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Tag: Nigerian Military

  • Nigerian Military kill two ISWAP leaders, Ali Kwaya, Bukar Mainoka in Lake Chad

    Nigerian Military kill two ISWAP leaders, Ali Kwaya, Bukar Mainoka in Lake Chad

    The Nigerian Military says it has killed the Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) leaders Ali Kwaya and Bukar Mainoka during a bombardment.

    The two powerful ISWAP leaders were eliminated in an operation by Nigerian military fighter jets at Lake Chad on Saturday,

    Kwaya and Mainoka were influential members of the ISWAP Shura (Consultation) Council.

    They were killed 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 noted that the strikes in the area became absolutely necessary after receiving intelligence report of an ongoing meeting of the 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 of 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.

  • Go and occupy Sambisa, not our land – N’Delta group to Nigerian Military

    Go and occupy Sambisa, not our land – N’Delta group to Nigerian Military

    The Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative (IPDI) has called for the immediate evacuation soldiers occupying their land and send them to Sambisa.

    The call is contained in a statement signed by its national president, Comrade Austin Ozobo.

    The copies of the statement were made available to journalists on Tuesday.

    The group alleged that military have occupied Udouda and Okobe communities in Egene kingdom in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, and denying homeless and defenceless residents to return to their homes.

    The body said it has not seen any provocation in the South-South or Niger Delta region currently to have made the military bombard, kill and conquer a residential community compared to the glaring provocations in northern Nigeria which the military is sentimentally ignoring.

    It noted that residents of Uduoda and Okobe communities were not at war with the Nigerian military and, as such, needed not to be haunted, killed gruesomely, and conquered by Nigerian troops.

    According to the statement, “If the Nigerian military is looking for somewhere to conquer and occupy, it should be the Sambisa forest and not residential communities whose common trade is fishing and farming.

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    “We want to make it abundantly clear that Uduoda and Okobe communities in Rivers State are not militant hideouts or camps and can’t be shelled or bombed with crude military intelligence because these are communities that have Government schools, churches, MTN mast, government power lines, and others.”

    IPDI called on the Nigerian military authorities to prevail on the Chief of Army Staff to evacuate soldiers out of Udouda and Okobe communities without further delay to allow the fleeing residents to return to their homes “as hundreds of persons have been made homeless and suffering as a result of these invasions.”

    “Again, we call on the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, the Chief of Defence Staff, and Chief of Army Staff to prevail on the military task force, Operation Delta Safe in Rivers and Bayelsa State to stop further invasions in Niger Delta Communities and ensure the military personnel who have perpetrated this heinous crime against Uduoda and Okobe communities be made to face justice,” the group said.

    IPDI, however, urged Niger Delta communities to sue the Nigerian military for at least N100 billion for any unlawful military torture, harassment, and invasion “to check the excessive militarization of Niger Delta communities.”

    The group insisted that “mere suspicion that some people are carrying a gun or doing bunkering business in a community is not enough reason to bombard such community, because it should be remembered that as people, carrying a gun is being targetted, there are also good people in that community who are not carrying gun or doing bunkering.

    The statement reads in full; “The military should tell Nigerians why ancient Udouda and Okobe communities were bombarded and who are they looking for and the crime committed by such persons should be told.

    “The way the Nigerian military invades and bombards defenceless communities in Niger Delta, if they had replicated it in fighting terrorism, banditry and Islamic militants, by now, Nigeria might have been free completely from Islamic Taliban.

    “Even the Bible is against clearing the weeds and the wheat together. Jesus said live with them to grow together but on the last day, they will be separated. If what we call military intelligence nowadays is now mere hearsay. When you want to attack a residential community, you should know first, whether the place is a residential area, what the population size of those being hunted for, and other lawful residents in the community because you must avoid collateral damage.

    “The weak needs to be protected in all operations, but the case of Niger Delta is different. It is wrong to embark on any operation especially in a residential community to kill the weak. Why the weak? because the strong ones will always escape unhurt.

    “It must be made clear that no force is expected to destroy her people with weapons of mass destruction or meant for external aggression because of some provocation arising from a community. This is an act of war crime and abuse of the fundamental rights of innocent citizens.

    “There is no city or town in the world that does not harbour a criminal element or is completely free from criminal activities.

    “If the barbaric military invasions and bombardments in the Niger Delta are embraced, then the military should invade the entire world for consciously or unconsciously abhorring criminal elements or activities.

    “If Nigeria military is not lopsided or sectional, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Abuja, Yobe and other cities and towns in the northeastern part of the country abhorring large presence of bandits and terrorists should have all been heavily air-raided by now.

