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The Nigerian Defence Headquarters  yesterday, 8 March responded to a statement by the Deputy President of the Senate,  Senator Ike Ekweremadu  on Wednesday 7 March 2018, regarding the Nigerian Military, while contributing to a debate on a motion sponsored by  Senator Ahmed Ogembe,  representing Kogi Central. The Miliatry’s response was contained in a statement signed by the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General J.A Agim and made available to  Naijacontain News  on Thursday night. In his comments among others, the Deputy President of the Senate stated “ The Problem in Nigeria is that our democracy is receding. Who says army cannot take over, let us not joke with our democracy that is the issue”. Brigadier General A Agim, Acting Director Defence Information, in a statement on Thursday said while the statement appear cautionary and sincere in the atmosphere of discourse, it is derogatory to the Army used in the expression...

Forty three Boko Haram insurgents who recently surrendered to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole were on Saturday air lifted to join other surrendered insurgents in Gombe where they are to immediately commence a de-radicalization and rehabilitation programme under the auspices of Operation Safe Corridor.   Speaking while handing over the surrendered insurgents to Operation Safe Corridor, the Theatre Commander Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Ibrahim Attahiru gave assurance that the penitent insurgents will be given a new lease of life as they commence their journey back into the civil society through the de-radicalization and rehabilitation processes. He urged them further to embrace and undertake the programme whole heartedly to enable them benefit and positively reorient their views about life and the society in general. It will be recalled that over 70 Boko Haram insurgents had earlier in this month, surrendered to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole in the ...

Nigerian Army Distributes 1000 Treated Mosquito Nets Nigerian Army has distributed more than 1000 treated mosquito nets to residents of Hayin Danmani community in Kaduna North Local Government, Kaduna State. Spokesman of the division, Col. Kingsley Umoh said on Friday in Kaduna that the gesture was part of activities carried out to mark the 2017 Nigerian Army Day. He said that the mosquito nets were distributed to nursing mothers and pregnant women to prevent them from Malaria attack. Umoh said over 80 per cent of those who benefited from the medical outreach programme in the area were women. “Those who attended the outreach, mostly women, were diagnosed with hypertension which seemed to be dominant among other illnesses,“ he said. According to him, other illnesses identified by the Army medical team include allergic conjunctivitis, intestinal worms, Typhoid, Malaria, and malnutrition among children in the community. Umoh said that those found suffering from any ...

On Monday, the Anambra State Police Command paraded a nine-man gang that had been terrorizing Nanka, a small community in Orumba North area of the state. Members of the gang led Ifedilichukwu Nwankwo were said to have chopped off one of the ears of the Divisional Police Officer of Ajali Division who was at Nanka to effect their arrest. Parading the bad guys at the State Anti-Robbery Squad office, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, said the Nanka community had been liberated by the arrest of the gang. Okechukwu said, “On 17/02/2016 at about 9am hours, one Okechukwu Udezuka of Oraifite and Ebuka, surname unknown, were shot dead at Tarzan, Nkpor by a gang of armed robbers. “In the course of investigation, two persons namely Emamanuel Nwabudu, Chigozie Nweke, a.k.a Achito, were arrested. “The suspects named one Ifedilichukwu Nwankwo of Nanka and others as those that attacked and killed Okechukwu Udezuka and Ebuka. “Every attempt to arrest Ifedidilichu...

WOMEN Soldiers are rarely deployed to conflict situations and their role is shaped by Attitudes to women,s work. Kenya is a key actor in East African security, playing a major role in multinational peacekeeping forces. The Kenya Defence Forces are active in regions where gender-based violence is pervasive, both during and after conflict, yet the access of women in the Kenyan military to meaningful assignments is influenced by traditional attitudes regarding women’s work, and the deployment of women to conflict situations is rare. Research on policy frameworks guiding gender mainstreaming in the Kenyan security sector – and the extent to which policy is carried out – has identified the space women occupy in the KDF and the challenges they face when opting for a career in the military. Kenya military Women photo About the authors Yolande Bouka  is a research associate for the ISS Peace and Security Research Programme, specialising in the Great Lakes Region. She is a ...

kano, police, ShiitesPolice authorities in Kano state, have presented four officers allegedly wounded by the outlawed Shiite members, during their Arba’een procession. This comes nearly a week since the clash between mobile police officers in the state and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN). Presenting the officers to reporters at the command’s headquarters, Police Public Relations officer, DSP Magaji Majia, confirmed the recovery of some weapons from the Shiites on the day of the clash. “These are the four police officers wounded by Shiites before the arrival of police re-enforcement on the day of Arba’een trek and the weapons recovered comprise of one AK 47 rifle they snatched from our officer, one cartridge and many other local weapons were also seen in possession of the Shiites.” In a related development, leader of the movement in Kano, Sheikh Sanusi Abdulkadir, denied allegations of attacking police officers by his disciples during the procession. He main...

