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Tag: soldiers

  • Army confirms killing of soldiers by colleague, self

    Army confirms killing of soldiers by colleague, self

    The Nigerian Army on Monday confirmed the case of a soldier who shot his colleagues and himself dead at Forward Operations Base, Rabah, Sokoto State on Sunday.

    Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated in Abuja that investigations had begun into the incident.

    Mwachukwu stated that circumstances leading to the incident could not be immediately ascertained since the soldier who killed his colleagues also shot himself dead.

    He added that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 8 Division and Commander, Joint Task Force, Northwest Operation Hadarin Daji Maj.-Gen. Godwin Mutkut and other senior officers had visited the location.

    According to him, the GOC commiserated with troops for losing their colleagues in such an unfortunate situation.

    “He urged them to be their brothers’ keepers and to report any anomaly observed amongst colleagues to forestall a recurrence.

    “He also encouraged them to remain calm and committed in the discharge of their duties.

    “The authorities of the Nigerian Army are deeply concerned about this unusual and ugly development and have instituted a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.

    “It is envisaged that the findings of the BOI will help forestall such ugly and bizarre occurrence in the future,’’ Nwachukwu stated.

  • Soldiers gun down ‘Oluomo’ at INEC collation centre

    Soldiers gun down ‘Oluomo’ at INEC collation centre

    A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Akinlabi Akinnaso in Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo has been shot dead by soldiers deployed to maintain security at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Collation Centre in the state.

    Mr. Akinnaso, also known as ‘Oluomo’  was killed in the Owena area of Ayetoro in Idanre town.

    The PDP Chieftain was said to have accompanied the newly elected winner of the House of Representatives for Ifedore/Idanre Federal Constituency, Festus Akingbaso, to receive a Certificate of Return from INEC, when he was ‘accidentally shot’.

    Sources who spoke to Peoples Gazette revealed that Mr. Akinnaso was allegedly trying to force himself into the collation centre when he was shot.

    His corpse had been deposited at the hospital’s morgue.

    Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the spokeswoman for the police in Ondo, who confirmed the incident, said she was still gathering the details of the incident and promised to get back.

    Mr. Akingbaso, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was on Sunday declared the winner of the Ifedore/Idanre Federal Constituency.

    He scored 24,263 votes to beat Tajudeen Adefisoye, the incumbent and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to poll 20,064 votes in the weekend election

  • Soldiers burn police station, vehicles over killing of their colleagues by Policemen in Ikorodu

    Soldiers burn police station, vehicles over killing of their colleagues by Policemen in Ikorodu

    There was pandemonium and confusion at the Ogijo area of Ikorodu a border town between Lagos and Ogun state on Wednesday when soldiers stormed the police station in the area to burn it down in protest of their colleague who was reportedly stabbed to death by  policemen attached to the station.

    Residents and business owners scampered for safety for fear of being attacked or caught up in the pandemonium.

    It was gathered that the policemen stabbed the soldier to death and during a reprisal, property including vehicles, and a police station, among others, were burnt.

    A resident of the area who simply identified himself as Sam told pressmen on the telephone that trouble started when a policeman allegedly killed a soldier.
    He said the slain soldier’s colleagues mobilized and attacked the Ogijo police station.

    Commenting on the incident in a post on Twitter, an eyewitness, Rofiat, Alhameed, said the unrest made a lot of commuters stranded as there were no vehicles to convey them to their destinations, adding that she trekked from Odogunyan to the Ogijo area.

    Using her handle, @Fee_arh, she wrote, “I had to trek from Odogunyan to Ogijo today running from one place to another trying to avoid soldiers beating passersby and those driving between Odogunyan to Ogijo after a soldier was allegedly killed by area boys while some claimed a MOPOL stabbed the soldier in Ikorodu.”

    A vehicle that was set ablaze was seen in the video clip attached to Alhameed’s post.

    Also commenting on the development in a post on Twitter, a lady identified simply as Fisayo, using her handle, @This_Fisayo, urged people to be cautious while plying the Ogijo area to their destinations.

    The post read, “If you’re going towards Ikorodu first gate down to Ogijo precisely, please stay safe; heard they killed a soldier this evening and they’ve been fighting.”

    However, contrary to insinuations that the incident happened in Lagos State, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a tweet, clarified that the incident happened in Ogun State.

