Soldiers arrest four Boko Haram kingpins

The troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested four top Boko Haram commanders of the Ameer Class.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, who described the arrest of the top kingpins of the Boko Haram as “unprecedented” in a statement on Friday said that they were undergoing interrogation.

He said that the troops of the 22 Task Force Brigade arrested the insurgent leaders at Rann, the headquarters of the Kala Balge Local Government area of Borno State on Friday.

The Acting Army Spokesman said that the four  Boko Haram commanders were arrested following a tip-off by members of the public.

He said that the arrested kingpins specialised in sustaining the activities of the Boko Haram through all manner of criminal acts.

He gave the identities of the arrested kingpins as Umara Mai Gyaran Rediyo (Radio Technician), Umaru Mai Nama, (who specialises in cattle rustling and sales), Alifa Makinta (a specialist on stealing foodstuffs) and  Balu Jugudum (in charge of stolen jewellery).

He said, “Troops of 3 Battalion, of 22 Task Force Brigade  have made an unprecedented catch with the arrest of four Boko Haram terrorists Ameers (kingpins) at Rann, headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area today, Friday, 22nd April 2016. The arrested kingpins  specialised on various aspects of criminality to sustain the Boko Haram terrorist group in their areas.

“The four terrorists were arrested following a tip off by well meaning members of the public.”

“Subsequently, the troops conducted a cordon and search operation in the general area that led to the apprehension of the terrorist leaders, who contribute to the sustenance of the insurgency through their illegal trade specialisation.”

Soldiers arrest four Boko Haram kingpins

Troops uncover Boko Haram underground armoury

The troops of the Nigerian Army have recovered large cache of arms and ammunition from the Boko Haram insurgents in Gursum, Borno State.

Boko Haram bomb factory

The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, said this in the text of a press briefing on the recovered arms and ammunition, forwarded to our correspondent that the troops recovered the items following a tip off.

He said that the troops and some members of the civilian  JTF were mobilised for a clearance operation at Borgozo-Alargana following the intelligence, where the items were recovered.

According to him, the items recovered  included 36 boxes of .51mm  calibre, 5 x 20 Lyra beefcake mixture of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, large quantity of 7.62mm (Special), ammunition and one 81mm mortar tube.

He added that the troops also recovered one Toyota Hilux, a generator and several motorcycles.

Irabor said that the patrol team also cleared some remnants of the Boko Haram who were dislodged from Alagarno and were in three camps at Kadari, Abu Fayima and Gursum.

He appealed to Nigerians especially in the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe to continue to provide useful information to the security agencies to enable them to complete the clearance of the insurgents from all their hideouts in the area.

“Following a tip off troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and some Civilian JTF today (Sunday) went on a clearance patrol to Borgozo-Alargano general area in which they discovered large cache of arms and ammunition concealed by Boko Haram terrorists.

“The patrol team also cleared remnants of Boko Haram terrorists that were dislodged from  Alagarno forest hibernating at Kadari, Camp Abu Fatima and Gursum.

“The Nigerian Army wishes to  appeal to all Nigerians and in particular, the good people of Adamawa, Borno  and Yobe states to continue to provide useful information to troops in order to facilitate complete routing of the remnants of Boko Haram  insurgents hiding in their  localities,” he said.

Meanwhile, the  leader of the BringBackOurGirls advocacy group, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, says the initial inaction of the government to confront and take genuine actions against the Boko Haram militant group escalated the attacks so far perpetrated by the sect.

She said if the government had swung into action when 29 school boys of the Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State, were slaughtered and burnt by the militants, the activities of the sect might have been curtailed. She noted that only a nation that sees no value in its citizens could afford to ignore them.

Addressing worshippers at the Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos, on Sunday on the commemoration of the second year anniversary since over 297 school girls were kidnapped from the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, Ezekwesili regretted that it was about the same time the “abominable act” in Yobe was perpetrated by the sect that the Federal Government still went ahead with the centenary celebration.

“Even some of my colleagues in the global community that came for the centenary celebration apologised, saying they couldn’t understand why the centenary celebration went on despite the attack, but that by virtue of their offices, they had to attend the event,” she added.

She said such an act by the government could have given the militants the leeway to carry out more attacks.

She added, “Since they (Boko Haram) got away with their action the first time and nothing was done about it, they increased the number of their targets the second time. No wonder, less than two months after, on April 14, 2014, 276 girls were kidnapped in Chibok, out of which 57 managed to escape and 219 are still being held captive.

“When people behave badly and there is no consequence, you have given them a licence for worst behaviour. If the Chibok girls were the children of the elites, a distress call about their abduction would have received a speedy response.”

Ezekwesili, who is a former Minister of Education and Vice President of the World Bank, vowed that nothing would make her to stop talking about the girls until justice was done to them, adding that it was unfortunate that the importance placed on crude oil and pipelines by the system had taken the place of the citizens of the country.

“The Chibok girls are the symbol to bring all of us back to what really matters in life, which is the human life, and not any material acquisition or any other thing,” she added.

