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Reuters Allegation, 84 persons have witnessed so far- NHRC
Reuters Allegation, 84 persons have witnessed so far- NHRC
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has disclosed that 84 witnesses have so far given testimonies to the panel saddled with the duty of investigating the allegation of the international media organisation Reuters against the Nigerian Army of involvement in abortion of 10,000 pregnancies, massive killing of children and deliberate violation of rights of women and girls in its counter-insurgency operation in the North East.
The panel after visits to the North East to take testimonies and conduct on the ground investigations in the troubled region, has resumed its work in Abuja where further testimonies were being collected.
A Senior Human Rights Adviser to Chief Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC), Hillary Ogbonna, who doubles as the Secretary, Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the counter Insurgency Operations in the North East, (SIIP:NE), said the Reuters Report indicated that 40 soldiers, most of whom were officers, were interviewed in the course of the reports.
He said: “December last year, Reuters published reports alleging abortion of ten thousand pregnancies, infanticide and other forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence against the Nigeria Military but the military has since denied the allegations saying it was a deliberate attempt to rubbish the counter insurgency operation.”
Ogbonna noted that the latest report highlighted how Reuters arrived at their publications and the allegations against the Nigeria Military in their counter insurgency operations in the North East.
According to him, the report which was the follow up to the first reports released by Reuters last year December was released on the 19th of April and was named Abortion Assault II.
Meanwhile, Colonel Yakubu Ibrahim of the Nigerian Defence College who was at a twine in charge of a battalion in the Northeast theatre of operation, said the allegations of Reuters was laughable.
Ibrahim said the story of Reuters is a fiction, adding that when he read the report, he thought the writer was mistaking Nigeria for somewhere else.
Also, the Force Commander, United Nations mission to South-Sudan, Major General Benjamin Sawyer urged the investigative panel to everything within its power to unravel the matter; saying the military has a key goal of combating insurgency and restoring peace in the troubled region. It therefore could not have embarked on secrete acts alleged in the Reuters report.
“What they have written is completely false, misleading and degrading to the image of Nigerians and the Nigerian Army despite what the military has done to restore normalcy in restive regions.”
Also testifying, Retired Major General Jame Komolafe, Former Commander, 21 Brigade, North East, described the Reuters report as deliberate falsehood circulated to rubbish the integrity of the military.
He added that the military was law abiding and no military medical facility will subject itself to such illicit medical practice.
The Panel, chaired by a retired justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Abdul-Aboki, is officially known as Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the implementation of counter insurgency operations in the North East.
Reuters Allegation, 84 persons have witnessed so far- NHRC
News
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with other security elements, have repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Mayo Ladde village in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa.
The attack occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on Friday in Mayo Ladde, a border community linking Askira/Uba Local Government Area and the Sambisa Forest axis of Borno.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that troops supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), swiftly responded to a distress call on the attempted incursion.
“The terrorists attempted to attack the village but were decisively engaged by the troops, who repelled them and forced them to retreat,” the source said.
According to the sources, no casualty was recorded during the incident, as residents of the village had fled the area before the arrival of the terrorists.
The source added that troops had intensified patrols and surveillance in the general area and along the border communities to forestall further attacks and deny the terrorists freedom of movement.
Operation Hadin Kai reiterated its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements to ensure the safety of lives and property in the North-East.
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai repel Boko Haram attack in Adamawa
News
BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri
BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The general manager of the Borno State Traffic Management Agency (BOTMA), Eng. Baba Tijani, has said that his agency will not tolerate “underaged” kids driving keke napep in Maiduguri and environs.
The GM warned that the brazen display of wrongdoing by Keke Napep was becoming alarming, especially with lots of underage kids being caught committing such crimes.
The Borno traffic management agency boss vowed to bring owners of such erring Keke napeps to book to check their reckless behavior on the streets of the Maiduguri metropolis and beyond.
