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17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA
17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA
By: Zagazola Makama
Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu vowed to ensure justice on the brutal killing of 17 soldiers at Okuama community, Ughelli Local Government Area, Delta State, and his consequent matching order to the Nigerian Army to thoroughly investigate and fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act, facts revealed by every passing day firmly point at the entire community as complicit, not just the group of militants who actually carried out the execution.
In response to the President’s directives, the military high command ordered the extension of the search for suspected killers of the 17 soldiers in the Okuama community. Before the Operation, leaders of the community alleged that soldiers had begun targeting innocent civilians in the community rather than going after the miscreants who committed the crime.
Further searches fan across the community and sink deeper into the affairs and proclivities of its residents have revealed, with firmer confirmation, that the entire Okuama, from its traditional and community leaders and other elites down to the lowest residents in socioeconomic and political status is a community of militants thriving on terror.
But even before the Operation to find the culprit began, leaders of the community had orchestrated an allegation in the media that soldiers were targeting innocent civilians in the community rather than going after the miscreants who committed the crime. This move which some observers saw as being contrived to cast the military in bad light and to demonize its operation, did not deter them from going after the killers of the soldiers and masterminds of the crime.
Military investigations, which have, all through, been conducted in the finest and most-careful fashion to guard against incriminating innocent citizens, according to the presidential directive, findings have been revealing the most-chilling set up of Okuama and its surrounding communities.
First, all expressions of sympathy and commiseration by the traditional rulers, tending to exonerate themselves from the act, as well as their commitment to aid the military in the search for the perpetrators, are all feigned. The wider the search, and the deeper the investigation, the more glaring the complicity of the community’s elites and traditional rulers.
Second, and most-chilling, the deeper the military’s search across the community to disarm the residents, in compliance with directives, the more it is discovered that the entire community is sitting on an expansive cache of arms, which the youthful militants deploy to unleash terror on the behest and command of their elders and elites.
On April 10, 2024, troops of 63 Brigade conducted a raid/ cordon and search operations at Olota Community of Ugheli South LGA of Delta State confirming all these facts about Okuama and its surrounding communities with regard to their stockpile of arms for terror activities.
During the Search of the residence of one Mr Kenneth, who escaped on sighting the troops, the team discovered one G3 rifle, 853 rounds of 7.62 MM Nato and 19 rounds of 7.62 Special MM.
A further search of other locations within the community led to the discovery of 4 G3 rifles and Magazines, one pump action gun and 3 Sub Machine Guns, Magazines and 476 carriages. Additionally, the troops recovered 5 dane guns and one big plastic containing substances suspected to be Carbis satin.
Armed with robust intelligence effort, the military were said to have stormed a number of hideouts and homes of individuals suspected to be complicit in the heinous crime. The operations, however, paid off with the arrest of three leaders of the Olota community in Ugheli South LGA of the state.
The arrest of the three identified individuals followed a painstaking effort of the military to track down the masterminds and killers of the soldiers. The manhunt of the perpetrators has compelled the military to look beyond Okuama community as they are said to have extended their dragnet to surrounding communities and across the creeks of the Niger Delta region where they suspect that the killers might be hiding.
The troops are also in search of weapons which they believe are stockpiled in many homes within the general area.
One Intelligence source who spoke to Zagazola Makama, said the communities where the troops have conducted searches were full of weapons and the directive handed over to the troops was to mop up the arms and ammunition and disarm the communities.
According to him, the troops will not relent until that particular order has been carried out to the letter. He said the domination of the general area is in progress while the search for weapons belonging to the slain military personnel and culprits in the dastardly act continues. “All these communities have what they call, ‘community weapons’ ‘ which they use to cause havoc here”, he said.
Recall that on the 14th day of March, Lt. Colonel A. H. Ali, the Commanding Officer of 181 Amphibious Battalion, led three other officers and 13 soldiers to the Okuama Community to mediate in the lingering dispute with Okoloba Community, and were killed by members of the Okuama community.
They went as peacemakers and peacekeepers, respectfully seeking to bring an end to the hostilities between the two communities. They did not go with tanks, machine guns, and other weapons. They were on a mission for peace.
*Zagazola Makama, is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region
17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA
Troops arrest suspected ISWAP informant in Gombi, Adamawa
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation HADIN KAI, in conjunction with Civilian Hunters and the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, have arrested a suspected informant of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) in Gombi.
The suspect, identified as Abdullahi Umar, 25, a native of Gwoza, was apprehended on March 23 following credible intelligence on the presence of ISWAP elements within the 232 Battalion Tactical Area of Responsibility.
