Nigerian Army Hands Over Rescued Abducted CUSTECH Students to Kogi State Government

By Lawrence Audu

The Nigerian Army has handed over eight rescued students of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) to the Kogi State Government, following their abduction by kidnappers on May 9, 2024.

The students were rescued in a coordinated search and rescue operation by the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies in the dense forest near Oro Ago Village in Kwara State.

Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo received the students at the Headquarters Nigerian Army Conference Room, expressing profound gratitude to the security forces for their dedication and sacrifice.

The Chief of Policy and Plans, Major General Abdulsalam Ibrahim, assured the Governor that the security forces remain committed to securing lives and property, and are intensifying efforts to track down the kidnappers and bring them to justice.

The successful rescue operation demonstrates the commitment of the Nigerian security forces to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, and highlights the importance of collective efforts in the fight against terrorism and criminality.

Nigerian Army Hands Over Rescued Abducted CUSTECH Students to Kogi State Government

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

Violent extremism, terrorism, biggest threat to ECOWAS subregion —Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre

By: Michael Mike

The Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Maj. Gen. Richard Gyane has described violent extremism and terrorism (VET) as the biggest threat to the ECOWAS subregion, Africa and humanity.

Gyane stated this in Abuja during a chat with journalists during a mobile training course on women, youth, and VET, organized by KAIPTC on Wednesday.

The Commandant said that the security challenges in West Africa had informed KAIPTC’s decision to organize the capacity building for women and youth to build their resilience to tackle terrorism.

He said that the training, organized in collaboration with the Norwegian Government, would empower women and youth with the requisite knowledge about terrorists’ operations and build their resilience against VET threats.

Gyane said: “If you look at our subregion now, violent extremism is a big threat to us; If you look at the Sahel nations, most of these countries are virtually taken over by violent groups.

“If you look at Nigeria and the Boko Haram group, and the movement of these groups southwards, it is worrisome.

“Why are we particular about women and youth? They become vulnerable. These are the most vulnerable groups in our society, who are subject to radicalization by VETs.

“The aim is to engage these women and youth especially and let them understand the issues, the recruitment and all that about these groups who want to destroy our humanity within the subregion,” he said.

He noted that KAIPTC engages and empowers women and youth through its training programs because when people are empowered, it becomes difficult for VET groups, whose aim is to radicalize the people and take over their countries, to do so.

He however noted that no country could tackle VET alone, and stressed the need for collaboration among all stakeholders beyond the security space in order to curb VET’s surging scourge in West Africa and Africa at large.

Gyane said that, given the porous borders of ECOWAS countries, and the need for them to cooperate and share intelligence, ECOWAS member states should do everything possible to bring on board Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, who are threatening to quit the bloc.

“It is not good for the subregion to have a divided front, and I think whatever we need to do to bring on board these countries, who want to separate themselves from the subregion, is very necessary.

“ECOWAS has done well in certain areas, especially the free movement of persons protocol and I think within the continent of Africa, ECOWAS has done so well.

“But I think we need to collaborate more beyond even the security space. I would want to see us one day using the same currency and all that.

“We should work more as one homogeneous subregion to ensure that people should be free to live and work wherever they are and do business.

“When we do that, it can help us to control violent extremism and terrorism,” Gyane added.

Violent extremism, terrorism, biggest threat to ECOWAS subregion —Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre