TheNewsGuru

Tag: Military

  • Boko Haram ambushes military, police convoy, kills two, injures several others

    Suspected Boko Haram fighters on Tuesday ambushed a large convoy of travellers being escorted by armed soldiers killing a police officer and one of the truck drivers.

    The ambush, which occurred about 10 a.m. on Tuesday, was on a large convoy of commercial, private and government vehicles travelling from Maiduguri to the southern part of Borno State, passing through the Damboa road.

    The road, which also has a link to the gates of Sambisa forest, had been closed for about two years after Boko Haram captured towns and villages along its axis. It was only opened for commercial motorists in February 2016.

    But since its opening, Boko Haram gunmen have staged several attacks on vehicles plying the road.

    The latest of such attacks was that of Tuesday morning, which occurred at Abbari-Dalwa village located about 30km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

     

    The Borno State Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, informed journalists that only one of his officers died in the ambush that also claimed the life of a Borno State government truck driver conveying drugs to an IDP camp in Damboa.

    He said a unit of soldiers who normally carry out such exercise once in a day was escorting the convoy of over 200 vehicles.

    He also explained that in the convoy were 63 personnel of the Nigeria Mobile Police Force on a special duty in Askira-Uba Local Government Area in southern Borno State.

    He also said a team of police officials from the state command were also conveying the corpse of a police sergeant who died of natural causes about four days ago, to the same local government area.

    Chukwu explained that due to the increasing demand for more police presence especially in the liberated areas of Borno State, his command made a request for more hands, and the Inspector General of Police okayed the demand.

    “It was based on that approval by the IG that one officer and 62 men of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force were deployed from Delta State to Askira,” he said.

    “And the vehicle conveying the deployed unit who were in an 80-sitter bus, had to join the convoy of civilian travellers being escorted by the soldiers.

    “They started the trip around 10 a.m.; and by 11.30 we received information that they were ambushed. Suspected insurgents who were firing anti-aircraft rifle on the bus conveying the policemen ambushed the whole convoy of about 200 vehicles. They had to scamper for safety and in that process six of them were injured.

    “The rest 56 of our special deployment managed to escape without any injury and their guns were intact.

    “But from what we gathered, the Borno State government driver who was driving the policemen left the vehicle and ran away. The gunmen attempted to take the bus away, but later left it after ridding it with bullets.”

    Chukwu said the deceased police officer was one of those escorting a corpse.

    “The story is not the same with our men that are in the burial party.

    “The driver (of the ambulance) was shot and injured, but a sergeant, Bala Tiiseh, who was escorting on the front of the lorry was killed. One Mustapha Modu, a driver of Borno State government’s truck, was killed.

    “There are lots of other civilian occupants of the lorry, comprising relatives, friends and well-wishers of the deceased, who are still missing in action.

    “We learnt that in that attack, there was a stampede; people ran in different directions for safety,” Chukwu added.

     

  • Be loyal to civil authority at all times, Dan-Ali charges military

    Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, on Thursday, charged the military to continue to support democracy by being loyal to civil authorities at all times.

    The minister gave the charge shortly before he inaugurated participants of Course 1 of the newly established Nigerian Army War College at its temporary site at Asokoro in Abuja.

    He said “I charge you all to continue to support democracy by being loyal to civil authorities at all times.

    “It is the duty of all officers and men to be absolutely loyal to constituted authority at all times. Issues of discipline will be viewed seriously to maintain professionalism in the military.”

    Dan-Ali added that the military played important role in the security of the nation, especially in degrading the Boko Haram terrorists who killed innocent citizens and seized territories in the past.

    He promised that government “will continue to support the Nigerian Armed Forces in its quest to sustain and maintain professionalism.

    “Already, government is acquiring necessary equipment required by the military to prosecute the war against insurgency in the North-East.

    “New platforms are already waiting final clearance from Tin Can Island (port) and very soon they will be inserted into Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri.”

