Military
REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA
REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA
By: Michael Mike
Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) who was also the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Maiduguri, Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf has said that the Reuters report of allegations of gross human rights infractions by the Military in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East is completely false, malicious and ill-intended, adding that the Nigerian Military deserves commendation and not condemnation or distraction.
Testifying before the Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki led Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-NE), the former GOC said those allegations contained in the news report are weighty, arguing that the military operates in a community where it interacts with different categories of stakeholders including personnel of United Nation Agencies who could have noticed and reported any human rights violations from the onset.
Continuing, the Commandant of the NDA said the people in the communities will also not keep quiet and watch such atrocities happen without hinting the appropriate authorities. “We have had to answer questions simply because we closed down markets following intelligence information we got on planned attacks by insurgents, if this can happen do you think such alleged crimes reported by Reuters will go unnoticed without any questioning before now?” he asked.
The former leader of the Joint Multinational Task Force further stated that the Military is a regimented institution that pays particular attention to every detail in relating with people “when you throw away the rule of law, you have lost it, you cannot win the hearts and minds of the people you are protecting, they will also not trust you, and it will be difficult for you to operate in their territory”.
Expressing disappointment in the Reuters report, the army officer said it is unimaginable for anyone to think that the military can kill rescued children for any reason. He pointed out that the military has celebrated the naming ceremony of children fathered by Boko Haram “we have on our own provided rams and bought clothes for the celebration of naming ceremonies of children of Boko Haram born in our custody, and some of these children were named after us as a way of expressing excitement over our goodwill. If we want to exterminate them, we would have done so by killing the pregnant women even before they gave birth, we won’t have go through the headache of conducting the said abortions”.
Describing the allegations as painful and irrational, the Commandant said no military formation keeps women and children when they are rescued; they are immediately handed over to the camps, if you keep them they become a threat and distraction to you.
On his part, the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary Borno State Ministry of Justice Barr. Garba Musa Chibok, who earlier appeared before the 7-man panel, said it is very unreasonable for anyone to fabricate stories that are baseless. He challenged Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd) led panel to invite Reuters for questioning, saying Borno State as at 2013 (the period referred to in the Reuters report) was in turmoil, people were busy running for their lives and seeking hiding places from the insurgents while the military was bothered about neutralizing the terrorists. “Tell me, in this situation who has time to think of anything like abortion?”
On the issue of the massacre of children, the Solicitor General also debunked the allegation saying “I am from Chibok and I am seriously affected by this problem, all the children rescued from the frontline are alive, I know them some of them are my relations, you can call them to come here and talk to you. None of them was killed; some of the girls released at that time came with one baby or more. Where did Reuters see those ones that they claim have been killed? Please invite them, let them come here and tell us” he appealed.
Fatimah Agwai Mohammed
Deputy Director Public Affairs.
REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA
Army, DSS arrest notorious cultist, gunrunner in Cross River, recover weapons
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of 13 Brigade, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), have arrested a suspected cultist and gunrunner during a raid operation in Ikom Local Government Area of Cross River State.
Security sources said the operation was carried out at about 1:10 a.m. on April 3 along Effangha Spring Road in Ikom.
The sources disclosed that the suspect, who hails from Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, was apprehended during the coordinated raid.
According to the sources, troops recovered one revolver pistol, one sword, two laptops, four mobile phones, one digital camera, one wristwatch, three identity cards, and a sack of garri allegedly used to conceal the weapon.
The suspect and recovered items have since been handed over to the DSS for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Security authorities said the operation is part of ongoing efforts to curb cult-related violence and illegal arms circulation in the South-South region.
Army, DSS arrest notorious cultist, gunrunner in Cross River, recover weapons
Military airstrikes eliminate scores of ISWAP terrorists in Borno operations
By: Zagazola Makama
Precision air interdiction missions conducted by the Nigerian Air Force component of Operation HADIN KAI have eliminated scores of ISWAP terrorists in separate coordinated strikes at Kangarwa and Ali Jilamari areas of the Northern Tumbuns in Borno State.
Military sources told Zagazola Makama that the operations were executed on April 1, following credible intelligence and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The source said the first strike was carried out at about 12:05 p.m. on ISWAP enclaves in Kangarwa, a known terrorist stronghold, after ISR conducted on March 27 confirmed mass movement of fighters within the location.
According to him, airborne surveillance identified multiple terrorists operating around and inside structures within the enclave before precision munitions were delivered in successive attack passes.
He said the targeted structures were completely destroyed, with scores terrorists neutralised in the strike, while others scampered for safety in different direction.
In a separate operation at about 4:45 p.m. the same day, the air component conducted another interdiction mission at Ali Jilamari, described as a newly established terrorist hideout in the Northern Tumbuns.
The source said the mission followed credible human intelligence and ISR confirmation, which revealed active terrorist logistics hubs and structures within the area.
He added that the air platforms engaged the targets with precision strikes, destroying identified structures and logistics hubs while eliminating additional terrorists.
The source described the operations as part of sustained air offensives aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and denying them freedom of movement in the Lake Chad Basin.
Military airstrikes eliminate scores of ISWAP terrorists in Borno operations
Army troops recover 75,000 litres of stolen crude oil in bonny, River state
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), have recovered about 75,000 litres of stolen crude oil in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Sources told Zagazola that troops of the 146 Battalion (Maritime) discovered a wooden boat anchored around the Lady B creeks, loaded with the crude oil suspected to have been illegally bunkered.
The recovered items were handled in accordance with the directives of OPDS, the statement added.
Military authorities reiterated their commitment to combating oil theft and illegal bunkering in the Niger Delta, urging residents and stakeholders to cooperate with security agencies to protect national resources.
Army troops recover 75,000 litres of stolen crude oil in bonny, River state
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