The Senior Pastor, DCC, Sam Adeyemi, prayed for the release of the girls, assuring that the church would not stop praying for their release.

 

Troops uncover Boko Haram underground armoury

800 Boko Haram members surrender to Nigerian troops – DHQ

The Defence authorities have said that not less than 800 members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect had surrendered to the military in the last three weeks.

80 Boko Haram members surrendered to Nigerian army in Borno

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, confirmed to our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday that 800 of the insurgents surrendered to the troops of the Nigerian Army in the last three weeks.

He said, “I can confirm that about 800 of the Boko Haram members have surrendered to the military.”

Abubakar spoke barely 24 hours after the Defence Headquarters announced the establishment of a rehabilitation camp for repentant Boko Haram members.

Abubakar had said in a statement on Tuesday that the rehabilitation camp was being established under Operation Safe Corridor which was created as a platform to rehabilitate and integrate repentant members of the sect to the society.

He had said that the insurgents would be made to go through vocational training under the programme and empowered for reintegration into the society.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army  said on Wednesday that it had rescued 11,595 captives of the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East in the last one month.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Wednesday that some of the hostages were rescued from the communities erstwhile under Boko Haram control in the North-East while others were received from Cameroon.

He stated that out of the figure, the troops of the 155 Task Force Battalion received 10,000 refugees from the Cameroonian authorities at Banki and the Bama area on March 1,2916.

Usman said that the Army Headquarters Special Forces Battalion rescued 779 captives at Fotokol general area between Nigeria and Cameroon in addition to 63 others freed from  Boko Haram at Maleri, Borno  State.

He added that the troops  of the 254 Task Force Battalion also rescued 45 persons at Kuaguru, while 143 Battalion similarly rescued 27 persons at Gadayamo,15 at Galadadani Dam in Madagali and 10 persons from Disa village in the first week March, 2016.

The Acting Army spokesman added  that troops of the 22 Brigade and their counterparts from the Army Headquarters Strike Group freed 309 hostages from the Boko Haram at the Kala Balge general area on March 23, 2016.

According to him, similar efforts yielded results with the rescue of 48 men, 85 women, 137 children at Zahdra and Weige villages by troops of the 25 Task Force Brigade on March 30,2016.

800 Boko Haram members surrender to Nigerian troops – DHQ

Suicide attack kills 22 in Borno mosque

A suicide bomber attack killed 22 persons and injured 11 others at mosque in Borno State this morning.

A member of the youth vigilance group told our correspondent that the suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Molai-Umarari village, behind the Molai Hospital, on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the state capital.

According to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the incident occurred at about 5am during the Muslim early morning prayers.

He said members of the youth vigilance group subsequently trooped to the area to offer assistance to the injured and get the dead to the mortuary.

“Presently I am at the scene of the attack, we have our men here with soldiers and emergency workers who are working to bring back normalcy and get both the dead and injured to the hospital,” he said.

Molai is about 10 kilometres from Maiduguri on the Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu Road.

Suicide attack kills 22 in Borno mosque

Troops clears escaping Boko Haram terrorists from sambsa forest

Troops of 21 Brigade Bama, under 7 Division area of operational responsibility, in a blocking position, have at the early hours of today, cleared escaping Boko Haram terrorists that came through Sabsawa axis of Sambisa forest.

The troops also recovered a Toyota Hilux, 2 AK-47 rifles with registration numbers 58006915 and KO 35839, as well as 37 rounds of 12.7mm metal linked ammunition.

Unfortunately, one officer sustained injury during the encounter. He is however in a stable condition.

 

Troops clears escaping Boko Haram terrorists from sambsa forest

Nigerian military releases 275 suspected members of Boko Haram

The Theatre Commander of the Operation Lafiya Dole in the North East, Major General Hassan Umar has released 275 suspected members of Boko Haram sect who have been into detention for quite sometime.

The release of the suspects according to the Theatre Commander followed a thorough interrogation by the security outfit.

Addressing the released suspects in the presence of Governor Kashim Shettima at the Parade Ground of the 212 Battalion, Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri on Friday, General Umar insisted that, continued detention of these suspects would hurt military/civil relations in the fight against insurgency.

“In line with principle of justice, equity and fairness, these 275 suspects after undergoing thorough interrogations, we found out that they have no reason to stay in detention, but to be released with immediate effect so that they will reunite with their families and become useful to the society.

“The detainees comprised of 142 males, 49 females, 22 under-aged boys, 50 under-aged girls, 2 Nigerien and 2 Cameroonians”. “We want to use this opportunity to congratulate all the freed suspects and I urge them to shun any act of violence in any society they found themselves.

“I want to also commend the effort of our security outfit, particularly the interrogating team whose unflinching support led to the release of these suspects we are all witnessing today”.

Nigerian military releases 275 suspected members of Boko Haram

Suicide bomber refuses to strike

A teenage girl packed with explosives by Boko Haram ripped off her vest to avoid taking part in the attack on Borno Internally Displaced Persons camp (IDPs) in Dikwa, Borno State on Tuesday.