    According to him, the procurement of new equipment, coupled with good leadership has boosted the morale of troops, which led to the numerous successes recorded in the fight against terrorism.

    He noted that the rate of crimes such as kidnapping, cattle rustling and communal crises were on the decrease, adding that the crisis in the Niger Delta was being handled at the highest political level.

    The minister said militancy in that region had been brought to “an all-time low.’’

    He expressed delight that programmes in the new army war college would cover operational arts and inter-agency cooperation and coordination in military operations.

    “These are important requirements for any operational level leader. This would help officers on one hand with the necessary tools required to plan and execute military operations, while on the other hand create synergy among security agencies in the conduct of operations.

    “The Nigerian Army must therefore continue to build intellectual capacities through education.”

    Earlier, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, had said that prevailing strategic environment of the 21st century was volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous and therefore required evolutionary approach to war fighting.

    Buratai also said that terrorism and insurgency were challenges confronting governments around the world because of transitional nature of terrorists and their “asymmetrical techniques.

    “It is very germane that we train our operational level commanders to understand the dynamics and think out of the box to develop feasible strategies to defeat adversaries and their allies.

    “Having critically assessed the Professional Military Education (PME) curriculum and the performance of officers in the field, it was discovered that there were gaps in the Nigerian Army training, especially at the operational level.”

    The army chief noted that there was no army level courses that supported officers’ capacity building at the operational level, hence the officers were not well grounded in operational art.

    “It is against this background that the college is expected to develop the capacities of officers in operational planning and management, as well as the development of basic strategic skills for effective application of land power,’’ Buratai said.

    Meanwhile, 32 senior officers from the rank of Colonel were inaugurated by the minister as pioneer participants in the Course 1 of the new college.

     

     

     

    NAN

  • Ex-Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega dies

    Former Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega, who spied for the CIA before his drug trafficking and brutal regime sparked a U.S. invasion in 1989, has died aged 83.

    President Juan Carlos Varela announced Noriega’s death on Twitter late on Monday, and said his passing marked the closing of a chapter in Panama’s history.

    ImageFile: Ex-Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega dies
    Manuel Noriega: ex-Panamanian leader dies at 83

    Noriega, who ruled Panama from 1983 to 1989, spied for the Central Intelligence Agency until the United States invaded and toppled his corrupt government, ending a criminal career that saw him working with drug traffickers like Pablo Escobar.

    Noriega was initially sentenced in the United States in 1992 but was serving a sentence for murder in Panama when he died.

    The wily military ruler of the Central American nation made world headlines as his relationship with Washington soured, culminating in the United States sending nearly 28,000 troops to seize Panama City and capture him in a house-to-house hunt.

    Noriega spent the rest of his life in custody between the United States, France and Panama for crimes ranging from murder to racketeering and drug-running.

    The former dictator had undergone an operation in March to remove a brain tumor but suffered a hemorrhage and had been in a coma since a second surgical intervention.

    A government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Noriega died at around 11 p.m. local time after his condition suddenly worsened.

    With the knowledge of U.S. officials, Noriega formed “the hemisphere’s first narcokleptocracy,” a U.S. Senate subcommittee report said, calling him, “the best example in recent U.S. foreign policy of how a foreign leader is able to manipulate the United States to the detriment of our own interests.”

    After his capture, Noriega tried to turn the tables on the United States, saying it had worked hand in glove with him.

  • VIDEO/PHOTOS: IPOB women protest military harassment in Abia, go topless

    VIDEO/PHOTOS: IPOB women protest military harassment in Abia, go topless

    Some women have taken to the streets topless to protest the alleged harassment and intimidation of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB by the military.

    The women were reportedly staging a conference in Abiriba, Abia State when some operatives of the Nigerian Army bashed in their midst and started harassing and subsequently arresting the women.

    A Facebook user Chukwuebuka Idoko, live streamed the protest.

    In the video, the women were seen unclad, chanting ‘disagreement songs’ in their indigenous language.

