TheNewsGuru

Tag: Military

  • Nigerian military bomb ISWAP leaders Ali Kwaya, Bukar Mainoka in Lake Chad

    Nigerian military bomb ISWAP leaders Ali Kwaya, Bukar Mainoka in Lake Chad

     

    The leaders of the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), Ali Kwaya and Bukar Mainoka, have been killed.

    According to monitored reports, they were killed during an operation by Nigerian military fighter jets at Lake Chad late Saturday.

    Influential members of the ISWAP Shura (Consultation) Council included Kwaya and Mainoka.

    They died after the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted air interdiction missions at Belowa.

    Belowa, one of the ISWAP/Boko Haram enclaves in the Tumbuns, is located in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, on the western coast of Lake Chad

    The military said the strikes at Belowa became necessary after intelligence revealed the convergence of some ISWAP leaders and fighters.

    The terrorists were suspected to be gathering for a meeting ahead of an attack on friendly forces.

    A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter aircraft dispatched to the location to hit the ISWAP elements with rockets and bombs in multiple passes.

    An intelligence operative confirmed that the airstrikes were successful.

    “Two vehicles conveying about 13 injured surviving terrorists to another hideout were struck through precision strikes.

    “Feedbak revealed that ISWAP kingpin, Ali Kwaya, a key member of the ISWAP Shura Council, and Mallam Bukar Mainoka were among those neutralized”, the source said.

  • Terror Attack : Police, Military, Para-military on 24/7 red alert, activate counter measures

    Terror Attack : Police, Military, Para-military on 24/7 red alert, activate counter measures

     

    Impeccable security sources drawn from the Police, the Military and Para-military operatives in the country on Sunday night revealed that intelligence and other relevant surveillance measures designed at checkmating the activities of terrorists were on red alert to thwart any plot to attack any part of the FCT.

    The security sources who would not want names divulged because they were not authorized to speak, commented against the backdrop of an elevated risk alert issued by the United States Embassy in Abuja of possible terror attacks in Nigeria, specifically, Abuja.

    One of the sources revealed that security agencies were already working underground without escalating such information to nip any such plot in the bud in order not to cause apprehension among the citizenry.

    The top security brass source urged “Nigerians to go about their daily activities without fear or hindrance but to remain vigilant, noting that there is nothing wrong with being security conscious”.

    Another source pointed out that “succumbing to fear would be akin to giving in to the antics and gimmicks of the criminal elements to intimidate residents and score psychological leverage against the people, which should not be allowed to happen”.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that Embassy of the United States, Abuja, in a security alert issued to its nationals, dated 23 October 2023 noted that “targets may include, but are not limited to, government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, athletic gatherings, transport terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organizations.

    Consequently, it said, “The U.S. Embassy will offer reduced services until further notice”.

    The United States Embassy further advised its nationals “to avoid all non-essential travel or movement, stay alert, avoid crowds and review their personal security plans and keep their cell phone charged in case of emergency, including carrying proper identification.”

    In a similar vein, the British High Commission warned Britons in Abuja to be security conscious and to align with line managers in view of any journey.

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  • Insecurity: Now there is evidence our security operatives cannot protect us – Gen Danjuma

    Insecurity: Now there is evidence our security operatives cannot protect us – Gen Danjuma

    Former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), has said there’s abundant evidence on what he said that our security operatives cannot protect Nigerians.

    TheNewGuru.com, (TNG) recalls that few years back Gen Danjuma had call on Nigerians to arm themselves against insurgents.

    Danjuma spoke on Saturday in Wukari during the installation of a new monarch.

    According to him, Our country is under siege by armed bandits.

    “When some few years ago I warned that the armed forces are either not capable or unwilling to protect us and that we must defend ourselves, the first denial about what I said came from the ministry of defence.

    “They said I was lying and they set up a kangaroo board of inquiry to investigate the truth or otherwise of what I said.“

    They invited me to come and testify but I did not go. They wrote their report which state that I was only speculating and that there was no evidence. But now there is evidence.

    “The whole country now is being overrun and one very clear thing that is happening now is that these foreign invaders are destroying everything and our government allowed them to come into the country.

  • NEMA, military begin SAR operation to airlift trapped flood victims in Anambra

    NEMA, military begin SAR operation to airlift trapped flood victims in Anambra

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and the Disaster Response Unit (DRU) of the Military has commenced Aerial view operation to ascertain persons displaced or trapped by the rising floods in Anambra.

    Mr Thickman Tanimu, Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, South-East, told newsmen on Monday in Awka, that it would aid the airlifting of trapped persons in the affected communities.

    “Search and Rescue (SAR Operations) has commenced today. The Military DRU have engaged and have started ‘Air Recce’ or Aerial view to collect imagery intelligence of the affected communities.

    “This will help to accertain displaced and trapped persons who need to be evacuated to pave the way for air lifting,” he said.

    Tanimu said that the Presidency and the Director-General NEMA, Mustapha Ahmed-Habib, while commiserating with the state government and flood victims including the bereaved, approved the relief materials.

    He said that the relief materials would be presented directly to flood victims on Tuesday.

    “The delay in arrival of the relief materials is due to the flood disaster that cut off Abuja – Lokoja road and also the security situation due to the Monday sit-at-home in the South East.

    “The relief material will hopefully arrive on Tuesday and be ready for delivery directly to victims.

    “These items are meant to complement the efforts of Anambra State Government in providing immediate succour to victims and aid their speedy rehabilitation,” he said.

  • Finally, Burkina Junta leader Damiba bows, agrees to step down – Mediators

    Finally, Burkina Junta leader Damiba bows, agrees to step down – Mediators

     

     

    Burkina Faso’s junta leader Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba has finally agreed to step down Sunday, two days after military officers announced he had been removed from power, religious and community leaders said.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) report following mediation between Damiba and the new self-proclaimed leader, Ibrahim Traore, “Damiba himself offered his resignation in order to avoid confrontations with serious human and material consequences”, the religious and community leaders said in a statement.

    TNG had earlier on reported that Damiba was ousted because he couldn’t subdue terrorists that he vowed on taking over last January to neutralise.

  • Burkina Faso’s self-declared military leader says ‘situation under control

    Burkina Faso’s self-declared military leader says ‘situation under control

    Burkina Faso’s self-declared military leader Captain Ibrahim Traore said on Sunday that the situation was under control, urging people to refrain from acts of vandalism targeting the French embassy, a statement read on national television said.

    The West African nation remained on edge after Traore accused President Paul-Henri Damiba on Saturday of staging a counter-offensive after his apparent ouster a day earlier.

    The standoff led to sporadic gunfire across the capital throughout Saturday between opposing factions of the army.

    “We want to inform the population that the situation is under control and order is being restored,” an army officer said in a statement broadcast on national television.

    The officer was flanked by Traore and other armed and masked soldiers.

  • 22 confirmed dead as two military choppers crashed in Congo

    22 confirmed dead as two military choppers crashed in Congo

     

    Spokesperson for the Congo Army has confirmed the death of 22 people after two Ugandan military helicopters crashed in East DRC, on Wednesday.

    Uganda had sent troops to its central African neighbour in December to help fight a violent rebel group known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

    “The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) have not yet told us the circumstances of the crash,” the spokesman said without providing further detail.

    UPDF spokesman, Felix Kulayigye confirmed two helicopter crash and said “there were fatalities, but I don’t have any extra details at the moment”.

    The ADF is among several militias wrangling over land and resources in Congo’s mineral-rich east over the past decade, a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.

    Source: Reuters

  • Defence minister lauds military’s gallantry as 3,407 terrorists lay down arms

    Defence minister lauds military’s gallantry as 3,407 terrorists lay down arms

    The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, has lauded the gallant performance of the military in the onslaught against criminal elements in the six geo-political zones of the country.

    This is contained in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by Mr Mohammad Abdulkadri, Special Assistant to the Minister of Defence on Media and Publicity.

    Abdulkadir said that Magashi spoke at the Joint World Press Conference held at the Radio House Abuja on Monday.

    He also said that the press conference was done together with the minister’s counterparts in the Ministries of Police Affairs, Interior and Information and Culture.

    Magashi said that the troops of Operation Hardin Kai in the North East had gallantly denied ISWAP and the Boko Haram Terrorists freedom of co-ordinated attacks as they continued to suffer huge casualties, depletion and depression.

    The minister, whose briefing covered Military Operations across the six geo-political zones, said that the criminal elements had been substantially degraded and defeated in the last four weeks.

    He said this was in compliance with the directive of the Commander-in- Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Abdulkadir said that within the period under review, 66 suspected terrorists were neutralised, alongside the ISWAP commander, Madu Chaka and 20 others.

    He added that 55 others were arrested, while 52 civilians regained their freedom from captivity.

    Magashi further said that the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Zamfara in the North West zone had also given a good account of themselves by clearing the doubts of the bandits and kidnappers.

    He assured Buhari and Nigerians of the total commitment of the military to the defence of the nation’s territorial integrity alongside other security forces.

    The minister was quoted as outlining similar operational successes recorded in the North Central, South East, South South and South West.

    He thanked the C-in-C for the strong backings that the Armed Forces of Nigeria continued to enjoy even in the current participation in the Peace Support Operation in the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

    On his part, the Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyadi said the Police Force had been repositioned and re-equipped.

    Dingyadi added that the force was resolute to effectively change the narratives in all the states of the federation towards keeping the country safe and secured.

