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Tag: soldiers

  • Boko Haram terrorists disguise, kidnap soldiers, policemen

    Boko Haram terrorists disguise, kidnap soldiers, policemen

    Two policemen and four soldiers have reportedly been kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents along Damaturu-Maiduguri road.

    The security officers were reported to have been attacked in an ambush near Auno village on Damaturu-Maiduguri road.

    The insurgents who disguised in military uniforms were said to have mounted a roadblock on the highway with three Hilux vans before taking away the hostages who were returning from a short break.

    “Four military men were abducted in an 18 seater bus while two other policemen were abducted in a Gulf car,” TheCable quoted one of the sources.

    However, Sagir Musa, army spokesperson, was not available to comment on the development.

  • Military plane crashes, judges, soldiers, others on board all dead

    Military plane crashes, judges, soldiers, others on board all dead

    A Russian Antonov military plane carrying Sudanese judges and injured people crashed on Thursday in the Darfur region of Sudan, with all those on board killed, according to the Sudanese Red Crescent.

    The plane was travelling from the city of El Geneina – located in the west of Sudan, near the border with Chad – to the Sudanese capital, Khartoum.

    It was not immediately clear what caused the crash.

    The aircraft was transporting people injured in a tribal conflict in Darfur to Khartoum for treatment.

    The plane’s crew comprised three Sudanese army officers.

    It was not immediately clear how many people the plane had been transporting

  • No fewer than 20 soldiers killed in northern Afghanistan

    No fewer than 20 soldiers killed in northern Afghanistan

    At least 20 soldiers were killed in an overnight Taliban attack in Afghanistan’s northern province of Jawzjan, officials said on Tuesday.

    At least two other soldiers disappeared following the attack on a military base in the Aqchah district of the province.

    A member of parliament representing the province, Mohammad Karim Jawzjani, and provincial council member Abdul Hai Hayat said.

    The officials said that over the past months the security situation in the province bordering Turkmenistan has deteriorated.

    Officials say the Taliban have maintained a presence in all districts of Jawzjan, except the provincial capital.

    In the past four months alone, the Taliban took control of two districts, first overrunning Qushtepa in July and then taking Darzab district nearly three weeks ago.

    Afghan forces continue to fight Taliban militants and Islamic State terrorists.

    The fighting surged this year during ongoing talks between the U.S. and the Taliban about a political solution to the conflict.

    According to analysts, both sides had tried to gain leverage at the negotiating table through military gains.

    The talks were called off by U.S. President, Donald Trump in early September.

    However, there are signs that the talks might be resumed.

    U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad held talks in the Afghan capital in the past days and met Afghan officials including President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

  • Killing of nine soldiers: Matawalle summons emergency meeting with Fulani leaders

    Killing of nine soldiers: Matawalle summons emergency meeting with Fulani leaders

    Zamfara Government has summoned an emergency meeting with Fulani leaders over attack on an outpost in which nine soldiers were killed in Sunke village of Anka local government area.

    Senior Special Assistant to Governor Bello Matawalle on Security Matters, Alhaji Abubakar Dauran, told newsmen in Gusau on Saturday that the meeting was to forestall future occurrence.

    He however did not say when the meeting will be held.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Suru attack is the first major security breach since the government initiated dialogue with bandits in the state.

    Dauran confirmed that Thursday’s attack left some soldiers and the attackers dead, while those injured were admitted in Federal Medical Center, Gusau for proper medical attention.

    According to him, the attackers were from Niger state.

    “Following the good relationship and understanding established with the bandits which led to their repentance in Zamfara, I can assure you that those attackers are not from Zamfara.

    “Immediately after the attack, we reached out to the Fulani leaders in the state who confirmed to us that none of their members participated, but we have summoned a meeting with them to forestal reoccurance,” he said.

    Some eye witnesses who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said the bandits that attacked the joint security outpost numbered over 200, riding motorcycles.

  • Gunmen invade Zamfara community, kill nine soldiers

    Suspected gunmen on Thursday killed nine soldiers in Sunke village in Anka local government area of Zamfara state.

    According to a report by The Nation, the dozens of unidentified gunmen arrived on motorcycles, firing at the soldiers and policemen stationed at the community.

    Sunke community is just 30 km south of Anka town, the local government headquarters.
    However, highly placed sources within state government said that the attack was retaliation on the earlier killings of repentant bandits by the soldiers in recent time.

    “Soldiers killed some of the repentant bandits and they vowed to avenge the attacks. The repentant bandits mobilized their men and raided the army formation in the village,” the source added.

    Last Wednesday, residents spotted a motor bike – riding gang of armed men at Mayanchi junction along Gusau – Sokoto highway.

    The gunmen said they were heading to Birnin Gwari in the neighbouring Kaduna state.
    The attacks on soldiers came barely two weeks after the state government raised alarm over possible attacks on seven local government areas by suspected Boko Haram members.

