FG Cries Out Over Boko Haram's Threat To Attack Nigeria With Nuclear Weapons

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FG says the production and the technological skills required to use the CBRNE weapons constitute national threat.

Boko Haram terrorists are considering nuclear and chemical weapons in attacking Nigeria. (ABC)

The Federal Government of Nigeria has raised the alarm over the plan by Boko Haram terrorists to deploy chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRNE) weapons in attacking the country in the future, Punch reports.

The government believes that the insurgent’s alliance with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria increases the possibility of the sect to use the weapons, adding that the production and the technological skills required to use the CBRNE weapons constitute national threat.

In a document, titled ‘National Security Strategy’, whose foreword was written by President Muhammadu Buhari, FG emphasised the need for a counter-strategy to address the threat.

President Muhammadu Buhari's administration had earlier announced that Boko Haram insurgency has been defeated technically. (PMNews)

According to Punch, the document, which was released during the week by the Office of the National Security Adviser, contains the plan of action by the government to combat the security and other threats facing the country.

The National Security Adviser, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (retd) said the document is to ensure that “Nigeria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interests, well-being of the people and the country’s institutions are preserved, protected and enhanced.”

Since 2009, Boko Haram sect has been attacking Nigeria, particularly the North-Eastern part of the country and has reportedly claimed more than 22,000 lives, comprising both civilians and soldiers.

Due to the insurgency, over 2.3 million persons, including women and children, have been displaced and are now taking refuge in various Internally Displaced Persons’ camps across the country, Punch reports.

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Jonathan Is The One Who Stopped Britain From Rescuing Abducted Chibok Girls - David Cameron The Ex -Prime Minister

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Former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has alleged that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan stopped Britain from rescuing some of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents.

Cameron disclosed that the then government of Jonathan did not give enough support to Britain during the abduction of 274 schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State in 2014.

In his memoir, “In For The Record,” the former British Prime Minister said his country’s troops traced the location of some of the victims and offered to help but Jonathan refused.

He said: “Iraq wasn’t the only place we would need our military to counter this extremist menace. Boko Haram in Nigeria was linked to al-Qaeda, and believed Western education and lifestyles were a sin (the meaning behind its name). It too wanted to institute a caliphate, and like ISIS it would use whatever barbaric means it thought necessary.

“In early 2014, a group of its fighters centered the government secondary school in the village of Chibok, seizing 276 teenage girls. They were taken to camps deep in the forest. The Christians among them were forced to convert to Islam. Many were sold as slaves, entering the same endless violent nightmare the Yazidi women suffered.

“As ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaign spread across the world, we embedded a team of military and intelligence experts in Nigeria, and sent spy planes and Tornadoes with thermal imaging to search for the missing girls. And, amazingly, from the skies above a forest three times the size of Wales, we managed to locate some of them.

The former Prime Minister stated that he expected Jonathan to handle the Chibok issue better.

“But Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, seemed to be asleep at the wheel. When he eventually made a statement, it was to accuse the campaigners of politicising the tragedy. And absolutely crucially, when we offered to help rescue the girls we had located, he refused.”

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Breaking: Scores Killed, Houses And Public Structures Burn Down As Boko Haram Attacks Borno

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BY Master Reporters

Scores of Boko Haram fighters, on Wednesday night, stormed two Local Government Areas, in Borno State, killing a yet to be quantified number of persons, while also setting ablaze the Council Secretariat in Magumeri, other public structures, and residential houses, in Borno State, including that of the Member, Federal House of Representatives of Gubio, Magumeri and Kaga Federal Constituency, Hon. Usman Zannah.

Speaking on Thursday morning, Hon. Zannah who represents the Constituency at the Lower Chamber said: “Two Local Government Areas of Gubio and Magumeri where I hail from, have been overrun by boko haram.

“As I speak, all good houses in Gubio and Magumeri have been set ablaze, including my House and the Council Secretariat. My people have been displaced, and there is nothing we can do, than to bring survivors into Maiduguri.

“It is unfortunate that the insurgents took advantage of troops withdrawal from the affected areas, and wrecked havoc without confrontation”, he said.

Also speaking on the incident, the Caretaker Chairman of Gubio, Hon. Zanna Modu Gubio, said that the insurgents stormed Gubio town, at about 6pm, performed their magrib prayers at about 6:30pm, and wrecked havoc on innocent civilians, while setting ablaze houses and public structures.

The Caretaker Chairman who spoke while in Maiduguri during the attack said: “It is unfortunate that a week after deadly attack which took place in Gubio, that led to the withdrawal of troops, another armed insurgents stormed Gubio town, at about 6pm, performed their magrib prayers at about 6:30pm, in Gubio Mosque, before wrecking havoc on innocent civilians, with the setting ablaze of houses and public structures.