    Dingiyadi buttressed the successes recorded in various parts of the country including Borno state with 248 weapons recovered.

    Also, 181 suspects were arrested in Delta, and 40 suspects arrested in Niger, among several others in the last four weeks.

    Similarly, the Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola warned criminal elements to keep off the Correctional Centers across the country or they would not live to tell the story of any dastard acts.

    He advised Nigerians not to obstruct the operations of the Federal Fire Service in responding to the outbreak of fire emergencies.

    While acknowledging the support by the military and sister agencies in a joint operational environment the interior minister assured, ”never again would jail break be repeated.”

    He added that arsonists, vandals and other criminals would pay with their lives.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said that while the country may not be there yet, the military had succeeded and still succeeded in crushing the criminal elements.

    This, he said, was in accordance with the directive of Buhari to the Security Forces.

    The minister said what could have overwhelmed and consumed other nations of the world was what Nigeria was going through in terms of huge security challenges.

    Mohammed said, ”yet, the country remains standing and resolute to end terrorism, banditry and other forms of crimes.”

    He appealed to Nigerians to see security as the business of everyone and thanked the media for carrying out their watchdog roles in nation building and national defence.

    According to Abdulkadri, the conference was attended by the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministry of Defence, Dr Abubakar Kana, and that of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore.

    Others, he said, were the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Leo Irabor, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Isah Jere, his Federal Fire Service counterpart, Mr Abdulganiyu Jaji, as well as top Chief Executives of Agencies, Parastatals and Media.

  • Military eliminates 57 terrorists, top commanders

    Military eliminates 57 terrorists, top commanders

    Troops Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) have eliminated more than 57 terrorists in different operations conducted from Aug. 11 to 25 in the North East, Defence Headquarters says.

    The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami, made this known at a bi-weekly news briefing of the Defence Headquarters on Thursday in Abuja.

    Danmadami said the operations were conducted through land and air raids on the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) enclaves in Borno and Yobe.

    He said the operation also led to the killing of unspecified number of terrorists in a number of airstrikes, with more than 18 of them seriously wounded.

    He added that eight suspected terrorists and four terrorists’ logistic suppliers were apprehended as well as rescue of four civilian victims during the period.

    According to him, a total of 1,652 BHT members and their families comprising of 320 adult males, 442 women and 890 children surrendered to troops at different location within the period.

    “The air component on Aug. 20, carried out strikes on terrorists’ enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the Tumbuns in Borno with various degree of success recorded.

    “Acting on credible intelligence about the gathering of terrorists at a location revealed to be the enclave of a notorious terrorist being hosted by a top-ranking commander.

    “He is believed to be the ISWAP leader of Sambisa Forest who took over the leadership after the demise of Abubakar Shekau.

    “Consequently, the air strikes were carried out on the enclave. Feedback revealed that 25 of the terrorists were neutralized in the strikes with 18 serious wounded.

    “Among those neutralised was a high-profile commander known as Uzaifa, who was the ‘MINZIR’, which connotes the fourth in line of the terrorist leadership structure.

    “Similar air strikes were conducted in the Tumbuns near Lake Chad at a location revealed to be the training camp of the terrorists.

    “Reports revealed that scores of the terrorists were neutralised in the strikes.

    “All recovered items and rescued civilians were handed over to relevant authorities while the surrendered Boko Haram terrorist members and their families were profiled for further action,’’ he said.

  • Buhari orders military authorities to flush out criminals from within

    Buhari orders military authorities to flush out criminals from within

    President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Military authorities to flush out all those elements in the army with criminal tendencies.

    The president gave the directive in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu while reacting to the cold-blooded murder of a Yobe State-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami.

    Aisami was murdered by a callous soldier he had offered a lift as confirmed by the Police.

    Reacting to the incident on Tuesday, Buhari condemned the unprovoked and cold-blooded murder of the Islamic cleric, saying:

    ”This barbaric murder of a compassionate man by a soldier he had assisted has no place in our training as soldiers.

    ”It negates the entire ethos of military life which is anchored on discipline and respect for the sanctity of innocent lives.

    ”As the Commander-in- Chief, I am personally outraged by this criminal and wicked act by a law enforcement official trained to protect life.

    “By our training, we are guided by a code of conduct that frowns at this kind of reckless and criminal act. It is not in our character and training to put innocent citizens in harm’s way.

    ”Of course, the action of this soldier is an isolated incident involving an individual, but it is capable of staining the collective image of our military.

    “This incident is capable of making our fellow citizens to be fearful of assisting soldiers, thereby destroying the bond of trust between our military and the civilians.”

    The president, therefore, called on the military authorities to punish the perpetrators of this heinous crime without delay, and flush out other elements with such criminal tendencies.

    He condoled with Yobe Government, people of the State and family of the victim.