Suicide Bomber

Two others with her, however, walked into the middle of hundreds of people lining up for food before they blew themselves up in the attack that killed 58 and injured 78.

It was the most lethal attack launched by the sect in recent months.

A Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) fighter Modu Awami said yesterday that the third would-be bomber, looking about 14, has confessed.

Awami, who helped question the girl, said she was scared because she knew she would kill people.

A rescue official who confirmed it, said the girl has given officials information about other planned bombings

The United States (U.S.) Embassy in Nigeria yesterday condemned the attacks on Dikwa.

The US Diplomatic Mission in Abuja, in a statement, restated the U.S. government’s continued support for the Nigerian government in fighting terrorism.

“The US Embassy condemns the reported suicide attacks on internally displaced persons in Dikwa town, Borno State,that occurred on Feb. 9.

“The US remains committed to assisting internally displaced populations in North-Eastern Nigeria through humanitarian relief efforts.

“We will also continue to support the Nigerian government in its fight against terrorism,’’ it said.

Suicide bomber refuses to strike

Suicide bombers kill 30 in Borno IDPs camp

Thirty persons were killed when two female suicide bombers attacked an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Borno State on Tuesday, the Chairman of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Ahmed Satomi, has said.

Double bombing rocks Jos, 13-year-old with suicide vest held

Satomi said 78 persons were injured in the attack, which occurred at the camp in Dikwa at about 6.30am on Tuesday.

But AP quoting some unnamed officials said that at least 56 people were killed in the attack.

Dikwa is about 90 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital and was recently reclaimed from Boko Haram fighters by Nigerian soldiers. Over 70,000 displaced persons are being housed in IDP camps in the town.

He said the two female bombers stormed the IDPs camp in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State at about 6.30 am on Tuesday, blew up themselves in the midst of the crowd of displaced persons, killing over 30 persons and injuring 78 others in the process.

Satomi, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the telephone, said, “As I am speaking to you now, I am at the Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri where those injured in the suicide bomb attack carried out by two female bombers were brought for treatment.

“It was really sad the injured were brought in today (Wednesday) because of the distance between Dikwa and Maiduguri.”

He said those killed were buried on Tuesday. Satomi added that the military had beefed up security around the town.

Meanwhile, troops of the Nigerian Army have killed an unspecified number of insurgents in an early morning ambush at a major cattle market in Gwai Mainari area of Borno State.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said that the troops of the 212 Tank Battalion, 29 Task Force Brigade were on a mission to flush out Boko Haram remnants from the North-East when they saw the insurgents.

Usman said that the troops, who were supported by the operatives of the quick response group in the offensive, killed some of the insurgents. But he was silent on the number of the terrorists killed.

He added that some of the terrorists escaped with gunshot wounds.

According to him, the troops also captured one Hilux vehicle containing some gallons of fuel, arms and ammunition from the insurgents.

The statement partly read, “In continuation of their clearance operations of remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in the North-East, troops of 212 Tank Battalion, 29 Task Force Brigade, early this morning ambushed some Boko Haram elements at a major cattle market in Gwai Mainari around Mainok general area.

“The ambush party supported by a quick response group captured a Hilux vehicle containing eight jerry cans of petroleum, oil and lubricants, large quantity of 7.62mm ammunition, 127mm ammunition and four AK-47 rifles, as well as five hand grenades.

“Some of the terrorists were killed while others escaped with gunshot wounds. It is important to note that more operational strategies are being employed to further flush out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists wherever they might be hiding in the North-East.”

Suicide bombers kill 30 in Borno IDPs camp

Boko Haram Not Controlling Half Of Borno, Northern Clerics Blast Sen Garbai

The Northern Inter-Faith Religious Organizations for Peace, has blasted the Senator representing Borno Central, Baba Kaka Garbai for his claims that Boko Haram still controls 50 percent of the state.

The clerics said from his comments, it is obvious that Garbai is sympathetic to the terror group.

Abubakar Shekau

Speaking at a press conference, National Spiritual Leader of the group, Bishop Musa Phomson said thankfully, the Borno State Governor and the highest ranking Senator from the State, Senator Ali Ndume have condemned Senator  Kaka Garbai, for the alarmist claim that half of the state is still under Boko Haram control.

He however said the comment by Garbai must be investigated by the Department of State Security and the police as it represents a deliberate propaganda by some individuals to create disharmony within the military command and could well be one of the strategies used in building new cells and recruiting young persons into the ranks of the terrorists.

Phomson said it is obvious that following the annihilation of the terrorists by the military, the political wings have now stepped up their attacks in an attempt to demoralise the gallantry of the troops

He said, “The fallout of the political Boko haram is the on-going vituperation by those acting the script. We have read what they put out in the public space to mislead the public by suggesting that ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’, the Army operations against the insurgents is at variance with the overall military command as embodied by the Defence Headquarters. They even went as far as insinuating rivalry between the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Staff to make things look like the CDS is being outshined by the successes of the Army in curtailing the war against terrorism.