    “We are seriously provoked, and we don’t care to know the crime in which the Rivers communities were shelled, because thousands of such crimes are perpetrated in the cities and towns of northern Nigeria and no raid has been carried out. This shows that Nigeria’s military operations are selective and lopsided.

    “Again, we are not moved by these lopsided attacks against Niger Delta communities in whatever coloration the military wants to paint it to justify their inimical action.

    “Currently, Abuja is under siege of Islamic terrorists and we expected Abuja to be bombed with the Islamic Taliban including all innocent people thereof, as it is being done to peaceful law-abiding Udouda and Okobe communities in Rivers State in recent times.

    “We want to state unequivocally that the suspicion that a community abhors some suspected criminal elements do not mean that there are no good people in the community. So the military should be brave enough to avoid causalities if there should be any such operation at all. If you say the good people should evacuate such a community, we will ask why the people in the northeast, Abuja, Kaduna, and others have not relocated despite the heavy presence of bandits in such communities.

    “Sadly, the military in Nigeria wants to wipe out Niger Delta communities, they protect innocent citizens in northern Nigeria but in Southern Nigeria, they kill the innocent together with suspects.

    “We want to make it abundantly clear that Uduoda and Okobe communities in Rivers State are not militant hideouts or camps and can’t be shelled or bombed with crude military intelligence because these are communities that have Government schools, churches, MTN mast, government power lines, and others.”

  • Military has adopted new strategy to tackle insecurity – NSA

    Military has adopted new strategy to tackle insecurity – NSA

    The management of the Nigerian military during a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari today assured him that they have adopted new strategies and tactics to deal with insecurity ravaging the country.

    The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, briefed pressmen after Thursday’s National Security Council meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “The members of the armed forces have also committed that in the coming weeks, they have already started working on a new strategy to deal with these snippets of violence,” Mr. Monguno said. “And they’ve given their word their commitment to the President, that there will be a change in momentum, even though there might be certain institutional limitations which they face. But they understood the enormity of the responsibilities that they have.”

    However, Monguno did not disclose the new strategy and tactics that the Military will be adopting but assured that there will be a huge difference henceforth.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that president Buhari summoned service chiefs to an emergency meeting to chart a way forward concerning insecurity issues and incessant attacks by bandits and terrorists in the country.

     

     

  • Nigerian Military denies raising coup alarm

    Nigerian Military denies raising coup alarm

    The Nigerian Military has denied raising a coup d’etat alarm and warning politicians in the country and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces against coup.

    This was contained in a statement released on Sunday by the Acting Director of Defense Media Operations (DMO), Brigadier General Bernard Onyeuko.

    Recall that a statement, warning politicians and officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces against coup, that was attributed to Army Spokesperson Brigadier General Onyeama Nwachukwu had recently circulated on the Internet.

    According to the statement made available to Security Affairs International by Onyeuko, the Defense Headquarters has nothing to do with the coup alarm, frowning at the publication and describing it as “misleading”.

    “The publication is a handiwork of mischief makers and enemies of the state. It is a deliberate and calculated attempt to mislead the general public aimed at causing disharmony in the polity,” Onyeuko said.

    The DMO acting director added that: “The online newspaper manipulated with the intent of disinformation a previous message released in May 2021 by the then Director Defence Information who is the current Army spokesperson. It is a malicious attempt to bring the military to disrepute. It is obvious that the online newspaper has it’s own sinister intention to cause confusion”.

    He said: “The Military High Command hereby warns all mischief makers and their proxies not to draw the military into their engagements. The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains apolitical and would not hesitate to deal decisively with any person or group of persons that want to tarnish its image or draw it into partisan politics.

    “The Armed Forces of Nigeria remains loyal to President Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces -President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and also sworn to defend our democracy as well the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

    Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has released a similar statement, also denying the report that it was planning to overthrow the Buhari’s government.

    The statement released by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director Army Public Relations reads: “The Directorate of Army Public Relations has been notified of an online story making the rounds, with the caption, “Defence Headquarters warns soldiers against overthrowing Buhari’s regime” published on November 13, 2021 by a certain online news medium dubbed “Naija News House”.

    “The said publication, which was riddled with outrageous lies and fabrications claimed that the “Defence Headquarters has denounced a call for the military to take over the reins of power”. The online outlet went further to attribute its falsehood to “Army Spokesman, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu”.

