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Nigeria in a State of Emergency – Buhari to New Service Chiefs

27Jan

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen, News, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism, Violence

Nigeria in a State of Emergency – Buhari to New Service Chiefs

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, told the nation’s new service chiefs that the nation is in a state of emergency, hence the need for them to be patriotic, and serve the country well. According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President spoke during the first meeting he had with the service chiefs after their appointment on Tuesday. The statement titled “President Buhari charges new service chiefs” indicated that the service chiefs were led to the meeting by the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi (retd.). The service chiefs are the Chief of Defence Staff, Major-General Leo Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Major-General I. Attahiru; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral AZ Gambo; and Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice-Marshal ...

Kankara Abduction: Buhari Commends Masari, Army for Rescue Operation

18Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, News, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism

Kankara Abduction: Buhari Commends Masari, Army for Rescue Operation

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the Nigerian Army for coordinating the rescue operation of hundreds of schoolboys kidnapped from Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State. The President noted that his administration and the military have more work to do to curtail the insecurity in the country. This was contained in two-part videos posted on his official Twitter handle, @MBuhari, on Friday. He also lauded Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari for his positive contributions since the kidnap of the schoolboys. Buhari said, “I spoke with the governor. I congratulated him and congratulated the Army that organised the operation, the encirclement of the abductors, and getting the children. The military is well-trained. I think they are sufficiently motivated...

Kankara Kidnap: Bring Back Our Boys Now, Okonjo-Iweala Asks FG

16Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, Crime, Education, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Terrorism, Youths

Kankara Kidnap: Bring Back Our Boys Now, Okonjo-Iweala Asks FG

Former Nigerian Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has told the Federal Government to intensify efforts to bring back the over 300 schoolboys kidnapped from the all-boys Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, State. She said those using the children as pawns must be held accountable. Okonjo-Iweala, who is a top contender for the job of director-general of the World Trade Organisation, disclosed this known in a post on Twitter last night. She wrote, “The abduction of more than 300 schoolboys in Katsina is heartbreaking. What a recurring nightmare. My heart goes out to the families of the missing boys. The authorities must do all possible to #BringBackOurBoys! Those using our children as pawns must be held accountable!” Armed men invade the school on Friday night an...

Boko Haram Claims Responsibility for Kidnapping Students in Katsina

15Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Terrorism

Boko Haram Claims Responsibility for Kidnapping Students in Katsina

The Leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau has claimed responsibility for the abduction of about 333 students in Katsina State last week. Shekau in an audiotape released on Tuesday said, “Our brothers were behind the abduction in Katsina,” Guardian reports. A group of men wielding sophisticated rifles on Friday night invaded the all-boys Government Science secondary school in the town of Kankara, abducting over 300 students. Recall that Boko Haram had in April 2014 abducted 276 girls from their school in Chibok, in north-eastern Borno State of which about 100 are yet to be released. The group has been involved in the kidnap of other schoolchildren and lots of people across the north-east and has recently expanded their tentacles. The audio, however, lacked detail on the involvem...

B’Haram, ISWAP Escapees Now Operate as Bandits, Kidnappers – Governors Forum

7Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Terrorism, Violence

B’Haram, ISWAP Escapees Now Operate as Bandits, Kidnappers – Governors Forum

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has said that Boko Haram terrorists and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents escaping from military onslaught in the North East, Sudan and Niger Republic are perpetrating kidnapping and banditry in other parts of the country This was disclosed by Kayode Fayemi, NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State on Sunday while speaking with Channels Television. His statement comes on the heels of the recent killing of farmers in Zabarmari, Borno State, by suspected Boko Haram terrorists. Fayemi said that the insecurity in the country has gone beyond the North-East as there is a connection between terrorists’ activities in the North-East and the banditry, kidnapping perpetrated in the southern part of the country. He said, “If a state...