“There are even the outrageous speculations that there are arrangements to use the present crop of soldiers on the battle field, who are being coordinated by the Army leadership, to visit the President with all sorts of negative stories just to disconnect the President/Commander-in- Chief from his Service Chiefs and when it was not forthcoming one of them rushed to town with the story that Borno is under the control of Boko Haram.

“To us, the Senator’s conflicting information is not the product of error but a desired trajectory meant to be part of a campaign of disinformation in support of Boko Haram’s propaganda. This is proof to those fighting the insurgency that the political content is still active and growing strong even when those fighting terrorists are being degraded. This clearly indicates that the fight must again scale up on intelligence gathering.”

He commended the Nigerian Army under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai as their gallantry made it possible for the liberation of the communities formally under the control of the terrorists.

He further commended General Buratai’s prompt inquisition into the attacks on Dalori, Mairi and Malari communities in Konduga area of Borno state, saying it demonstrated that the Army acknowledges attempts by the terrorists to regroup.

He however expressed concern thar while the terrorists are being decimated at the war front,  the political content of the insurgency has stepped up its attacks that come in form of media propaganda, planting of stories to divert attention from the war scenes and hijacking legitimate platforms and assets to attempt creating panic and public hysteria.

He said, “The military, particularly the Army must work on the intelligence so gathered to nip the activities of these political collaborators of Boko Haram in the bud.

“We have raised this concern because, beyond spreading terrorists’ propaganda, the kind of utterances from Senator Garbai and others who may take this kind of dangerous descent with him have strong impact to emotionally terrorise IDPs and take away the last thing they hold unto, the hope that they will be able to return to their homelands. This must not be allowed to happen. The faces we saw in those camps are not just in need of relief materials. They are in need of reassurances that all is being done to return their lives into balance.

“May we also appeal to the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin to debunk the damaging rumour that these Boko Haram political elements have put in the public space since such stories about cracks in the military constitute recruitment marketing for the terrorists.”

Boko Haram Not Controlling Half Of Borno, Northern Clerics Blast Sen Garbai

Boko Haram controls half of Borno, says Senator Garbai

The Senator representing Borno Central, Baba Kaka Garbai has said that the story that the insurgents have been degraded is nothing but a lie as the terror group still hold on strong to about 50 percent of troubled Borno State.

Abubakar Shekau

Garbai who spoke to journalists on Saturday evening during a condolence visit to Dalori village where 65 persons were reported killed last week by the insurgents said, the truth about the accomplishment of the military in Borno State was never truly spoken as the Boko Haram and the Nigerian nation are presently administering about the same territories in the state.

He said both the military and Boko Haram have full control of three separate local governments in troubled Borno State and share control in all the 21 other local governments.

Garbai, who was in Dalori with financial and material assistance to the people of the village, said: “I feel highly demoralized, devastated in the sense that this is the village we came during the election and they were going about their normal business. The activities that were ongoing was like confidence building.

“They actually got the signal a few days before the attack that the insurgents were likely to attack them, they reported to the constituted authorities but nothing was done.

I will like to appeal to the military to intensify their effort in ensuring they beef up security around the villages and communities that share borders with Maiduguri metropolis. It is very important and more so that this place is porous, there could be attack from any direction.”

He said it was a lie and misconception that the insurgents have largely be overpowered by the military, insisting that: “It is a wrong assumption that most of the local governments in Borno are recaptured from the Boko Haram. In reality this is not true in the sense that apart from Maiduguri Metropolis, Bayo and Kwaya Kusar, these are the three local government that are under the occupation of the Nigerian government where the military and police are maintaining law and order.

“Mobbar, Abadam and Kala Balge are 100 percent occupied by the insurgents. There are some local governments that are partially occupied by the insurgents especially as the local government secretariats have been liberated but their hither-lands are still controlled by the insurgents.”

Garbai gave an instance of Konduga which was liberated but still has many communities in the local government area under the insurgents.

He also said “though Gwoza town has been liberated there still remain six wards in Gwoza local government area still occupied by the insurgents.”

He said: “From my count, only three local government are fully liberated, 21 local governments partially occupied by insurgents, that is there is still some level of Boko Haram occupation side by side the military or any other constituted authority. The local government fully occupied by Boko Haram are Abadam, Mobbar and Kala Balge.’

He advised that: “We should not live under the illusion that Boko Haram are decimated or weaken, these are not reality and neither a true reflection of the reality. The reality is that most of the local government in Borno is partially occupied by Boko Haram.”

On the proposed reconstruction, rehabilitation and relocation in the troubled areas, Garbai said it was inadvisable at least for now.

He said: “If the people are moved back to their homelands you are making them vulnerable to attack. Unless you provide maximum security and return of law and order in these areas, relocating these people would be endangering their lives.”

The Senate Leader, Mohammed Ndume, representing Borno South in the Senate however believed that much had been achieved by the military in retrieving captured Borno communities from the insurgents.

He also said it was not out of place to begin the reconstruction, rehabilitation and relocation of the destroyed communities.

