Security

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

President Bola Tinubu has approved the procurement of 12 MD 530F Cayuse attack helicopters to enhance the service of the Nigerian Army. 

The announcement was made by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, during the inaugural Nigerian Army Aviation Seminar held on Tuesday in Abuja. 

The acquisition of these advanced attack helicopters marks a pivotal moment for the Nigerian military, as it heralds the operationalization of the Nigerian Army Aviation Unit. 

This specialised unit has been established with the primary goal of improving ground troops’ agility, responsiveness, and overall efficacy during various military operations. Lt.-Gen.

Lagbaja emphasised that the addition of these attack helicopters to the Nigerian Army’s arsenal would not only enhance its internal capabilities but also contribute significantly to the success of joint and coalition military operations.

He underlined the importance of this initiative in the broader context of military strategy. Explaining the role of the army aviation unit, Lt.-Gen.

Lagbaja noted that it is distinct from a nation’s dedicated air force but focuses primarily on helicopters and light-support fixed-wing aircraft.

This specialisation enables the unit to provide vital support to ground troops during tactical and operational engagements. 

Expressing his gratitude, Lt.-Gen. Lagbaja thanked President Tinubu for his unwavering support in realising the Nigerian Army’s aspiration to have a well-equipped aviation unit.

He drew attention to the experiences of other nations such as the United States, Pakistan, Colombia, Egypt, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda, all of which have successfully employed similar aviation units to enhance their military capabilities. 

This strategic move signifies a significant step forward for the Nigerian military and underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening national defense.

The procurement of these attack helicopters will undoubtedly play a crucial role in ensuring the security and stability of the nation while also aligning with international best practices in military operations.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The Federal Government has officially refuted claims of negotiations with the Zamfara terrorists to secure the release of the abducted students from the Federal University, Gusau. 

This development was contained in a statement that was released by Mr. Hope Attari, the Acting Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry of Defence. 

Badaru categorically dismissed the allegations of negotiations with the terrorists as misleading and emphasised that President Bola Tinubu had issued clear directives to the military and other security agencies to ensure the safe return of the abducted students. 

“The Federal Government is working diligently around the clock to ensure that the girls and other abducted individuals return home safely,” stated Badaru. 

Reassuring the residents of Zamfara and all Nigerians, the Minister of Defence conveyed the significant progress being made towards the swift release of the female students and others from Federal University, Gusau.

He expressed confidence in the joint security task forces working discreetly to rescue the students. In addition to addressing the ongoing efforts, Badaru extended his regret to the families of the abducted individuals, condemning the incident as reprehensible.

He highlighted the initial success of President Tinubu’s directives, with 13 of the abducted students and three others regaining their freedom on Monday, attributing this achievement to the professional efforts of the military. 

The Federal Government remains committed to securing the release of all the remaining abducted students and individuals while continuing to uphold the safety and security of its citizens.

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The Zamfara State Government has on Saturday issued a ban on illegal mining activities as one of the measures to curtail the lingering security challenges bedevilling the state over the years. 

Governor Dauda Lawal, in a statement by his spokeswoman, Sulaiman Bala Idris, also ordered law enforcement officials to take stringent action against violators. 

It was gathered that Zamfara State is one of the epicentres of banditry and kidnapping that have displaced hundreds and widowed hundreds more, as well as taken the lives of thousands of innocent souls over the years. 

The Daily Reality gathered that illegal mining in Zamfara State has fuelled banditry and other criminal activities. 

The governor was said to have noted that “it is time to end this destructive activity and implement measures to protect the safety and well-being of the people.” 

He stressed that security operatives had been given strict orders to take bold action and shoot at anyone found engaging in illegal mining. 

He said: “The directive is necessary to ensure the safety and security of the good people of Zamfara and deter potential wrongdoers from committing such acts. 

“It is also a swift action to enable the State Government to be in total control of state resources and block activities that endanger the lives and properties of the people. 

“Illegal mining is undeniably one of the driving forces behind the rampant banditry plaguing Zamfara State. We must take swift, decisive action to curb this menace and restore peace and security to our communities,” he added.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) have successfully apprehended a notorious gun manufacturing syndicate in Kaduna State, leading to the recovery of a cache of 26 weapons, including pistols, rifles, and ammunition. 

The operation was carried out following a week-long intelligence effort and was announced by Captain Oya James, the media officer for the Special Military Taskforce, in a statement issued on Friday in Jos. 

The primary target of the operation was Napoleon John, a wanted gunrunner who had long evaded authorities. 

Captain Oya James stated that, “This operation is in line with the commitment of Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the Commander of Operation Safe Haven, to decisively address criminal activities and eliminate illegal weapons within the OPSH Joint Operations Area.” 