    The tweet read, “There are stories making the rounds that riots have broken out in Odonguyan, Ikorodu. We wish to clarify that the unrest is at Ogijo, Ogun State, though very close to Ikorodu, Lagos. Our officers are on the alert and would not allow any breakdown of law and order within Lagos State.”

    However, the Ogun State PPRO, Abimbola Oyeyemi, is yet to comment on the matter.

     

  • UNIBEN V-C appeals for calm over soldiers, students clash

    UNIBEN V-C appeals for calm over soldiers, students clash

    Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Prof. Lilian Salami has called on students to always embrace dialogue in resolving issues rather than taking to protests at the slightest provocation.

    Prof. Salami made that call in a statement she issued on Friday in Benin after a clash between some students of the institution and soldiers on Thursday.

    Clashes and protests usually cause more injury and damage to the students and to other citizens, she noted.

    Pandemonium broke out on the university campus on Thursday when some soldiers went there to use ATM.

    There were, however, variations in eyewitness accounts of what transpired between the students and the soldiers.

    An account said the crisis erupted when the students resisted attempts by the soldiers to jump the queue for the use of the ATM leading to fisticuffs between them.

    Another account said a large group of students descended on the soldiers when the military men upbraided some students for wearing camouflage.

    Prof. Salami described the incident as unfortunate.

    “The unfortunate incident of the clash between some students and soldiers on Thursday, Feb. 2, resulting from alleged resistance of students to the soldiers’ attempt to jump ATM queues on campus has been brought under control.

    “Management of the university is in discussions with the hierarchy of the army in Benin (the Supply and Transport) for amicable resolution.

    “Management acknowledges that these are challenging times for everyone and enjoins all to remain calm while efforts are being made to avert a recurrence.

    “Management also calls on the students to constantly embrace dialogue in resolving issues that concern them rather than taking to protests, at any provocation.

    “Such protests cause more injury and damage for the students and for other citizens,’’ Prof. Salami stated.

  • [Video] Soldiers, UNIBEN students clash at ATM point

    [Video] Soldiers, UNIBEN students clash at ATM point

    Students of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) and soldiers, reportedly clashed at an ATM point within the school premises.

    According to a yet-to-be-confirmed source, the soldiers arrived at the ATM point and tried to jump the queue to use the ATM. It is alleged that one of the soldiers had asked his female colleague to beat a female student, who they thought was filming them as they tried to intimidate the students and use the ATM without being in the queue.

    The students did not take the alleged harassment lightly as they attacked the soldiers and forced them out of their school premises. Normalcy has since returned to the school premises.

    Watch a video from the scene below:

     

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    A post shared by Media/News Company (@thenewsgurung)

     

  • Soldiers, UNIBEN Students clash on campus, management reacts

    Soldiers, UNIBEN Students clash on campus, management reacts

    The University of Benin  was on Thursday thrown into pandemonium when some soldiers attached to the Army Supply and Transport (S&T) Barracks, Ugbowo, Benin City, Edo, caused a drama cum disruption and assault on some students of UNIBEN.

    Findings show that the soldiers escaped being lynched by the students after an argument ensued when the soldiers tried to jump the queue at the Automated Teller Machines  (ATMs) inside the institution’s premises.

    The students who felt cheated by the act decided to stop the soldiers and a fracas ensued on the institution’s  premises.

    The soldiers, according to eyewitnesses who spoke on the drama were said to have had an altercation with the students over whose turn to withdraw from ATM, owned by one of the banks at the university premises.

    Trouble, it was learned started, when the students who had queued for the withdrawal resisted the army personnel from jumping the guns to withdraw at the expense of the students who had stayed for hours to get paid

    One of the students who spoke on condition of anonymity said the soldiers are in the habit of doing it

    “On Wednesday, they (the soldiers) came here (the ATM inside the University) and harassed the students. They even asked the students who challenged them to queue up to lie on the ground.

    “But yesterday (Thursday) when they came again and wanted to do the same thing, the student resisted them,” an eyewitness who did not want his name mentioned said.

    While the heated arguments lasted between the students and the military officers, the Chief Security Officer, CSO, of the institution was said to have moved to the scene, apparently with a view to intervening when he got assaulted by the soldiers who they claimed slapped the CSO.

