GOC 7 Div. Visit frontline troops in Sambisa Forest, lauded them for killing 21 terrorists and rescuing 386 civilians

By: Zagazola Makama

The acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 of the Nigeria Army, Brig. Gen. Abubakar Haruna, has paid a morale boosting visit to the troops fighting Boko Haram in Sambisa Forest and lauded them for killing 21 Boko Haram terrorists, destroying their camps and rescuing 386 victims.

Gen Haruna, stated this while addressing the troops in the outskirts of Sambisa forest in Konduga LGA after welcoming them troops for conducting a 10-day operation.

Haruna said that the operation tagged “Operation Desert Sanity III was to clear Sambisa forest of the remnants of all categories of terrorists as well as provide some of them eager to surrender as observed the opportunity to do so.

“I want to commend you for your exceptional performance and professionalism exhibited during the operation and I urged you to sustain the tempo. Our Special Forces troops, the troops of 21 armored Brigade, the Civilian JTF and the Hybrid Forces have all done very well.

The Chief of Army Staff is highly pleased with your performance. Gentlemen, you have done your beat. You have sacrifice yourselves to ensure that peace and normalcy returns to the North East. This is a wonderful outing and we are very happy.

“We have to stop what ever we are diong and come here to let you know that we are with you always. To know what you people are diong so that we can have a feeling of what you people are giong through.

He urged them to do more to hasten the defeat of insurgency. My call on the officers and soldiers to remained committed noting that surely the end result will be a resounding success for all of us.

“Our effort is to ensure that we clear remnants of terrorists in the Sambisa and give those willing to surrender the opportunity to surrender. With this operation, we envisage many of them will surrender as they have started.

The troops have successfully cleared several Boko Haram enclaves ranging from Lawanti, Ukuba, Farisu, Sabil Huda, Njimia, Garin Gulukos, Garin Falluja, Shababul Ummah, Garin Pannel bitter and Lagara Anguwan Gwai Gwai among others.

The troops killed scores of the terrorists including their commanders and made recoveries of different types of arms, equipment and armored vehicles.

“We also rescued some civilians; as of yesterday, we rescued 386 and I am sure the number will increase by today,” Haruna said.

Some of those rescued who spoke, said they have been in captivity for the past 10 years and will be provided with medical support and rehabilitation.

We therefore thanked the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja for giving us all the support which translated to this achievement and the Theartre Commander Commander, North East Operation Hadin Kai Joint Task Force, Maj. Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, for his strategic guidance and supervision.

Zagazola understands that the presence the GOC accompanied by his Principal Staff Officers of the Division in the frontline symbolizes a courageous leadership which has immensely boosted the morale of the fighting troops.

GOC 7 Div. Visit frontline troops in Sambisa Forest, lauded them for killing 21 terrorists and rescuing 386 civilians

Bego expresses government gratitude for support for Yobe

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe State Commissioner of Information, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, has expressed the profound gratitude of His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, and the government and people of Yobe State for partner support and their determination to stay the course as Yobe works to address its myriad challenges.

Bego disclosed this yesterday while representing the Yobe state government in a meeting with the visiting Joint Humanitarian Technical Field Mission, comprising the representatives of the office of the Vice President, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

Others include the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and IDPs, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), other development partners, our own SEMA, and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.

According to Bego, the meeting focused on what the Yobe state government and the above-mentioned partners can do together—increasingly—to address the needs of thousands of people in the state who have been made vulnerable to food insecurity, malnutrition, and other health challenges as a result of the activities of non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and other recent social, economic, and climate-based challenges the state has experienced.

I underscored the continued commitment of His Excellency Governor Buni to finding durable solutions to the challenges of internal displacement and vulnerability. I noted that the high-level steering committee on durable solutions that he empaneled has gone forward in developing a strategic action plan complete with pathways for IDPs and vulnerable host communities.

He also emphasized that while the Buni administration continues to invest in healthcare, education, and other social services to mitigate the effects of the decade-long NSAGs conflict, the support of our partners would be significant in accelerating the process and ensuring that vulnerable people all across the state have a chance to reclaim their lives.

Bego expresses government gratitude for support for Yobe

FG Asks for Improved Environmental Regulatory Framework

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has asked the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and other stakeholders to improve on environmental regulatory framework and use of cleaner technologies for sustainable future.

