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Tag: Borno

  • Yuletide: Bono Police Command raids black spots

    The Borno Police Command has carried out raids on black spots as part of proactive measures to ensure peaceful Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    Mr Victor Isuku, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Sunday.

    “In its resolve to create enabling environment for a peaceful Christmas and New year celebrations, Borno state police command has commenced intensive patrols and Show of Force, in collaboration with other security agencies to enhance visibility policing, as well as raids of criminal hideouts/black spots across the state.

    “Motorists and commercial tricycle operators are warned to adhere to traffic rules and regulations and eschew all forms of recklessness including drug abuse while behind the wheels.

    “The curfew is still in force, as such vehicular movement during curfew hours is prohibited,” he said.

    Isuku added that the ban on knockout and fireworks were still in force, warning that the command would not condone acts capable of instilling fear in the people or disrupt peaceful celebration during the festive season.

    The statement quoted the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Damian Chukwu, as calling on parents to take care of their wards to avert incidents of missing persons.

    The command also urged residents of Borno to be security conscious and to report suspicious persons, movements or objects to security agencies.

  • Borno state free of cholera outbreak – Commissioner

    The Borno Government on Thursday declared that the state is cholera free sequel to the successful control of an outbreak of the disease.

    The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia, made this known at a news conference in Maiduguri.
    He said the state government in collaboration with World Health Organisation (WHO) and development partners had effectively controlled the cholera outbreak which was first recorded on Aug. 16.

    “Today, we are more than two weeks without any case reported and this signifies that we have come to the end of this outbreak,’’ Mshelia, who was represented by Dr Muhammad Ghuluze, said.

    “The preparedness of the health cluster to respond to cholera outbreak; effective partner coordination, and swift activation of the emergency operation centre, efficient case management and surveillance were the strong points that helped disrupt transmission and reduce mortality by about one per cent,” he said.

    Mshelia disclosed further that over 5,000 cases of the disease were recorded with 61 deaths in the six affected local government areas of the state.

    He listed the affected areas as Jere, Maiduguri, Dikwa, Monguno, Mafa and Guzamala.
    The commissioner attributed the outbreak to the weakening health system due to Boko Haram insurgency and over population at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

    According to him, the state government has inoculated 950,000 persons against the disease as part of effort to prevent future outbreak.

    Mshelia reiterated the state government commitments to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the state.
    He commended WHO and other organisations for their contributions to the improvement of healthcare services in the state.

  • El-Kanemi Warriors will win 2017/2018 NPFL title, Borno govt official says

    Yusuf Mohammed, a Deputy Director in the Borno Sports Council, says El-Kanemi Warriors Football Club of Maiduguri are sure to win the 2017/2018 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title.

    Mohammed told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday he was comfident the team would finish at the top of the season’s league table in September.

    “By the special grace of God, El-Kanemi Warriors will be among the top four clubs in the country’s league.

    “In fact, I am confident that we are going to win the Nigeria Professional Football League title,’’he said.

    Mohammed assured that the team would soon return to its glory days, following the recent recruitment of coach Imama Amapakabo as the club’s Technical Adviser.

    NAN reports that Amapakabo, the former coach of Rangers International FC of Enugu, signed a two-year contract worth N750,000 per month and a sign-on fee of N15 million.

    The coach had led Rangers to the NPFL title in 2015/2016 before leaving the Enugu-based club under controversial circumstances last season.

    He was signed on by the Maiduguri side after the sacking of Ladan Bosso who led El-Kanemi to a sixth-place finish in the just-concluded NPFL season, and will be hoping to replicate his success with Rangers at his new club.

    “I can assure you that we will not only do well in the league, but also go ahead to play in the continent.

    “We still recall some of the laurels we won against the likes of Al Ahly of Egypt and also the Challenge Cup we won against Stationery Stores FC of Lagos in Makurdi.

    “This was when Retd. Col Abdulmumuni Aminu was the Governor of the state.

    “Late Amodu Shuaibu was the Coach of the team then and I am confident that with the coming in of our new coach Imama Amapakabo, those glory days will be back in the shortest possible time.