    The development, according to the source heightened the already tense atmosphere as the students in their numbers pounced on the soldiers with one of them reportedly sustaining injury.

    The aggrieved students afterwards barricaded Ugbowo-Lagos Expressway and halt vehicular movements for several hours, as all routes leading to and fro the UNIBEN main gate were stalled in protest against the soldiers’ action.

    It took the intervention of some spirited Nigerians and the Deputy Police Officer, DPO, Ugbowo division to appease the irate students to allow movement around the axis.

    When contacted, the Police spokesperson in the State, SP Chidi Nwabuzor said he was in Abuja and could not give details but  ASP Jennifer Iwegbu,  confirmed the incident.

    ASP Iwegbu said peace was restored after several appeals to the student but claimed that the students want a phone belonging to one of the unnamed students that were smashed on the ground fixed to end the gruel.

    UNIBEN Management Reacts

    In a swift reaction, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, Professor Lilian Salami in a statement on Friday, lamented the “unfortunate incident” and sued for calm, assuring that efforts are being made to avert a reoccurrence in future.

    “The situation has been brought under control and the Management of the University is in discussions with the hierarchy of the S & T for amicable resolution,” she said.

    The unfortunate incident of the clash between some students of our university and soldiers on Thursday 2nd February,  resulting from alleged resistance of students to the soldiers’ attempt to jump ATM cues on campus has been brought under control and the Management of the University is in discussions with the hierarchy of the S & T for amicable resolution.

    The Management  acknowledges that these are challenging times  for everyone and enjoins all to remain calm  while efforts are being made to avert a re- occurrence.

    Management also calls on the students to constantly engage dialogue in resolving issues that concern them rather than taking to protests, at any provocation, thereby causing more injury and damage to themselves and other citizens.

  • Anambra Dep. Gov. confronts soldiers over roadblocks

    Anambra Dep. Gov. confronts soldiers over roadblocks

    Dr Onyekachukwu Ibezim, the Deputy Governor of Anambra on Saturday confronted soldiers for erecting roadblocks on some major roads in the state and causing gridlock for motorists.

    Ibezim, who was on statewide traffic control, said it was not acceptable to the government that the motoring public would spend long time and burn petrol on traffic because of artificial gridlock caused by soldiers.

    He said the security personnel could still do their jobs without necessarily causing undue hardship on the people.

    At Amansea, near the border with Enugu State on the one lane expressway, Ibezim wondered while soldiers at Stanel filling station and shortly after Nnamdi Azikiwe University gate would retain the disused tyres and sand bags which they used to barricade the road after he asked them to dismantle them.

    Talking to the soldiers, he said, “I came here in the morning to warn you about this but you are still blocking the traffic; we must be sane in this country.

    ”I pulled out as a director in the Ministry of Defense, this is not what the Army stands for.

    “Allow these people to move, you do not suffer tax payers this way,” he said.

    Ibezim called on road users, motorists and pedestrians to cooperate with traffic management agencies to ensure free flow of traffic within the state.

    According to him, available roads should be free to users, everybody should abide by the rules.

    “At Amawbia bye pass, I saw heavy traffic but when I alighted to find out what was going on, it happened that a youth stood in the middle of the road, waving party flag while the traffic stood still.

    “I had to order him out to be attested, surprisingly, they said I was threatening to arrest an opposition party faithful, but we won’t succumb to such cheap blackmail, our roads must be free of all obstructions,” he said.

  • Soldiers bombard terrorists’ hideouts, set free kidnap victims in Kaduna

    Soldiers bombard terrorists’ hideouts, set free kidnap victims in Kaduna

    Ten kidnap victims have been released by the security operatives at locations in the Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Igabi and Chikun local government Area of the state.

    This information was made public by the Kaduna state government on Friday in the state.

    The Commissioner of the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan confirmed the release of the victims through a statement signed and released by him.

    Aruwan disclosed that ten persons were set free  from different locations across the state during the raid and bombardment.

    He gave their name  as Muhammadu Maitireda, Musa Adamu, Dahiru Garba, Badamasi Halilu, Malam Alawiya, Maimuna, Adama, Garba, Ahmad and Luka.

