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Tag: boko haram

  • Boko Haram insurgents kill 680 Civilian JTF

    Boko Haram insurgents kill 680 Civilian JTF

    Six hundred and eighty members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) have lost their lives to the Boko Haram insurgency from 2014 till date in Borno State, the hotbed of the war.

    The Legal Adviser to the CJTF, Mr Jubril Gunda, who described the dead CJTF members as heroes, said they were killed in various operations in the state.

    He said that many members of the CJTF also sustained various degrees of injuries since the group joined the campaign to end insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East.

    Gunda noted that the CJTF had made remarkable contributions in ensuring the return of peace to war-ravaged communities in Maiduguri and elsewhere.

    The legal adviser, who described himself as a staunch member of the CJTF, pleaded with the Federal Government to provide money and materials for the families of dead CJTF members.

    “Their families are left on their own with no compensation, except the token burial money given by the Borno State Government.

    “Their children cannot afford to go to school or pay house rent,” he said, describing the conditions of bereaved families as pathetic.

    Gunda revealed that 780 members of the group had been trained and exposed to combat operations to boost their combat readiness.

    “It is our sincere believe that the 780 trained CJTF members will make a great difference in the campaign against insurgency.”

    Gunda called on the Borno Government to pay allowances and provide vehicles for the group to motivate them.

    He also advocated closer collaboration between the military, police and the group to ensure smoother implementation of the anti-insurgency campaign.

     

    (NAN)

  • Army commences de-radicalisation of 53 repentant Boko Haram insurgents

    Maj.-Gen. Attahiru Ibrahim, the Theater Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maiduguri, on Saturday transferred 53 Boko Haram insurgents who had surrendered, to the military rehabilitation centre for de-radicalisation process.

    Ibrahim disclosed this at the handing over of the former insurgents to the Commander, Operation Safe Corridor, in Maiduguri.

    “We have started the Initial process of identifying who they are and we are handing them over to Operation Safe Corridor.

    “They will move to a safe place where the de-radicalisation process takes place for possible re-integration into the society,” he said.

    The theatre commander explained that 53 out of the 70 insurgents that recently surrendered to the military, had been re-validated and transferred.

    Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Shafa, the Coordinator, Operation Safe Corridor, said that the programme was designed to facilitate surrendering of the insurgents.

    “It is a Federal Government’s initiative aimed at de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and re-integration of willing and surrendered Boko Haram members to the society.

    “It is a multinational and multi-agency setup. We have a camp within the theatre where they will go through a well-planned programme that would make them better citizens,’’ he stressed.

    According to him, the rehabilitation programme will be run for three months.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that about 70 insurgents had so far surrendered to the military in the Sambisa axis, while 700 others had indicated interest to surrender.

     

     

    NAN

  • 70 Boko Haram insurgents surrender in Borno

    70 Boko Haram insurgents surrender in Borno

    No fewer than 70 Boko Haram insurgents on Wednesday surrendered to the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri.

    Maj Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, made the disclosure while presenting the repentant insurgents to newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Attahiru said the insurgents surrendered voluntarily sequel to various strategies evolved by the Federal Government to end insurgency in the North-East.

    “Fifty seven out of the 70 surrendered Boko Haram insurgents had been profiled.

    “About 700 or more insurgents have also indicated their intention to surrender,” he said.

    Attahiru added that the Federal Government had initiated a “Safe Corridor Operation” to encourage the insurgents to surrender and facilitate their integration into responsible members of the society.

    The commander said that the suspects were undergoing“ level of interrogation’’ as part of the de-radicalisation process to integrate them into the society.

    Also speaking, one of the insurgents called on Boko Haram fighters to surrender.

    The insurgent, who pleaded anonymity, dismissed the group’s activities as unIslamic.

    “I am calling on other Boko Haram insurgents to lay down their arms, embrace peace and join the society.

    “Some of them are apprehensive of what might happen to them after they surrender.

    “We thank the Army, they gave clothes, and took care of us. No harassment or maltreatment meted out to us after we surrendered,” the former insurgent said.

  • Air Force bombs Boko Haram insurgents regrouping in Sambisa

    Air Force bombs Boko Haram insurgents regrouping in Sambisa

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Wednesday said it had frustrated efforts of the Boko Haram insurgents to regroup.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja.

    Adesanya said component of Operation “LAFIYA DOLE” conducted an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission of the Sambisa general area, the former spiritual headquarters of the insurgents.

    He said during the ISR mission, a gradual convergence of insurgents elements at some buildings in Alagarno Camp one was noticed.

    “The sight of several solar panels on the rooftops of the buildings, and the obvious attempt to conceal the buildings, gave out the plans of the terrorists.

    “A confirmatory ISR mission indicated that the structures were most likely a budding Command and Control facility, which could also house High Value Targets.

    “Accordingly, on July 3, the Air Component detailed 3 aircraft namely, 2 Alpha Jet and one F-7Ni aircraft, to conduct Air Interdiction strikes on the buildings in succession.

    “Subsequent Battle Damage Assessment revealed that the structures with the solar panels as well as other adjoining structures were damaged,” he said.

    Adesanya said further that suspected insurgents technical vehicle, which was attempting to make a run from the vicinity was struck by subsequent waves of attack.

  • B’Haram terrorists’ swap for Chibok schoolgirls was a political decision, not military – Buratai

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai on Tuesday said the decision to swap Boko Haram prisoners with Chibok girls was not a military decision.

    Buratai said this in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation’s programme, Hard Talk, aired on Tuesday.

    He said the Federal Government saw the swap deal as the best decision at the time.

