TheNewsGuru

Tag: Troops

  • Operation Cat Race: Troops kill 10, arrest 6 herdsmen who set Adamawa village on fire

    The Nigerian Army said troops of 101 Special Forces Battalion on Exercise Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) have arrested six notorious herdsmen who invaded and set on fire Gwamba village in Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

    In a statement, the Nigerian Army said “despite swift reaction to rescue the village from destruction, the notorious herdsmen set the village ablaze before troops arrival. The determine troops trailed the herdsmen and arrested 6 of them at Garigiji village while trying to escape”.

    According to the statement, during the process of the arrest, the herdsmen showed resistance, which made the alerted troops to engaged them killing 10.

    TheNewsGuru reports items recovered from the herdsmen are: one AK 47 rifle, 41 rounds of 7.62mm special, one locally made rifle with 25 cartridges & one cutlass among others.

    The troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion deployed at Numan Local Government Area of Adamawa state swiftly responded to the distress call and supported the troops at Gwamba village under attack by herdsmen on Tuesday 27 February 2018.

     

  • Troops kill 35 Boko Haram insurgents, rescue 1,130 civilian hostages, recover munitions

    The Nigerian-Cameroonian troops of Operation Lafiya Dole under the ongoing Operation Deep Punch II have reported killing 35 Boko Haram insurgents, rescuing 1,130 civilian hostages and recovering large cache of munitions.

    The Deputy Director Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, made this known in a signed statement today stressing the troops have continued to maintain the momentum to seek out and clear Boko Haram insurgents from enclaves in the northern fringes of the Lake Chad Islands and the Sambisa region.

    “Yesterday Monday 26 February 2018, combined troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and the Cameroonian Defence Forces, in a clearance operation, took the battle to the terrorists in their enclaves at Kusha-Kucha, Surdewala, Alkanerik, Magdewerne and Mayen villages, all situated along the Nigerian – Cameroonian border.

    “In the fierce offensives, the gallant troops killed 33 Boko Haram insurgents and destroyed 15 locally fabricated rifles captured from them. The troops also destroyed 4 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), several motorcycles and bicycles belonging to the insurgents. 603 civilians held hostage by the insurgents were also rescued and conveyed to Bäma and Pulka towns, where they are currently being profiled before subsequent handover to IDP camp officials,” the statement read.

    Relatedly, as the clearance operations progressed, the combined troops tracked the insurgents to Bokko, Daushe and Gava villages, where they unleashed another attack on the fleeing insurgents, killing 2 of them in the fire fight and recovering one AK 47 rifle, a magazine, a trolley and unspecified quantity of premium motor spirit in Jerry cans. The troops also extricated 194 civilians held captive by the insurgents and destroyed makeshift accommodations erected by the insurgents.

    Additionally, the combined troops successfully cleared Miyanti and Wudila villages, where they rescued 3 men, 121 women and 209 children. The rescued persons are undergoing profiling, preparatory to their handover to appropriate IDP camps.

    Meanwhile, troops carrying out clearance operations from the Sabil Huda axis of the Sambisa forest have recovered a cache of arms and tools from Boko Haram insurgents’ enclave in the Sabil Huda area of the Sambisa.

    The munitions recovered include 3 Browny Machine Guns, two 81mm Mortar tubes, one 81mm Mortar tripod, one 60 mm Commando Mortar tube, twelve 40mm AGL cartridge , 5 AK 47 rifles ,1 sniper rifle, 3 Pistols with one magazine loaded with four 9mm rounds, one damaged pump action rifle, 2 damaged G3 rifles, 1 Tear gas riflel, 2 Sub Machine Guns, 5 xG3 Magazines, 4 locally made rockets, 28 working parts of various weapons, 28 barrels of various weapons, 3 Browny Machine Gun bipods, 2 Anti Aircraft Gun Barrels, 12 Anti Aircraft Gun tripods, 8 Tool boxes, one welding machine, one Hayab crane, Assorted ammunition links, one packet of electrode and one power generator.

     

  • Troops nab 10 herdsmen in Benue destroying farmland

    Troops deployed to Yelwata under the ongoing Exercise Ayem Akpatuma (Cat Race) have arrested 10 herdsmen destroying farmland at Tse-Tigir and Tse-Ndugh villages of Benue.