Minister of State for Environment, Dr Iziaq Salako gave the charge on Thursday at the Maiden Environmental Performance Award for the Oil and Gas sector in Abuja.

The event was organised by NOSDRA in collaboration with the Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), an NGO.

Salako identified effective environmental regulatory mechanism in the petroleum industry as essential for sustainable resource management, climate change mitigation, economic efficiency and accountability.

The minister said that such mechanism was also crucial for building public trust for operational social licencing, legal and international compliance.

He said that oil and gas was unarguably the world’s most vital, but most environmentally disruptive industry.

Salako, however, stressed the need for effective regulation of the sector to ensure that the benefits of oil and gas production were balanced.

He said: “Also, there is the need to protect the environment, maintain public health and contribute to national development on a sustainable manner.”

The minister said that the country had faced significant challenges and limitations in managing and responding to oil spills resulting in consequential land degradation prior to the establishment of NOSDRA in October 2006.

He said that the situation was characterised by a lack of cohesive policy, inefficient coordination among stakeholders and inadequate resources to effectively address oil spill incidents particularly in the Niger-Delta region.

“Nigeria is faced with a fragmented regulatory framework, inadequate preparedness and response, limited community engagement negative environmental and health impacts, adverse economic consequences, among others.

“Since the establishment of NOSDRA, it has been working in the area of spill preparedness, response, cleanup and remediation among others.

“Over the years, NOSDRA has remained unwavering in delivering on its mandate, responding to thousands of major and minor oil spills, ensuring that impacted communities are adequately compensated and remediated.

“Non-complying oil operators are taking to court to enforce compliance,” he said.

He added that environmental performance award serves as a multi-faceted tool aimed at driving change, promoting sustainability and acknowledging those that lead by example.

According to him, the award also addresses historical environmental goals; enhances community relations, boosts innovations and offers reputational requirement and investment.

The event was also an avenue to bestow the environmental sustainability performance award on oil, gas industry players by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Stakeholders Democracy Network (SDN).

The Director-General of NOSDRA, Idris Musa, said that the awards are a testament to stakeholders’ collective commitment to environmental stewardship, innovation and pursuit of excellence within the oil and gas industry.

Musa said this at the maiden edition of the award for the Oil and Gas sector on Thursday in Abuja.

Some of the awardees are TotalEnergy, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Shell Petroleum Development Company, Agip oil while Akwa-Ibom received the best environmental-friendly state award.

He said that the award was to recognise the organisation with the best environmental performance for 2022 and 2023.

Musa said that the performance award was conceived to highlight and reward those that have taken bold steps to address environmental challenges.

“It is to showcase significant progress we can achieve when we commit to responsible practices. This initiative also reflects our understanding of the path to sustainability and the need to work together.

” It requires collaboration among industry operators, regulatory bodies, local communities and international partners, “he said

Musa said that by sharing best practices and leveraging on new technologies among others, the nation could drive the transformative change needed to secure a sustainable future for the oil and gas industry.

He said that NOSDRA plays a crucial role in safeguarding the environment from the potential devastations arising from the operations of the oil and gas industry.

Musa explained that 73 companies were assessed from 2022 to 2023 based on performance variables, which included submission of incident reporting forms

Other variables are the inventory of spill response equipment stockpiles as a function of preparedness for response.

He said the award is grouped into four categories which included the best environmental performance for both local and international oil companies.

Others are most environmentally-friendly states as well as awards for the 2019 and 2020 Environmental Performance Index carried out by SDN.

Country Director, SDN, Florence IbokAbasi, said the organisation’s collaboration with NOSDRA was to encourage improved environmental performance in the oil and gas sector.

She advocated for innovation and technical initiatives that would result in reduced oil spills and gas flare in the industry.

IbokAbasi identified some of the challenges in the industry as oil theft, sabotage and insecurity.

She said SDN was collaborating with relevant stakeholders including government agencies, and communities to ensure improved pollution reporting and a safer environment.

Chairman/Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa Business Unit, Jim Swartz, a recipient of the award, said the organisation has been marked by continuous improvement, innovations and collaboration.

He was represented by Sam Daibo, Director, Government Affairs, Policy, Government and Public Affairs (PGPA).

“As we celebrate this environmental protection award, we re-echo our commitment to the partnership with NOSDRA and other stakeholders.

“The partnership is enhancing good environmental practices. Together we can build a sustainable future for Nigeria,“he said.

FG Asks for Improved Environmental Regulatory Framework