    See pictures from the protest:

    See video:

    https://www.facebook.com/punchnewspaper/videos/1445683722136452/

  • North Korea’s military weakness exposed

    North Korea’s military may be armed with obsolete conventional weapons, but at 1.2 million men, it poses a very real threat to its neighbour and nemesis to the south.

    Equipped with 20,000 artillery pieces, 1,000 short- and medium-range missiles, 70 submarines, more than 400 patrol/missile boats and 563 combat aircraft, the Hermit Kingdom’s forces are poised to do maximum damage in a sneak attack against South Korea.

    Its 10 plutonium-based nuclear warheads and evolving missile technology exists to project power beyond the peninsula, but there is little doubt that the rogue nation’s first target should it declare war will be South Korea.

    A strike against Seoul would be devastating. At 25 million people, it is the most densely populated city in the world.

    Seoul is just 30 miles from the demilitarized zone, the contested boundary between North and South which are still technically at war and restrained only by an armistice in place since 1953.

    Pyongyang has an estimated 4,000 artillery guns and rockets placed on the heights north of Seoul just across the DMZ, many of them on rails so they can be moved into place in time to avoid detection.

    Adm. Harry Harris, commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific, said America needs to wield “credible combat power all the time” to face whatever threats come out of North Korea, “I think the lack of a strong, credible combat deterrence is actually an encouragement to Kim Jong Un to do things that are provocative or dangerous or both… that threaten those millions who live in Seoul.”

    The U.S. military regularly conducts combat simulations with experts from the private sector and the Pentagon to determine the outcomes of a North Korean attack on the South.

    Former Army Intelligence Officer Michael Pregent served in rapid response units that would deploy to Korea in the event of a conflict.

    Now a fellow at the Hudson Institute, he took part in war games that simulated a North Korean offensive against South Korea when he was with the 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions.

     

     

     

    Read more here.

  • Dont relent in your efforts to wipe out insurgents, Buhari tells Military

    President Muhammadu Buhari said on Friday that the attention of the Army would always be required to tackle numerous security challenges across the country.

    Speaking at the closing of the 2017 Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship at Sambia, the president urged troops to use the skills they acquired in the competition to improve their performance.

    Represented by Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, the Chief of Defence of Staff, Buhari, said: “Remember security challenges abound in our country that will continue to require the attention of the Nigerian army and indeed the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

    “I therefore urge you not to rest on your oars but harness the skills which you have used this competition to sharpen for improved performance,’’ he said.

    The president said holding the exercise in Sambisa indicated that normalcy had returned to Borno, and indeed the North-East.

    Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has directed the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, to route remnants of Boko Haram terrorists from their hiding places in the “next few weeks.’’

    “I want to give the final task to the Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, to within the next few weeks flush out these criminals once and for all from their hiding places in this area and indeed in the whole North-East,’’ Buratai said.

    “This is a task we must accomplish,’’ he said.

    The chief of army staff said troops would continue to dominate the forest with the fall of Camp Zero, the last strong hold of the Boko Haram, and vowed that the terrorists would never be allowed to re-occupy the area.

    Buratai said that to ensure this, exercises including training, would continue to be held in the forest.

    He also directed the Commandant, Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA), to ensure that henceforth, final exercises of passing out cadets were held in the forest.

    Nine Divisions of the Nigerian army, 1,2,3,6, 7, 8, 81, 82 and Army Headquarters Garrison participated in the exercise.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that 7 Division, Maiduguri, emerged the winner of the championship, 82 Div., Enugu, came second, while Army headquarters Garrison took the third position.

    Apart from trophies, they were rewarded by the chief of army with N2 million, N1.5 million and N1 million in that order.

    Ten participants took part in the shooting competition including: AK47 riffle, FN riffle, pistol and female Ak47 shooting.

    All the Service Chiefs, representative of the Inspector-General of Police and Defence Attaches of various countries in Nigeria attended the ceremony which also featured display of “fire power’’ by the army and Air Force.

