Military
REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA
REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA
By: Michael Mike
Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) who was also the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Maiduguri, Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf has said that the Reuters report of allegations of gross human rights infractions by the Military in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East is completely false, malicious and ill-intended, adding that the Nigerian Military deserves commendation and not condemnation or distraction.
Testifying before the Hon. Justice Abdu Aboki led Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency Operations in the North East (SIIP-NE), the former GOC said those allegations contained in the news report are weighty, arguing that the military operates in a community where it interacts with different categories of stakeholders including personnel of United Nation Agencies who could have noticed and reported any human rights violations from the onset.
Continuing, the Commandant of the NDA said the people in the communities will also not keep quiet and watch such atrocities happen without hinting the appropriate authorities. “We have had to answer questions simply because we closed down markets following intelligence information we got on planned attacks by insurgents, if this can happen do you think such alleged crimes reported by Reuters will go unnoticed without any questioning before now?” he asked.
The former leader of the Joint Multinational Task Force further stated that the Military is a regimented institution that pays particular attention to every detail in relating with people “when you throw away the rule of law, you have lost it, you cannot win the hearts and minds of the people you are protecting, they will also not trust you, and it will be difficult for you to operate in their territory”.
Expressing disappointment in the Reuters report, the army officer said it is unimaginable for anyone to think that the military can kill rescued children for any reason. He pointed out that the military has celebrated the naming ceremony of children fathered by Boko Haram “we have on our own provided rams and bought clothes for the celebration of naming ceremonies of children of Boko Haram born in our custody, and some of these children were named after us as a way of expressing excitement over our goodwill. If we want to exterminate them, we would have done so by killing the pregnant women even before they gave birth, we won’t have go through the headache of conducting the said abortions”.
Describing the allegations as painful and irrational, the Commandant said no military formation keeps women and children when they are rescued; they are immediately handed over to the camps, if you keep them they become a threat and distraction to you.
On his part, the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary Borno State Ministry of Justice Barr. Garba Musa Chibok, who earlier appeared before the 7-man panel, said it is very unreasonable for anyone to fabricate stories that are baseless. He challenged Justice Abdu Aboki (rtd) led panel to invite Reuters for questioning, saying Borno State as at 2013 (the period referred to in the Reuters report) was in turmoil, people were busy running for their lives and seeking hiding places from the insurgents while the military was bothered about neutralizing the terrorists. “Tell me, in this situation who has time to think of anything like abortion?”
On the issue of the massacre of children, the Solicitor General also debunked the allegation saying “I am from Chibok and I am seriously affected by this problem, all the children rescued from the frontline are alive, I know them some of them are my relations, you can call them to come here and talk to you. None of them was killed; some of the girls released at that time came with one baby or more. Where did Reuters see those ones that they claim have been killed? Please invite them, let them come here and tell us” he appealed.
Fatimah Agwai Mohammed
Deputy Director Public Affairs.
REUTERS REPORT, NIGERIAN MILITARY DESERVES COMMENDATION NOT CONDEMNATION- COMMANDANT, NDA
Nigeria: Troops stormed terrorist den, rescuing 44 in Borno
By: Our Reporter
The troops of Operation Lake Sanity IIII, a subsidiary of Operation Hadin Kai, have rescued 44 women, children, and the elderly after a major incursion into the insurgents’ dens in Timbuktu Triangle in Damboa LGA in Borno State.
It was gathered that the victims were rescued after some ISWAP fighters were subdued by the troops of Sector 2 Special Forces troops in collaboration with HYBRID and the Civilian Joint Task Force on Saturday, April 20, 2024.
NEWSng learned that the rescued victims include 28 children, 14 women, and 2 men. However, no military casualties were recorded on the side of troops during the operation.
The sources said that the troops’ resilience and doggedness are unwavering as further exploitation to complete annihilation of the insurgents is being sustained in the mountainous environment.
Nigeria: Troops stormed terrorist den, rescuing 44 in Borno
First Nigerian Female Officer Cadet Graduate from UK’s Royal Military Academy
By: Michael Mike
Officer Cadet Owowoh Princess Oluchukwu has became the first-ever Nigerian female officer to graduate from the UK’s Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).
The 24-year-old Princess was one of the 135 Officer Cadets to graduate during RMAS’ Sovereign’s Parade on Friday in London.
According to a statement on Friday by the Senior Communications & Public Diplomacy Officer, Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, British High Commission in Abuja, Atinuke Akande-Alegbe, the parade marked the completion of 44 weeks of intensive training for the Officer Cadets of Commissioning Course 232.
She noted that at the ceremony, His Majesty King Charles was represented by the head of the French Army, Général d’armée Pierre SchilI, Chief of the Army Staff.
Akande-Alegbe said since the 1950s, several Nigerian officers including former Nigerian President Yakubu Gowan and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye have become RMAS alumni. stating that Princess’ graduation as the first female and 190th Nigerian graduate, marks a significant milestone in UK’s long-standing commitment to supporting Nigeria’s Professional Military Education training, insisting that this commitment to close UK-Nigerian cooperation was affirmed during the recent UK- Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership talks held in February 2024.
The statement read that: “In 2018, Princess joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), in Kaduna State, Nigeria. During her second year at the NDA, she was appointed a Cadet Lance Corporal; a Cadet Sergeant in her fourth year and in her fifth year she was appointed to the role of Company Senior Under Officer Charlie (CSUO C). She held this appointment with two other female counterparts and made history as the first females to assume the position of CSUO in the academy. In her fourth year, she completed the Academics Wing of the commissioning course and achieved first class honours in Biological Sciences.
Speaking of her achievement, Officer Cadet Owowoh Princess Oluchukwu said:
“It is a profound honour to be the first Nigerian female officer to commission from the esteemed Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. This achievement is not mine alone, but a testament to the unwavering support of my family, mentors, instructors, and countless individuals who believed in me every step of the way. As I look ahead to the future, I am committed to representing Nigeria with pride, and to making a positive difference in the world.”
The statement added that; “The UK is proud to celebrate this historic occasion with Nigeria and congratulates newly Commissioned Officer Owowoh Princess Oluchukwu on her remarkable achievement.”
First Nigerian Female Officer Cadet Graduate from UK’s Royal Military Academy
Troops nutrialised 3 Boko Haram, rescued 9 from captivity
By: Zagazola Makama
The troops of 21 armored Brigade, Operation HADIN KAI, have nutrialised three Boko Haram terrorists during a fighting patrol in Bama LGA of Borno State.
The terrorists were naturalized in Churchur village during a fighting patrol by the troops of 202 Battalion in conjunction with Hybrid forces. The troops also recovered 2 dane guns.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama, that in a separate Operation in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force and HYBRID forces, the troops conducted clearance T Angwan Jingina and Bula Marwa on March 30, 2024.
The troops successfully rescued 9 persons comprising 3 adult females and 6 children.
The troops equally destroyed the hamlets in the camps of Boko Haram while the terrorists fled.
Troops nutrialised 3 Boko Haram, rescued 9 from captivity
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