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REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA

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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

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Military

Military Airstrikes neutralizes nine terrorists, destroy logistics carts in Borno

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Military Airstrikes neutralizes nine terrorists, destroy logistics carts in Borno

By Zagazola Makama

The Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has neutralised nine suspected terrorists and destroyed three carts believed to be carrying weapons and logistics during a precision air strike at Dumba in Borno State.

The operation was conducted on Saturday, Aug. 8, following credible intelligence on terrorist activities around the Dumba area.

According to a military situation report obtained by Zagazola Makama, the operation was executed during an armed reconnaissance and air interdiction mission.

The sources said the aircraft, established overhead Dumba at about 2:58 p.m. after intelligence indicated the presence of suspected terrorists in the area.

On reaching the target location, the aircraft reportedly detected a group of three suspected terrorists walking along a road and another group of six terrorists pushing three carts suspected to be laden with weapons and other logistics.

Rather than engaging immediately, the aircraft maintained surveillance and tracked the terrorists until both groups converged and came to a halt at a location inside the bush.

The nine terrorists were subsequently engaged in a precision strike, resulting in the neutralisation of all nine.

The air platform thereafter returned to the area where the terrorists had been observed and conducted a second strike on the three carts earlier sighted carrying suspected weapons and logistics.

Battle damage assessment indicated that all three carts were destroyed and engulfed in flames, further degrading the terrorists’ logistics capability in the area.

The latest operation illustrates the growing importance of intelligence-led air reconnaissance in identifying and tracking mobile terrorist elements before they can establish temporary hideouts or move weapons and supplies across the theatre.

The successful strike also comes amid sustained air and ground operations by OPHK aimed at disrupting terrorist movements, logistics networks and freedom of action across the North-East.

Military sources said the overall situation in the area remained calm but unpredictable, while troops maintained satisfactory morale and fighting efficiency

Military Airstrikes neutralizes nine terrorists, destroy logistics carts in Borno

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Military

Troops conduct clearance patrol in Borno

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Troops conduct clearance patrol in Borno

By: Our Reporter

Following the clearance mission, the patrol occupied a tactical ambush position along a suspected terrorist route to monitor movement and deter any attempt by insurgents to infiltrate the area.

Military sources described the patrol as hitch-free, adding that troops maintained a high level of vigilance throughout the operation.

The clearance mission forms part of the ongoing Operation Desert Sanity V, which is aimed at sustaining pressure on Boko Haram and ISWAP elements, preventing their return to previously cleared locations, and creating a secure environment for civilian populations to carry out their livelihoods.

Sources added that the general security situation in the area remained calm but fluid, while the morale and fighting efficiency of the troops were reported to be satisfactory.

Troops conduct clearance patrol in Borno

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Residents Cheer Troops as Operation FANSAN YAMMA Returns with Captured Terrorists’ Logistics in Zamfara

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Residents Cheer Troops as Operation FANSAN YAMMA Returns with Captured Terrorists’ Logistics in Zamfara

By Zagazola Makama

Residents of Gummi town in Zamfara State on Thursday poured into the streets to celebrate troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, following a major operational success against terrorists in the area.

Eyewitnesses said the jubilant crowd gathered as soldiers arrived in town with logistics recovered from terrorists after a successful counter-ambush operation that reportedly left more than 100 terrorists neutralised.

The recovered items, including eight motorcycles used by the armed groups for movement during attacks on communities, were transported on an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) to the Headquarters of Operation FANSAN YAMMA in Gummi.

Residents were seen cheering, waving at the troops and applauding their efforts as the convoy entered the military base, with many expressing appreciation for the soldiers’ courage and sacrifices in the ongoing fight against banditry in the North West.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the successful operation dealt a significant blow to the criminal networks operating in the area, disrupting their mobility and logistical capabilities.

The spontaneous celebration by residents is seen as a reflection of growing public confidence in the military’s sustained offensive against terrorists and bandits across Zamfara and neighbouring states.

Military authorities reaffirmed that Operation FANSAN YAMMA remains committed to sustaining offensive operations aimed at dismantling terrorist enclaves, denying criminal elements freedom of movement, and restoring lasting peace across the North West.

The Joint Task Force also acknowledged the continued support and actionable intelligence provided by residents, describing community cooperation as critical to the success of ongoing operations.

Residents Cheer Troops as Operation FANSAN YAMMA Returns with Captured Terrorists’ Logistics in Zamfara

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