He told journalists in Maiduguri on Sunday that: “I still have confidence in our military, I still want to believe that our military are on top of the situation. What is happening these days is the issue of intermittent suicide bombing and desperate attacks by the insurgents because their supply routes have been cut off and they attack in other to get supplies. They have been carting away foodstuffs of attacked communities.”

He said that the reconstruction and relocation should still continue in spite of recent attacks. He however admitted that if not immediately, at least the preparation should not be set aside.

The Senate Leader while arguing that the insurgency is winding out, said the recent setbacks are not limited to Nigeria alone, insisting that United States and recently France have come under isolated terrorist attacks.

He noted that the people of Borno displaced by insurgency are willing to go back to their homelands. He particularly mentioned that the people of Gwoza, his homelands are ready to return home, insisting that arrangements have already been concluded for this.

Boko Haram controls half of Borno, says Senator Garbai

Boko Haram burns children, kills 86 in Borno attacks

Terror group, Boko Haram, was alleged to have burnt some children to death when the militants overran Dalori, a village four kilometres outside Maiduguri, where about 80 residents of the community were killed on Saturday night.

The Area Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency in Borno State, Mohammed Kanar, said 86 bodies were picked up in the village on Sunday.

Hospital sources added that no fewer than 70 persons were receiving treatment in hospitals around the area.

A resident who managed to escape the attack, claimed that screams of children could be heard from burning houses as the embattled villagers ran in confusion to exit the village as the destruction raged.

Also, a survivor, who said he hid on a tree, stated that he watched Boko Haram extremists firebomb huts and heard the screams of children burning to death, AP reports.

On Sunday, while some residents had managed to return to their houses which had been razed, one of our correspondents observed that some burnt bodies and others, riddled with bullets, littered the streets and some burnt houses in the town.

One of those who had returned to the village on Sunday told one of our correspondents that insurgents including suicide bombers attacked the town, which also spilled over to the Internally Displaced Persons’ camps around the village.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, he added that the suicide bombers mingled with fleeing villagers and detonated the explosives on them at the neighbouring Gamori village, killing several of the villagers.

The villagers told newsmen on Sunday that troops did not arrive in time to stop the rampaging sect fighters from unleashing maximum havoc on the community.

Military authorities confirmed that one of the places targeted by the insurgents was the Dalori Internally Displaced Persons’ camp housing over 15,000 people, who are mostly women and children from Bama.

A member of the youth vigilance group in the town, who spoke on condition of anonymity to one of our correspondents on the telephone on Sunday, said not less than 65 persons were killed with over 100 others injured in the attack on Dalori.

One of the residents of the community, who fled to Maiduguri, Yusuf Ibrahim, told one of our correspondents that the attack on the village started around 6.50pm and lasted for hours.

He lamented that the insurgents, who operated undeterred, stormed the village in Hilux vans and motorcycles dressed in army camouflage and set the houses in the village ablaze.

He said livestock were not spared as the insurgents set them on fire but looted foodstuffs.

A rescue worker, who participated in the evacuation of the victims, said 50 corpses were taken to the Borno State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri and 15 others corpses deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

Narrating his ordeal, a resident of the village, Mallam Abba Dalori, told The PUNCH, “We were helpless as no one came to our aid when the insurgents struck on Saturday night. I am still mourning as I lost 11 persons in the siege. At present, I am still looking for five of my children, who went missing during the attack.”

Another resident of Dalori, Imam Ibrahim, who could not hold back his tears as he spoke to one of our correspondents, said the insurgents “dressed like military personnel and opened fire on everybody.’’

He added, ‘‘All our wives and children were brutally killed; our livestock were equally consumed in a great inferno that engulfed the village.”

A statement, the spokesman for the counter-insurgency operation in the North-East, Operation Lafiya Dole, Col. Mustapha Anka, while confirming the attack, however, failed to give the casualty figure.

The statement added, “In their desperate efforts for attacks on strong, determined and committed members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and innocent citizens yesterday (Saturday), 30 January, 2016, Boko Haram terrorists (insurgents) launched an attack on Dalori through Yale from (rear of Dalori village).

“An eyewitness said that the insurgents who came in two Golf cars, motorcycles, started opening fire and burning houses. Their motive was to cause rancour and penetrate the crowd with suicide bombers.

“Similarly, while people were running for their dear lives to Gomari Kerkeri village, three female suicide bombers attempted to make their way into the crowd but were intercepted and subsequently got blown off.

“During the incident, lives were lost while some people sustained injuries. The insurgents also attempted to penetrate Dalori IDP camp, but the attempt was resisted by troops, which resulted into the detonation of IEDs by suicide bombers.”

Anka added that the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Hassan Umaru, had sent a condolence message to the District Head of Dalori, Alhaji Lawal Bashir, and the residents over the unfortunate incident.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said having lost the war to the nation’s armed forces, insurgents were desperately seeking ways of returning to wreak havoc on the society.

Buhari therefore called on all Nigerians, especially those who resided in areas previously ravaged by terrorists, to be more vigilant and ready to work with security operatives in ending the war against insurgency.

This was contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Sunday.