    “The only reason why this grossly unprofessional and blatantly irresponsible report is receiving any attention is the attribution of the false statement to the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu. The authors of the story must be the only news reporters who do not know that Army Spokesman does not speak for the Defence Headquarters.

    “However, for the sake of clarity and to keep the records straight, we wish to state that at no time did the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu issue any statement on the subject matter. It is therefore a figment of their imagination, which did not in anyway emanate from Brig Gen Nwachukwu.

    “In any case, officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army do not need to be “warned against overthrowing Buhari’s government” as their loyalty to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces has never been in doubt. The Nigerian Army is a reputable national and patriotic institution that has fully subordinated herself to civil authority, having stood unwaveringly in defence of the nation’s democracy.

    “The NA will continue to be steadfast in defending Nigeria’s constitution and the much cherished democracy by providing aid to the civil authority, whenever it is called upon to so do”.

  • It is not our duty to uncover Boko Haram sponsors – Nigerian Military

    It is not our duty to uncover Boko Haram sponsors – Nigerian Military

    The Nigerian Military, Thursday, said that it is not part of its responsibilities to unravel the sponsors of the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terror groups.

    It said that even though it is aware that the groups are sponsored, its duty is to defeat the terrorists and not to meddle into their source of funding or sponsorship.

    Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, while fielding questions from Defence Correspondents, said that it is the duty of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Security to find out and disclose the identities of those sponsoring the terrorists and other criminal gangs in the country.

    According to him, “the kind of weapons these terrorists are using like the gun truck and other sophisticated weapons are expensive and how much are they stealing to procure those arms that have to say that they are sponsored and heavily funded. But like I said, it is not the duty of the Military to uncover the sponsors. Our duty is to remain in the frontline and defeat terrorism and other criminality and that is what we are doing.

    “We have the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Security (DSS), it is their responsibility to gather intelligence on the sponsors of the terrorist sand not the Military”.

    On why the Military is yet to overrun the Sambisa forest, considered the traditional base of the Boko Haram Sect, Enenche, said that troops are avoiding collateral damages that may result from total bombardment of the forest.

    He explained that the terrorists mingle with civilians in the Sambisa forest who collaborate with the insurgents thus making it difficult for troops to carry out major attacks on identified locations.

    Meanwhile, giving updates on ongoing Military Operations, he noted that “in the North-East, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE (OPLD) recorded commendable results in the past two weeks. During the period under review, troops conducted several operations at various locations, which led to the neutralization of terrorists, destruction of their equipment and structures as well as recovery of various items”.

    He continued that, “between 18 and 30 June 2020, the Air Task Force of OPLD conducted intensive air strikes to mark the launching of its subsidiary Operation LONG REACH along the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State following concerted Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance missions.

    “The air operations led to the destruction of a BHT tactical command centre housing some of their high value leaders and neutralized several of their fighters at Garin Maloma and Yuwe villages. Additionally, airstrikes conducted at Buka Korege, Bula Bello, Ngoske, Tongule, Bukar Meram and Warshale Villages led to the destruction of several BHT locations and gun trucks while scores of fighters were effectively neutralized”.

    Eneche also added that, “meanwhile, troops of the Army Super Camp 17 at Cross Kauwa in Kukawa Local Government Area and troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed at Response Area Aulari in Bama Local Government Area, both in Borno State, successfully repelled BHT/ISWAP’s attacks on 24 and 25 June 2020, respectively. The gallant troops responded to the terrorists’ attacks with superior firepower, thereby killing 2 of them in contact and recovered 2 AK-47 rifles, 2 Hand Grenades and some ammunition as well as 2 Rocket Propelled Guns and Unexploded Ordnances fired by the terrorists.

    “While the Armed Forces of Nigeria reinvigorates and intensifies her operational activities in the theatre in the North East, it has not relented in its non-kinetic operations. These activities are evident in the civil military cooperation activities provided at various quarters by the Nigerian military, including the continued provision of medical outreach to IDPs by the Military. These activities led to improved civil military relations, thereby enhancing provision of information to security agencies, which resulted to the remarkable successes recorded in recent past in the North East Zone”.

    In the North West zone, he revealed that, “in continuation of aggressive clearance operation in the North-West zone of the country, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI under Operation ACCORD have continued to record significant successes against the criminal elements.

    “This is in addition to the several air bombardments conducted under the subsidiary Operation WUTAN DAJI. The air bombardments led to the neutralization of several bandits and their Logistics bases in Doumbourou, Kuyanbana, Bimasa forests as well as Dunya village in Katsina and Zamfara States respectively.

