Borno State

By Muhammad Sabiu

Nigerian soldiers have killed 6 ISWAP terrorists in 2 separate operations, recovered, arms, ammunition and other items in Borno State.

Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, who is Director Army Public Relations made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday via Nigerian Army’s official Facebook page.

“Troops of 25 Brigade operating under the aegis of Joint Task Force, North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have neutralised 4 terrorists of the Islamic State West Africa Province: (ISWAP) on Wednesday 31 August 2021. The terrorists who were on espionage along Damboa -Bulabulin-Maiduguri road ran into a fighting patrol team at Kukawa and were neutralised in the firefight that ensued with the troops. On further exploitation after the encounter, the gallant troops recovered from the terrorists, four AK 47 rifles and four Magazines, each loaded with 30 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition,” the statement indicated.

The brigadier-general further recounted how troops killed 2 more terrorists and recovered some logistic items.

He said, “In a separate operation, troops of 195 Battalion, Sector 1 OPHK in conjunction with elements of Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) at Dusman Muna Garage, Borno state have eliminated two ISWAP terrorists in an ambush operation conducted along an identified ISWAP terrorists crossing point at Musari village. 

“The troops also captured and destroyed an ISWAP logistics vehicle conveying assorted goods and contraband items belonging to members of the terrorist group. Items recovered by troops from the terrorists’ vehicle are two bags of Hemp (Cannabis Sativa), 2 bags of Detergent, 120 packets of mosquito coils, 12 mosquito nets and five textile materials. Other items recovered are two bycicles, two bags of beans, a bag of corn and some quantity of fish.”

A short video clip purportedly showing the trio of DCP Abba Kyari, bare-footed, greeting current and former governors of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum and Sen. Kassim Shettima has gone viral on Nigerian cyberspace. Some people, including news media, allege that the two high-ranking politicians were at Kyari’s residence for a “solidarity visit” over his travails in recent days.

You may recall that super cop Abba Kyari was suspended by the Nigeria Police Commission over his alleged collaboration with Abass Ramon, aka Hushpuppi, and six others, in a $1.1m international fraud conspiracy.

An unsealed 69-page court document shows that DCP Kyari was under investigation by the FBI for his alleged link to Hushpuppi, who had pleaded guilty to fraud in a United States court in California. Subsequently, the FBI declares Kyari wanted and reportedly requested the Nigerian government for his extradition. However, he denies all charges in a Facebook post.

A Borno State government official confirmed to The Daily Reality that the video is neither new nor recorded at Kyari’s residence. Instead, it was taken at the house of the former governor, Kassim Shettima.

Looking more closely at the news on the television behind the trio, one can see the story about the release of the disgraced actor and comedian Bill Cosby. That happened on June 30, 2021, which means more than a month ago.

Moreover, the framed photo on the floor, beside a standing AC and behind Kyari, has Shettima and Zulum in it.

Conclusion: the video is FAKE as it loses its context. In other words, the video is, content-wise, genuine, but it is from an entirely different event, not the one flying on social media.