The breakthrough came when the suspect, Napoleon John, confessed to his involvement in the gun manufacturing trade and led the troops to a concealed factory located in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. 

Inside the factory, authorities discovered a wide array of weaponry, including seven pistols, two locally fabricated AK-47 rifles, two military-grade AK-47 rifles, nine revolvers, one submachine gun, and various types of ammunition. The cache also included machine tools and a gas cylinder. 

In a subsequent operation carried out in the early hours of September 22, 2023, troops raided a hideout in Adua 1 village in Kafanchan, resulting in the capture of two AK-47 rifles, two revolver rifles, live rounds of 9mm and 7.62 ammunition, six dangerous daggers, one hacker axe, several empty cases of 7.62mm special rounds, two police uniforms, and one military camouflage trousers, among other items. 

While the major kingpin behind the syndicate remains at large, Captain Oya James assured the public that efforts were ongoing to apprehend him.

Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the GOC/Commander OPSH, praised the troops for their unwavering dedication and resolve and vowed to ensure that all members of the syndicate were brought to justice. 

He issued a stern warning to sponsors and perpetrators of criminal activities, urging them to abandon their illegal endeavours and embrace lawful means of livelihood. 

The successful operation represents a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat illegal arms proliferation and maintain peace and security in Kaduna State and neighbouring Plateau states.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

An unspecified number of students from the Federal University of Gusau were kidnapped during an early morning raid by a large group of armed bandits in the Sabon-Gida community of Zamfara State’s Bungudu Local Government Area. 

Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants, numbering in large quantities, invaded the community around 3 am, firing their weapons indiscriminately.

They targeted three student hostels and forcibly abducted all the students within. 

The bandits engaged in a fierce gunfight with Nigerian Army troops, further complicating the situation.

Their escape plan involved dividing into two groups, with one group escorting the kidnapped victims while the other confronted the army. 

This incident follows previous student protests in June over the abduction of their schoolmates in Sabon-Gida and Damba.

Sabon-Gida village is located just 20 kilometers from the state capital, Gusau, and directly across from the main campus of the Federal University of Gusau. 

Efforts to reach the university authorities have been fruitless so far, with no response from the school’s spokesperson, Umar Usman. 

As authorities intensify efforts to secure the release of the abducted students and restore peace to the affected community, residents and concerned families anxiously await updates on this distressing situation.

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 30-year-old man for allegedly stealing over 20 motorcycles in the state.

The man, identified as Bello Mohammed alias Faruk Manja, is a resident of Bakaro Area of Bauchi metropolis.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi state command, Ahmed Wakil, stated this in a statement he made available to journalists in the state.

Wakili said the other suspect, Kabiru Danfulani, conspiring with Manja in carrying out that nefarious acts for over four years were at large.

He added that the suspect confessed during interrogation that he and his partner (Danfulani) have stolen over 20 motorcycles over the period.

The statement read, “The Command has arrested a two-man squad that specializes in snatching motorcycles and has been carrying out their nefarious activities for about four years within Bauchi and other neighbouring States.

“On August 24, 2023, at about 6.30 am, one Aliyu Muhammad Gidado, male, of old Airport Road GRA, Bauchi, reported at B’ Divisional Police Headquarters, Bauchi metropolis, that on the same date at about 4 am, he discovered that Bello Mohammed alias Faruk Manja, male (30) of Bakaro area of Bauchi and Kabiru Danfulani, a male of Muda Lawal Bauchi, now at large, criminally conspired among themselves and trespassed into his house and stole his motor-vehicle Honda Civic, golden colour with reg no. MSA-350-PD valued at N640,000;00, alongside a skeletal motorcycle green colour, with the value yet to be ascertained.

“On receipt of the report, a team of detectives led by the DPO B’ Division, CSP Holman Simon, swiftly swung into action and circulated the incident to various Police patrol teams/divisions within and outside the State.

“Subsequently, in their process to escape with the stolen vehicle along Maiduguri-Bauchi road, Police operatives drafted to Soro Division led by the DPO, Soro Division, SP Aliyu Goni, intercepted the motor vehicle and arrested one of the culprits.

“During interrogation, the first suspect voluntarily confessed to having been a motorcycle snatcher for about four years and approximately stole 20 Jincheng robber motorcycles and carried such menace in different areas of Bauchi and Yobe States respectively, while the second suspect is now at large.”

Wakil added that the stolen vehicle and the skeletal motorcycle have been recovered from the suspects and further investigation is in progress.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The North East Governors’ Forum, led by its Chairman, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, has called upon the military to take decisive action against insurgents who refuse to surrender during the ongoing mass surrender by terrorists in the sub-region. 

