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Borno: Zulum, stakeholders react to insurgents surrender

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By Gistflash News

Aug 16, 2021

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno and some stakeholders in the state have expressed satisfaction with the growing number of insurgents laying down arms and surrendering to the military.

They expressed optimism over the development and urged maximum utilisation of the opportunity by the authorities and citizens for the desired lasting peace in the frontline state, which has experienced mayhem over the last 12 years.

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The News  Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the insecurity led to lost of several lives and properties as well as displacement of millions of victims.

Zulum in a broadcast described the development as an opportunity that should be harnessed, adding that it is part of  “sulhu (reconciliation) programme” organised with the support of security agencies to help those willing to surrender to do so.

“I think this is an opportunity for us to harness. There is need for all and sundry to give support to this initiative,” he said.

Zulum lauded the military and other security agencies for the  professionalism so far shown that has continued to facilitate the programme.

The governor noted that the people of Borno have two choices to make; either to accept the repentant insurgents or reject them and create a situation where they could join another terrorist group and continue to fight.

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“On my way travelling to Gwoza and Bama, I saw many people cultivating their farmlands by the roadside and this is an indication of emerging peace, which we have to sustain in order to salvage our people.

“However, like I said, we must come together to carefully analyse the two extremes and come up with a workable framework,” Zulum said.

The governor said that he would engage high level consultations with the Presidency, service chiefs, residents, security heads, traditional rulers, victims of the insurgents, elders and religious leaders, among others, on the best way forward.

In his reaction, the Chairman of Borno Concern Citizens Forum, Alhaji Hassan Zanna, described the development as a big relief to the people of Borno.

Zanna however called for proper documentation of the those that surrendered and the need to check their physical and mental status while they undergo deradicalisation and other procedures necessary for reintegration of those qualified into the society.

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He explained that the development was reducing tension in the state and facilitating the expansion of farming activities in areas hitherto known as no go areas.

“Last year by now we have cases of farmers being killed in their farms by insurgents,  but now that is history.

“We need to thank God for this development as we look foward to bumper harvest,” Zanna said.

On his part, the Director of National Orientation Agency (NOA) in the state, Alhaji Shettima Ja’afar, called for support of the initiative to succeed.

Ja’afar said most of those surrendering between the age of 35 and below were too young 12 years ago when they were misled or compelled to join the insurgency.

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While urging the public to accept them when fully deradicalised, Ja’afar said that NOA has started training its personnel on reaching out to the public on the need to accept repentant insurgents that have been deradicalised.

“It is one of our task to go out and sensitise the people on such issues,” Ja’afar said.

Mr Moses Yakubu, a civil servant, who also expressed joy over the development, said critics who kept insisting that the military should ignore the surrender and crush the insurgents needed to know that there is a limit to military action in bringing lasting peace.

“If someone you want to smoke out for the past 12 years with assorted firepower associated with collateral damage is now coming out without a shot to surrender, what else do we want? Definitely not another years of fighting.

“We need to be optimistic as our leaders are trying. God has provided a golden opportunity for us with a hard working governor and now a leeway for lasting peace that should be exploited fully for the state to achieve its maximum potential,” Yakibu said.

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Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, whose business activities in Maiduguri and Banki towns were crippled by the insurgency, said the development was the sweetest news he ever heard since the crisis started.

“God has answered our prayers for the return of peace in Borno after series of fasting by both Muslims and Christians; you remember how frequent Gov. Zulum used to mobilise for such prayers.

“We have every reason to rejoice and thank God today if you look at what is happening in Afghanistan.

“Some months ago when the insurgents fire mortar bombs into Maiduguri from outside the city, many have been living in tension of possible overrunning of the city by them.

“We say thank you to President Buhari, Governor Zulum, the Military and other security agencies as well as all those involved in this development.

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“Though I am now down economically, I have faith that when things normalise and I have the opportunity to freely travel on business trips from Maiduguri to Banki as I used to do, I will bounce back by the grace of God,” Ibrahim said.

He however urged government at all levels to provide access to credit facilities to those affected by the insurgency to enable them revive their businesses.

Some internally displaced persons who also spoke expressed joy that they would soon return to their ancestral homes to live a more dignified life.

“For the first time I believed the insurgents are sincere in the way they are surrendering with their families and weapons.

“When you see a man (insurgent), his wife and his children moving out of thier comfort zone the way we (IDPs) had moved out of our home to this camp, you really know that he has seen hell and can bear no more.

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“It is totally wrong we are hearing some reports that IDPs are not happy that the military are accepting the surrender of insurgents instead of killing them.

“Any IDP that said he is not happy must be a lazy person with no future that wants to continue living in camp surviving on and breeding children on ration that has continued to dwindle and increasing his poverty.

“With the desired peace we shall gladly go home. Already residents of two camps had left and are doing better outside the camps,” Malam Musa Modu, an IDP at Muna Camp of Maiduguri, said.

