Crime
It was unthinkable to alleged Nigerian soldiers aborted 10,000 pregnancies- Former Theatre Commander
It was unthinkable to alleged Nigerian soldiers aborted 10,000 pregnancies- Former Theatre Commander
By: Michael Mike
The former theatre Commander of Operation Lafia Dole in the North East, Major General Olusegun Adeniyi has refuted Reuters’ reports of abortion of 10,000 pregnancies, infanticide and other forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) against the Nigeria military, saying that it is thoughtless as a bunch of lies.
The witness who stated this in his oral testimony before the 7-Member panel Chaired by Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd) wondered why it is only Reuters as a media organisation that was privy to the said grave human rights violations and atrocious crimes allegedly committed by the Nigeria Armed Forces in the counter insurgency operations in the North East.
Adeniyi, who is presently the Director Directorate of Counter Terrorism at the Army Research Centre, said how possible is it that of all the various News Agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations, International Partners etc, it is only Reuters that publish this kind of report.
Responding to the first part of the three-tier report which focused on systematic, illegal and secret abortion programme in the North East by the military since 2013, the senior military officer said, “In Africa we don’t do such things, you will not say that because soldiers are keeping custody of these returning women you now give them injection so that the babies in their womb will be aborted.”
On the issue of Boko Haram children allegedly killing terminating pregnancies and “deleting children” believed to have been fathered by Boko Haram insurgents on the premise that they will grow into another generation of Boko Haram and carry arms against the State, Adeniyi rhetorically asked, “What is the meaning of Boko Haram babies?”
Testifying further, he disclosed that solders are not angry that they are fighting Boko Haram insurgency because they are doing their work otherwise let some of these girls whose pregnancies were reportedly terminated by soldiers come out clear and say so, that will help the panel and indeed everyone to know the truth.
According to the erstwhile Brigade Commander 37 artillery Brigade Maiduguri, Borno state it is sad that somebody clutching a cup of tea in his cozy and air-conditioned room will decide to write this kind of report that has no bearing with the situation on ground.
“The allegation that Nigerian military terminated women pregnancies is not true. Things don’t just happen in the Army. Before anything happens, resources are committed, directives are given and those asked to carry out some actions report back. Secondly if such things happen soldiers will talk among themselves or at least gossip about them. These women I hope they are alive let them come out and say this is what happened to me”, he stated..
He added that: “The military is open in what it does except in rare circumstances like operations and timing of operations, however, even the things that military is keeping open people will say it is secret. If the military buys ammunitions it is on the pages of newspapers even in the USA it is so. You will not coordinate any operation in the Army without the knowledge of the higher echelon. So the issue of troops acting outside the rules is not permitted in the Army otherwise they will be court martialled.”
Speaking further, he stated that such magnitude of infractions alleged against the military if they actually happened, they would have been in the government records and archives and people must know because there is nothing so secretive in the Nigerian Army.
“Since 1999 the military has been strictly subordinated by the democratic process therefore it will not be possible for anyone to do anything and nobody will know and administering 10,000 injections to this number of women to terminate pregnancies must be recorded somewhere.”
Besides, he recalled that even in the past most of the allegations against the Nigeria Armed Forces normally come up when the State is overpowering the insurgents, adding that it is treasonable for any soldier to commit such offences as claimed by Reuters.
He noted that: “An average Nigerian soldier is above 18 years and I did not see any Medical Officer risking his medical certificate by aborting pregnancies. These women are kidnapped after shooting and killing their family members by Boko Haram and thereafter keep them under forced protective custody even though it is wrong, so why will soldier now kill the children of such women or terminate their pregnancies.”
He said that the soldiers already know that marriage existing between the insurgents and the affected women is forced and illegal and as such would not want to subject them to further trauma by killing their children or terminating their pregnancies.
“Nobody is thinking that these women are in love with their so called Boko Haram husband and the soldiers know very well that this man is keeping these women with the use of gun thereby risking their lives because these women were not married legally”, he stated.
He, however, conceded that where there are a large number of people there will be bad eggs stressing there is no policy in the military that will permit killing of innocent civilians. “While I am not vouching for anyone there are processes that will make it impossible for you to commit such crimes”, he maintained.
The former Theatre Commander said that if the soldiers are interested in killing anyone from the camp of insurgents who are now in custody they would have started with the Boko Haram members in Army custody instead of women and children who were not bearing arms.
He said that many of the Boko Haram members who sustained injuries before they were captured are still receiving medical treatment from military hospitals and no soldier has harmed them because it is against the law to kill any combatant upon capture since he did not die in the frontline.
In furtherance of his oral evidence, he told the panel that Nigerian soldiers are not revengeful and are not wild or wired with wrong ideologies to act in such a manner that will undermine the rights of women and children in the course of military operations.
It was unthinkable to alleged Nigerian soldiers aborted 10,000 pregnancies- Former Theatre Commander
Sokoto: Armed Bandits Repelled; Stray Bullet Kills Villager
By: Zagazola Makama
A group of approximately 90 armed bandits, riding on motorcycles, attempted to attack Tozai village in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State on March 31, 2025.
The bandits were confronted by a combined team of Military and Police forces, which engaged them in a gunfight, forcing the assailants to retreat.
Unfortunately, during the exchange of fire, a stray bullet from the bandits struck 35-year-old Sule Ummaru, a resident of Tozai village, who was attempting to escape the scene. He was rushed to General Hospital Isa but later succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment.
Security forces have continued patrols in the area to ensure further safety and deter any future attacks.