Preliminary investigations revealed that Umar was tasked with conducting reconnaissance along routes leading to the 232 Battalion general area and military structures, with the aim of identifying suitable entry points for future attacks.
The suspect also confessed to involvement in the recent attack on troops in Ngoshe.
Umar is currently in the custody of troops for further investigation and necessary action
Troops arrest suspected ISWAP informant in Gombi, Adamawa
Over 930, 000 persons benefit from ACReSAL Projects in Gombe
Mr Mohammed Fawu, the Gombe State Commissioner of Water, Environment and Forest Resources, has stated that no fewer than 930,162 persons across the state have benefitted from the implementation of the World-Bank-funded Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project in the state within the past three years
Fawu stated this in Gombe on Monday while declaring open a four-day training of enumerators for ACReSAL Third Party Assessment.
Fawu stated that Gombe State has within the three years received disbursements amounting to $27.51 million for the implementation of the project which had impacted positively on the lives of residents.
He said that the projects so far implemented have contributed to combating land degradation, erosion, and climate change while improving on the lives of persons living around communities were projects were executed.
“Gombe State has advanced a wide range of landscape and community-level interventions, including: establishment of 313 hectares of woodlot plantation.
“Upgrading of Kanawa Forest into a biosphere resort and botanical garden, indigenous tree plantations and roadside shelterbelts spanning 110 kilometres.
“Canalization of Balanga Dam irrigation channels covering 6,329 hectares provision of 250 wash boreholes to support irrigation farming.
“ At the community level, we have distributed clean cook stoves to 3,000 households, provided rainwater harvesting facilities to 1,000 households and institutions, and supplied drought-tolerant seeds to 10,000 farmers.
“Solar-powered irrigation schemes, borehole drilling, and Community Revolving Fund activities are ongoing, supporting agro-processing, livestock, and farm enterprise development,” he said.
He added that ACReSAL has strengthened smart agricultural practices through the establishment a farm centre dedicated to training and research.
Fawu commended the partnership between the Gombe State government and World Bank, which he said has impacted several sectors while improving the livelihoods of residents of Gombe State.
On his part, Dr Sani Jauro, the Gombe State ACReSAL Project coordinator said that no fewer than 220 enumerators drawn from the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory were being trained.
Jauro said that the third-party assessment would ensure unbiased review of the projects so far implemented by ACReSAL from independent party.
He said the assessment was part of the procedure of ACReSAL project implementation meant to review the progress and challenges of the projects by enumerators who are not involved in the day-to-day running of ACReSAL projects.
Jauro urged the enumerators to carry out their jobs with fairness and be just in their report, adding that “the credibility of the exercise lies on your shoulder.”
On her part, the World Bank Task Team Leader, Dr. Joy Agene who was represented by Mr Joseph Abang, Operations Officer with World Bank said the assessment would unravel what has changed since the commencement of the implementation of the project.
Agene urged the enumerators to be steadfast and report accurately in line with the essence of the exercise.
Over 930, 000 persons benefit from ACReSAL Projects in Gombe
Police repel attack during attempt to arrest suspected bandit leader, one killed in Kano
By; Zagazola Makama
The Police Command in Kano State has repelled an attack on its personnel during an operation to arrest a suspected bandit leader in Bichi Local Government Area.
Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on March 22, following a distress call from Tudun Wulli Outpost.
According to the sources, a team of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, led by ASP Abubakar Musa, acted on credible intelligence and trailed a suspected bandit leader identified as Muhammad, also known as “Senator” or “Kirchi,” who had reportedly visited Tudun Wulli village for Sallah celebrations.
“The suspect was sighted in possession of an AK-47 rifle, but upon attempt to apprehend him, he fled into a crowd,” the source said.
The situation escalated when a mob allegedly attacked the police team with stones and other dangerous weapons, injuring ASP Lawali Hamidu and damaging the windscreen of a patrol vehicle.
“In the process of tactical withdrawal, four persons sustained gunshot injuries and were rushed to General Hospital, Bichi, for treatment,” the source added.
One of the victims, identified as Halima Saidu, was later confirmed dead by a medical doctor, while the others are responding to treatment.
The police personnel involved in the operation were safely evacuated, and additional security deployments have been made to the area to forestall further breakdown of law and order.
The command said the situation has been brought under control, adding that investigations are ongoing, while efforts are being intensified to apprehend the fleeing suspect.
Police repel attack during attempt to arrest suspected bandit leader, one killed in Kano
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Troops arrest suspected ISWAP informant in Gombi, Adamawa
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