Boko Haram terrorists slaughter four Borno women

The Civilian JTF said on Saturday that Boko Haram terrorists have slaughtered four women in a remote village in Borno State, Northeast of Nigeria.

They said that fourteen Boko Haram terrorists on seven motorcycles had stormed Mairari village, 80 kilometres from Maiduguri on Friday night and picked four women aged between 27 and 45 from their homes and slit their throats.

“They went into four homes while residents were breaking their fast around 7:00 pm, brought out the four women and slaughtered them,” Babakura Kolo, a vigilante in Maiduguri told AFP.

“We believe the killings were targeted, the gunmen were from all indications after the husbands of the women,” he said.

“They killed the women when they didn’t find their husbands”.

Another vigilante, Musa Ari gave a similar account.

“The general feeling is that the women’s husbands either refused to accept Boko Haram’s invitation to join their ranks or the group suspects them of passing information about them to the authorities,” Ari told AFP.

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Troops kill 10 BH terrorists, capture 2 in Gamboru Ngala

The Nigerian Army on Saturday announced the killing of 10  Boko Haram terrorists in a clearing operation in Gamboru-Ngala, Borno State.

Giving an update on Operation Lafiya Dole on Saturday, Army spokesman Col Sani Usman said that two of the terrorists were captured alive while several items including mobile phones, motorcycles, arms and ammunitions were recovered.

"Troops of 3 Battalion, 22 Task Force Brigade on Friday 10th June 2016, based on information received that Boko Haram terrorists elements earlier dislodged at Chukungudu and Hausari villages during a recent clearance operations, were migrating towards Muska village in Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area, conducted fighting patrol operations in the general area. During the encounter, the troops killed 10 Boko Haram terrorists, captured 2 alive and rescued a woman with her baby that were held hostages by the terrorists. The troops also recovered several equipment, arms and ammunition that include 6 AK-47 rifle magazines, 56 rounds of 7.62m (Special) rounds of ammunitions, 1 bundle of detonating cord, a Manual on how to prepare Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) 2 rifle magazine pouches, a Techno IPad, a Nokia mobile telephone handset and 1 Gionee mobile telephone handset. Others include 1 Digital Multimetre, 6 SIM cards, 3 Memory cards and 1 Airtel Modem containing memory card also. The troops also recovered a wristwatch, 2 Islamic books, an empty bag and 2 Motorcycles.

"The captured terrorists are undergoing preliminary interrogation , while rescued woman and her child are receiving necessary attention pending onward movement to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Camp.

"Similarly, another element of the Battalion also conducted another fighting patrol to Wumbi village based on received information on the presence of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in the area. The patrol team recovered 157 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition and 37 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition.

"In a related development, troops of 22 Brigade Garrison intercepted 15 IDPs, all male adults, approaching Dikwa from Mudu Kasa village. They revealed that some Boko Haram terrorists occasionally visit and terrorise their village and forcefully collect food and valuables. They further alleged that the terrorists came in numbers with some of them holding AK-47 rifles, while others wield machetes.

"As part of the troops mandate of facilitating humanitarian assistance by both Governmental and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) to the IDPs, troops also provided security to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) same day. The troops provided security to the ICRC’s contractors sinking 5 boreholes around Dikwa IDP camp. They troops would continue to provide the needed security to facilitate humanitarian assistance and activities in the area."

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Embrace dialogue, Saraki tells Niger Delta Avengers

The Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki has called on the Niger Delta Avengers to stop further attacks on oil installations and embrace dialogue with the Federal Government.

Saraki made the call on Thursday in Abuja while celebrating the 1st anniversary of the 8th Senate.

“I cannot end this address without a note on the ongoing security challenges we are beginning to witness in the Niger Delta area of our country.

“We urge the warring militants to embrace our democratic institutions and channel their grievances through appropriate quarters as we can ill afford further damage to the ecosystem of this all important region and any more disruptions in the system.

“In the same vein, we also encourage government to adopt dialogue and engagement as a more lasting option towards resolving this challenge.

“We also call on the leaders in the area to play their part and ensure through mediation that this menace is comprehensively quelled,” he said.

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Defense contract scam: Army sacks senior officers for complicity

The Nigerian Army has announced the retirement of some senior officers from service following the approval of the Army Council.

A statement issued by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, on Saturday revealed that the officers were retired over their involvement in defence contract scams as corroborated by EFCC investigations.

"The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the general public that quite a number of senior officers of the Nigerian Army were retired from service yesterday.

"Those retired were mainly some Major Generals, Brigadier Generals, Colonels, Lieutenant Colonels and a Major.

"Their retirement was based on Service exigencies. It should be recalled that not too long ago some officers were investigated for being partisan during the 2015 General Elections.
Similarly, the investigation by the Presidential Committee investigating Defence Contracts revealed a lot.

"Some officers have already been arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
People should therefore not read this out of context.
The military must remain apolitical and professional at all times.

"We must applaud and support this laudable and bold initiative by the government.

"You are please requested to disseminate this information to the public through your medium," the statement said.

