the Federal Government was working hard to improve national security and prevent all secession tendencies.

    Speaking specifically on issues around security, Mohammed said that the Federal Government’s efforts in that respect necessitated the Town Hall meeting on security held on April 8, in Kaduna.

    The meeting brought stakeholders together to chart a way forward, he explained.

    Mohammed said that recommendations from the meeting, which had the theme, “Setting Benchmarks for Enhanced Security and National Unity in Nigeria’’, would be presented to the Federal Executive Council and state governors on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.

    The minister pointed out that what united Nigeria was more important than those issues threatening its continued existence.

    “We were moved by security issues around the country and called for a meeting of all relevant stakeholders on April 8, in Kaduna.

    “That we have ethnicity issues is not new. IPOB, Boko Haram and farmer-herders clashes are not new; all we must do is to look for the way forward.

    “We are aware of them, the government is working. Secession is not the way out of our challenges. You don’t cure headache by beheading the patient.

    “The things that unite us in Nigeria are more than what separate us,” he said.

    The minister said that the stakeholders at the Town Hall meeting in Kaduna came up with some recommendations to further secure and unite the country toward progress.

    Mohammed said that eight ministers, lawmakers, traditional leaders, religious leaders, scholars and civil society organisations, opposition parties and security chiefs personally attended the meeting.

    He said that the stakeholders recommended supremacy of the law, empowerment of the Police and other security agencies, as well as the need for political restructuring.

    According to him, all the stakeholders at the meeting were united against secession, opting for a restructured and stronger nation.

    He added that the meeting also recommended decentralisation, restructuring and reorganisation of the judiciary as well as training and retraining of Judges.

    “We cannot do these without constitutional amendment,” he said.

    Mohammed said that the stakeholders also recommended that all Nigerian children of school age should be in schools, noting that most recruits into insurgency and banditry were out-of-school children.

    According to him, if the children of the poor are hungry and not educated, the rich will not be able to sleep.

    He added that the meeting also recommended the recruitment of more Policemen with more training to all security personnel.

    “The stakeholders also recommended that security operatives be equipped with modern equipment to boost efficiency necessary to win the trust and confidence of the people.”

    The minister advised religious leaders and traditional leaders to encourage what the Constitution says about inter-ethnic marriages to forestall secession.

    “Those who support separation and secession will be the first to run away when any problem starts.

    “We should not listen to them as many of them have about four passports of other countries,” Mohammed said.

    He said that the stakeholders recommended state Police and the need for the National Assembly and state assemblies to support it “because all security is local”.

    Mohammed said that the meeting also recommended that traditional leaders should be encouraged to perform their assigned roles in line with the 1979 constitution.

    He said that the group also recommended autonomy to local governments and to allow their statutory allocation to go directly to them for security, education and infrastructural development at the grassroots.

    “The stakeholders also recommended the establishment of ranches and grazing reserves with necessary amenities such as water, education and healthcare facilities for humans and livestocks,” Mohammed further said.

    The minister, in the course of the programme, answered many questions from listeners who monitored the programme.

  • UN suspends operations in Dikwa, Damasak over Boko Haram’s continuous onslaught

    UN suspends operations in Dikwa, Damasak over Boko Haram’s continuous onslaught

    Following continuous attacks on some of its assets and staff by Boko Haram insurgents, the United Nations has suspended humanitarian operations in Dikwa and Damasak in Borno.

    UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, announced this in a statement titled ‘Statement on UN operations in North-East Nigeria’ last night.

    He said: “I am deeply concerned about the recent attacks on humanitarian operations in Dikwa and Damasak, affecting humanitarian assets and personnel.

    “We have temporarily suspended operations in these areas in order to safely relocate humanitarian staff and are closely monitoring the situation.

    “We intend to resume operations as soon as possible, so that civilians affected by the conflict continue to receive the assistance they need.

    “I condemn in the strongest terms attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure which may constitute violations on International Humanitarian Law.”

  • 18 Borno residents killed in Boko Haram’s latest attack – Governor Zulum

    18 Borno residents killed in Boko Haram’s latest attack – Governor Zulum

    Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, says 18 residents were killed and 21 others injured when Boko Haram insurgents attacked Damasak town.

    He confirmed the figures from residents who witnessed the attack and saw several properties destroyed when he visited the town, the governor’s media aide, Isa Gusau, said in a statement on Friday.

    The governor who was in Damasak on Thursday and spent the night had interactions with soldiers and others security forces involved in the counter-insurgency operations in the town.

    He also sympathised with the residents and assessed the level of destruction caused by the insurgents, noting that Tuesday’s attack on Damasak was the sixth in two weeks.

    According to the statement, thousands of residents who had fled to border communities in the Niger Republic returned on Friday while residents to the governor that the insurgents attacked the town with three gun trucks.

    The UN humanitarian hub, private residential houses, a police station, the palace of the district head, a primary healthcare centre, and a GSM Village were among property destroyed.

    Governor Zulum assured the residents of robust measures to avert future insurgent attacks on Damasak, saying he has directed the strengthening of agricultural activities in the town.

    As part of the measures, he held an operational meeting with soldiers and other security forces after which he presented 12 security vehicles, including an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and 11 patrol vehicles.