Buhari said this while reacting to the spate of suicide bombings in Chibok market, Dolari Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Borno State and the Gombi market in Adamawa State.

He stated that the insurgents’ gradual return was meant to embarrass his government, pointing out that that was why they chose isolated communities and markets as their targets.

Buhari said the insurgents had suffered immensely from the sustained bombardments of their camps and hideouts by the Nigerian military and had resorted to using desperate measures to gain cheap media attention.

The President added, “Having lost the war, they (the insurgents) are seeking ways and means to gradually find their way back into society.

“They are not returning to contribute but to cause more havoc. They are so desperate to embarrass the government and the people that they have no qualms attacking isolated communities and markets.”

Buhari noted that the materials for the Improvised Explosive Devices were locally sourced by the insurgents.

Boko Haram burns children, kills 86 in Borno attacks

Borno hunters seek to join military against Boko Haram

Hunters in Borno State on Sunday called on the military to allow them to join in the war against insurgents in Sambisa Forest, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Nigeria military

The king of the Hunters, Mallam Mai-Gana Mai-Durma, made the appeal in Maiduguri while addressing newsmen.

Mai-Durma said the call became imperative because the hunters were familiar with the terrain of the dreaded forest, said to be the hideout and operational base of the terrorists.

“We are appealing to the military authorities to allow us join the fight against Boko Haram at the Sambisa Forest.

“We are ready to pursue the terrorists because we know the terrain very well,’’ Mai-Durma said.

He believed that the military should align them with members of the vigilance group, popularly known as the Civilian JTF, for effective result.

“We will overrun Sambisa in partnership with members of the civilian JTF if given the opportunity.

“This will help to complement the effort of military in the anti-terrorism operation,’’ Mai-Durma said.

He lamented that hunters from the 27 local government areas of the state had been rendered idle by the Boko Haram terrorism.

“Hunters from all the 27 Borno LGAs are all in Maiduguri with our leaders doing nothing at present because of Boko Haram.

“Rather than idling away, we will want to assist the military in crushing Boko Haram terrorists,’’ Mai-Durma said.

He appealed to the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai, to assist in forwarding the request to the military authorities for consideration.

Borno hunters seek to join military against Boko Haram

Breaking: Bomb Explosion kill 20 in Maiduguri

A bomb has exploded at a mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital killing at least 20 people on Monday.

Abubakar Shekau

According to Premium Times report, the bomb went off as people gathered peeping into the square due to speculation that a bomb was left behind by members of the Boko Haram sect.

Residents had speculated that a Boko Haram who was on the run left an improvised explosive device in the area during an attack on the city on Sudany.

According to a police officer report as quoted by PT, “I have never seen such foolishness when people would go peeping into a mosque to find out if truly there was an explosive deposited in a place. But sadly, the bomb went off and over 20 persons were killed and many injured.”

A primary school teacher in the area, Malam Suleiman gave a separate account of the incident. He said

 

 

“The people normally sit down around the mosque in the morning,” he said. ”The place is like a meeting point where neighbours converge to relax.”

“After the morning prayers they just sat down outside the mosque as usual and then the bomb went off. It was not suicide bombing like that of last night. It may have been planted.

Breaking: Bomb Explosion kill 20 in Maiduguri

Bloody Christmas in Borno as Boko Haram kills 14, burns entire village

At least 14 people were killed and several others injured by Boko Haram gunmen in a Christmas Day attack on a village in northeastern Nigeria, vigilantes said Saturday.

Abubakar Shekau

Attacking astride bicycles, the jihadists invaded Kimba village in flashpoint Borno state around 10:00 pm on Friday, opening fire on residents and torching their homes.

“The gunmen killed 14 people and burnt the whole village before they fled,” Mustapha Karimbe, a civilian assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram, told AFP.

“Not a single house was spared in the arson,” another vigilante, Musa Suleiman, said after visiting the razed village.

Hundreds of Kimba residents fled to Biu nearby, where they were put up in a refugee camp already brimming with people running from Boko Haram.

The attack comes just days before Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s self-imposed deadline to stamp out the group expires on December 31 and in the same week he said that Nigeria has “technically” defeated the jihadists.

Buhari took office in May vowing to end the six-year insurgency that has killed over 17,000 people and spooked much-needed investors in Africa’s largest economy and foremost oil producer.

Nigerian troops have won back territory from Boko Haram, but in response the jihadists have increasingly resorted to suicide bombers — many of them young children — to wage war for an independent Islamic state.

The militants have damaged what little infrastructure existed in the country’s underdeveloped north at a time when the government is facing a cash crunch as a result of the free-falling oil price.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, a report released by the New York-based Institute for Economics and Peace, it “has become the most deadly terrorist group in the world”.

The UN children’s agency said this week that over one million Nigerian schoolchildren have been kept out of school because of the conflict, warning that the lack of education will fuel radicalisation in and around Nigeria.

The jihadists have allied themselves with the Islamic State group, but experts doubt the scale and scope of the collaboration.

