News
Army, Boko Haram Clash Claims Soldier, Terrorists In Adamawa
The 23 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army has confirmed that one soldier died while another was wounded as troops of 232 Battalion of the brigade engaged Boko Haram insurgents who attacked Garkida community in Adamawa State, last Friday.
An Army press statement, yesterday morning, on the encounter from the brigade as well as pictures of the destruction in Garkida following the Friday evening attack, confirmed the incident.
It would be recalled that Boko Haram fighters had invaded the northern Adamawa town of Garkida in Gombi Local Government Area at about 7pm, last Friday, and caused destruction to houses, churches, shops, and vehicles.
In its statement, however, the 23 Armoured Brigade, which has its headquarters in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, indicated that the destruction would have been more extensive but for the quick intervention of its troops who interrupted the insurgents, killed some of them, but lost a soldier in the process.
In the statement signed by the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Major Haruna Mohammed Sani, the 23 Armoured Brigade said, “Gallant troops of 232 Battalion of 23 Armoured Brigade under Operation Lafiya Dole deployed in Garkida, Gombi LGA of Adamawa State, had thwarted a planned criminal attack on the peaceful town on February 21, 2020, by some criminal Boko Haram terrorists.
“The terrorists besieged the town in about seven gun trucks and a number of motorcycles, setting some buildings ablaze and causing unrest within the community.
“Instinctively, the gallant troops mobilized and intercepted the criminals’ advance, and engaged the marauding criminals, unleashing high volume of fire, leading to the elimination of several of the criminals while others withdrew in disarray, many of them with gunshot wounds as evident in the trails of blood along their withdrawal route.
“Regrettably, one gallant soldier paid the supreme price while another soldier was wounded in action. The wounded in action soldier has since been evacuated to a military medical facility and is positively responding to treatment.”
The statement added that the Commander of the 23 Armoured Brigade, Brig-Gen Sani Gambo Mohammed, who visited the troops in Garkida on Saturday, congratulated the troops for their fighting spirit but warned them to be vigilant as the criminal elements might plan a reprisal attack due to the casualties they suffered.
Revelations since Saturday have, however, indicated that while the Boko Haram invasion lasted in Garkida, the insurgents succeeded in burning down two churches: an EYN Church branch and a branch of Living Faith Church a.k.a. Winners’ Chapel International.
They also burnt shops, hospitals and houses of two prominent residents, among others.
The state government is yet to make any statement regarding the attack on Garkida, but Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was said to be on his way to the town as this report was being concluded, yesterday afternoon.
Similarly, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) have killed 13 bandits; intercept large ammunitions cache of 4,630 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition in 11 communities in Shinkafi, Anka and Bukkuyum local government areas of Zamfara, and three communities in Batsari LGA in Katsina and another three communities in Kebbi states.
Several other bandits were fatally wounded while eight suspected bandits that include a female were arrested.
The Acting Force Information Officer, Captain Abayomi Oni-Orisan, disclosed this in a press released in Gusau, yesterday.
Oni-Orisan explained that the feat was recorded between the 10th and 20th of this month during an operation as the troops conducted clearance operations, ambushes and fighting patrols in several locations across the theatre carried out in 11 communities in Anka, Shinkafi and Bukkuyum Local Governments Areas of Zamfara State.
Other locations where the operation also took place were three communities in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State and three communities in Kebbi State.
The operation, according to him, also led to the recovery of seven AK-47 rifles, eight loaded magazines, 22 motorcycles, two Dane guns, four GSM phones and 30 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
The troops also intercepted suspected drug counterfeiters and drug dealers with 350 cartons of fake “PECOL” drugs and a sizeable consignment of suspected Indian hemp in Zurmi and Shinkafi local government areas of Zamfara State, respectively.
The fake “PECOL” drugs, according to the press release, were smuggled from Niger Republic through Jibia, carefully kept behind bags of fresh pepper in a J5 Bus with registration number RMY 156 XA Katsina to avoid any suspicion.