    He said, “As far as I am concerned, we performed our own role for the safe passage of the abducted Chibok girls.

    The Boko Haram terrorists’ swap for the Chibok schoolgirls was a political decision, not a military decision. It is in the best interest of the nation and based on the circumstances, the government felt it was the best course.

    “Personally, I think it has its own advantages; the message is to rescue the Chibok girls.

    “I do not think anyone has said the Boko Haram has been eliminated. Terrorism is something that is resilient.”

    Buratai noted that the inability of the Boko Haram insurgents to attack the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and other northern states as they did before May 2015, showed they had been defeated.

    “Before May 2015, the Boko Haram insurgents were even in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna. They were operating even to the South. We had to stop them. For the past one and a half years, we have not had any attack in Jos, Abuja, Kano and many other places, not even as close as Gombe State.

    “They are only concentrated within certain areas in Borno and Yobe states,” Buratai added.

  • Boko Haram: Over 680 Civilian JTF members killed fighting insurgents — Official

    At least 680 members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) have died trying to repel Boko Haram terrorists attacks in Borno from 2012 to date, the group’s legal officer, Junril Gunda, has said.

    Gunda said in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri on Friday that in spite of the high casualty figure, the JTF remained undaunted in its resolve to protect communities in the state from the terrorists.

    “The group which is non profitable started in 2012 when our youths picked up sticks and said no more Boko Haram and they successfully push the terrorist group out of Maiduguri.

    “We don’t have any other home than Borno, we are therefore working tirelessly to provide civic protections against any form of threat represented by Boko Haram.

    “Sadly a lot of our youths have paid the supreme price, there is hardly any day you will hear of an attack without one of our civilian JTF killed and that does not mean we will stop defending our land of terrorism.

    “As you can see I am a lawyer by profession, this is my Chamber and I am happy to also be one of the Civilian JTF. I was also trained for eight months on light arms use by the military.

    “If I see a Boko Haram now, I can take him down with my gun.

    “It was necessary to train our civilian JTF on the use of arms because they always move along with the military in the front line during operations.

    “Our civilian JTF had taken part in almost all the operations going on in Sambisa forest.

    “It was also necessary because they are always the first to sight Boko Haram suspects during checks in the state capital.

    “Boko Haram members are not afraid of the military, they are afraid of the civilian JTF; they believe if a civilian JTF kills any of them, they will go to hell. Many of them have said this during their testimonies,” said Mr. Gunda.

    According to him, no fewer than 23,000 youth vigilantes have been registered under the body to provide civic protection in every nooks and crannies of the state.

    Gunda said there were numerous challenges confronting the group because the members were not being paid for the job.

    “Like I said earlier, it was a voluntary thing, so no one was paid any penny for the job and because of some difficulties and poor living conditions of the youths, some engage in begging to fend for themselves.

    “It was as the result of this that Borno State Government decided to empower 1,400 of them as vanguards with the acronym BOYES and were being paid N15, 000 monthly.

    “Government and other nongovernmental organizations must also give support to the other 20,000 youths who were not empowered.

    “They should also give priority attention to widows of our deceased youths because we are left to carter for their welfare.

    “Government should sponsor their children and give them a better life in recognition of the selfless sacrifices made by their parents,” said Gunda.

  • News Hour 28-06-2017 I TNGtv

  • Boko Haram: Cameroon repatriates 887 Nigerian refugees

    About 887 Nigerian refugees from Cameroon on Tuesday arrived in Banki, Borno following a request from the Cameroonian government to Nigeria to facilitate their return.

    Mr Hanson Tamfu, the External Relations Officer, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Nigeria, made known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Tamfu said that the request was prompted by fear and suspicions of the Cameroonian authorities that among the refugees might include some elements of Boko Haram.

    “The returnees arrived in six trucks sent by Nigerian authorities following the meeting with the governor of the far north region of Cameroon on June 19.

    “During the meeting, Nigeria was requested to cause the return of refugees, which the Cameroonian authority suspects may also compromise some elements of Boko Haram whose activities have increased tremendously in recent times.

    “Consequently, the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) on June 26 dispatched the buses to transport the refugees,’’ Tamfu said.

    Tamfu said that the latest group of returnees comprises 233 females, 187 males, 236 girls, and 231 boys who were living in host communities in Kolofata, a far north region of Cameroon.

    He said it was reported that most of them do not have much in terms of personal effects but a few items in plastic sacks while some returned completely empty handed.

    Tamfu said that UNHCR responded immediately by providing wet feeding, adding that it also would contact the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Borno SEMA to continue with food provision.

    He said that more returnees had indicated interest to leave Minawowa Camp in Cameroon, adding that they were anxious to return following the media reports about improved security back home.

    He said they were also eager to return on hearing the government’s decision to distribute food to all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno.

    TheNewsGuru reports that the official registered returnees from Cameroon through Banki now stood at 19,257.

     

     

     

    NAN

  • UN chief restates support to FG over Boko Haram

    The Secretary-General of the UN, Mr António Guterres, has reiterated the organisation’s support to the Federal Government in the ongoing fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

    Guterres, in a statement by his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, condemned the series of suicide bombing attacks in Maiduguri on Monday.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates the United Nations’ support to the Government of Nigeria in its fight against terrorism and violent extremism,” the statement read.

    The Secretary-General extended his condolences to the people and Government of Nigeria for the loss of lives.

    The UN chief also wished a quick recovery to those injured in the series of suicide bombing attacks.

    According to him, he hopes that those responsible for the dastardly act will be swiftly brought to justice.

  • News Hour 27-06-2017 I TNGtv