    “Also, within the period under review, troops foiled armed bandits attack in Katsina and Zamfara States. Troops successfully killed 12 armed bandits and arrested 6 suspected bandits’ informers/collaborators across the theatre.

    “Similarly, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI under Operation ACCORD also rescued 29 kidnapped victims in Katsina and Zamfara States. They were handed over to the 2 State governments. These successes recorded within the period under review have brought about a renewed vigour and determination on the side of the gallant troops in tackling the security challenge in the North West Zone”.

    According to him, “in the North-Central zone, troops of Operations SAFE HAVEN, THUNDER-STRIKE, WHIRL STROKE and GAMA-AIKI conducted several ambushes, raids, clearance patrols and air operations at various locations within the zone which resulted in tremendous successes within the period under review.

    “Notably, troops neutralized 4 bandits affiliated to wanted militia leader “Gana” at their hideout around Che Jukun village in Donga LGA of Taraba State on 29 June 2020. Troops had also earlier arrested 6 of his key lieutenants at Shakpev village under Tiir and Yoyoo council ward of Katsina-Ala LGA of Benue state on 25 June 2020, while three kidnappers were also neutralized during an ambush operation along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway on 28 June 2020.

    “Additionally, the Air Component of the subsidiary Operation GAMA AIKI neutralized several bandits and arrested 2 other fleeing bandits who happened to be foreigners, during intensive airstrikes at Kasuwan Ango Community in Mariga LGA of Niger State. The airstrikes were conducted in the night of 28 and early hours of 29 June 2020.

    “Furthermore, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN recovered a total of 505 rustled cattle in Plateau State between 24 and 29 June 2020 while troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE recovered 4 AK 47 rifles, one AK 47 magazine, 150 rounds of 7.62 special ammunition, 55 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, 4 locally made rifles, and 5 locally made pistols, amongst other items at Akaa and Mbagyeren villages in Ukum LGA of Benue State”.

  • Nigerian military give befitting burial to 11 soldiers killed by bandits in Kaduna

    …as Gov El-Rufai donates N5.5m to grieving families

    The Nigerian Army on Thursday buried the 11 soldiers killed by bandits at Kampanin Doka Village in Birnin-Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

    The soldiers were said to be a special force executing the Nigerian Army’s Exercise Aya Akpatuma (Rat race).

    With full military honour, the remains of the soldiers, who were killed on March 20, were buried at the Commonwealth Cemetery in Kaduna.

    The slain soldiers are Private Olabode Hammed, Private Bamidele Adekunke Emmanuel, Private Owhochukwu Christian Chigoziri, Private Adamu Muhammed, Private Lamara Ahmed, Private Mubarack Suleiman.

    Others included Private Bashir Dani, Private Usman Abubakar Halo, Private Nafiyi Iliyasu, Private Sefiyanu Ahmed and Private Alhassan Ibrahim.

    Speaking at the burial ceremony, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai, said the death of the soldiers would not deter the Army from protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

    He said the bandits that carried out the dastardly act won’t be spared as the Nigerian Army would do all within its powers to arrest and bring them to book.

    Buratai told the families of the deceased to accept the death of the gallant officers as an act of God, saying, “From God we came, and to God we will return.”

    The General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Mohammed, stood in for the Chief of Army Staff.

    The Chief of Army Staff said, “On the morning of 20th March 2018, some able bodied men who came into this job barely a year ago to serve the country told their relations I have joined the Army. Now they have paid the supreme sacrifice defending their country.

    “Could they have paid with their lives to aid those who killed them? All of us will join them, it’s only a matter of time. To have been trained for six months and additional training, to be cut short is really painful.

    “We assure those who killed them that we will not relent our efforts. Their blood was not shed in vain. Their memories remain with us.

    “We assure Nigerians that we would continue to do our duties, regardless of this. We assure that every part of this country, every part under 1 Division would be secured,” he said.

    He assured their families of the Army’s continuous support.

    “If any other member of the family wants to join the Army, do not discourage them. We condole with you on the loss of your people, but we assure you that their death is not in vain.”

    They were honoured with 21 gun salutes.

    Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai during the burial, announced N500,000 each as support to the slain soldiers’ families.

    El-Rufai made the announcement through the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Lawal Balarabe, who represented him at the event.

    The cheque of N5.5m was presented to the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Maj-Gen. Mohammed Mohammed.

    According to the governor, the soldiers fought gallantly to protect our lives and property but paid the supreme price.

    He noted that the state government would not relent in supporting security agencies in ensuring that their killers were brought to book.