    When contacted the spokesperson of Operation Hadarin Daji in the state, captain Oni Orisan said: “Give me sometimes I will get back to you.” However, he was yet to get back as at the time of filing this report.

  • Kidnappings: Soldiers should travel by road not rail – Senate

    By Emman Ovuakporie, Abuja
    … insist they should travel by road
    …raise alarm over kidnappers issuing notice to residents
    Disturbed by the spate of kidnappings in the country, the Senate wants soldiers to stop travelling by rail to Kaduna from Abuja since Kidnappers don’t attack them.
    It said kidnappers and bandits have taken over major roads, villages and towns, including the nation’s capital, Abuja.
    This development was sequel to the adoption of a motion, through a point of order, raised by Senator Dino Melaye, PDP, Kogi West, on the growing case of kidnapping along Abuja-Lokoja roads and other parts of the nation.
    Melaye recalled that the number of travelers that had been kidnapped in the last two weeks cant be quantified on that axis. He said eight, 11 and 18 people were recently kidnapped in September alone along that road.
    He explained that “In every part of the country, people are being kidnapped. Security agencies should secure roads across the country. Security agencies should protect the lives of every Nigerian. Something more aggressive must be done.”
    Minority leader of the Senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, also expressed his frustration. He said he is out of new ideas on how to tackle the issue. He urged security agencies to come up with new ways to tackle the issue.
    “What do we need to do that we have not done. Maybe we need to do something abnormal. But what is that abnormal thing we need to do to solve this problem? Those of us with access to security still travel to Kaduna using the rail. We have abandoned the roads because of kidnapping.
    “All of a sudden, soldiers are not held by kidnappers. This is a serious issue and must be treated with every seriousness,” he said.
    Former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, revealed how kidnappers recently issued notices to some residents in his state in his state. He said the daredevil kidnappers issued a similar notice in a market in Gombe State.
    He said: “There is no issue disturbing Nigerians more than this issue. It used to be limited to some people. Today, nowhere is safe. Abuja is not safe anymore. They now kidnap in Asokoro.
    “Kidnappers went to the market in Gombe and had the guts to issue notices to people to either meet their demands or they will be kidnapped. Many villages were threatened and the university was almost closed down. They kidnap everyday and this is bad.”
    Worried by the growing menace, the Senate, has for the umpteenth time, called on security agencies to adopt a new approach that will address the growing trend.
    It called on security agencies to adopt new technologies to track activities of kidnappers and bandits carrying out attacks in different parts of the country.
    President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, while intervening, said a new radical approach must be adopted. He said while more funds should be allocated to tackle security concerns, he, however, insisted that the expenditure must be justified.
    “We need to do something differently. The way the security structure is designed, they can’t deliver. Our committees over sighting security agencies should take up this issue and follow it through. Kidnappers and bandits use telephone lines to negotiate. We will be a big more radical. We may give security agencies more funds. They need to give account.
    “We must insist that security agencies must not join the problem. Security agencies should stop dragging the train with us. Let them use the roads. It’s time for our security agencies to go technological. They can deploy drones,” Lawan said.
    It waa also revealed that there are plans to come up with an anti-kidnapping legislation which is expected to be domesticated in states.
  • Two soldiers killed, 20 others injured in road accident

    Two soldiers killed, 20 others injured in road accident

    At least two Tanzanian soldiers were killed and 20 others injured on Thursday after their vehicle veered off the road and overturned in the East African nation’s Southern highland region of Katavi, said an official.

    The Katavi region acting medical officer, Lameck Mdengo, said the vehicle carrying army officers with the Tanzania People’s Defense Forces overturned in the Katavi National Park.

    Mdenga said most of the injured army officers suffered broken limbs and doctors were working round the clock to save their lives.

    “Some of the seriously injured victims have been transferred to Kigoma region hospital for specialised treatment.

    “The soldiers were on their routine duties when the horrible accident occurred,” Mdenga said.

  • Bandits to Masari: Soldiers, policemen fueling kidnapping, banditry in Katsina

    Bandits to Masari: Soldiers, policemen fueling kidnapping, banditry in Katsina

    Repentant bandits on Wednesday told Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari that some soldiers and policemen are fueling banditry and kidnapping in the state in return for monetary gain.

    They warned that unless the security operatives stopped their activities and extortion of money and cattle from them, the situation in the state would not change.

    The bandit groups spoke on Wednesday during a dialogue session with the governor at Gbagegi Primary School, Dankolo in Dandume local government area..

    The repentant bandits who met with the governor were drawn from two of the local government areas in the state – Dandume and Sabuwa – worst affected by banditry.

    The state has been under relentless banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping forcing Governor Masari to initiate the dialogue with bandits.

    Leader of one group of bandits, Idris Yayande ,told the governor that large scale extortion perpetrated by the security operatives had seriously undermined the efforts of government to address the security challenges.