    According to him, the reports received from the troops indicated that the air component of Operation Whirl Punch dislodged bandits as they recovered motorcycles, and weapons in Birnin Gwari LGA.

    He said reports from the troops showed that the hideouts of bandits identified as Alhaji Ishiaka (in Igabi LGA) and Dan Rani (in Birnin Gwari LGA) were targeted and destroyed with rockets.

    Similarly, troops of Operation Forest Sanity conducted fighting patrols along the Gyam-Kuriga-Manini-Udawa-Buruku road in Birnin Gwari LGA and exchanged fire with the bandits who ran into the bush, while AK47 rifle, seven motorcycles, nine rounds of ammunition and one Baofeng radio charger was recovered.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that  president Buhari had earlier in the year during the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) warned of tougher security measures in restive parts of the country and review of operations and strategy.

  • Gunmen attack soldiers in Imo community

    Gunmen attack soldiers in Imo community

    The 34 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Obinze, Owerri, says gunmen on Monday, attacked its officers on patrol at Izombe community, Oguta council area of Imo.

    The Brigade’s Spokesperson, Capt. Joseph Akubo, confirmed this while speaking with newsmen in Owerri on Monday.

    Akubo said that the incident happened after soldiers were drafted to the oil-rich community to checkmate youth restiveness and other crimes in the area.

    He explained that some unidentified persons on Saturday attacked and killed a truck driver, prompting increased patrol by the soldiers.

    “The soldiers were on routine patrol in the area when they came under attack by armed youths.

    “Two days ago, a truck driver was killed; coupled with other criminal activities which had necessitated increased patrol.

    “The oldiers were on normal patrol when they came under attack,” he said.

    Akubo however said he had yet to confirm the casualty figure as the youths were still engaging the soldiers in fierce battle.

    “I cannot tell you the casualty figure because the armed youths are still attacking our men who are taking cover in the buildings in the neighbourhood”, he said.

  • Jungle Justice: Angry mob beat Airforce officer to death in reprisal attack in Ogun state

    Jungle Justice: Angry mob beat Airforce officer to death in reprisal attack in Ogun state

    The Owode-Idi-Iroko in the Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State  was thrown into pandemonium when some soldiers allegedly shot a resident dead.

    It was gathered that an angry mob attacked and killed an innocent Air Force officer in what appeared like a reprisal attack after the soldiers that perpetrated the crime fled the scene.

    Findings show that the soldiers came from Badagry, Lagos, in an alleged search of contraband items.

    The soldiers reportedly stormed Owode Market and broke some shops in search of contraband goods and carted away bags of rice.

    Prices of foreign rice is said to be on the high due to flooding that has taken most parts of the country.

    Reports say the victim, Saheed Egusi was shot in the head by the soldiers when leaving the scene.

    It was gathered that Egusi, a 30-year-old businessman, was reportedly killed for challenging the soldiers who were dragging his elder brother.

    An eyewitness who lives in the area and spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the incident, revealed that Egusi was shot in the head whilst the soldiers were fleeing the scene.

    The source said  “The soldiers said they were from Badagry. This is not their first time of coming here. We were surprised that soldiers would come to seize bags of rice instead of Customs men.

    “They came and started beating people. The person that was killed was the younger brother of the person that was beaten; he wasn’t the owner of the goods; he was asking them to take it easy.

    “So, as the soldiers were going, he also took his car and went his way. So, the leader of the soldiers told his guys to shoot Egusi, and the soldiers shot him in the forehead.

    “His brother is in the hospital because he was injured.

    “The boy that was killed, I am like a street brother to him; he was a good boy.”

    The situation took another turn shortly after the soldiers left as a mob sighted an Air Force officer, who was driving along the road.

    The unsuspecting Airforce Officer was reportedly stopped, dragged out of his car and beaten to death by the angry mob.

    The incident was said to have happened on Sunday evening in the state.

    Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the command had begun an investigation into the incident.

    He said, “The most unfortunate thing is that the angry mob took the law into their hands and an unsuspecting Air Force officer that was going innocently was mobbed and killed in retaliation for the murder of a man in their community by an unknown soldier.

    “We are investigating all. As we are making efforts to get the soldiers, don’t forget that some people also killed an innocent officer. For this reason, those who had a hand in the killing of the Air Force officer will be brought to book as well. However, the situation has been brought under control.”