The troops deployed in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara Stare also intercepted another vehicle conveying a suspected drug dealer with a large quantity of Indian hemp carefully concealed inside a carton.
The suspects and exhibits, according to the press release, have duly been handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), respectively for further prosecution and destruction of the drugs.
It would be noted that the ongoing operation against banditry and all forms of criminality would continue until peace is restored in Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi and Sokoto states, the statement added.
The Force Commander of OPHD and Acting General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Nigerian Army, Brig-Gen Aminu Bande, urged the general public to support the operation by providing timely and credible information to the troops through the dedicated emergency telephone numbers, earlier provided to the general public, to ensure prompt and efficient action.
Bande also warned all recalcitrant bandits and their cohorts to immediately lay down their arms and embrace the on-going peace process or face full military action.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouq, has explained why 104 ‘repentant’ Boko Haram members were freed.
She said President Muhammadu Buhari granted amnesty to the repentant terrorists “so that they could be assisted in different areas of human development.”
According to a statement by the Assistant Director, Information, Rhoda Ishaku Iliya, the minister said this when she received the representatives of the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Abayomi Gabriel Olonishaki, led by the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Maj-Gen Bamidele Shaffa, in Abuja, last Saturday.
Umar-Farouq said in ensuring that the current administration achieves its vision in addressing the insecurity and insurgency challenges facing the nation, the government had given a welcoming hand or an opportunity to repentant Boko Haram members to have a re-think.
“It is a very important programme for the ministry, one of the mandates of the ministry is to focus on the early recovery aspect of the North-East region, and one of such components of early recovery is re-integration, rehabilitation of these affected communities and the repentant Boko Haram insurgents,” she added.
The minister thanked the Operation Safe Corridor for their efforts and initiatives, adding that it would address the challenges of insecurity, and “is a very large approach in the de-radicalisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of these insurgents”, adding that the strategy was very important, especially in the North-East today.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested four notorious female drug dealers in Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe states.
The Director of Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, made this known in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Giving a breakdown, Babafemi said that in Edo, an intense sweep of notorious drug hotspots within Benin City by NDLEA operatives on June 2 led to the arrest of four key traffickers, including three females.
“At Uyosa, Benin City, two female suspects were nabbed with a cocktail of illicit substances, including 176 grams of skunk, 65g of Loud, and 5 grams of Methamphetamine.
“Along Agbor road in Benin City, another female suspect, 21-year-old Anita Abraham, was apprehended with 95 grams of Scottish Loud and 329 grams of regular Loud.
“At Upper Mission, Benin City, a male suspect was arrested with a diverse cache of psychotropic substances consisting of Loud, Colorado, Swinol, and Methamphetamine.
“A swift operation by operatives in Kano State on Thursday, June 4, led to the arrest of a 19-year-old suspect, Saifullahi Lawan at the Kafi area of Madobi, with 40 blocks of skunk weighing a total of 38 kilograms,” NDLEA said.
In a related development, Babafemi said, operatives in Gombe state intercepted a 28-year-old suspect on June 1 near Dantiti Plaza in the Tumfure area of Gombe.
“The suspect was caught with 15,000 capsules of tramadol,” he said.
He said the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) social advocacy activities by NDLEA Commands and formations equally continued across the country in the past week.
Reacting to the string of successful operations, the NDLEA Chairman, retired, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa commended the officers, men and women of the Imo, Edo, Kano, and Gombe commands for their resilience and vigilance.
Marwa also praised their counterparts in all the commands across the country for pursuing a fair balance between their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
He re-emphasised that the agency remains fully committed to dismantling drug supply chains and would continue to target traffickers regardless of age, gender, or concealment methods.
The Nigerian Navy says its operatives under Operation Delta Sentinel have intercepted over 135,000 litres of suspected illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) during separate operations in Rivers State waterways.
Director of Information, Navy Captain Abiodun Folorunsho, said the operations were carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder around the Onne and Abonema axis.
