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Boko Haram In Control Of My Constituency, Others …Borno Rep Member Cries Out
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon Ahmadu Jaha representing Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency in Borno State has revealed that contrary to the claims by the Federal Government, Boko Haram fighters were still in control of his constituency.
The lawmaker said that about 27 electoral wards out of 33 wards in his constituency were under the control of the insurgents.
The lawmaker made the claim while speaking on a motion moved by the Chief Whip of the House, Hon Muhammed Mongonu, who is also from Borno State.
“Some number of geographical locations in Borno State and other insurgency related areas are under the occupation of Boko Haram.
“Let’s take for instance, in a local government that has 13 electoral wards like my own Gwoza, only three or four are not under the occupation of Boko Haram. In Chibok, I have 10 electoral wards, only two are not under the occupation of Boko Haram. In Damboa, I have 10 electoral wards, only one is not under the occupation of Boko Haram. This is as far as Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency is concerned.”
He added that in Borno North, eight local governments out of 10 were under the control of the Islamists.
“The same thing, the chief whip to the House can bear me witness, out of the ten local governments in northern Borno, only two local governments and it is only their headquarters, are still not under the occupation of Boko Haram.”
He was, however, stopped by a point of order by James Faleke, who asked him to restrict the debate to the motion which deals with funding for the military.
However, the Zamfara State Police Command has suspended all forms of meetings, procession, partying and unlawful gatherings considering the alleged threats by the elements of Boko Haram to unleash terror attacks on seven local government areas of Zamfara State.
According to the command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Muhammed Shehu, due to the prevailing security situation, coupled with the threat by Boko Haram and other criminal elements to destabilise the relative peace being enjoyed in the state, the Zamfara State Police Command has warned that all hands must be on deck to normalise the current security concern.
“Consequently, all forms of meetings, processions, partying and all forms of gatherings by all manners of people in the state are hereby banned until further notice,” the police spokesman warned.
He noted that the command seeks for continued support and cooperation of all and sundry to prevent the calamity, saying that security is the responsibility of everybody.
The state Commissioner of Police, Usman Nagogo, explained that the people of Zamfara State deserve a secured environment that would boost the socio-economic situation of the state.
Shehu appealed to the citizens to endeavour to report any suspected movement of person or persons to the nearest security agency for immediate action.
Meanwhile, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Gen Olusegun Adeniyi, yesterday, urged troops of the Nigerian Army, to give final push to end Boko Haram insurgency in North-East.
He gave the charge while addressing men of the Operation Lafiya Dole Sector 2 Command, Damaturu, Yobe.
“There is no better time than now to do it; this is the time to allow our country rest from the menace of Boko Haram.
“You should be ruthless with Boko Haram and anybody supporting Boko Haram, you should show no pity, let there be no excuses.
“I know you can do it, you know you can do it and the army headquarters knows you can do it,” he said.
He said commanders would be leading from the front.
“In Maiduguri, l am leading from the front, you should follow your commanders who will be leading from the front,” he said.
The commander insisted that Boko Haram must be defeated.
“Your strong courage should stamp out Boko Haram,” he said.
Similarly, fighter jets from the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) Air Task Force (ATF) of anti-terror Operation Lafiya Dole have bombarded a building used as a warehouse by Boko Haram terrorist in Borno State, the Air Force said, yesterday.
The buildings located at Abulam, a settlement on the fringes of the Allagarno forest, in Borno State, was being used terrorists to store their supplies and other resources, according to the NAF.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who made this known in a statement, said that: “Nigerian Air Force (NAF) attack aircraft detailed by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole have destroyed a Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) Camp at Abulam, a settlement on the fringes of the Allagarno Forest, in Borno State.
“The operation was executed on September 22, 2019 after series of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions revealed that some buildings within the settlement were being used by the terrorists to store their supplies and other resources.
“The ATF, therefore, dispatched helicopter gunships and ground attack aircraft to engage the location in successive strikes, scoring devastating hits on the target area leading to destruction of several of the buildings and neutralization of their BHT occupants.
“The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the North-East.”
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted 1.63 million pills of tramadol concealed in two long trailers heading for Kano as it intensified efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria corridor.