     

  • Arrest any of my 3 children if they have links with Boko Haram, Shettima orders Military

    Arrest any of my 3 children if they have links with Boko Haram, Shettima orders Military

    Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has ordered security operatives to arrest any of three biological children should be investigated and found having links with the dreaded Boko Haram group that has terrorized the state for close to five years now.

    The governor also pledged continued support to security agencies and local vigilante even as he expressed condolences to families of Boko Haram victims.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the governor’s reaction was coming after the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, disclosed that the Nigerian Military arrested two prominent politicians and a traditional ruler during a raid in Borno State.

    Speaking in a 7-minute video broadcast on Thursday, Shettima said: “My dear brothers and sisters, the people of Borno State, in recent days and weeks, we have come under renewed attacks which horribly remind us, that our security challenges are still longing.

    “It is regrettable that this upsurge in cowardly suicide attacks came not long after the patriotic military forces of this country recaptured Sambisa Forest which used to be the operational zone of the Boko Haram terrorists.

    “It was from Sambisa that these mass murderers used to train, prepare and launch bold attacks on our communities.

    “Our gallant military and other security agencies have now denied them the use of their former high command.

    “However, we must remind ourselves that the recapture of Sambisa Forest and the flushing out of the terrorists from most of their former enclaves does not mean that our struggle is over. Instead, the terrorists have resorted in their usual cowardly fashion, to stepping up attacks on soft targets.

    “Cowardly and vile attacks such as these on schools, places of worship, markets and other soft targets are signs of the terrorists’ weakness and of their desperation to tell their terror co-travellers around the world, that they are not yet finished.

    “In this criminal endeavour, they resort to the use of teenagers and children as young as seven years.

    “More recently, they even strap babies on the back of their recruits in order to slip through our security dragnets.

    “They also use hard drugs on these innocent children who do not know what they are doing when they kill their own parents, relations, and fellow countrymen and women. Many precious lives have been lost, hundreds of citizens including school girls were abducted; many more people have suffered serious injuries as a result of these senseless acts of bloodthirsty enemies of peace.

    “I once again extend my deepest condolence to the families of all those who have lost loved ones or suffered injuries due to these cowardly attacks. We pray to Almighty God for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives and for the quick recovery of those who suffered injuries.

    “In the midst of our pain in these trying times, we must acknowledge the support of international and local humanitarian agencies, development partners and credible NGOs for standing by the good people of Borno State through thick and thin.

    “Even though we are all saddened by episodes of attacks, as your Governor, I assure you that I serve with a constant reminder that the number one basis of Government is the protection of innocent lives and property.

    “I know the weight of my duties and the oath I took before you and God. With your mandate, I have the privilege of first hand security reports and I can share with you, that for every vile attack that the terrorists were able to carry out on innocent lives, many more were stopped by our gallant security agencies, our Civilian JTF, vigilantes and hunters.

    “As we know, the intention of terrorists is to demoralize us, make us to live in fear and prevent us from going about our normal lives and worshipping our God in ways that differ from their ungodly violence.

    “We will not allow them succeed in their wish to make us live in the permanent slavery of fear, infact, they have failed in their mission because together, we have said no to them and in saying NO, we must not let them cause us any more harm.

    “The Government of Borno State will continue to provide the necessary support to our gallant military and security agencies and volunteers in their patriotic effort to restore peace and security in our ancestral land.

    “We will continue to take preventive measures by working with community leaders across ethnic and religious divides in all our 27 local government areas to increase community policing. We all have roles to play.

    “I know that majority of you, the good people of Borno State, have remained sincerely committed to fighting this insurgency. I have met parents who exposed their insurgent biological children and handed them over to security forces to face justice.

    “I know that insurgents and their allies often hide their identity so well that good citizens may innocently associate with them.