Still, there are growing fears that a once localised hardline Muslim movement is morphing into a regional jihadist threat as Boko Haram launches attacks on Nigeria’s neighbours Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Bloody Christmas in Borno as Boko Haram kills 14, burns entire village

Nigerian troops kill 49 Boko Haram insurgents, rescue 150

The Nigerian Army on Thurdaysaid its troops, deployed for the counter-insurgency in the troubled North-east, killed 49 Boko Haram insurgents within the last one week in a series of assaults in Borno State.

Boko Haram and Nigeria soldiers

Also during the same period, the army said 150 persons who were being held by the insurgents as human shields in confrontation with them were rescued.

It also revealed that several arms, ammunition and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were recovered in the battle with the insurgents.

Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri, the Theatre Commander of the military counter-insurgency operation in the North-east, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Yusha’u Abubakar, said the operation was carried out in various hideouts of the Islamists in the Bama-Fulka and Alagarno axis of Borno.

He said: “It is important to announce that our gallant troops conducted various operations along Bama-Fulka and Alagarno areas of Borno State, which yielded fruitful results in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram elements.

“During the episode, the troops had an encounter with some terrorists, who suffered serious casualties.

“In the Alagarno axis, 15 insurgents were gunned down, while 34 others were killed along Bama-Fulka Road. The troops have also rescued 150 people, mostly old men and women, as well as children.

“The captives who were abducted from their homes by the terrorists, were being held as human shields.”

He added that recent successes recorded by the troops followed the serious setback suffered by the terrorists after losing their major enclaves.

“Let me make it clear that Boko Haram has been degraded and weakened by the military after a series of assaults, and the morale of our troops has been very high.

“Nigerians are very impressed by the performance of the task force in recent times. The military has no time to waste but to crush the remnants of the terrorists and move forward,” Abubakar said.

Abubakar however regretted that a convoy of fleeing Boko Haram insurgents ambushed a convoy of military vehicles along Maiduguri-Bama Road on Tuesday, killing an officer and soldier.

Nigerian troops kill 49 Boko Haram insurgents, rescue 150

4 suicide bombers, one vigilante killed at Borno checkpoint

One vigilante and four female suicide bombers were killed Wednesday at a checkpoint in Nigeria’s northeast Borno state after one bomber detonated her explosives, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

One bomber blew herself up at a security checkpoint 50 kilometres east of state capital Maiduguri run by civilian vigilantes who help the country’s military fight Boko Haram.

Four girls between the ages of nine and 12 were stopped at the checkpoint in Mafa, according to Muhammad Kanar, head of NEMA for the northeast.

“Suicide bombers tried to enter and they were being intercepted for interrogation,” Ibrahim Abdulkadir, another spokesman for the agency, told AFP.

“One detonated their bomb,” he said, adding “all of them were bombers, all women.”

Last month eight people were killed at the same checkpoint when a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives among women and children arriving in Maiduguri seeking to escape Boko Haram violence in the countryside.

Boko Haram jihadists have in recent months been using young women and girls as suicide bombers — a new tactic in the six-year-old armed insurgency which has claimed more than 17,000 lives.

4 suicide bombers, one vigilante killed at Borno checkpoint

B’Haram kills eight, torches houses in Borno

Eight persons were killed and several houses burnt down in separate attacks on Mangari and Warawara, villages in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, residents who fled from the town told our correspondent on Monday on the telephone.

Abubakar Shekau

Mangari and Warawara villages are about five kilometres and seven kilometres away respectively from Buratai, the hometown of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

One of the residents of Magari who fled to Miringa town, Luqman Idris, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday that the insurgents besieged his village at about 3.15pm on Sunday on motorcycles and bicycles.

He said they shot at anyone in sight and set houses ablaze.

Idris said, “I saw three persons who were killed and their corpses laid on the streets.

“When we arrived Miringa I was told that five other persons were missing, I cannot up till now tell you their whereabouts, we cannot say whether they were equally killed or abducted by the rampaging insurgents.”

The attack on Warawara it was learnt occurred after the siege to Mangari.

It was gathered from the residents of the village that the insurgents moved to Warawara from Buratai, setting virtually all the buildings ablaze and killing indiscriminately.

A resident of Warawara, Ismail Azeez, said the attackers came at about 6.15am on Monday, set houses ablaze and killed five persons.

Speaking to our correspondent on the telephone, Azeez said, “The Boko Haram fighters killed five persons in our village including my brother. As I am speaking to you now, our village head and other elders of the town have gone to bury the corpses and I believe when they come back we will know the number of those killed and their identities,” he stated.

A member of the vigilance group in Miringa, the largest village in the area, Alhaji Ahmed Miringa, confirmed the two attacks, saying, “there were two separate attacks on Magari and Warawara where eight persons were killed.”

He said some members of the vigilance group and soldiers had gone to Warawara village with the intention of going after the fleeing insurgents.

B’Haram kills eight, torches houses in Borno

Trouble as Boko Haram abduct more girls in Borno

MAIDUGURI—ABOUT seven persons including a soldier, were killed in both Bam and Gajigana villages of Biu and Magumeri Local Government Areas of Borno State.