    “The quality of Amapakabo cannot be overemphasised as everyone in the league is aware of his capabilities and with the calibre of the technical crew at his disposal, I believe he will deliver.

    “Our governor, Kashim Shettima, has also promised to support the team 100 per cent and I am confident that what happened in Plateau last season will happen in Borno, come the end of the 2017/2018 NPFL season,” he said.

    NAN reports that El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri will begin their NPFL 2017/2018 season with a trip to Port Harcourt to tackle Rivers United FC on Jan. 14.

    The defending champions, Plateau United, start their title defence away to Nasarawa United.

    The 2017/2018 NPFL season has been slated to kick off on Jan. 14 and to end on Sept. 30.

  • Troops repel Boko Haram attack in Borno community

    Troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday repelled a violet attack by the Boko Haram insurgents at Mainok community in Kaga Local Government area of Borno.

    The NewGuru learnt that the troops engaged the insurgents in gun battle at Mainok, about 73 kilometres drive from Maiduguri.

    Mainok is one of the liberated communities rehabilitated by the government.

    The town recorded high number of returnees due the relative peace in the area.

    The troops, according to witnesses, killed about 10 insurgents and wounded others when they tried to infiltrate a military unit in the town.

    Alhaji Lawal Wasaram, a former chairman of the council, confirmed the incident to TNG.

    Wasaram said that the incident occurred at about 6:00 p.m. when a group of insurgents, moving on two trucks and motorcycles, tried to infiltrate the town from a nearby bush.

    He said that troops deployed to the area intercepted and killed about 10 of them while many were wounded in gun duel.

    Wasaram added that the troops also destroyed the insurgents’ vehicles, a situation which prevented them from attacking the town.

    “The gallant troops successfully repelled the insurgent and protected the town from attack.

    “It is difficult to ascertain the causalities; about 10 insurgents were killed and several others wounded in the failef attempt to attack Mainok,” he said,

    Ha added that the locals and soldiers were currently celebrating victory in the town.

    The military authorities are yet to comment on the incident.

  • BORNO: Army denies suicide bomb attack in IDPs camp, ambush on soldiers

    The Nigerian Army on Tuesday dismissed as ‘misleading’, reports of a suicide bomb attack at an Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Pulka community of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno.

    The military also described as ‘fictitious’, the purported killing of six soldiers by Boko Haram insurgents in an ambush on Damboa Road.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, gave the clarifications in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri.

    Nwachukwu disclosed that two suicide bombers infiltrated Pulka town on Monday, one of the bombers was neutralised by the troops, while the other one detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) in the town, killed two persons and two others sustained injuries.

    He said that a military vehicle stepped on an IED device planted on Damboa Road on Sunday, noting that two soldiers lost their lives in the incident.

    “The incident in Pulka occurred inside the town and not at the IDPs camp. The gallant troops neutralised one of the attackers even before causing harm to any one, while the other suicide bomber detonated the explosive killing two persons and injuring two others.

    “There was no ambush by the insurgents on our troops. The soldiers were involved in an IED explosion accident when their vehicle stepped on the device planted on the road.

    “Two soldiers were involved in the incident; there was no ambush, no ammunition carted away or six soldiers killed, as being erroneously reported. It is a misrepresentation of facts,” he said.

    Nwachukwu said that the military authorities had sympathised with the victims of the suicide bomb attack in Pulka, and reiterated its commitment to the protection of lives and property.

    The army spokesman also called on the people in the region to be vigilant and provide useful information to the military on suspicious activities in their respective communities.

    “Security and peace building is a collective responsibility; I call on community and religious leaders to mobilise their people and cooperate with the military in the fight against insurgency.

    “Boko Haram insurgents do not wear uniform to easily identify them. People must be vigilant to report suspicious persons and contribute to the restoration of peace in the region,” he said.

    NAN

  • Boko Haram Kills 6 Soldiers In Borno

    Military and civilian militia sources on Monday confirmed that at least six soldiers died in two separate Boko Haram ambushes in Borno state.

    Four troops were killed and 12 injured on Sunday when their convoy was attacked near Damboa, 90 kilometres (56 miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.