Governor Zulum made this appeal during the 8th meeting of the forum held in Maiduguri. 

In his address, Governor Zulum commended the military for their efforts in restoring relative peace to the sub-region, which has enabled the return of normalcy to many areas affected by insurgency. 

He acknowledged the military’s unwavering determination and significant progress in the fight against terrorism. 

However, he stressed the need to eliminate those insurgents who persist in hiding and refuse to lay down their arms. 

Governor Zulum stated, “I want to call on the Nigerian military to reach into the enclaves of the insurgents who are not ready to lay down their arms. We must pursue them to their hideouts in the remote nook and cranny and neutralize those who refuse to surrender.” 

He underscored the negative socioeconomic impact of insurgency on the sub-region and emphasised that lasting improvements could only occur once the threat of terrorism was fully subdued. 

Additionally, Governor Zulum addressed challenges posed by erratic rainfall patterns and recent floods, calling for federal government intervention. 

He urged the North East Development Commission (NEDC) to prioritise support for irrigation farming to mitigate the effects of reduced rainfall on crop cultivation. 

By Muhammad Umar Shehu

The issue of Kalare boys has found a bed in Gombe state, and the state’s government is aloof. What has Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s government, which was enthroned to solve the yearnings of the poor masses in the land, done?

This issue of Kalare is becoming worse in the state, and yet there has been no measure taken by the state government to curtail the menace.

Many of these devastating stories of Kalare boys have reached our eardrums as sympathetic to the victims. Still, the state government seems lackadaisical towards curtailing the menace of Kalare by our youths. Only recently did those Kalare devils enter the house of Shiek Albani Kuri and kill him. This is so dehumanising, unacceptable, and sympathetic.

Gombe state government needs to take urgent action to bring those engaged in this heinous action of Kalare to book to serve as a deterrent to people who engage in this illicit activity of Kalare in the state.

This heinous activity by Kalare boys in Gombe State has caused unbearable pain to the people of the State.

Gombe State, a home that was nursed to save lives, is now gradually metamorphosing, etching itself with smithereens so that the people of the land may find it arduous to excavate. Gombe is a land where peace has been our utmost priority, but these Kalare boys have made the state a magnet for visitors.

To curtail this Kalare boys menace in the state, I urge the state government to take some decisive actions by providing more employment to the youths of the state, and by doing so, in my opinion, the menace of Kalare boys will be a thing of the past in Gombe state.

May Allah guide those Kalare Boys to the straight path and bless Gombe State and Nigeria. Amin.

Muhammad Umar Shehu wrote from Gombe via umarmuhammadshehu2@gmail.com.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

In an unfortunate incident that unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, suspected kidnappers targeted the prominent El-Rufai Estate in the Kuchiko Resettlement Development Area of Bwari Local Council, Abuja. 

The assailants abducted a resident identified as Chinedu, marking the fifth kidnapping case to rock the area in recent months, leaving residents gripped by fear and insecurity. 

According to reports from Daily Trust, the victim, Chinedu, was forcibly taken from his home within the secure confines of the estate. 

The daring criminals, armed to the teeth, breached the estate’s defences by breaking through the perimeter fence. 

To further instill terror, they fired shots into the air, sending panic waves through the victim’s family and neighbours, before abducting Chinedu. Chinedu’s wife, who witnessed the terrifying ordeal, recounted the horrifying encounter with the kidnappers. 

“They shot sporadically in the air to scare our family members and neighbours before taking my husband away,” she said. 

As of press time, the kidnappers had not made contact with the family, leaving them in agonising uncertainty. Mai Baba Bego, the chairman of the Kuchiko Resettlement Development Area, expressed grave concern over the escalating incidents of kidnappings in the region. 

“We now live in fear as nobody knows who the next victim would be,” Mr. Bego lamented, underscoring the urgent need for heightened security measures in the area. 

In light of this distressing situation, Mr. Bego called for the immediate deployment of additional security personnel to the Kuchiko Resettlement Development Area. 

This plea aims to mitigate the risk of further incidents and restore a sense of safety to the traumatised residents of El-Rufai Estate and its surroundings.

By Muhammadu Sabiu 

The Wusasa neighbourhood of Kaduna State’s Zaria Local Government Area saw a gang of suspected bandits ambush and kidnap a health worker and his brother. 

According to reports, the incident occurred on Friday night. 

Engineer Isiyaku Ibrahim, the village chief of Wusasa, confirmed the incident. 

He bemoaned that the kidnappers have so often made their area the target of their attacks, abducting many of the people in the neighbourhood. 

Mr. Isiyaku added that Wusasa village, which is outside of the historic city of Zazzau, has seen a number of attacks recently.

Recall that a recent attack left an army officer and a vigilante member dead.