The Troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) have killed about twenty-two Boko Haram/Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) terrorists during a fighting clearance operation on the fringes of Lake Chad.
The Chief of Military Public Information of the MNJTF N’Djamena, Chad, Lt. Col. Kamarudeen Adegoke, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.
Adegoke reported that the terrorists were nutrialised at Tumbun Rabo, in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State on April 27.
He said: “After the operational engagement, which was firmly supported by the Air Task Force of Operation Hadin Kai and the MNJTF, a battle damage assessment clearly revealed at least 20 BHT were neutralised, 12 AK 47 rifles, 1X Mortar 60mm and large catches of ammunitions of different calibers were recovered.
“Likewise, carefully concealed 5x Gun Trucks and a truck laden with supplies meant for the criminals were destroyed.
“Also, an MRAP fighting vehicle was recovered by the troops; it was carted from a Nigerian Army position in the past.”
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Adegoke explained that the troops of combined Taskforce Mallam Fatori/Damasak at Forward Operations Base Arege drawn from MNJTF Sectors 3 and 4 (Nigerian and Nigeriene troops) have continued with aggressive patrols to dominate and put pressure on the criminals.
“With multiple sorties against the terrorists’ positions, Air Taskforce gave effective close air support and attacked the criminals to enable ground forces to access the hitherto well defended terrorists’ strongholds in the vicinity of Tumbun Rago.
“Despite strong resistance by the Boko Haram terrorists, the ground troops charged through several obstacles and cleared the mined routes, which made them come in contact with elements of the insurgents.
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“Relatedly, troops of Sector 1 Taskforce Wulgo (MNJTF troops from Cameroun) continued aggressive dominance of their assigned areas with a clearance patrol to the general area of Chikingudu, areas were seen to be deserted, but troops came in contact with two Boko Haram logisticians who attempted to flee but were neutralised by the vigilant troops.
“Two motorcycles were recovered from them. Meanwhile, the Amphibious Taskforce Darak of the same Sector 1 have continued their maritime patrols to dominate their areas,” the spokesman said.
Three siblings and their mother, identified as Cecilia were reported dead in a ghastly auto accident in Osun State on Saturday.
It was gathered that a car heading to Ibadan from Osogbo had a head-on collision with a motorcycle carrying a woman and four of her children back home from a vigil at Odeomu in Ayedaade local government area.
According to an eye witness Usman Ademola, the motorcyclist carried two of the children in front, another one in the middle while a toddler was wrapped behind the woman.
According to VANGUARD, the two children died on the spot in the incident that occurred between Odeomu and Oogi where the motorcycle was headed.
Also, the woman and the motorcyclist identified as Abraham died while the child behind the woman seems to have survived the incident.
Meanwhile, it was gathered that a mob that gathered at the scene set the car ablaze along with two of the occupants after the driver had escaped from the scene.
Osun police command spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola added that the two occupants were rescued from the car by police operatives and were rushed to a hospital in the state capital.
She added that policemen were deployed to the area to maintain peace and order.
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed its operatives to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja, after a fight broke out between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.
Some civilians were seen in a viral video overpowering some soldiers in a fight at the popular market, while some scampered for safety over the fear of reprisals.
The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.
A source present at the scene of the pandemonium said the fight occurred over the sale of a mobile phone.
“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,”the witness said.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.
Protesters who are majorly women from Okoloba community, Delta State, on Saturday, May 18, 2024, took to the street to protest what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state.
INFO DAILY reports that Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area and Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area, all in Delta State have been at loggerhead over land dispute and others.
The protesting Okoloba women in black attire staged the peaceful protest along the coastal fringe of Koloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath.
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The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba Community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, alleged that the armed youths of Okuama were threatening the peace of the riverine area.
Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say no to violence’; ‘enough of the killings on our land;’ ‘armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style;’ ‘we say no to the return of armed youths of Okuama;’ ‘resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA;’ ‘we mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers,’ among others.’
Reading a letter to newsmen, a copy of each she said was submitted to the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi Local local Government Council, Mrs Goodwin noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.
The letter which contained an S.O.S. to the Federal Government, further reads: “First, we the women of Okoloba Community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.
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The protesting women
“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, a fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.
“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.
“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi Local Government Area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbaths.
“Just last week, youths of Okuama Community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.
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“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.
“Resettling them among their own people in Ewu clan of Urhobo land will foster mutual trust among themselves as they are of the same ancestry and speak the same dialect”.