“I am presently in Maiduguri, for the swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed Commissioners, and all of a sudden, I started receiving distress calls that my people are under boko haram attack.

“Although, I cannot give you the actual number of casualties for now, but from all indications and the reports I have so far, the insurgents have taken over Gubio, shooting at sight and burning structures without confrontation”, Gubio lamented.

It was gathered that both Gubio and Magumeri have no Military presence, as troops were withdrawn recently for routine operational changes, as enshrined in the Rules of Engagement.

Source: Dailytimetv

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Breaking: 5 People Feared Dead As Boko Haram Attacks Borno

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Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri

Five people including three soldiers and two civilians have been feared killed during an attack on a Borno town by Boko Haram insurgents.

Residents said the insurgents came to Gubio, a serene town in northern Borno on the eve of Eid Kabir in about eight gun trucks, firing sporadically in an attack that lasted about two hours. The residents said the insurgents were pushing hard to overrun the town until a military fighter jet from the air force came to the rescue.

There was no confirmation from the military on the attack even when the state governor, Babagan Zulum, visited the town on Sallah day with the Theatre Commander, Maj Gen Benson Akinroluyo and other security heads in the state. The governor who left Maiduguri, the state capital to Gubio few hours after observing his Eid to sympathise with the people and assess the incident, assured the people government was collaborating with the military and other security agencies to improve on the security situation in the area.

Meanwhile, Gov Zulum has acceded to request of the traditional rulers in the state to convey an expanded security meeting to review the security situation in the state. He disclosed this during a Sallah visit to him by the Shehu of Borno and Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Leaders, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi.

“We shall call expanded security meeting to look at the security architecture of Borno State with a view to improving the situation,” the governor promised. He also said the state government was launching an agro-rangers programme as security measures to protect farmers on their farms against attack by Boko Haram.

“We are also launching what we called agro-rangers under the Civil Defence corps and already 75 of such are in Maiduguri and I have made a personal appeal to the commander of the civil defence to add additional 150,” he explained. He said the state shall support the civil defence corps with about 300 legion, hunters and vigilante to provide security to farmers in Borno State.

He said the state government will next week launch a security response team with about 80 patrol vehicles already procured and 500 hunters and vigilante profiled to serve with the team to provide security within the radius of 30 to 40 kilometres from Maiduguri.

The Shehu of Borno had earlier in a remark, expressed concern over the security situation in the northern part of Borno. He said farmers no longer have access to their farmlands due to the security situation even as he said the results might be catastrophic on the state trying to survive a decade of violence.

“It is now farming season but our people cannot go to farm because farming activities are affected. Government needs to address this problem otherwise there might be a problem,” he warned.

Source: Sunnewsonline

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Breaking: Katsina State Bans Sale Of Boko Haram Motorcycle

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 Agaju Madugba, Katsina

The Katsina State Government has banned the sale of the Boxer brand of motorcycles popularly called ‘Boko Haram’ in all parts of the state as part of measures to curtail crime and criminality in the area.

The new state Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) for Katsina, Ali Tanimu, who dropped the hint yesterday, also said that the Katsina State Security Council had equally ordered a clampdown on unregistered operators of commercial tricycles and motorcycles.

Tanimu described the Boxer motorcycle as rugged and capable of withstanding rough terrains and bush paths, thereby making it the choice for criminals.

Tanimu spoke when he led a delegation from the FRSC on a courtesy visit to the secretariat of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Katsina.

According to him, “there is also a directive to clampdown on tricycles and motorcycle operators in Katsina because most of them are not registered and they use the opportunity to commit various crimes. “They are not captured in our data, making it difficult for us to identify or trace the offenders.

“We also have issues with tricycle operators, who use curtains and flowers to decorate their tricycles and they have tinted windscreens and these make it difficult to identify the passengers they convey.

“We have a directive from the state security council to commence enforcement on the ban of such activities with effect from the end of this month and we urge the press to assist us in this campaign.

“The media are indispensable because they disseminate information and that is why they are our partners.

“The exercise for installation of speed limiting device in vehicles is still in progress and enforcement is still on for commercial vehicles.

“The FRSC deliberately decided to start the exercise with commercial vehicles because if there is any crash, the death toll may involve a larger number of persons than in private vehicles.

“Over speeding is one of the reasons for a number of crashes leading to death.

“The association of vendors of the speed limiting device has established a manufacturing plant in Nigeria and this development has forced the price to crash and people are at liberty to visit the FRSC portal for the list of accredited vendors.”