    Brig.-Gen. Texas Chukwu, the Director, Army Public Relations, in a statement issued late Monday night in Abuja, said the suspects fled into the bush when they sighted the troops.

    “While in the act of destroying the farmland, the herdsmen sighted the aggressive troops and fled into the bush.

    “The determined troops pursued and arrest them.

    “Items recovered from them are five motorcycles, two machetes, assorted charms and N120,000,” he said.

    Chukwu said the suspects and the items were handed over to the Police for investigation.

    The spokesman said the Army was determined to fish out criminals and recover weapons they use in killing innocent citizens.

    He appealed to the people to cooperate with the troops.

     

  • Troops arrest herdsman with bullet-proof vest

    Troops on patrol have arrested a herdsman with a locally made bullet-proof and cutlass at Chegba village in Logo Local Government Area of Benue.

    A statement signed by Col. Aliyu Yusuf on Sunday said the suspect had been handed over to the police.

    Yusuf also said that troops during the patrol intervened in a violent clash between hunters and herdsmen in Obi Local Government following a distress call.

    In related development, Yusuf said troops on patrol named Ayem Akpatuma, Cat Race, also seized a locally made pistol with one live cartridge at Gidan Kiya village, Ibbi Local Government Area of Taraba.

    He call on the residents of the areas where the exercise was taking place to continue to cooperate with the troops by providing useful information and to report any suspicious movement to security agencies.

     

  • Troops kill five; capture Boko Haram commander in Borno

    Troops in Borno killed five Boko Haram insurgents and captured a top commander of the group in the ongoing operation in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad basin.

    Col. Onyeama Nwachukwu, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of Operation Lafiya Dole, in a statement in Maiduguri, said troops also rescued three civilians, recovered vehicles and high calibre ammunition in various operations in the past two days.

    Nwachukwu said on Thursday, the troops engaged and neutralised a number of fleeing insurgents while attempting to escape the military blocking position in one of the cleared enclaves ‘Sabil-Huda’, deep in Sambisa Forest.

    He said that the troops also recovered one G-III rifle magazine, one life jacket, a light Machine Gunmetal link, four rounds of Anti-Aircraft ammunition, four rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and three rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.

    “Unfortunately, two soldiers were injured in the process; they had been evacuated by the Nigerian Air Force and are responding to treatment,” he said.

    Nwachukwu said that the troops on Friday launched offensive targeting a terrorist’s hideouts up ‘CAMP ZAIRO’, and neutralized a number of insurgents in spite of initial damaged caused to their Armoured Fighting Vehicle by Improvise Explosive Device (IED) planted beneath the ground.

    He said that the troops killed five insurgents; several others wounded and recovered ammunition at a hideout in Parisu, Sambisa Forest.

    Nwachukwu disclosed that troops of 151 Battalion in conjunction with “7 Division Support Group’ had also cleared nine terrorists’ hideouts along Frigi-Izza area.

    The director added that the troops also recovered one motorcycle, two bicycles, 10 bicycle tyres, one bicycle, three Boko Haram flags, a solar panel, five drums filled with grain, two mattresses, two grinding machines, three bags of metal scraps, two motorcycle tyres and two underground grain silos.

    Also recovered are one AK-47 Rifle Magazine, 1 dummy rifle, a round of 12.7mm ammunition, 12 empty cases of 7.62mm ammunition, assorted IED materials and a tool box.

    According to him, the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE provided air cover for the land troops in the conduct of the operations.

  • JUST IN: Buratai charges troops to get Shekau dead or alive

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has again charged troops to capture Abubakar Shekau, the factional leader of the Boko Haram terrorists group, alive or dead.

    Buratai gave the charge at Camp Zairo, the former Command and Control Centre of the terrorists group in the Sambisa forest during an operational visit to troops.

    In 2017, the army chief gave troops a 40-day ultimatum to capture Shekau and the army recently offered a N3 million reward for information on him.

    Troops finally destroyed the camp in January in an operation tagged “Deep Punch II’’ and are now dominating the general area of the forest.

    The military sacked Shekau from the camp in December, 2016 but the terrorists later re-group to launch pockets of attacks.

    Other locations visited by Buratai are Bita and Tukumbere, all settlements within the forest but almost deserted due to the insurgency.

    “Let me say congratulations. But, we must move across to wherever this criminal – Shekau is and catch him red handed. I want you to get him.

