Troops Recover 318 Rustled Livestock During Offensive Against Bandits in Katsina

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the 17 Brigade have recovered 318 rustled livestock during a major offensive operation targeting suspected bandit enclaves in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State.

Military sources said the operation, conducted on June 17, was launched on two fronts to clear criminal elements operating around Tuga and adjoining communities.

The sources disclosed that Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions were carried out ahead of the ground assault, while air assets conducted precision strikes on three suspected terrorist locations to degrade the criminals’ capabilities before the advance of ground troops.

According to the sources, one column of troops advanced through Karaduwa, Farin Tafki, Saura and Radawa towards Tuga, while a second column moved through Sayaya, Gangule and Radawa to the objective area.

During the operation, troops successfully cleared several communities, including Karaduwa, Farin Tafki, Saura and Radawa, and intercepted 318 rustled livestock believed to have been stolen by bandits.

The recovered animals were subsequently moved to a military base for documentation and further action.

The troops also responded to attacks launched by suspected bandits on Tuga and Kuka Maidamisa villages. The attacks were reportedly carried out in retaliation against residents accused by the criminals of providing information that led to the rescue of kidnapped victims, including one Mrs Amina Abubakar.

Military sources said troops conducted further exploitation of the surrounding areas after securing the affected communities but did not encounter any additional significant threats.

The operation is expected to continue as security forces sustain pressure on criminal elements operating within the area.

Troops Recover 318 Rustled Livestock During Offensive Against Bandits in Katsina

FG deploys 1000 forest guards to strengthen counter terrorism operations in Sokoto

By: Zagazola Makama

No fewer than 50 Forest Guards have been deployed to the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Gatawa, Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance security operations in the area.

Military sources disclosed that the personnel reported to the FOB on June 17 and were formally documented before being integrated into ongoing security activities within the area of responsibility.

The Forest Guards arrived with 25 AK-56 rifles, 50 magazines, 4,500 rounds of 7.62 x 35mm special ammunition, 25 face masks, 10 whistles, one Global Positioning System (GPS) device and a first-aid kit.

According to the sources, the newly deployed personnel were subsequently taken through orientation, familiarisation and cadre activities designed to acquaint them with the operational environment and security procedures in the area.

The deployment is expected to bolster ongoing efforts by security agencies to enhance surveillance, intelligence gathering and response capabilities in communities affected by security challenges within the Sabon Birni axis.

Security authorities expressed optimism that the integration of the Forest Guards would further strengthen collaboration among security stakeholders and contribute to sustaining peace and stability in the area.

FG deploys 1000 forest guards to strengthen counter terrorism operations in Sokoto

Nigeria Explains Ethiopia Prisoner Transfer Deal, Denies Viral Inmate List

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has defended its recent agreement with Ethiopia on the transfer of sentenced persons, saying the deal is aimed at allowing Nigerian inmates serving jail terms in the East African country to complete their sentences at home under more humane conditions.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the agreement aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s citizen diplomacy policy, which places the welfare of Nigerians abroad at the centre of the administration’s foreign policy.

The minister also dismissed as false a list circulating on social media claiming that 136 Nigerians were imprisoned in Ethiopia, describing both the figures and the crimes attributed to the inmates as fabricated.

According to her, only 98 Nigerian prisoners in Ethiopia’s maximum-security prisons are covered by the transfer arrangement.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu explained that negotiations for the agreement had spanned several years due to difficulties in establishing the actual number of Nigerian inmates held in Ethiopia’s prison facilities, particularly the maximum-security prisons at Kaliti and Aba Samuel.

She said many of the prisoners had repeatedly appealed to the Nigerian government to facilitate their return home because of harsh living conditions, inadequate healthcare, poor feeding, limited access to legal services, language barriers and the absence of family visitation rights.

The minister disclosed that four Nigerian inmates died while the two countries were finalising the agreement, underscoring the urgency of the intervention.

She described many of the prisoners as young and vulnerable Nigerians who had fallen victim to criminal syndicates and made regrettable choices, insisting that they still deserved humane treatment despite their offences.

Addressing concerns that the transferred inmates could be released upon their return to Nigeria, the minister clarified that the memorandum of understanding expressly prohibits the granting of pardon or amnesty without the consent of Ethiopia, the sentencing state.

She also rejected attempts to portray the inmates as belonging predominantly to one ethnic group, stressing that criminality should not be ethnicised.

“A lot of them are from the South-East. There are also those from the South-West and South-South. At the end of the day, crime has no ethnicity. All these people are Nigerian citizens in a foreign jail,” she said.

The minister added that the government remains committed to pursuing similar interventions for Nigerians facing legal and humanitarian challenges in other parts of the world, reaffirming that the protection of citizens abroad remains a major pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy under the Renewed Hope administration.

Nigeria Explains Ethiopia Prisoner Transfer Deal, Denies Viral Inmate List