    Two soldiers were killed in the same area on Saturday, the sources told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not allowed to talk to the media.

    A military officer in Maiduguri said Sunday’s ambush happened when troops were on patrol between the villages of Nyeneri and Falawani.

    “The terrorists came in huge numbers and attacked the convoy using IEDs (improvised explosive devices) and gun trucks,” he added.

    A member of the civilian self-defence force gave a similar account and death toll, and said the jihadists made off with weapons before reinforcements arrived.

    He added: “Two soldiers died on Saturday when the six vehicles they travelling in came under heavy attack from Boko Haram near Bulaburin (village),” said the militia source.

    The attacks came days after the military replaced the officer leading troops fighting Boko Haram following a surge in attacks, including against military outposts.

    The army maintains the redeployment of Major-General Ibrahim Attahiru was routine, and the officer himself said suggestions he was sacked are “far from the truth”.

    He said in his farewell speech to troops on Monday that his move was “a normal exercise” and his redeployment to army headquarters in Abuja was a “call to higher responsibility”.

  • Yuletide: Boko Haram’s threat to bomb Abuja, Adamawa, Bauchi, others real – Police

    …Promises to work hard to foil threat

    The Police have said that threats by the deadly insurgent group, Boko Haram to bomb Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and six other states is real.

    The FCT Commissioner of Police, Sadiq Bello, said the Police would work with other security agencies to ensure that the threat is not actualised.

    The United States and the United Kingdom missions in Nigeria had, last week, warned of possible attacks on soft targets in FCT, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Yobe states by Boko Haram insurgents.

    They warned Americans and Britons in Nigeria to avoid crowded places, including shopping malls, gardens and hotels which could be targeted by the terrorists.

    Following the warning, the Inspector-General of Police directed Commissioners of Police, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police and personnel in the states to be on red alert.

    The IG also directed the CPs in the states to hold stakeholders’ meetings with the people in order to proffer possible ways of tackling the threat.

    Speaking during a stakeholders’ forum on Thursday in Abuja, Bello said that security agencies were working hard to thwart the Boko Haram plot, adding that various strategies were being executed to keep the states safe from terrorists’ attacks.

    The CP said, “The threat to attack the city is real; however, we want to assure members of the public that we are working in collaboration with other sister security agencies to ensure that we all enjoy a peaceful Yuletide.”

    He added, “We are doing a lot, but we don’t want to mention the strategy so that the men of the underworld don’t take advantage of it.

    “We are doing a lot, especially with our sister security agencies. We have already mapped out strategies and we have already commenced that.

    “It may involve massive raids, massive visibility policing, vigorous stop-and-search and we would also embark on intelligence gathering.”

    Bello also urged members of the public to volunteer useful information that could assist the security agencies to prevent the attack.

    He said, “Police work is not magic, we depend on members of the public to make contribution and that is why we are urging members of the public to come up with useful information that would help us nip crimes in the bud.

    “If they see people of questionable character and suspicious movement, they should come to us quickly because we want to take necessary measures to prevent the actualisation of the threat,” the commissioner added.

  • Yuletide: Terrorists may bomb Abuja, other parts of Nigeria where crowds gather – UK, US warn

    British and the United States governments have warned their citizens of terrorist groups’ threat to carry out bomb attacks in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, during the Yuletide.

    In its latest foreign travel advice to British nationals, the country’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated that it would raise the terrorism threat alert in Nigeria during the festive periods.

    Around 117,000 British citizens visit Nigeria each year, according to the FCO.

    The US government warned its citizens not to travel to Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa and Yobe till the end of the year.

    “The risk of terrorist attack increases around religious festivals; so (the threat alert) will be elevated in the run-up to and throughout the Christmas and New Year holiday period. Terrorist groups have threatened to conduct bombings and attacks in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) area during this period.

    “You (British nationals) should avoid places where crowds gather, including religious gatherings and places of worship, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, transport hubs and camps for displaced people,” the United Kingdom said in a statement posted on the FCO website.

    Last week, the United States Embassy in Nigeria issued a similar warning titled, ‘Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Holiday Security Reminder’.