    “Mr President, Command-In-Chief of the Armed Forces says congratulations to all of you for recovering the Sambisa Forest.

    “As far as we are concern, we have come to the end of this operation (clearing the forest of remnants of terrorists).

    “What is remaining now is the Lake Chad waters only and we hope to do that (clear terrorists from it) also very soon.

    “Meanwhile, you all know these criminals are still on the run; these guys are on the run, you must make sure that you get them wherever they are around this area.

    “You must not allow them to escape. Every day, you must go on patrol, lay ambush for them and you go on raids.

    “This is the time we have to consolidate and ensure that this place – Sambisa forest, is safe and never for these criminals to come back to it,’’ Buratai charged the troops.

    The chief of army staff said that he was in Sambisa and Camp Zairo to confirm the capture, destruction and domination by the gallant troops.

    “I am glad that the troops have done the country proud and they have done Mr President proud by not only capturing the Camp Zairo within the forest but also consolidating on this success.

    “It is a thing of pride and I want to say that we are proud of the Nigerian troops. We are proud of members of the armed forces, the Air Force, Navy, Police, DSS and indeed Civilian JTF, who have provided the needed service,’’ he said.

    Buratai described the Sambisa forest as strategic and assured that the military would it secure against terrorists.

    “We are going to transform this place, apart from making it a training area.

    “We are going to have a modern defence establishment in terms of the provision of basic requirements for your comfort and indeed for your operations.

    “We already making sure that the first set of facilities are brought here,’’ the army chief said.

    To the troops, who captured the camp, Buratai promised them special package to boost their morale.

    “We are going to have some special packages for all of you that penetrated this forest.

    “We will make sure that your morale is high by making the necessary provision for you to be comfortable,’’ he added.

    On rotation of troops, he said that plans were on to rotate those who had stayed long in the theatre of operation.

    “This is in our plan. I know that some of you were inducted here right from the depot but we are doing something for you to be properly deployed and properly accommodated as well.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that 3,000 troops would be inducted into the Operation Lafiya Dole this week, to replace those who had stayed long.

    In an interview with newsmen after the visit, Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, said with the capture of camp Zairo ”the soul and mind of Boko Haram have been broken in Sambisa forest”.

    “They don’t have a place to hide. We are still going round to make sure that some of them that are hiding in holes, we intend to fish them out,’’ Nicholas said.

    He said that on assumption of duty in 2017, the chief of army staff tasked him to capture Camp Zairo and clear Boko Haram from the Sambisa forest.

    “Troops have finally cleared the forest of remnants and we are presently occupying camp Zairo as well as all the little settlements and camps within the forest.’’

    Staff Sgt. Dauda Mohammed, one of the troops, who participated in the operations that finally destroyed camp Zairo and clear the forest of remnants of terrorists, attributed their success to the Almighty God.

    “The success is from God. God almighty is the one that gave us the success which all of us are happy to be here. The Sambisa is cleared,’’ Mohammed said.

    NAN also reports that during the visit, the army chief directed principal officers, who accompanied him, to visit other locations and frontline.

    Accordingly, the Chief of Training and Operations, Maj.-Gen. David Ahmadu visited Bama, Borno South East to find out the needs of the troops and encourage them.

    The Director, Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Tarfa, visited Dikwa, Borno North East while Maj.-Gen. A.T. Hamman, the Provost Marshal, visited Gubio, Borno North West.

     

  • BREAKING: Troops rescue another Chibok Girl

    BREAKING: Troops rescue another Chibok Girl

    Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in Pulka , have liberated one of the Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists earlier in 2014.

     

    According to a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the girl was rescued on Thursday.

     

    “So far, preliminary investigations reveal that the young girl identified as Salomi Pagu is the same as the Chibok girl published on serial 86 of the online list of abducted Chibok girls.

     

    “Currently, the girl who was intercepted in the company of another young girl, Jamila Adams, about 14 years old with a child, are in the safe custody of troops and receiving medical attention,” the statement said.

    Recall that In November 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari had reiterated that his administration was toiling day and night to secure the release of the remaining girls and other captives in the hands of the terrorists.

    The President had made the statement during a book presentation entitled: ‘Making Steady, Sustainable Progressive for Nigeria’s Peace and Prosperity: A mid-term scorecard on the President Muhammadu Buhari Administration.’