He said the seizures were made during routine patrols aimed at curbing crude oil theft and illegal fuel transportation across creeks in the state.
In one of the operations, naval personnel intercepted a fibre boat at the entrance of Owogono Creek in Ogu-Bolo Local Government Area carrying drums and jerrycans filled with suspected stolen AGO.
According to him, the occupants abandoned the boat and fled into nearby creeks, while the vessel and about 63,000 litres of product were recovered.
In another operation around Abonema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, patrol teams intercepted a wooden boat conveying about 72,000 litres of suspected illegally refined AGO concealed in sacks.
The Navy said the products were being transported through waterways for onward distribution before the operation disrupted the movement.
Folorunsho said the recoveries highlight the continued exploitation of creek networks by criminal elements for illegal petroleum product transportation.
He added that all recovered items were handled in line with established procedures on anti-crude oil theft operations.
The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations aimed at dismantling illegal oil networks and protecting Nigeria’s maritime economic assets.
The Permanent Secretary of Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr Honour Sirawoo mni, has charged public servants to embrace accountability and prudent management of public resources, stressing that government funds must be utilised responsibly.
Dr. Sirawoo made the assertion during the 41st anniversary of The Rivers State Television (RSTV), in Elelenwo.
He noted that public service demands commitment and sacrifice, urging workers to justify the opportunities entrusted to them through diligengence and productivity.
“All I try to do is to see that we have value for every kobo that we spend and value for our time.
“Government has a social responsibility to provide opportunities, but when you have one, you must guard it through hard work and ensure your presence is justified,” he stated.
The Permanent Secretary further appealed to workers to see themselves as ambassadors of their respective institutions, adding that government remains committed to creating employment opportunities and improving public service delivery.
Also speaking, former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr (Mrs.) Christiana Atako, praised the station’s professionalism and consistency despite operational challenges.
“We have never been disappointed. In spite of all the challenges RSTV had at that time, they never failed us. They carried our stories very well,” she said.
Dr Atako encouraged staff members to continually improve themselves through training, education and professional development in order to remain competitive in the evolving media industry.
Earlier, Acting General Manager of RSTV, Ambassador Paul Damgbor, described the anniversary celebration as an opportunity to reflect on the station’s journey of over four decades and appreciate those who have contributed to its development.
Pastor Damgbor said that the station had recorded remarkable improvements in recent months through the acquisition of digital cameras, computers as well as upgrades in audio and visual production facilities.
“We have seen great change. We were able to get new brand digital cameras and improve on our audio. We have also provided new computers for key departments, including News, Programmes and the Library,” Damgbor remarked.
He also unveiled a commemorative magazine chronicling the history and achievements of the station, describing it as a valuable reference material for preserving RSTV’s heritage.
The Acting General Manager, however, expressed concern over the theft of critical equipment from the station’s transformer, a development he said had forced the organisation to rely heavily on generator power supply.
The Senior Pastor of Gateway International Church, Pastor George Izunma, who gave a short charge during the event, urged media practitioners to uphold the ethics of journalism and remain committed to accuracy in reporting.
“You are pressmen. You are okay to doubt, but verify,” he advised, stressing the importance of credibility and responsibility in the profession.
He equally highlighted the need to “ask the help of God, sow a seed of help, and step into something as if you have help” stressing the need to move by faith for growth.
Some participants at the event also raised concerns about employment opportunities while commending RSTV’s growth and contributions to public enlightenment in Rivers State.
A major highlight of the celebration was the presentation of an award to the Rivers State Ministry of Information and Communications in recognition of its diligence and service to the people of the state. Dr Honour Sirawoo also received a special award for his contributions to the growth and development of RSTV.
Awards were equally presented to outstanding members of staff of RSTV for exemplary performance and their dedication to duty.
The event also featured the unveiling and launch of the RSTV commemorative magazine as well as a tour of the station’s newly built cafeteria and other facilities.
The celebration marked another milestone in the station’s 41-year history and reaffirmed its commitment to excellence in public broadcasting.
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