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17 SOLDIERS: CHILLING DISCOVERIES AT OKUAMA

Published

2 years ago

April 12, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

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

News

European Union Commits €22m to Accelerate Nigeria’s Fibre Network Under BRIDGE Project

Published

2 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

European Union Commits €22m to Accelerate Nigeria’s Fibre Network Under BRIDGE Project

By: Michael Mike

The European Union has pledged €22 million in grant funding to support Nigeria’s large-scale fibre-optic expansion, reinforcing the Federal Government’s drive to transform the country’s digital backbone.

The grant, announced in Abuja on Wednesday, will be channelled through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and on-granted to the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy for implementation of the government’s Project BRIDGE initiative.

The EU funding will sit alongside an €86 million loan from the EBRD’s own resources, pending final approval. The operation represents the EBRD’s first major sovereign financing in Nigeria since the country formally became a shareholder of the bank last year.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijjani described the agreement as a decisive step toward delivering the BRIDGE project within schedule, noting that Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda depends heavily on robust and inclusive broadband infrastructure.

He said the partnership reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s digital roadmap and expressed optimism that 2026 would mark a year of tangible progress in cooperation between Nigeria and the EU.

EBRD President, Odile Renaud-Basso, who is on an official visit to Nigeria, said the bank was proud to collaborate with the EU to expand digital infrastructure in Africa’s largest economy. She noted that the technical cooperation embedded in the financing is structured to crowd in private capital while ensuring secure, resilient and inclusive connectivity.

EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, underscored the strategic importance of digital networks to both Nigeria and the EU, stressing the need for trusted, high-integrity infrastructure built to international standards.

Project BRIDGE aims to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cables nationwide through a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) that will be capitalised with sovereign loans and private sector participation. In addition to the EBRD financing, the Federal Government is expected to receive support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank.

The EU’s €22 million package combines technical assistance with investment support to speed up project preparation and strengthen implementation capacity. It will fund low-level design work for about 40,000 kilometres of the planned network, including route mapping, crossing surveys, digital planning, quality assurance and security risk assessments aligned with global best practices.

Officials said this groundwork would provide the SPV with a ready-to-execute blueprint, enabling immediate rollout once financing arrangements are finalised and the vehicle is established with at least 51 per cent private sector ownership.

Beyond infrastructure, the grant is expected to deepen Nigeria’s digital skills base. About 2,000 technicians will receive specialised training, while small subcontractors will gain access to pooled procurement systems and equipment subsidies designed to reduce entry barriers.

Authorities estimate that these measures could lower deployment costs by between 20 and 30 per cent, while promoting adherence to Nigerian and EU quality standards and encouraging participation of European technology suppliers in the fibre supply chain.

The intervention forms part of the EU’s broader Global Gateway strategy, which supports investments in digital infrastructure, public services and human capital development across partner countries.

For Nigeria, the partnership signals renewed international backing for its ambition to build a resilient, open-access broadband network capable of driving economic growth, innovation and digital inclusion nationwide.

European Union Commits €22m to Accelerate Nigeria’s Fibre Network Under BRIDGE Project

News

Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno

Published

4 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have repelled suspected insurgents and neutralised a suspected informant during operations in Ngamdu area of Borno.

Military sources said the action followed signals intelligence indicating that suspected Boko Haram elements were massing.

At about 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, troops carried out a fire mission on the identified area, forcing the insurgents to disperse and abort their suspected plan.

Shortly afterward, at about 3:45 a.m., troops engaged and neutralised a suspected insurgent informant who attempted to breach the trench defensive position in Ngamdu.

Sources said the troops immediately conducted a search of the surrounding area after the encounter but made no further contact with fleeing suspects.

Troops repel insurgents, neutralise suspected informant in Borno

News

Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers

Published

4 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Yobe: Troops Disperse Terrorists, Arrest Five Suspected Arms Smugglers

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have disrupted a suspected terrorist gathering and arrested five suspected arms smugglers during separate operations in Yobe State.

Security sources said that at about 6:21 p.m. on Feb. 17, troops conducted a fire mission following credible intelligence that terrorists were converging in large numbers on motorcycles at Mangari, about 10.6 kilometres from the location of the 135 Special Forces Battalion in Buratai.

The swift action forced the insurgents to disperse in disarray, effectively disrupting their suspected plans.

In a separate development, troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Potiskum apprehended five suspected arms smugglers and abductors at about 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 18 at a checkpoint along the Gombe–Potiskum road.

Those arrested included a 41-year-old suspect, Baba Abare, who was found in possession of an AK-47 rifle, alongside four others identified as Idris Zakari, 33; Nasiru Aliyu, 25; Abdullahi Sulaiman, 35; and Mohammed Idris, 34, all said to be indigenes of Potiskum town.