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    More to follow…

     

  • Army capture 220 Boko Haram insurgents in North-East

    The Nigerian Army on Friday said its troops had captured 220 Boko Haram insurgents in various clearance operations in the northeast region.

    Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, made the disclosure in a statement issued in Maiduguri.

    Nwachukwu said that troops captured 167 insurgents after raiding their enclaves in Lake Chad Basin while 53 others were captured in northern parts of Borno State.

    He disclosed that troops also extricated 67 women and 173 children, who were family members of the insurgents.

    Nwachukwu said that the troops have intensified offensive to clear remnants of the insurgents in the region, noting that the operation has yielded positive results.

    “Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have intensified offensive on Boko Haram enclaves in the Island around Lake Chad.

    “The offensive which commenced about two weeks ago with coordinated air and artillery bombardments on Boko Haram enclaves is yielding positive results, as several insurgents have been killed while 167 fleeing insurgents have been captured by troops.

    “Troops also extricated and profiled 67 women and 173 children who revealed during profiling exercise that they are family members of the insurgents who fled the troops’ offensive,” he said.

    Nwachukwu explained that arrangements were ongoing to handover the women and children to authorities of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, after completing preliminary investigations.

    According to him, troops in the past two months conducted long range fighting patrols and ambushes.

    He disclosed that the troops cleared the insurgents’ hideouts at Saada and Juwei villages in the fringes of northern Borno.

    “During the operations troops intercepted and arrested 53 fleeing insurgents who have been profiled and are currently helping with investigations.

    “Fifteen insurgents have also willingly renounced the sect and surrendered, dismissing it as futile struggle”.

    Nwachukwu further sympathised with families of troops and civilians, who died in the encounters and the callous suicide bombing attacks by the terrorists.

    He reiterated the commitments of the military to crush Boko Haram insurgency and fast track restoration of peace in the northeast.

    The army spokesperson called on the people in the region to be vigilant and to cooperate with the security agencies and provide useful information on suspicious persons, to enable the military win the war against the insurgents. (NAN)

  • Peacekeeping: Send our troops back home, Buhari tells Guinea Bissau President

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said the nation was in dire needs of the services of the troops that had been keeping peace in the crisis-riddled Guinea Bissau back home.

    Buhari also advised President José Mário Vaz to use a constitutional way of resolving the crisis in the country.

    He said Nigeria needed its troops that had been keeping peace in the country back home.

    According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke while receiving the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel A. de Souza, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Buhari was quoted as saying that he expected a formal report on the situation in Guinea Bissau at the 52nd Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government holding on Saturday in Abuja.

    “We need our troops back home, and I hope the President of that country will accept a constitutional way to resolve the situation there,” the President said.

    Buhari also said it was gladdening that the organisation demand accountability from its headquarters staff, which made it to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from Nigeria recently to look into its books.

    “Thanks for being firm, and for insisting on transparency and accountability at the ECOWAS headquarters,” President Buhari said, adding that Nigeria would continue to fulfill its obligations to the sub-regional body.

  • Troops repel Boko Haram attack in Borno community

    Troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday repelled a violet attack by the Boko Haram insurgents at Mainok community in Kaga Local Government area of Borno.

    The NewGuru learnt that the troops engaged the insurgents in gun battle at Mainok, about 73 kilometres drive from Maiduguri.

    Mainok is one of the liberated communities rehabilitated by the government.

    The town recorded high number of returnees due the relative peace in the area.

    The troops, according to witnesses, killed about 10 insurgents and wounded others when they tried to infiltrate a military unit in the town.

    Alhaji Lawal Wasaram, a former chairman of the council, confirmed the incident to TNG.

    Wasaram said that the incident occurred at about 6:00 p.m. when a group of insurgents, moving on two trucks and motorcycles, tried to infiltrate the town from a nearby bush.

    He said that troops deployed to the area intercepted and killed about 10 of them while many were wounded in gun duel.

    Wasaram added that the troops also destroyed the insurgents’ vehicles, a situation which prevented them from attacking the town.

    “The gallant troops successfully repelled the insurgent and protected the town from attack.

    “It is difficult to ascertain the causalities; about 10 insurgents were killed and several others wounded in the failef attempt to attack Mainok,” he said,

    Ha added that the locals and soldiers were currently celebrating victory in the town.

    The military authorities are yet to comment on the incident.