Insurgency

By Uzair Adam

Nigerian military troops have intensified their nationwide operations, eliminating 135 terrorists, apprehending 185 suspects, and rescuing 129 kidnapped victims within the past week.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, provided the update during a briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja on Saturday.

He disclosed that in the North Central region, some terrorists have begun surrendering due to sustained military offensives and collaborative non-kinetic engagements with community stakeholders.

Among those who surrendered are notable figures such as Yellow Jambros, Alhaji Mallam, Ardo Idi (Alhaji Lawal), Lawal Kwalba, Salkado, Yellow Ibrahim, Gana’e, and Babangida.

Buba emphasized that the military would maintain its operational momentum to dismantle terrorist networks and encourage further surrenders.

During the operations, troops recovered 113 weapons and 2,415 rounds of ammunition, including 72 AK-47 rifles, 11 fabricated guns, 15 Dane guns, eight pump-action shotguns, and four hand grenades. They also seized 46 motorcycles, 15 vehicles, 28 mobile phones, and various communication devices.

In the Niger Delta, troops destroyed 93 crude oil cooking ovens, 12 dugout pits, 37 boats, and 82 illegal refining sites.

They also recovered 909,800 litres of stolen crude oil, 71,060 litres of illegally refined diesel, and 13,580 litres of petrol.

Maj.-Gen. Buba reiterated the military’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s security challenges, stating, “We remain in a winning position in this war and will continue to innovate in our approach.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Amid mounting concerns over insurgency in Zamfara State, Commissioner of Police, Kolo Yusuf, has made a bold declaration to eradicate the menace within three months.

Speaking during a meeting with various stakeholders including organised labour unions, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and journalists, Yusuf outlined the government’s commitment to tackling insurgency head-on. 

In a bid to dissuade the proposed nationwide protest by the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress scheduled for February 27 and 28, the Commissioner of Police highlighted the root cause of the unrest, attributing it to the removal of fuel subsidies by the administration.

He urged patience from the populace, noting that efforts were underway by both federal and state governments to address the underlying issues. 

Yusuf stressed the urgency of the situation, acknowledging the adverse impact of insurgency on the state’s economy and livelihoods.

He reiterated the government’s determination to restore peace and security, urging collective support from all sectors of society. 

However, amidst the call for restraint, tensions simmered as the Trade Union Congress expressed its determination to proceed with the planned protest, citing a lack of directive from its national leadership to suspend the action.

The local chairman of TUC, Saidu Mudi, affirmed their commitment to the cause, highlighting the need for a unified approach to addressing the prevailing socioeconomic challenges. 

As the dialogue between stakeholders continues, the fate of the proposed protest hangs in the balance, displaying the complex dynamics at play in Zamfara State’s quest for peace and stability.

With the assurance from the Commissioner of Police and the unwavering resolve of labour unions, the path forward remains uncertain yet fraught with hope for a resolution to the pressing issues facing the state.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has decried over the menace of insurgency rocking the North-Western part of the country while lamenting that the bandits use better weapons than the Nigerian security forces.

The governor who described bandits as “massive monsters” stated this while reacting to some questions on banditry and kidnapping in the North- West. El-Rufai spoke on Thursday in Abuja during the weekly briefing organised by the Presidential Communication Media.

He reiterated that insurgency in the North-West is far more severe than the Boko Haram crisis, going by the growing number of people killed and kidnapped every day.

“I am persuaded that the insurgency in the North West is far more serious than Boko Haram, both in terms of the numbers of the people affected. I have shown you the numbers in Kaduna. I can assure you that the numbers on Zamfara and Katsina are up to three times. The numbers in Sokoto, Niger, and Kebbi are also very alarming.

“We are talking of tens of thousands of people getting killed, getting kidnapped. It is far more serious than Boko Haram. The only thing is that these guys don’t occupy territory. They are in the forest and ungoverned spaces.

“So, they do not attract the kind of single-minded attention that Boko Haram does. And because Boko Haram’s ideology is religious, intentionally religious, it elicits more passion, but really, this is a far more serious problem.

“Because, this is a situation largely in which people of about the same ethnicity, same religion are killing each other, stealing each other’s property, creating an industry out of criminality. It’s very serious, and it requires single-minded attention,” said El-Rufai.