Tijani, who spoke exclusively during the 2025 Federal Road Safety Corp RS12.2 Borno special marshals sectoral workshop, said that his management is aware of the dangerous excesses of the Keke Napep riders in the town and has never taken it lightly with them.
“I can assure you that we have details of all the excesses of the Keke Napep drivers in the city, and we are not joking with them. As long as we have their details, we can trace and deal with them, and the rest is history.
“I can assure you that there is no keke that is not registered by us regardless of their high numbers. For as long as they are registered in our data bank, we know how to trace them. Even if the keke is used for robbery, I assure you, we know how to sanction them for as long as they are within the state.
“By the way, it is not true that we are not capable of handling them in spite of their numbers and the enormous nature of their offenses. We do not overlook the misdemeanor of Keke Napep drivers in Maiduguri no matter how small they are.”
He told this reporter that under his watch kids who are under 18 were totally forbidden from driving keke napeps in Maiduguri metropolis, adding that residents should also avoid such keke napeps because they are obviously a death trap for commuters.
Eng. Tijani stressed that unless drivers are 18 years or above, they are not permitted to drive a keke napep in the entire Borno state, adding that only stable adults are registered as drivers of napep in their data bank used to sanction erring ones.
Tijani noted that for the remaining part of the year, his men will monitor the main roads in the metropolis thoroughly during the yuletide period to force the napep boys to conform to expected norms and behavioral patterns.
On staff strength, he added that the agency has been making use of what it has, hinting that “we have over 300 personnel in MMC and Jere alone, and we are trying to do our best with what we have even with the confusion at the Custom and Gamboru axis of the town.”
“We are aware of the challenges in many areas, and we believe that very soon the customs area will be handled. We are aware that the area is heavily congested in terms of traffic because the tunnel from one side to the other is not used, but I wish to assure commuters that all this will become history soon.
On the misbehavior of some of his staff, he noted that checks and balances have been placed within the system by management, adding that their provost marshals in white caps are out to oversee the erring staff and will send feedback to us on the next step.
Eng. Tijani called on the general public to cooperate with him and his management team by reporting erring marshals as and when wrongs were committed, adding that as soon as they are reported, action will be taken against such officials.
To press his point home, the GM revealed that about 30 erring marshals have been sacked so far from the agency, stressing that management does not drop their guards when it concerns portraying them in a bad light.
Speaking on the welfare of his staff, the GM agreed that there was an urgent need to boost the salaries of his marshals, as they are quite lower than the current minimum package.
He, however, announced that he was not leaning on his oars concerning their welfare because the matter has been tabled before the executive, and the governor is about to work on it, thereby taking care of his people.
Tijani regretted that they do not have a board that would assist them in putting their challenges on the front burner but is grateful to the media for doing justice to the plight of his people.
BOTMA: The agency will not tolerate underage driving in Maiduguri
News
Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto
Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto
By: Our Reporter
Residents of Jabu village in Sokoto state, Northwest Nigeria reported that there are no casualties following US bomb that rock the village on Christmas Day targeting bandits terrorists.
A video surface Monday morning showing some residents carrying heavy metal, which is said to be the bomb shell fired by US into the area.
Although there are no official comments yet to what happened in the Northwest, some residents believed that some targeted areas may have yielded most results.
NEWSng observed that following the reported US military targets on terrorists enclaves in the Northwest, top islamic clerics and certain individuals known to be marking comments in defense of the bandits and Fulani militias activities have been usually quiet.
When ABC NEWS contacted few clerics to speak on the attacks, they decline comments stating that they are also waiting to hear what the government would say with regard to the claimed by US President Trump.
“This involve US and Nigeria. I also heard but I was not there not can establish facts to what happened on Christmas Day in Sokoto. ” One of the cleric, who pleaded not to be mentioned in print said.
Another clerics, Malam Usman Tukur simply said “No comments.”
Also another who refuses to speak at all holds his lips in declining comments.
Nigeria: No casualties after US bomb rocks Jabu Village in Sokoto
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