Metro

NAF Strikes Hit Oil Thieves, Terrorists

Published

4 weeks ago

August 27, 2023

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it has carried out successful air interdiction missions on some illegal refining sites and terrorist hideouts, respectively, in the Niger Delta and North East.

The NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Gabkwet said the air interdictions were a continuation of efforts aimed at containing the activities of terrorists, militants, and other criminal elements bent on destabilising the nation and making life unbearable for peace-loving Nigerians.

According to him, the air component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) had, on August 27, carried out air interdiction missions on some illegal refining sites located at Cawthorne Channels, Bille, and Gogokori in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers.

Gabkwet, who asserted that the illegal refining sites were attacked and destroyed in the area, said that a Cotonou boat observed to be loaded with illegally refined products and heading into open waters was also engaged and destroyed at Gogokori.

He further affirmed that similar strikes were conducted at Idama in AkukuToru Local Government Area and Omoma in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers upon receipt of intelligence of refining activities at the two locations.

The NAF spokesperson avowed that active illegal refining sites with reservoirs suspected to contain illegally refined products were destroyed in both locations.

Also destroyed on August 25 were four militant camps: three in Bakassi Local Government Area and one in Calabar South Local Government Area in Cross River.

He added that the air strikes were authorised after confirmation that the locations were active with criminals.

“Those that attempted to escape through their various escape routes were also attacked. In one of the suspected kidnappers’ camps, a lone structure suspected to be harbouring some kidnapped victims with armed men roaming around the structure was also attacked using guns on board the aircraft. The strikes led to pandemonium, with several kidnapped victims seen escaping,” he said.

The NAF spokesman confirmed that strikes were conducted in the Northeast on August 25 at Chinene, a terrorists’ hideout in the Mandara Mountains, which had been struck on several occasions in the past.

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Metro

FULL LIST: 13 Zamfara Varsity Students Freed As Troops Rescue Seven [See state of origin]

Published

11 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Editor

The Joint Task Force of Operation Hadarin Daji has rescued another seven female students of the Federal University Gusau in Zamfara State.

The PUNCH reports that bandits attacked the university and abducted over 20 students from their rented lodge in the Sabon Gida, Bungudu LGA of the state, last Friday.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the seven students were rescued alongside three male workers of Gupran Engineering Zervices Ltd.

The troops had earlier rescued six female students the same Friday.

This translates to a total of 13 students who have been rescued so far.

The names of the freed students are as follows:

Rukayya Sani Batola: Educ Chemistry -200 Level -Zamfara

Merry Monday: MCB-300 Level

Maryam Salawuddeen: Accounting-300 Level-Osun

Salamatu Jummai Dahiru: MCB-200 LEVEL

Fiddausi Abdulazeez: Edu Biology -200 Level

Amamatullahi Asabe Dahiru: Education Chemistry-200 Level

Ketora Bulus: Education Physics-100 – Level-Kaduna

Felicia Sunday: Computer Science- 200 – Level-Osun

Jamila Ahmad: BCH-200 LEVEL – Kogi

Aisha Aminu Ujong: Edu Physics- GRADUATED-Cross River

Mariya Abdulrahman Usman: English-400 – Level-Katsina

Usaina Abdulrahman, Education: English-100 – Level-Katsina

Saadatu Aminu Abubakar: Education Biology

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Metro

Flood Wrecks Havoc In Delta, Sacks Five Communities

Published

12 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Editor

Ravaging flood across Delta State has sacked five communities in the Warri North Local Government Area.

The affected communities included Torukubuagbene, Awanba, Koropigbene, Itagbene and Asigborodo as well as adjourning communities.

The Councillor representing Ogbinbiri ward 18, in Asigborodo Community, Mr Kenren Pere, disclosed this to newsmen on Monday in Warri.

Pere said the incident began more than a week ago and the situation became worse on Friday.

While appealing for an urgent intervention by the state government, the councillor said that the life of his people were at stake.

He said, “I cannot attribute the course to flooding or the heavy torrential downpour that has been happening in recent time, though, rain has been falling before, but we have not had it so bad like this.

“Many valuables including local boats, clothes, food items, and other means of livelihood have been destroyed by the unfortunate occurrence.

“Lives are at stake, people can no longer go about their normal daily activities to feed, so there is hunger in the affected communities.

“The overflow started more than a week ago, but the situation became worse three days ago, leaving my people in fear,” he said.

Pere also appealed to the state government to send relief materials including food items to the people “to alleviate their suffering.”

The Director, Administration and Finance, Delta Emergency Management Agency, Daniel Okpor said the agency was not aware of the development.

Okpor, however, requested for video clips of the incident to aid their findings and response.

“Was the incident a result of flood or rainfall? We believe more on video than photographs. In the absence of video, you can send me photographs,” he requested.

NAN

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