In the two attacks, while unspecified numbers of teenage girls were abducted in Bam Village, scores of people were injured in Gajigana village after insurgents set ablaze shops and houses without confrontation.

Chibok girls

Bam is about 7 kilometers away from Buratai village the home town of Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai. Buratai village has suffered series of Boko Haram attacks including the razing down of a mansion owned by the Army General.

A resident of the area who fled to Miringa town for safety, Mallam Ali Bam, told Vanguard on phone that the insurgents went to the village at about 3:30 am at the weekend and set ablaze the whole village, after killing four persons and fled unchallenged with unspecified number of unmarried teenage girls kidnapped.

He said “the Boko Haram terrorists after separating a lot of teenage girls from married women in Bam, set ablaze the whole village and fled with the girls unchallenged, as the attack lasted for some hours before they fled. I called on General Buratai to do something as we have been telling the soldiers that the Boko Haram were so close to the village, but they only went to Mangari village which is few kilometers away from Buratai and shot into the air and left. The soldiers don’t want to confront the terrorists, Buratai should better do something before they start attacking and sacking villages, as they were doing before.”

Similarly, Boko Haram terrorists attacked and burnt down Gajiganna village killing three persons including a soldier before carting away a lot of foodstuff.

Gajigana is north and about 50 kilometres drive from Maiduguri.

A member of the Civilian JTF from the area, Mallam Aliyu Jibrin,  told Vanguard that the insurgents who came at 8:30pm on Friday started shooting sporadically into the air to scare people, where they killed one man, one woman and a soldier before they carted away a lot of foodstuff after setting ablaze all the shops in the village.

“I believe it was a revenge mission, because recently, we arrested over 17 Boko Haram insurgents in the community and handed them over to the military. I am calling on the Federal government and the military authorities to do something about the pockets of insurgents in the bushes and villagers before they regroup and start attacking big towns and villages,” he stated.

He lamented that the attack on Gajigana could have been avoided if soldiers acted on the information at hand, but when they came the soldiers took to their heels without facing the insurgents.

Trouble as Boko Haram abduct more girls in Borno

Boko Haram still controls one LGA - Borno Speaker

ILORIN— Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, in Nigeria and Speaker, Borno State House of Assembly, Abdulkarim Lawan, has said only one local government is yet to be liberated from the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State out the 20 local government areas earlier occupied.

Abubakar Shekau

He also assured that the December deadline to rout the Boko Haram insurgents from Nigeria would be met.

Lawan spoke in Ilorin, yesterday, at the Conference of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly organised to deliberate on a model administration of criminal justice act.

The speaker said the Nigeria military had never been so committed in the fight against insurgency.

According to him, “as of now, only one local government is yet to be liberated from the clutch of the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State. That’s the Abadam, located along border town of Niger Republic.

“Nineteen local governments are now in control of the military. And the people are gradually returning to their homes in the affected areas. Military is very serious in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. We never experienced the kind of commitment from military before.

“They have driven the Boko Haram to the bush. I am sure the military is equal to the task and will meet the time line of December 2015 to rout the insurgents by December. The Chief of Army Staff is leading the military.

“Various local governments captured by Boko Haram have been recaptured with the federal troops stationed there as they proceed to other local governments. So, now only Abadam local government is not liberated. I am sure they are going to liberate every local government in the state.”

He urged the people of the area to continue to support the military to”find an end to this madness and unislamic act. Because Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states have suffered so much due to this security challenge in the last six years. Now, we are gradually getting relative peace. So, I advise the people in all these areas to support the military.”  .

Declaring open the workshop, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed said: “A sound criminal justice system is imperative for economic growth, political stability and social equilibrium. It is impossible to have a sound economy without a solid foundation of good laws that can curb anti-social behaviours and other disruptive tendencies in the society.

“Additionally, a sound criminal system is a prerequisite for rule of law which, as you know, is an essential component of good governance. This is because no modern society can thrive unless there are strong laws to guide social, economic and political conduct of its citizens.”

“Unless the citizens are aware of and abide by a robust criminal justice system, the sense of security, peace and lawfulness for economic and political development will be missing.”

Ahmed however lauded the initiative of the speakers of the 36 states of the federation to organize the workshop saying that, their deliberations would go a long way of fashioning out way out of dwindling criminal justice in the country.

Boko Haram still controls one LGA - Borno Speaker

8 Die in Borno Suicide Bomb Attack - Police

At least eight people have been confirmed dead in a suicide bomb attack that took place in Mafia, a town in Borno State.

Borno state police commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun, has confirmed the blast in a text message to our correspondent.

He stated: “Yes, at about 1040 hrs of Sunday, 22/11/15, a suspected  female suicide bomber while approaching Mafa checkpoint on foot at Galimari Village  detonated an IED strapped to her body in the midst of a crowd trying to enter Maiduguri.

“The explosion killed eight persons including the bomber, eight others were injured.”

“Scene of the incident was visited, the victims and corpses conveyed to hospital and investigation in progress and the area is now safe.”

8 Die in Borno Suicide Bomb Attack - Police