UN Envoy Condemns the Killing of Borno Farmers

3Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Boko Haram, Crime, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism, Violence

UN Envoy Condemns the Killing of Borno Farmers

United Nations (UN) Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, on Wednesday condemned Boko Haram’s murder of rice farmers in Borno State. The Envoy who visited Zabarmari on Tuesday urged stakeholders to “go beyond a security response” in finding a solution to the 119-year-old menace of terrorists in the Northeast. He said: “It is with great sadness, but also indignation, that I met the families of the victims of Saturday’s violent attack and their communities to extend my most sincere condolences, on behalf of the United Nations and humanitarian partners, and to commiserate with them on these atrocious circumstances. “Farmers and villagers I have met have retold accounts of unspeakable cruelty. Innocent civilians – men and women – were ruthlessly killed. “Details on lo...

Sack All Your Cabinet Members, Aides, they Have Failed – Okorocha

2Dec

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Boko Haram, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism, Violence

Sack All Your Cabinet Members, Aides, they Have Failed – Okorocha

Former Governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack all the Minister’s and presidential aides he appointed to help in running the government as they have failed to perform their duties. Okorocha stated this on Wednesday in Lafia when he paid a condolence visit to Governor Abdullahi Sule in Government House and the family of the late Nasarawa State APC Chairman, Mr. Phillip Tatari Shekwo who was murdered by gunmen. According, to him, “President Muhammadu Buhari should fire the people he hired to work for the country, because they have failed and are not performing in the national assignments assigned them. “He should do the needful to save the nation from the insult on the leaders. The people are angry with the recent events in the cou...

Boko Haram Has Committed War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity with Impunity

2Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, Crime, News, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism

Boko Haram Has Committed War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity with Impunity

Human rights body, Amnesty International has said that Boko Haram committed unabated crimes against humanity in Nigeria, leading to the wanton destruction of property and loss of lives. It disclosed this in a series of tweets on its verified Twitter handle on Wednesday, noting that the terrorist group has been unleashing violence on residents of the north-east region since 2009. Amnesty International was reacting to the killing of at least 43 rice farmers at Zabarmari in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State last Saturday by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. It said, “Boko Haram has been wreaking havoc and suffering on the lives of millions of people in north-east Nigeria since 2009. The armed group has killed thousands of people, abducted thousands, and forced more than a ...

Insecurity: Why Buhari Hasn’t Sacked Chiefs – Garba Shehu

1Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, Crime, News, Nigeria, Security, Terrorism, Violence

Insecurity: Why Buhari Hasn’t Sacked Chiefs – Garba Shehu

Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Medi and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that the agitation for change of service chiefs is ‘out of place’. He disclosed this in an interview with Arise TV on Monday. Shehu who said that the onus lies on President Buhari to appoint or sack any of the service noted that his boss retains the sole right to keep the service chief as long as he is pleased with their performance. The killing of at least 43 rice farmers at Zabarmari in the Jere Local Government Area of Borno State last Saturday by suspected Boko Haram insurgents rejuvenated a public outcry for the dismissal of the country’s service chiefs. But reacting to the demands, Shehu said the call to sack or retain service chiefs is exclusively reserved for the Presiden...

APC Governors Condemn Attacks on Zulum, Say Attacks Targeted at Distracting Peacebuilding

28Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Boko Haram, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Terrorism

APC Governors Condemn Attacks on Zulum, Say Attacks Targeted at Distracting Peacebuilding

Governors elected under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), have said the recent attacks on the convoy of Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum were aimed at distracting the him from ensuring that life returns to normal in the state. On Friday, the governor’s convoy was attacked near Mongunu town. They were ambushed on their way to Baga where governor Zulum was billed to receive returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Another convoy of the governor was reportedly attacked in the early hours of Sunday on their way out of Baga by suspected Boko Haram insurgents. However, the governor made it back to Maiduguri unscathed. Reacting to the attacks, the APC governors in a statement said the attacks were ploy to distract the governor from building on his fight on i...