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Breaking : Boko Haram Ambush Soldiers, Shot Dead Colonel, Captain And 4 Others

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Boko Haram fighters struck on Maiduguri-Damaturu Road near Jakana community in Borno State, on Wednesday evening, shooting dead a colonel, a captain, four soldiers and a villager.

Our correspondent gathered that the terrorists at about 6.30pm, waylaid some commercial vehicles along the road near a military checkpoint and using them as a cover to open fire on the soldiers.

A villager was killed in the gunfire while two others were injured; five soldiers said to be at the checkpoint also died while trying to repel the terrorists’ attack.

Military sources, who could not yet reveal the names of the captain and soldiers, said a colonel was reported to have been killed too, adding that the soldiers were attached to the 29 Task Force Brigade in Benisheik under the 7 Division, Maiduguri.

The corpses of the said colonel, captain and soldiers are reported to have been deposited at the morgue of the Nigerian Army medical facility in Maiduguri.

A military source said, “On Wednesday during the Boko Haram attack, there were commercial vehicles on the road. A Regimental Sergeant Major, who was travelling to Maiduguri, was intercepted during the attack, and they killed him.

 

“Actually, the fighters also attacked some soldiers who were on duty at a checkpoint, bombarded their formation and killed some of them.

“It was in Jakana. The RSM was on leave and he was just coming in a casual dress. He was not in uniform. He was returning to Maiduguri. The fighters attacked some commercial vehicles. They even burnt a Toyota Hilux.

“They didn’t know they killed officers because they were not in uniform. The General Officer Commanding (Maj Gen Abdulmalik Biu) was there (Jakana) on Thursday for about three hours.

“A hospital guard confirmed that injured villagers were brought to his medical facility and one of them died on Thursday. The fighters didn’t attack the village. They attacked our formation. But three villagers were injured in the attack and one of them died on Thursday.”

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, could not be reached for comment as his line rang out.

A text message also sent to his line had yet to be replied to as of press time.

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Breaking: Commander, Others Got Missing After Boko Haram Attacks Nigerian Military Military In Borno

 

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An army commander and six soldiers are currently missing after two bases of the Nigerian military in Borno State came under Boko Haram attack on Saturday, with one soldier feared dead.

There was also a loss of “unquantifiable” combat equipment in the wake of the terrorists’ offensive, PREMIUM TIMES has been told.

 

The terrorists attacked troops of 192 Battalion deployed to Delwa Village, along Maiduguri-Damboa Road in Konduga Local Government Area, and their colleagues attached to 242 Battalion in Marte LGA towards Lake Chad, according to army sources.

The two attacks appeared coordinated as they were unleashed about the same, 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Saturday’s incidents followed an earlier attack, on May 22, on an army base in Gubio LGA of Borno State. The Gubio attack was on the camp housing the Nigerian Army 5 Brigade and the 159 Task Force Battalion, and it left at least one soldier killed and three others injured.

But despite the attack suffered on May 22, the army chief, Tukur Buratai, insisted that Boko Haram had been defeated in a statement last Thursday – just two days before the latest attacks.

 

The terrorists, who attacked the 192 Battalion reportedly launched from Alagarno forest in Damboa LGA in four Armoured Personnel Carriers and 12-gun trucks.

Although the troops were initially dislodged, reinforcement from Maiduguri, about 30km away, helped them retake the base after the terrorists had withdrawn.

However, despite retaking the base, one yet-to-be-named soldier was killed, while six others, also not named yet, became missing.

Also, the terrorists burnt a T55 armoured tank, made away with two gun trucks, a canter truck, one armoured personnel carrier, mortal gun and unquantifiable ammunition, sources said.

“Reorganisation of the camp is currently ongoing,” said a military source with knowledge of the development.

He added that a commanding officer and many soldiers were missing in action.

The other attack suffered on Saturday left the troops of 242 battalion in Marte “completely dislodged” with no reinforcement unlike the Delwa incident, our source said.

It was said to be a much easier operation for the Boko Haram as they “had enough time to cart away arms and ammunition.”

Following the dislodgement on Saturday, 15 soldiers later appeared in Dikwa, the brigade headquarters on Sunday.

The commanding officer and many soldiers were still missing on Sunday.

Army spokesperson, Sagir Musa, did not confirm the incidents when reached on Monday.

Army authorities are usually known to downplay losses on their part during confrontations.

The North-east has been rocked by an unending insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many over the years.

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Breaking : Scores Of Soldiers Killed As Boko Haram Attacks Borno

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Scores of soldiers were feared dead on Saturday in a predawn attack on Sabon Gari village, near Biu, in Borno State.

