News

Military Destroys 53 Illegal Refining Sites, Arrests 19 Suspects

Published

2 months ago

October 13, 2023

The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Delta Safe have uncovered and deactivated 53 illegal refining sites, recovered stolen products and apprehended 19 suspected oil thieves in one week.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria across the country in Abuja, yesterday.
Buba said the troops had sustained momentum against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
He said the troops discovered and destroyed 54 dugout pits, 66 boats, 138 storage tanks, 253 cooking ovens, two pumping machines, eight speedboats, 17 hoses, 18 drums and two cylinders.
He said the troops also recovered 983,350 litres of stolen crude oil, 144,980 litres of illegally refined AGO and 71,650 litres of DPK.
“Troops also neutralised one criminal, rescued three hostages and recovered one fabricated rifle, 18 vehicles and one torchlight,” he said.
In the South East, Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA conducted a snap operation and arrested suspected IPOB/ESN in Ikwo and Okigwe Local Government Areas of Ebonyi and Imo States during the week.
He said the troops neutralised five terrorists, arrested 12 suspected criminals and rescued seven kidnapped hostages.
According to him: “Troops recovered two locally made guns, four rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammo, one FN rifle barrel, IED materials, 10 water gel explosives, three detonators, one detonating cord among others.
“All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.”
The defence spokesman said the military had uncovered and neutralised some of the criminal’s safe havens across various theatres of operation.
He revealed that criminals used national parks, game reserves and forests across the country as their hideouts.
“The military has identified several of these `safe havens’ and operations are targeted towards ensuring that they are completely dismantled.
“Recently, one of such hideouts in the southeast was invaded by troops, and they found unspeakable and unprintable activities going on in the invaded camps.
“It goes to tell us that these extremists are cannibals, feasting on fellow human beings and conducting other forms of dastardly acts,” he said

News

FG Moves To Stop Influx Of Illegal Aliens

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2023

The Tide

The Federal Government has promised to put measures in place to end the movement of illegal immigrants into the country to secure the country.
The government stated that the era where aliens easily enter the country with fake travel documents must stop.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, according to a statement on Saturday by the Director of Press of the Ministry, Afonja Ajibola, disclosed this when the Director, the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dasuki Arabi visited him.
The statement read, “The Minister assured he is working seriously on efficient ways at securing Nigeria borders; saying a situation where illegal aliens easily find their ways into the country often with fake travel documents has to be stopped. In his view, Nigeria cannot be secured if its borders are not secured”.
The Minister also said the Ministry was ready to partner with the BPSR in proffering effective solutions to the nation’s security challenges, especially in securing the nation’s borders.
“I am ready to actively collaborate with the Bureau of Public Service Reforms to find solutions to our security challenges,” he was quoted as saying.

News

ECOWAS Condemns Plot To Obstruct Peace In Sierra Leone

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2023

The Tide

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has condemned the plot by some individuals to disturb peace in Sierra Leone.
The condemnation is contained in a statement issued by ECOWAS in Abuja, yesterday.
ECOWAS said, “The bloc has learnt, with utter disgust, a plot by certain individuals to aquire arms and disturb the peace and constitutional order in Sierra Leone.
“ECOWAS condemns this act and calls for the arrest and prosecution of everyone involved in the illegality.
“The bloc has always maintained its zero tolerance for unconstitutional change of government.
“We want to reaffirm our commitment to supporting the government and the people of Sierra Leone’s quest to deepen democracy and good governance by consolidating peace and security so as to foster socio-economic development”.
Earlier, the Sierra Leonean Government had declared a 24-hour nationwide curfew in a proactive step to ensure that the peace is not tampered with.

News

Bad Roads Fuelling Insecurity In N’East -Govs

Published

2 days ago

November 27, 2023

The Tide

Worried by the security challenges confronting the region, governors of the North East have resolved to embark on more collaborative efforts among member states to come up with a security architecture design for the region.
The governors noted that bad federal roads are fuelling insecurity in the region and called on the Federal Ministry of Works to follow through with road contracts awarded in the region.
This is contained in a communique issued at the end of the 9th meeting of the forum, held at the banquet hall of the Adamawa State Government House in Yola last Saturday.
According to a statement signed by the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, the forum said there was a need for a robust platform for regional economic development and resolved to work as an entity in strengthening the human capacity and socio-economic development of its people.
The communique read in part, “Forum is continuously disturbed about the poor infrastructural base of the region. More concerned that the federal roads within and between the states in the region have been neglected.
“We call on the Federal Ministry of Works to follow through with road contracts awarded in the region. The poor road network is fuelling insecurity stalling development and making life more difficult for our people in the region.
“Forum notes that the bad federal roads within and between the states are major setbacks to the infrastructural development of the region.
“Forum notes the poor energy situation in the region. To mitigate the situation, Forum resolved to work with Shanghai Electric to construct a 60 MW Coal Power Power Plant in each state of the region.
“Forum decried the lack of modern rail projects in the region and called for repairs on the old gauge rail lines which no longer useful and sustainable technology. Forum calls for inclusion of the region into the Nigerian National Railway Transport Plan using the Modern Guage rail.”
On climate change and environmental degradation, the forum resolved to strengthen its collaboration with all initiatives such as the Great Green Wall and the Global Initiative of Carbon Credit financing.