    He said: ‘Soldiers, policemen and other security agencies are fueling banditry, kidnapping and other heinous crimes through large scale extortion in return for their support to us. We have lost confidence in them. We prefer to work with the local vigilante’’

    Corroborating him, leader of Volunteers (Yan-sakai), Lawal Tsoho, accused soldiers, policemen, other security agencies and some politicians in the state of working against the ongoing dialogue between the bandits and the state government because they are benefiting from banditry. He explained: “I have all evidence to prove my statement”,

    He urged the urged the State to facilitate the release of their members arrested by security agencies and detained in various prisons across the country.

    He said: “Some of our members were apprehended in villages across the state and detained for years without committing offence.”

    Another repentant bandit, Idris Yayande, gave the “names of some of our members arrested and detained in different prisons across the state” and urged the government “to release them before the dialogue.”

    He listed those in detention as: ” Alhaji Lawal Bandu, Ibrahim Nabutamu, Sani Marji, Sani Zafi, Lawal Mairuwa and there are some of our children that were arrested by soldiers in layin-Mahuta last year; Juro, Ali, Adamu, Abdulrahman and since then nobody told us where they are and what happened to them.

    “So, we are pleading with the state government to release them to us. We don’t have anybody in our custody now. We promised before that nobody will farm within this area but because of the dialogue we surrendered. If you hear of any attack it is not from us”.

    Another repentant bandit, Haruna Mazge, blamed the prevailing security problem of the state on farmers “who blocked 70 per cent of the cattle routes”

    “Farmers in the state have blocked all cattle routes. If you look at our problem, consider that of farmers too”, he said.

    Mazge called on other bandits who he said were terrorizing villages in the state to surrender their arms for the sustainability of peace.

    He said: “This forest that we are hiding from is not beyond government’s power. Since the governor has forgiven us, we should not betray government in this dialogue by attacking another village in this state again.”

    Masari assured residents of the state that the dialogue would bring peace to Katsina State, North-West and Nigeria, saying “we believe that we have started well and there is nothing better than peace”.

    The governor restated his commitment to rendering assistance to the Fulani living in the Forest and urged them to embrace dialogue and live peacefully with one another. He promised to rebuild the schools and other decayed infrastructure and address other requests.

  • JUST IN: ISWAP militants attack Nigerian soldiers in Baga, Benishiek

    Islamic State militants have launched attacks on Nigerian troop positions in Baga and Benishiek, in Borno state.
    However it is unclear the casualties recorded on the Nigerian side.
    Even ISWAP was unsure about the damage it claimed it inflicted.
    Reuters said ISWAP claimed on its Amaq news agency that it killed or wounded more than 40 soldiers.
    The group said militants attacked a military post in Baga and killed at least 15 soldiers before carrying out a second attack on an army barracks in the town of Benisheik, where they killed or wounded around 25 more.
    Locals and military sources confirmed there were clashes between insurgents and soldiers in the state on Monday and Tuesday.
    At the weekend at least 70 people were killed in three villages in Borno, the birthplace of the insurgency, which began 10 years ago, with a shooting war in Maiduguri, between the insurgents and Boko Haram.
    On Tuesday, the Nigerian government restated that it has defeated Boko Haram and it is now faced with a new dimension of the war, ISWAP.
    “What we have now is a mixture of remnants of the Boko Haram, fugitive criminals and the Islam in Maghreb together with West African terrorists bonding together. This is a fallout of the collapse of the Libyan State, and from farther away, of the Islamic State in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. They are taking advantage of our porous Sahelian borders”, said Garba Shehu, senior special assistant on media to President Muhammadu Buhari.
    Shehu acknowledged the new problem posed by ISWAP, as different from the decimated Boko Haram and hoped that the ‘gallant’ Nigerian military and the multinational forces would soon deal with the menace its members constitute.

  • Army probes stolen N400m by 5 soldiers

    Lieutenant Audu Arihu, spokesman for the 8 Division Nigerian Army in Sokoto, has confirmed the theft of N400 million, not billions, by some lower-ranked soldiers in July.
    He also said investigations have commenced.
    He identified the runaway soldiers as Corporal Gabriel Oluwaniyi, Corporal Mohammed Aminu, Corporal Haruna, Oluji Joshua and Hayatudeen.
    Reports said military authorities have quizzed Major General Hakeem Oladapo Otiki, former general officer commanding of the division, who ordered the five soldiers to escort the money from Sokoto to Kaduna.
    Apart from the quizzing, the former GOC was said to be under close watch and would be brought to Abuja after he was cross-examined by the Directorate of Military Intelligence, the Special Intelligence Bureau and the Nigerian Army Corps of Military Police.
    Tracking the soldiers involved with the heist would be difficult as they abandoned their phones at the infantry corps in Jaji, Kaduna state before they escaped.