NAN

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Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Four Officers

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Gunmen Attack Anambra Police Station, Kill Four Officers
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Unknown gunmen in the early hours of Wednesday attacked a police station located in Atani, the headquarters of Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the gunmen launched the attack on the police facility around 1:30 am on Wednesday.

A further report had it that four police officers were killed in the attack.

Since the emergence of Charles Soludo as the Governor of Anambra State there had been series of attacks on police and government facilities in the state.

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Meanwhile, the spokesman of the state police command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, has confirmed the development.

He said, “The hoodlums came around 1 a.m., and unlucky for us, four police operatives paid the supreme price.”

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng on hearing of the attack immediately mobilized men of the command from various units to the area.

“The hoodlums were still there when the CP personally led men of the command to the affected area, and the timely arrival saved the day and the hoodlums were successfully repelled, and the facility was saved.

“We have commenced intelligence already, and we hope to unravel the persons behind the attack.”

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Troops repel attack, eliminate scores of terrorists/bandits in Sokoto — Official

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By Gistflash News

Sept 27, 2021

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji, in conjunction with other security agencies have eliminated scores of Islamic States for West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists and bandits in Sokoto State.

Defence Headquarters said on Monday in Abuja.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Benjamin Sawyer.

He said the terrorists were eliminated during a foiled attack on the Forward Operation Base (FOB) at Burkusuma, a remote border settlement with Niger Republic in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

“The aggressive operations of troops of the FOB as witnessed in recent months in the North West region, had been a thorn in the flesh of ISWAP terrorists and bandits.”

Sawyer stated that the attackers who came in large numbers using telecom network provided from neighboring country, capitalised on the lean rear area protection force.

“This was when the main troops were out conducting offensive operations within their area of responsibility.’’

He disclosed that, the troops recorded an undisclosed number of casualties during the encounter.

“However, the swift reinforcement by own troops helped to counter the attack as many of the ISWAP fighters were eliminated, while some scrambled with various degrees of injuries.

“Troops are currently in hot pursuit of the criminals to Bassira in Niger Republic,” he said.

Meanwhile, Nigerian and Nigerien forces in a collaborative operation are currently trailing the remaining ISWAP fighters.

“General security within the FOB and its environs has been stabilised,” he said.

NAN

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Arms proliferation: Navy urges FG to build walls across borders

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By Gistflash News

Sept 27, 2021

The Nigerian Navy has urged the Federal Government to build a wall across the country’s borders to stop proliferation of arms and ammunition.

Commodore Jemima Malafa, who represented the Nigerian Navy, said this during an interactive session on four bills pending before the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence on Monday in Abuja.

“We should build a wall between our country and the  neighbouring countries,” she said.

“I was in Chad recently and discovered that most of the countries that surround us do not have armouries and that is why most of their citizens get arms that they sell to make money.

“I blame foreign countries that sold and donated arms and ammunition for them without recourse to where they would keep them after use.

“It is as a result of this that Nigeria is in deep crisis; these arms and ammunition will always find their way to Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the four bills – the first is a bill for an act to establish the National Commission against the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

Others are a bill for an act to repeal the Explosives Act, and bill for an act to make provision for the integration of private Close Circuit Television (CCTV) into the national security network in Nigeria.

The last one is a bill for an act to designate the month of November as the National Appreciation Month for Security Agencies.

Mr Shehu Ahmed, representative of the Department of Security Service (DSS) in his contribution said the proposed bill for the establishment of the commission was commendable.

He, however, said that the appointment of members to be in charge of the commission should have nothing to do with politics because of the sensitive nature of the commission.

He said that the Director-General of the commission should not be encumbered with too much power, adding that people of questionable characters should not be allowed to work in such office.

He called for the independence of the commission, adding that henceforth, it did not have to source for staff from other security agencies.

He said that on CCTV, all the security agencies should have access to it to aide investigation of any kind, adding that the explosive act bill would help achieve the desired national security.

Commodore Friday Ogohi, a representative of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) said that the bill on National Commission would help in the effective control of light weapons.

He said that the structure of the commission should be hinged on command and control, adding that membership should be drawn from existing security agencies based on experience.

He said that though the supervising ministry was not indicated in the proposed bill, adding that it was advisable that the Ministry of Defence oversaw the commission.

Ogohi also called for the establishment of special court to arrest the menace of arms smugglers and illegal arms, stressing that the CCTV would further boost the fight against bandits and other criminality.

According to him, public places such as schools, churches and work places should be considered for CCTV as this will help to monitor the activities of scavengers by security agencies.

Air Commodore Olasunkami Abu, who represented the Chief of Air Staff, said that proliferation of arms was posing a great threat to Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

He said that this portends a great danger to national security, adding that membership of the commission should be drawn from the armed forces and the immigration.

NAN reports that other security agencies that made presentation are the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, among others.

NAN

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