    The governor travelled to Damasak along with the lawmaker representing Borno North, Senator Abubakar Kyari, who hails from the town, as well as some government officials.

    Damasak, the headquarter of Mobbar Local Government Area in northern Borno, is located on the fringes of Lake Chad and shares a border with communities in the Niger Republic.

    The town used to be a producer and exporter of vegetables to target markets within Nigeria and neighbouring countries before Boko Haram occupied it in 2014 as one of their caliphates.

  • BREAKING: Buhari’s minister, Pantami breaks silence on alleged link with Boko Haram, US terror watch list saga

    BREAKING: Buhari’s minister, Pantami breaks silence on alleged link with Boko Haram, US terror watch list saga

    Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, on Monday addressed reports alleging that the United States placed him on a ‘terror watch list’ for alleged ties with the late Boko Haram founder, Mohammed Yusuf.

    In his reaction, Pantami, an Islamic cleric, said he has been preaching against the terrorist sect for over 15 years.

    Social media platform, Twitter, was agog on Monday when the reports published by some news platforms, went viral.

    The reports also say before his appointment as a minister by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, Pantami was a known Islamic preacher who held dangerous views against the American govern­ment with allegiance to Al-Qaeda.

    The platforms have also substantiated their stories by establishing a nexus between Pantami’s alleged ties with terrorists and an old video of the minister debating Boko Haram founderMohammed Yusuf.

    While some critics of the minister have dragged him over the unconfirmed reports and allegations, his supporters have since taken to his defence. As of the time of filing this report, the minister’s name, Isa Pantami, topped Twitter trends with over 18,000 tweets.

    Patami’s words, “My lectures against the doctrines and all other evil people have been available for over 15 years, including debates that endangered my life against many criminals in Nigeria. If you can’t understand Hausa, get an objective Hausa speaker to translate for you objectively.”

    The minister advised Nigerians who were yet to link their Subscriber Identification Modules with their valid National Identity Numbers to do so before May 6, 2021, adding that the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), was poised to expose criminal elements through the NIN-SIM data linkage.

    “On the issue of NIN-SIM verification to fight insecurity, there is no going back. Our priority as government based on the provision of our constitution 1999 (as amended) Section 14(2)b is security, not just economy. For sure, no going back at all. Let’s the sponsors continue,” Pantami said.

  • Insecurity: Bandits using ransom from kidnappings to fund Boko Haram – El-Rufai

    Insecurity: Bandits using ransom from kidnappings to fund Boko Haram – El-Rufai

    Governor Nasir El-Rufia of Kaduna State has established a strong link between bandits terrorising the North West and the Boko Haram insurgents operating in the North East.

    Governor El-Rufai, stated this on Sunday while featuring as a guest on a monitored Channels Television programme.

    “It has been established that the kidnapping operations (by bandits) are substantially funding Boko Haram activities in the North East.

    “Boko Haram has no way of getting any money and some of them have slipped and joined the ranks of the bandits, and together they are doing this to raise a large amount of money that are being used to fund the intensified operations of Boko Haram,” he said.

    The governor decried that banditry and insurgency have evolved with time into what he described as a business and a structured industry.

    He explained that this was so as the criminals now have various specialised roles within their ranks which enable them to attack communities.

    Governor El-Rufai listed such roles to include informants, petrol suppliers, truck suppliers, food suppliers, suppliers of weapons and ammunition, and doctors who treat insurgents who sustain bullet wounds during attacks.

    He stressed that there was no way Boko Haram could gather money to fund their operations in the North East without the help of bandits in the North West.

    According to the governor, a branch of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) – a splinter of the Boko Haram sect – is assembling in the forest in Birnin Gwari Local Government of Kaduna State.

    He, however, stated that the leader of the group has been arrested and a lot of his commanders have been killed in military airstrikes.

    Asked if the bandits could be tagged as terrorists, Governor El-Rufai said, “Absolutely, no doubt about it. This is a position we have held in Kaduna State as far back as two and half years ago.

    “We insisted that these are insurgents, they are terrorists; they are fighting the sovereignty to Nigeria and we must treat them as such.”

    “The bulk of the money is going into terrorist financing; there is a branch of ISWAP called Ansar-Ur that is congregating in the forest in Birnin Gwari, led by a man and their objectives are very similar to Boko Haram, except that they are not against western education,” he added.

  • Eight killed, others seriously injured as Boko Haram ambush Borno Govt officials

    Eight killed, others seriously injured as Boko Haram ambush Borno Govt officials

    Not less than eight Boko Haram insurgents were reportedly killed when the group ambushed a convoy of Borno State Resettlement and Relief Committee officials.

    It was gathered that some policemen and soldiers in the convoy, however, sustained injuries during the attack along Monguno- Nganzai Road.

    Some top government officials in the convoy include Kakashehu Lawal, State Attorney General; Mustapha Gubio, Commissioner for Rehabilitation Reconstruction and Resettlement; and that of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Mai-Mele.

    They were said to be returning from Monguno, where they went to distribute relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), when their convoy came under heavy attack by the terrorists.

    A source said about eight of the terrorists were killed by soldiers with support from men of the Anti-Robbery Squad and Civilian Joint Task Force.

    Recall Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum’s convoy was attacked twice along the Baga Highway in September in 2020.