    “The US Mission urges all US citizens to exercise caution in and around shopping centres, malls, markets, hotels, places of worship, restaurants, bars, and other places where crowds gather in and around the Federal Capital Territory, from now through the Christmas and New Year’s holiday season. Terrorist groups have threatened to conduct bombings and attacks in this area during this period.

    “The US Mission remains concerned about potential attacks in the states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa and Yobe. Travellers are urged to avoid those states through the end of the year.

    “Review your personal security plans, remain aware of your surroundings, including local events, and monitor local news stations for updates. Be vigilant and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security,” the US Embassy warned.

  • ’16, 000 persons living with HIV died in Borno …’

    The Borno chapter of the Network of Persons Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWAN), says more than 16, 000 members of the organisation died in the past three years in Borno.

    Its Chairman, Hassan Mustapha, told newsmen on Saturday in Maiduguri that the victims died due to the activities of Boko Haram, which made it difficult for patients to access Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and other support services.

    Mustapha was speaking against the backdrop of the 2017 World AIDS Day.

    He explained that more than 27, 000 persons were registered for ART between 2011 and 2014, in various designated centres in the state, lamenting that the number dropped to 11, 303 clients in 2017.

    He said that the deaths were due to lack of access to treatment, non compliance to the use of drugs and poor economic status of the persons living with the virus.

    Mustapha disclosed that the association confirmed the death of its members through visitation and phone calls to their families, noting that most of the deaths were not recorded at the ART centres.

    The chairman added that the reduction in the number of persons on ART was a clear indication that the persons were either dead or missing.
    Mustapha maintained that the deaths were due to lack of access to ARV drugs in the communities affected by insurgency.

    “Most of the ART centres were closed down due to Boko Haram insurgency, thereby making it difficult for our members to access treatment.

    “Positive living persons in Damboa, Damasak, Monguno, Konduga, Malamfatori and other rural communities could no longer access treatment, as they could not afford transportation to travel to areas where services were available in Maiduguri and Biu.

    “The situation was further compounded by the inability of the state government to pay its counterpart fund for the HIV/AIDS campaign programme in the last three years.

    “Development partners could also not provide care and support services; economic strengthening support and other services to improve the health status of our members.

    “It is clear that the virus is not curable but it could be controlled through effective management. Thousands of our members stopped visiting clinics and when we reach out to locate them we find out that they were either dead or missing,” he said.

    Mustapha further decried non-inclusion of their members in the state government’s skills acquisition programme, to enable them engage in income generating activities and meet their needs.
    “We have been able to control stigma in the society but we need economic empowerment support to enable us make a healthy living.”
    However, Dr Haruna Mshelia, the Commissioner for Health, said that the state government had paid its counterpart fund to the programme, to facilitate its successful implementation.

    Mshelia said the state had recorded success in the campaign against the virus in the past three years.

    He disclosed that the state government had established 42 HIV Testing Service Centres in health facilities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps and 52 Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission PMTCT sites, with 12 ART sites in general hospitals across the state.

    Mshelia noted that the state government had scaled up activities in 237 health facilities, to control transmission and provide quality services for positive living persons.

    The commissioner said that the services were provided in collaboration between the state government and National Action Committee on AIDS (NACA), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), FHI360, IHVN and UNFPA.

    “In 2017, some 236, 404 persons were tested for HIV and 1, 902 new cases recorded in the state.

    “11, 303 clients are currently receiving anti-retroviral treatment and 922 others on PMTCT.”

  • BREAKING: 15 dead, 53 injured after two suicide bombers attack Borno

    Borno state police command has confirmed that, 15 persons have been killed, including two suicide bombers that attacked Biu Market in Biu local government area of Borno state, northeast, Nigeria.

    A statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Victor Isuku said, the number of injured persons stood at 53.

    One of the bombers detonated IED strapped on her body within Biu Main market, while the other one detonated outside the market square.

    “So far, a total of 13 persons excluding the two suicide bombers, have been confirmed killed in the two explosions.

    “While 53 others sustained various degrees of injuries.