Illegal-crude-oil-refineryThe Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed another set of illegal oil barges in River States. Two of the latest barges filled with stolen oil were set ablaze by NAF helicopters on armed patrol around Okoromabie and South East of Port Harcourt refinery. The third barge, surrounded by canoes carrying drums, was sited at Onne. While individuals around the barge and canoes fled when fired at, the barge and drums did not explode, indicating the possibility of being empty, a statement by the Nigerian Air Force read.. Part of the statement on Sunday was a declassified video of the strike. The destruction of the berges was part of efforts to tackle oil theft in the Niger Delta region. Activities of oil thieves have depleted the revenue of the nation that largely comes from crude oil sales and made worse by the drop in the price of crude.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state, Lenee Neebani, has died due to injuries he sustained from beating by SARS operatives Another PDP member, Legborsi Azoor, who was also arrested by SARS operatives is currently in a critical condition in the hospital A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state has been confirmed dead following injuries he sustained from beatings by operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) during the December 10 legislative rerun elections in the state. According to The New Telegraph, the deceased, Mr. Lenee Neebani, who was the PDP chairman Ward 10, Khana local government area was arrested by SARS operatives during the elections allegedly on the orders of a top member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area. After his arrest, the SARS operatives reportedly took the PDP chieftain to a hotel owned by the APC chieftain, where he was beaten to a state of coma and released on December 11....

Nigerians have criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over the video of Nigerian soldiers lamenting lack of logistics and food which has seen some officers faint and collapse in exhaustion. In the video, some officers could be seen lying lifelessly on the ground while other lament that they are dying not from Boko Haram attack but for lack of food and water. Some expressed disappointment at the way soldiers battling insurgency are being treated and wondered if former president Goodluck Jonathan was still in government considering his administration was criticised for failing to take care of soldiers. Chris Success Osigwe wrote: "Na wao! wht kind of country are we even living in, for crying out loud??? hmmmm,,,,, wonders shall never end, ordinary food nd water Nigerian government cannot provide for their soldiers, SHAME!!!!!" Chuks Eldorado wrote: “Buhari has given their food to Boko Haram terrorists as relief material. Buratai has sold them to buy mansions in Dubai. ...

The Police say they have intercepted a four-man gang of heavily armed kidnappers, notorious for terrorizing Rivers and Bayelsa state residents, on their way for an operation. Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Don Awunah, in a statement on Thursday, described the feat as a major breakthrough in the Police’ targeted onslaught against crime and criminality throughout the country. He said that the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), “acting on credible intelligence and public support, on the 29th of November, 2016, intercepted a four-man gang of heavily armed kidnappers, notorious for terrorizing the waterways and kidnapping in Rivers and Bayelsa states, along Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on their way for an operation. “A gun duel ensued, after which three of the kidnappers were fatally wounded while one James Peter ‘m’ aged 30 years from Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State was arrested”. Awunah revealed that the arrested member of the ...

Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, has explained what gave rise to the ban on importation of vehicles to Nigeria. Mr Adeniyi who was a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast show, Sunrise Dialy, said the revenue from vehicles have accounted for 20% of the yearly revenue from the past 5 years, making it one of the top 3 performers. According to him, this dwindled in the last 3 years, from about 144 billion in 2014 to about 86 billion Naira in 2016, which greatly affected the revenue base of the Nigerian Customs Service. “The Federal Government looked into the matter and came up with steps to tackle it. “Due to the diversions at the border, the Nigerian government got into an agreement with the Beninois government on international transit protocols”. He then explained that this agreement was later breached by the Beninois government as Custom revenue was not remitted. Hence, in order to protect national interest, the Government took the d...

Niger Delta Joint Military Force Pledges To Improve TacticsThe newly deployed Commander of the Joint Military Force in the Niger Delta christened ‘Operation Delta Safe’, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleman, has pledged to introduce new tactics to improve ongoing operations in the region. Suleman, made the pledge in an interview session with newsmen in Yenagoa on Saturday. He noted that the military is in the region to protect oil facilities and check criminality. He said that some of the new strategies he would introduce are to strengthen the joint military operations against renewed militancy and agitations in the Niger Delta region. “In my short time of assumption of duty on November 16, 2016, I have tried to sustain and improve on the peace which has yielded some successes. “Just a few days ago on Wednesday, troops in Cross River encountered militants in a gun duel around Ikang axis and arrested one of the militants and recovered large cache of arms and ammunition. “I must c...

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Nigeria, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has described as deeply worrisome the rate at which officers and men lose their lives in the course of discharging their statutory duties. Condemning attacks on police officials, the IGP in a statement on Wednesday said “these line of duty resultant deaths, occasioned by unwarranted attacks by religious bigot, bandits, hoodlums and militants must be reversed and the trend halted”. The police boss explained that in the past three months, the Force had lost 128 personnel in various parts of Nigeria due to activities of persons he described as undesirable elements in different communities. “Also disturbing, is the wanton destruction of Police infrastructure and public assets. The recent cases in Dankamoji village in Maradu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Abagana in Anambra State and in Okrika waterways in Rivers State where personnel were killed, arms carted away, structures and equipment destroyed are ...