Sokoto: Armed Bandits Repelled; Stray Bullet Kills Villager
Businessman Arrested Over Illicit Drug Shipments from US into Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, have arrested a Lekki-based businessman and proprietor of Damillionz Takeout, Arokodare Damil Ebenezer in connection with the shipment of 60 parcels of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, from the United States of America to Nigeria.
The spokesman of the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said the 43-year-old businessman was arrested at Bay Lounge, Admiralty Way, Lekki area of Lagos where he does his illicit drug business last Monday while he was expecting to take the delivery of his latest drug consignment.
Babafemi said the suspect arrest followed the seizure of his cargo that arrived Nigeria in seven big cartons at a logistics company in Lagos on 12th March by NDLEA operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation
(DOGI).
After his arrest, he was taken to his Lekki home for a search during which 94 grammes of the same psychoactive substance, cannabis crusher and other drug paraphernalia were recovered, bringing the total weight of the drug seized from him to 32.24 kilogrammes.
In his statement, he claimed he started the illicit drug business in 2017.
Attempt by another businessman Omoruyi Terry to export 1,400 pills of tramadol 225mg weighing 800 grammes to Italy has also been thwarted by NDLEA officers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
Babafemi said Omoruyi was intercepted at the screening point of terminal 2 of the Lagos airport on his way to Italy via a Qatar Airways flight. Investigation reveals the suspect is an Italy based frequent traveler and logistics agent.
In Katsina, four suspects: Baraka Abubakar, 40; Haruna Alitine, 23; Muhammad Babangida, 20; and Hamisu Lawal, were arrested last Friday during an intelligence led raid operation at Godai village in Daura local government area where 684 blocks of compressed skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 423 kilogrammes and 86,000 pills of diazepam were recovered from them. The three male suspects were arrested while repackaging the diazepam tablets into other containers while Baraka, the female suspect was apprehended with the heaps of skunk in her house.
The NDLEA spokesman said not less than 13,198 kilogrammes of cannabis sativa were destroyed in Edo forests across parts of the state between last Monday and Friday by NDLEA operatives who also evacuated 158 kilogrammes of same substance for possible prosecution.
He disclosed that the forests where no fewer than four cannabis plantations were discovered and destroyed include: Uhen forest, Ovia North East local government area. Sobe, Owan West local government area; and Amahor forest in Igueben local government area.
In Niger state, NDLEA officers on patrol along Mokwa-Jebba road last Friday intercepted a black Toyota Corolla car marked SLM 137 SV and arrested the two occupants in possession of 179 blocks of compressed skunk with a total weight of 77.6 kilogrammes concealed in false bottom of the vehicle. The two suspects are: Paul Christopher, 46, and Lucky Anumie. In another operation, 50 kilogrammes skunk was on Saturday recovered from the home of a suspect, Isa Iliya, who is currently at large, in Wawa village, Borgu council area of the state.
While 108.5kg of skunk was recovered from lockup shops at Aria New Market, in Enugu metropolis, Enugu state by NDLEA operatives last Tuesday, 25 kilogrammes of same substance was seized from a suspect Abdulrazak Saka at Kilako Area of Ilorin, Kwara State last Monday. Another suspect Sulk Saheed, 50, was nabbed with 2.5 kilogrammes of Ghanaian Loud and 515 grammes of Colorado, at Olomi Academy area of Ibadan, Oyo state.
Babafemi said with the same vigour, commands and formations of the agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd) while commending the officers and men of MMIA, DOGI, Edo, Kwara, Niger, Enugu, Oyo and Katsina commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures, stated that their operational successes and those of their compatriots across the country especially their balanced approach to drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts are well appreciated. He extended eid-el-fitr greetings to them, their families, other stakeholders and Nigerians at large.
He added that: “May the spirit of obedience and sacrifice that defines this special day guide and strengthen us as we remain steadfast in our pursuit of a drug-free society. May Allah continue to bless and guide us and may our collective efforts bring us closer to a safer and healthier society for all.”
Businessman Arrested Over Illicit Drug Shipments from US into Nigeria
Police Arrest Notorious Armed Robber in Nasarawa, Hunt for Accomplices
By: Zagazola Makama
The Scorpion Squad of the Nigeria Police has arrested a notorious armed robber linked to multiple home invasions and violent robberies across several states.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspect, Auwal Ibrahim Sani, 30, from Makarfi Rigasa, Kaduna State, was apprehended at Mararaba Garage, Nasarawa State, on March 26 at about 6:00 a.m., following actionable intelligence.
It was gathered that Sani and his gang terrorized victims using assault rifles and other dangerous weapons. One of their most heinous crimes occurred on October 15, 2024, when they invaded House No. 482, Ken Nnamani Street, Wuye, Abuja, at about 3:30 a.m., robbing: Mrs. Helen Ogbolu and Mr. Ojo Otobo, carting away: Two cars: A silver-colored 2017 Honda Accord (ABC 481 KH) and a maroon-colored Honda Accord (YAB 166 GB) Gold jewelry, laptops, and phones
The silver Honda Accord was earlier recovered, and three suspects were arrested, but the maroon Honda Accord remains missing.
During interrogation, Sani confessed that his gang comprised seven members armed with two AK-47 rifles and pistols. He identified his accomplices as Ibrahim, Ismail, Sadiq, Jabire, and Bala, who are still at large.
Efforts are in top gear to track down the fleeing suspects and recover their weapons, while the police continue their investigation.
Police Arrest Notorious Armed Robber in Nasarawa, Hunt for Accomplices
New CP assures residents of enhanced security in Yobe
Sokoto: Armed Bandits Repelled; Stray Bullet Kills Villager
Armed Men Go on Rampage in Edo, Attack National Park Security Post and Destroy Property Following Hunter’s Death
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