    “But the bold patriotism of parents who turn in their children has always strengthened our resolve; this is why I strongly say to security agencies, that anyone factually suspected of despicable links with the Boko Haram and other criminals should face justice even if that person happens to be one of my three biological children.

    “Support for insurgents is a crime against humanity. I have met parents who encouraged their children to join the Civilian JTF and risk their lives to fight insurgents. I have even met parents who remained contended and proud even after their sons died fighting under the Civilian JTF. I have seen elderly men and young girls organize themselves to join the fight as vigilantes and the Civilian JTF.

    “I know the sacrifices many citizens have made and it is because of your devotion that I am urging all the people of Borno State to rise up as one and increase our community vigilance, especially around soft targets.

    “We must remobilize ourselves and step up vigilance and community policing around all our population and community centres like mosques, churches, markets, schools, hospitals, shopping complexes, football fields, social gatherings and motor parks.

    “We must watch out for strange and suspicious faces, not for the purpose of taking the law into our hands but for reporting these suspicious persons to the nearest security agents for prompt action.

    “I urge you, the good people of Borno State, not to despair but to rise as one and stand up to this murderous gasp of a dying insurgency.

    “I believe God is with the non-violent.

    “May He crown our efforts with the quick rescue of all our citizens still in captivity and May He grant us enduring peace and prosperity!

    “God bless you,” the Governor stated.

  • Military debunks claims of Pipeline bombing by militants in N/DEelta

    The Joint Military Operation in Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, on Wednesday dismissed claims of responsibility by a militant group on a supposed explosion at an oil field in Ughelli, Delta.

    Lt.-Col. Olaolu Daudu, Spokesman of the Joint Task Force, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the reports were frivolous and false as troops in the area reported no breach of the pipeline as claimed.

    He explained that the fire caused by residents who burnt bushes near the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) oil field was falsely presented as an attack by a faceless militant group.

    NPDC is a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Development Company (NNPC).

    “The incidence that occurred was a fire-outbreak as a result of bush burning escalated by previous oil spill from one of the facilities of Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

    “The oilfield is located at Ekiugbo Afiesere and Inene Community in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta.

    “It should be noted that no pipeline was affected, neither was there any explosion.

    “The Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe wishes to caution all from propagating discord and unsubstantiated stories in order to seek relevance and cause unnecessary tension, to desist from such practice.

    “They should rather be guided by national interest and security as they go about their professional duties,” Daudu said.

  • Senate regrets accidental bombing, urges support for Military

    The Senate on Wednesday regretted the bombing of a community in Rann, Borno State by the Nigeria Air Force.

    Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan drew the attention of lawmakers to the incident which occurred yesterday through Order 43 of Senate Rules, saying the operation was mistakenly carried out.

    Though the matter cannot be subjected to debate as is the tradition of motions raised through Order 43, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu explained that it was a mistake.

    “The operation was completely unintended and we hope this mistake will not happen again.”

    “The military should not be dampened by this incident, but should be conscious and careful, while we urged them to continue to do the good work which they have been doing,” he concluded.

    However, 50 persons were reported killed while 120 were injured including some charity organization staff in the accidental bomb incident.

  • Turkey presses on with mass arrests in post-coup purge

    Turkish prosecutors on Wednesday issued arrest warrants for 243 military personnel over the attempted coup throughout the country, a media report said.

    It said that the suspects were believed to have used by lock, an encrypted cell phone messaging application.

    The government said the by lock was used by Fethullah Gulen’s network, the U.S.-based cleric Ankara accuses of masterminding the coup attempt.

    Police forces launched operations across 54 provinces following the arrest warrants issued by prosecutors in Istanbul.

    Previously, the public prosecutor’s office also issued arrest warrants for 575 military personnel based upon the same allegations.

    A little over 350 suspects were detained by the police.

    Turkey has been conducting an extensive investigation of suspects with alleged links to Gulenists following the coup attempt on July 15.

    Report says operations are on-going in the military, police and judiciary fields, as well as in state institutions across the country.