Tag: Nigerian Army - Page 2 - African News Today

#EndSARS Protests: Any Act of Hooliganism to be Dealt with – Buhari

7Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Violence

#EndSARS Protests: Any Act of Hooliganism to be Dealt with – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will decisively deal with any act of hooliganism hiding behind peaceful protests. Buhari stated this on Monday while remotely declaring open the Chief of Army Staff’s Annual Conference 2020 themed, ‘Human Capacity Development in Sustaining Professionalism and Responsiveness of the Nigerian Army in the Discharge of its Constitutional Roles.’. The president said that although his administration recognised the rights of citizens to embark on peaceful protests, such must be done responsibly. Buhari who spoke at a time when reports of renewed #EndSARS protests regretted the violence that followed the last protests. He said, “Let me also mention the EndSARS protest which was recently hijacked by hoodlums which resulted in the loss of l...

Lekki Shooting: Soldiers Took Live Bullets to Scene for Self-defence – General Taiwo

22Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Crime, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, Lagos News, News, Nigeria, Security

Lekki Shooting: Soldiers Took Live Bullets to Scene for Self-defence – General Taiwo

Brigadier General Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of 81 Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island, Lagos, which was the Army unit deployed to the Lekki Tollgate area on the night of October 20, has admitted that the officers went to the scene with Live and blank bullet. He said that the Phase four of military internal security operation which the Army deployed involved soldiers taking live ammunition to the scene for self defence. He noted that some officers that operated at the tollgate on the night of the shooting were indeed armed with live bullets. Taiwo, however stressed that only soldiers with blank bullets shot into the air. He disclosed this on Saturday during the hearing of the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry, investigating the alleged killing of peaceful #EndSARS de...

Nigerian Army Testifies Before Lagos Panel, Claims Officers Fired Blank Bullets into the Air

14Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Crime, Human Rights, Judiciary, Justice, Lagos News, News, Nigeria, Security, Violence

Nigerian Army Testifies Before Lagos Panel, Claims Officers Fired Blank Bullets into the Air

Officers of the Nigerian Army on Saturday appeared before the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry Inaugurated to probe the shooting of peaceful #EndSaRS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate area of Lagos State on October 20. Speaking on behalf of the Army, Brigadier Ahmed Taiwo, Commander 81 military intelligence brigade which was reported to be unit deployed to the Lekki area claimed that the military fired shots into the air and not at protesters, backing its claim with several footages of what happened at the scene, Channels reports. He added that the officers used blank bullets that contain gun powder, and unable to inflict injury to the flesh. He said that if real bullets were used, one bullet was capable of killing three persons per shot. According to him, hoodlums went on to ...

Lekki Shootings: Army Reverses Initial Decision, to Appear Before Lagos Panel Saturday

6Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, Justice, Lagos News, News, Nigeria, Violence

Lekki Shootings: Army Reverses Initial Decision, to Appear Before Lagos Panel Saturday

The Nigerian Army is set to appear before the Lagos State Panel of Inquiry on Saturday to answer questions relating to the acclaimed shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Tollgate area on October 20. The development came after the Army last week declined invitation by the panel, noting that only the Lagos State government had the right to invite the army to appear before the panel. Reports suggest that the army had acknowledged the panel’s invitation and the panel had scheduled Saturday, November 7 for the army to appear at the hearing billed to take place at the Lagos Court of Arbitration, Lekki Punch reports. Nigerian youths had last month camped at the Lekki toll gate area demanding for an end to police brutality and extrajudicial killings allegedly perpetrated by member...

Lekki Tollgate Shooting: Why We Won’t Disclose Identity of Soldiers Deployed – Army

1Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Crime, Lagos News, News, Nigeria, Security, Violence

Lekki Tollgate Shooting: Why We Won’t Disclose Identity of Soldiers Deployed – Army

The Nigerian Army has said that it will reveal the identities of its personnel who were deployed in Lekki toll gate on October 20, 2020. This was disclosed by acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations and 81 Division’s spokesperson, Major Osoba Olaniyi. Amnesty international and other groups have claimed varied number of casualties resulting from the Lekki toll gate area shooting though the Lagos State government claim only one person was killed. The admission followed an earlier statement that no life was lost in the shooting. The Nigerian army had initially denied involvement in the shootings through a series of tweets. However, the army later stated that its personnel were the ones who carried out the operation, noting that the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State ...

Military Launches Operation Crocodile Smile to Combat Cyber Warfare as Protest Intensifies

17Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Armed Forces, News, Nigeria, Security

Military Launches Operation Crocodile Smile to Combat Cyber Warfare as Protest Intensifies

The Nigerian army has announced plans to commence its yearly operation Crocodile Smile to identify, track and counter negative propaganda in the social media and across the cyberspace. This was contained in a statement by Musa Sagir, army spokesman, who disclosed that the exercise will commence all over the country on Tuesday. According to The Cable, Sagir said, “The Exercise is deliberately intended to be all encompassing to include cyber warfare exercises designed to identify, track and counter negative propaganda in the social media and across the cyberspace. “This is the first ever Cyberwarfare exercise to be conducted in the history of the African Armed Forces. Accordingly, the exercise will also include positive identification component aimed at identifying Boko Haram terror...

#EndSARS: Army Declare Readiness to Step in as Protests Persist

15Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Violence

#EndSARS: Army Declare Readiness to Step in as Protests Persist

The Nigerian army has expressed its readiness to move in against troublemakers as nationwide protests against police brutality and extrajudicial killings rage on. Thousands of Nigerian youths have taken to the streets over the past week to protest against the actions of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and demanding for immediate police reform. At least 10 people have died and scores injured during protest, which have been resisted by the police. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) had responded to the demands of the protesters by disbanding SARS. The IGP subsequently announced the formation of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to fill void left by the disbandment of SARS. Despite the move, protests have continued unabated. Reacting to the violence t...