A resident of Biu, Gambo Muktar, told THISDAY by phone that the insurgents attacked the village about 4am on Saturday and caused havoc. Muktar said as many as 50 soldiers might have died in the surprise assault, which lasted about an hour.

 But in a quick reaction yesterday, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) denied knowledge of any attack in Konduga and Biu, in Borno State, by the terrorist group. Defence spokesman, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said he said did not receive any briefing on such attack.

But in Kaduna State on Saturday, armed bandits launched a repeat attack on Kagi village, in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area, that prevented mourners and sympathisers from burying two people the criminals had killed in raids the previous day.

Muktar said the attack on Sabon Gari lasted from 4am to 5am, and the insurgents encountered little resistance from the military personnel stationed about 25 kilometres from Biu, in the South of Borno State.

Biu is considered the birthplace of Boko Haram.

“Many of the soldiers were killed while others fled,” Muktar told THISDAY.

 

He lamented that many weapons belonging to the soldiers were carted away by the terrorist group.

However, the Acting Director of Defence Information said, “I am not aware of any attack. I have not received any briefing on any attack. The right place to get your information is the Army.”

Attempts to reach the Army spokesman, Col. Sagir Musa, were not successful, as his phone number was switched off.

The Army had earlier refuted a report about a terrorist attack on Konduga, Borno State, that allegedly killed 60 soldiers.

It had tweeted, “The attention of 7 Div Nigerian Army has been drawn to an online publication twitted yesterday, Thursday, 25 April 2019 on a purported massive attack on Konduga, which was solely designed to cause severe panic, utter chaos and pandemonium within the communities.

“The publication is not only false but a deliberate effort to smear and discredit the image and sacrifices of the entire operation as well as the peace in the North East region and the country at large.”

But a source within the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the attack on Sabon Gari and, however, said no casualties were recorded.

The source said, “Sabon Gari was invaded by some insurgents, the villagers and some security personnel fled from the village and no casualty is recorded for now.”

One of the deadliest massacres of Nigerian soldiers by Boko Haram occurred in Metele, Borno State, in November last year.

Scores of soldiers were killed at 157 Task Force Battalion in Metele. The exact casualty figure is still a closely-guarded secret. The commander of the battalion, Lt. Col. Ibrahim Sakaba, was also killed in the attack.

In the last four years, Boko Haram has attacked and sacked 22 military posts, killing hundreds of Nigerian soldiers. The sacked military posts were in Gajiram, Mainok, Rann, Geidam, Sasawa, Magumeri, Malam Fatori, Gashigha, Kanama, Gamboru-Ngala, Mafa, Damasak, Gudumbali, Garunda, Kunduga, Kareto, Jilli, Arge, Zari, Arege, Metele, and Buni Gari.

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War On Terrorism, We Need More International Support To Tackle This - Buratai

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Gabriel Dike 

The Chief of Army Staff, Nigeria Army, Lt. General Tukur Yusufu Buratai has identified inadequate international support as one of the major challenges faced by the Nigerian Army in its counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations. 

The Head, Public Relations Unit of Igbinedion University Okada, Mr. Obajide Ilugbo said Lt. General Buratai made the assertion while delivering the maiden lecture at the launching of the Buratai Centre for Contemporary Security Affairs at Igbinedion University Okada. 

The Chief of Army Staff also lamented the misconception by civil society organizations on the operation of the Nigerian Army. He noted that the continuous unfounded allegations against troops had remained a big distraction in the performance of the Nigerian Army’s stability task in the North East. 

Buratai further expressed concern that every concession made by the Nigerian Army had resulted in the call for more concessions by the civil society actors.   

Other challenges identified by the Chief of Army Staff included large expanse of operation environment, effect of weather and terrain, cross- border nature of the crisis, porous borders, remote nature of communities, threats by mines and improvised explosive devices, a large number of internally displaced persons and refugees among others. 

The army chief, however, assured that in spite the abounding challenges faced by the Nigerian Army and the military in general, a lot of achievement had been recorded in the counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism efforts of the Nigerian Army and the military in effort to restore normalcy and governance in the affected regions. 

He reported that effort were underway to partner the Ministry of Agriculture with a view to establishing a cattle ranch in the forest and that discussion with potential investors to establish recreation facilities in Sambisa forest was ongoing. These he said were beside the reconstruction of bridges and roads and other basic infrastructure in the area by the military. 

Buratai further highlighted the strategic plan of the Nigerian Army to overcome the challenges at hand. These he said included respect for rule of law and right of citizens, review of force structure, capacity building for personnel, increase in troop’s strength, modernization, and equipment of the Nigerian Army and improvement of troop’s welfare.