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Gov Bello renames Kogi State University after Prince Abubakar Audu

Governor Yahaya Bello has reverted the Kogi State University, Ayangba to its original name, Prince Abubakar Audu University.

Announcing the decision in a statewide broadcast on Friday, Bello said that it was the ultimate honour the state could do to the memory of the late politician who ruled the state twice as the civilian governor from 1991 to 1993 and 1999 to 2003.

Audu had named the university after himself when he built it in 2001,but his successor Abubakar Idris changed the name in 2004.

Bello praised the late Audu for laying a solid foundation for the development of Kogi State.

“Today, and as always, I celebrate the life and times of Prince Abubakar Audu, the first Executive Governor of Kogi State.

‘” It is our hope that those who want to lay claim to his legacy will at least develop the same heart for the growth and development of Kogi State that he demonstrated through his lifetime,” he said.

He added that an executive bill would soon be sent to the state house of assembly to formalize the change of name of the university.

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Troops clear BH camps, recover bag of kulikuli, vehicles and weapons

Nigerian troops engaged in counter-terrorism operations in the Northeast have continued to clear camps of Boko Haram insurgents in the area.

In the early hours of Friday morning, troops of 156 Task Force Battalion of 29 Task Force Brigade  alongside the Civilian JTF and local vigilantes embarked on a clearance operation in Yajiwa inside Alagarno forest during which they destroyed 8 Boko Haram terrorists camps.

According to a statement issued by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col Sani Usman, items recovered during the operation "include 2 primed Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), 3 Pressure Plates, a 36 Hand Grenade, 2 Dane Guns, 7 Motorcycles and 5 Empty Cases of 12.7mm rounds of ammunition. Others are 1 Damaged Mine Detector, a vehicle and Camel bag.
The troops also recovered a Vehicle top cylinder, a 19.5 tyre rim and 4 size13 tyre rims. Others include a 19.5 rim tyre, 3 tyre jacks, 2 motorcycle tyres and 2 solar panels, as well as 2 small generators, 1 grinding machine, 3 Water pumping machines, 1 Namsac sprayer and 1 bag of fried groundnut cake."

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MASSOB/IPOB protest: Nigerian Army replies Amnesty International

The Nigerian Army has reacted to what it described as an attempt by Amnesty International to discredit its image.

In a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations,Col Hamza Gambo, the Army said that it acted within extant rules of engagement to quell MASSOB /IPOB disturbance during the celebration of Biafra Day on 30 May 2016.

Read the full text of the statement below.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL’S CAMPAIGN OF CALUMNY AGAINST THE NIGERIAN ARMY ON MASSOB/IPOB VIOLENT PROTEST IN ONITSHA AND ENVIRONS UNCOVERED

The attention of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army has been drawn to a planned release of report by Amnesty International on the recent violent activities by IPOB and MASSOB on 31st May 2016 in which they were alleging that the Nigerian Army planned the killing of the protesters. This is not true but the usual calculated attempt to rubbish the Security forces in particular and the Nigerian Army just to remain relevant.
It should be noted that the Non-governmental organization has always been of the habit of being the judge and jury in matters of our national security without recourse to fairness, objectivity, all aimed at rubbishing the Nigerian Army for reasons best known to them. This could not be far from trying albeit unsuccessfully to be relevant and justify funding.
For the avoidance of doubt, what transpired that fateful day was that some elements of MASSOB/IPOB engaged in violent protests which led to outright breakdown of law and order. The pro-Biafra protesters who had chosen the day to mark the 50th Anniversary of Biafra perpetrated a number of unimaginable atrocities to unhinge the reign of peace, security and stability in several parts of Anambra State. A number of persons were selected for attack, killed and burnt. Two personnel of the Nigeria Police were killed, several soldiers were wounded, a Nigeria Police vehicle was completely burnt down while another of the Nigerian Army was vandalized. The strategic Niger Bridge at Onitsha was at the verge of being captured particularly with the coordinated reinforcement of the violent protesters from the Asaba end of the Bridge. In addition, wanton destruction of lives and properties were brazenly carried out by the protesters who employed firearms, crude weapons as well as other volatile cocktails such as acid and dynamites. In consequence, law, order and security were grossly threatened across the State and beyond.
The Nigerian Army in synergy with other security agencies under its constitutional mandates for Military Aid to Civil Authority (MACA) and Military Aid to Civil Power (MACP) acted responsively in order to de-escalate the deteriorating security situation. Instructively, the military and other security agencies exercised maximum restraints against the odds of provocative and inexplicable violence that were employed against them by the pro-Biafra protesters. The military and of course the other security agencies acted professionally within the extant Rules of Engagement to successfully de-escalate the budding anarchy. It is rather inconceivable for any individual or group to have decided to inundate the general public with an anecdote of unverified narratives in order to discredit the Nigerian Army in the course of carrying out its constitutional duties despite the premeditated and unprovoked attacks in the hands of the violent pro-Biafra mob as Amnesty International is determined to do.

Thank you for your usual cooperation.

COLONEL HAMZA GAMBO
Deputy Director Army Public Relations

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