The agency also arrested an 80-year-old suspected drug dealer in Rivers State, a businesswoman linked to cannabis shipments from Canada, a Chadian woman, a couple and other suspects in coordinated operations across Lagos, Edo, Kogi and Rivers states.
The NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.
According to the statement, the latest intelligence-led operation came barely one week after NDLEA operatives recovered 558,900 pills of tramadol concealed in the false-bottom compartment of a truck that entered Lagos through the Togo-Benin Republic route.
Babafemi said, “Ongoing efforts to dismantle a transnational drug trafficking syndicate smuggling tramadol from Togo, through Benin Republic into Nigeria have yielded another success with the interception of two long trailers used to move One Million Six Hundred and Thirty (1,630,000) pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in fabricated compartments of the trucks across multiple borders into Lagos.”
He added that one of the two trailers was intercepted on July 2 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, where operatives recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor.
Babafemi said, “One of the two trucks already heading to Kano was tracked and located on 2nd July 2026 along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway where NDLEA officers recovered 853,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the trailer and arrested the 22-year-old driver Jabir Kabiru.”
He further disclosed that another trailer was intercepted two days later on the same route.
“Two days later, 4th July, NDLEA operatives acting on processed intelligence successfully tracked and recovered the second trailer from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway while heading to Kano. A total of 777,000 pills of tramadol 250mg concealed in a fabricated compartment beneath the cargo floor of the truck were evacuated and the 22-year-old driver Muhammed Nuhu arrested,” the statement read.
According to Babafemi, investigations established a link between the three intercepted consignments.
He said, “Investigations revealed that all three trucks and consignments intercepted on 21st June, 2nd July and 4th July belong to the same transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating along the Togo-Benin Republic-Nigeria axis.”
The agency also intercepted 4.70 kilograms of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.
Babafemi said, “Two consignments of Canadian Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis, with a combined weight of 4.70 kilograms have been intercepted at the import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. The cargoes, which arrived the Lagos airport from Canada in cartons with ‘Odugwu’ boldly written on them, came aboard British Airways and Ethiopian Airlines flights on 24th June and 3rd July respectively.”
He said two cargo agents, Ali Rotimi Samson and Orimolade Oluwagbenga, were initially arrested in connection with the shipments, while another suspect, Edeh Onyeamachi Stanislus, was apprehended after arriving at a logistics company to take delivery of the consignments.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has denied claims that it has commenced registration for a purported ?50,000 National Support Allowance.
The ministry, in a public notice posted on its official X handle, yesterday, described messages, links and websites advertising the alleged programme as fraudulent.
It urged Nigerians to disregard such claims and verify information only through official government channels.
“The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has NOT commenced registration for any ?50,000 National Support Allowance,” the ministry said.
It added, “Disregard fraudulent messages, links and websites claiming otherwise. Verify any info only through official govt channels.”
The alert is in response to a circulating scam flyer that falsely claims the program is ongoing under President Bola Tinubu’s directives.
The fake advertisement, which includes text in Hausa and English, directs victims to a suspicious website (kluspz.com) for applications.
The ministry’s warning comes amid heightened concerns over digital fraud targeting vulnerable populations seeking social support.
Similar scams have previously surfaced around programs like N-Power, prompting questions from citizens in replies to the official post.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its preparedness for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, hinted at this while making his remarks at the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja.
Ajaero said it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
He advised workers and pensioners to get prepared for the ideological and economic battles that lie ahead.
According to the NLC president, “The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) is one of the proud affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Therefore, your struggle is our struggle, and your welfare remains a priority for the organised labour movement.
“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage.
“However, let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
“Accordingly, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not only push for a new national minimum wage but will also demand the establishment of a national minimum pension. It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement.”
Ajaero noted that the cost of living has risen astronomically as food, healthcare and transportation have become increasingly unaffordable.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he said.
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepared as the process begins, adding: “This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead.”
The NLC president pointed out that the working class has always understood that “those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees.”
He said the completion of the project should serve as a clarion call to all workers and lovers of the masses.
“We must not only build physical structures but also build a strong movement capable of compelling government to honour its commitments,” he said.
Ajaero further stated: “We will continue to demand the immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension regime that guarantees every retiree a life of dignity and security.
“Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve.”