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Troops Capture 23 Terrorists, IED Expert, Rescue Two Women, Three Children
A total of 23 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists have been neutralized while one terrorist’s Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert was captured alive during an encounter.
Also, the gallant troops courageously intercepted some Boko Haram criminals while attempting to collect ransom from relations of their abducted victims leading to the decimation of the criminals and successful rescue of two women and three children unhurt.
These revelations were made, yesterday, in Abuja, in a statement by the Acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Brig-Gen Bernard Onyeuko.
The statement reads, “Sequel to the commencement of Operation Fire Ball, a subsidiary operation under Operation Lafiya Dole which is meant to clear the remnants of the Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists from their identified enclaves in the North-East region.
“Operation Fire Ball has steadily progressed and satisfactorily too with significant results within the short period from its inception.
“The last three weeks of this month has proved to be a significant period against the criminals.
“This is as a result of the more successful operations conducted within this period.
“The gallant troops of Operation Fire Ball in the various Sectors of the Theatre have continued to dominate the general areas of operation and carry out their tasks relentlessly and professionally.
“The successes so far achieved were made possible with the commitment and gallantry exhibited by the well motivated troops within the period under review.
“The troops have carried out aggressive clearance operations, ambushes, robust day and night patrols to finally decimate the remnants of the Boko Haram/ISWAP criminals.
“Consequently, as a result of the aggressive offensive actions carried out by the troops, several terrorist elements have been neutralized and large number of their equipment were captured including large quantity of their logistics consignment was intercepted our gallant troops.
“Most importantly, a number of women and children hitherto held captive were rescued unhurt.
“In this regard, a total of 23 Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists were neutralized while one terrorist’s Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert was captured alive during an encounter.
“Equally, the gallant troops courageously intercepted some Boko Haram criminals while attempting to collect ransom from relations of their abducted victims leading to the decimation of the criminals and successful rescue of two women and three children unhurt.
“In terms of the criminals’ equipment casualty, the following weapons were captured: four gun trucks, one fabricated vehicle Blinde Leger, two anti-aircraft guns, one General Purpose Machine Gun, two PKT guns, eight AK-47 rifles, two AK-47 rifle magazines, one AK-47 rifle cover and one Dane Gun.
“Furthermore, large cache of ammunition were also captured.
“This include: 18 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm, four rounds of Brownie Machine Gun ammunition, one Rocket Propelled Grenade Tube, One 36 Hand Grenade, 23 belted rounds of 7.62 x 54, One QJC Extra Barrel, 311 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition (Linked), 511 rounds of PKT ammunition, eight rounds of Light Machine Gun ammunition, One Service Tools Box, One gas cylinder (for making IED), eight bicycles, several bags of grains and assorted packets of drugs.
“Other assorted non lethal items were also captured from the criminals.
“Unfortunately, six gallant soldiers were wounded in action over the period.
“However, the wounded soldiers have since been evacuated to a military medical facility and are currently responding positively to treatment.
“The troops of Operation Fire Ball under Operation Lafiya Dole are hereby commended for their resilience, doggedness and professionalism exhibited since the beginning of the Operation.
“They are equally encouraged not to relent but build on the successes recorded so far.
“The entire populace of the North-East region are hereby assured of the Nigerian military high command determination to finally rout the remnants of Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province criminals from their enclaves in this zone.
“They are equally encouraged to avail the troops with credible information that will help in the execution of the operation.
“To you the members of the Press, we want to thank you most profoundly for your cooperation and commitment in sensitizing the general public of these activities.
“We will, however, continue to solicit for your cooperation in our information dissemination. You are well appreciated”.
Similarly, the Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole has killed scores of terrorists in an airstrike on their logistics base at Tumbun Rego in Lake Chad area of Borno State.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.
Enenche said the mission was executed on November 22, following intelligence which indicated the use of the location by the Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists.
He said the location had makeshift structures camouflaged and used as a hub for logistics items conveyed through the lake and its tributaries for onward transportation using trucks/motorcycles.
According to him, the military, therefore, dispatched Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location.
“Overhead the target area, significant number of ISWAP elements were observed.
“These were engaged in successive passes by the NAF attack aircraft resulting in the destruction of the terrorists’ structures as well as the neutralisation of several of their fighters.
“The Military High Command commends the Air Task Force for their professionalism and urges them to remain resolute in the conduct of operations in order to rid the country of all terrorists,” he said.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
News
RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.