Nigerian Army

Scores of ISWAP terrorists killed as Nigerian military launches offensive airstrike

By Muhammad Sabiu

No fewer than 26 insurgents of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) have been eliminated in Gajiram town, Borno State, after the Nigerian military launched airstrikes on them.

Reports show that the military made the attacks after the insurgents, who came on their gun trucks, made an attempt to invade the town.

A military officer in the know of the incident, whose identity is made anonymous, reliably told journalists that 26 bodies of the insurgents were counted.

Confirming the heavy casualty inflicted on the terrorists, he said, “The aircraft arrived timely and bombarded the locations of the terrorists and burned some of them beyond recognition.

“We have so far counted 26 bodies of the terrorists, but unfortunately, we lost two gallant soldiers while tackling other fleeing enemies.

“More bodies of the terrorists could be seen from afar in their burning trucks along Kunli village road and on the eastern side of the town.”

Recruitment advert put in our name is fake—Nigerian Army

Muhammad Sabiu

The Nigerian Army has on Thursday debunked a viral recruitment advertisement made in its name, describing it as “not only fake but fraudulent.”

Recall that some online media have taken to their websites to advertise that the Nigerian Army has opened its online application for Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) and Short Service Combatant (SSC).

Debunking the advertisement, the army, in a short Facebook post titled “BEWARE OF FAKE RECRUITMENT,” wrote: “This recruitment advert is not only fake but fraudulent and should be disregarded in its entirety by members of the public. It is also important to state that at present, the Nigerian Army has not put out any advert for sales of forms for SSC/DSSC.”

Nigerian Army clears air on “soldiers overthrowing Buhari’s regime” report

By Muhammad Sabiu

The Nigerian Army on Sunday has debunked some media reports making the rounds that it warned some of its personnel against overthrowing the Buhari-led government.

A statement released via Facebook by Army’s spokesperson, Onyema Nwachukwu, described the media reports as “outrageous lies and fabrications.”

“The Directorate of Army Public Relations has been notified of an online story making the rounds, with the caption, ‘Defence Headquarters wars soldiers against overthrowing Buhari’s regime” published on November 13, 2021, by a certain online news medium dubbed -Naija News House

“The said publication, which was riddled with outrageous lies and fabrications claimed that the Defence Headquarters has denounced a call for the military to take over the reins of power. The online outlet went further to attribute its falsehood to “Army Spokesman, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu”.

Clarifying the issue, the statement added that the Nigerian Army had never made any statement of such nature.

It said, “However, for the sake of clarity and to keep the records straight, we wish to state that at no time did the Director, Army Public Relations, Brig-Gen Onyema Nwachukwu issue any statement on the subject matter. It is, therefore, a figment of their imagination, which did not in any way emanate from Brig Gen Nwachukwu.”

With fabricated reports such as this and others, it’s obvious that Nigerian cyberspace has been littered with a lot of fake news, which has become a serious menace and has posed a serious threat to Nigeria’s peaceful coexistence.

Nigerian military neutralizes many ISWAP terrorists

By Muhammad Sabi’u

The Nigerian military on Saturday has an encounter with members of the deadly Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in Askira Uba of Borno State.

A number of the terrorists were said to have been neutralized in the said encounter, which also led to the recovery of arms vehicles by the military.

This was disclosed in a statement released today via Nigerian Army’s official Facebook page and signed by Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, who is the Director Army Public Relations.
However, four soldiers, unfortunately, lost their lives in the course of the encounter.
Read Nigerian Army’s full statement:
OPERATION HADIN KAI: TROOPS NEUTRALIZE SEVERAL ISWAP TERRORISTS DESTROY, EQUIPMENT IN ASKIRA UBA ENCOUNTER
 
Troops of Joint Task Force, North East Operation HADIN KAI have neutralized several Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists during a recent encounter in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State. In the fierce encounter which is still raging as at the time of filling this report, troops supported by the Air Component of OPHK have destroyed five A – Jet, two A-29, two Dragon combat vehicles and nine Gun Trucks.
 
Sadly, a gallant senior officer Brigadier General Dzarma Zirkusu and three soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice in a very rare display of gallantry as they provided reinforcement in a counter offensive against the terrorists, and successfully defended the location. The family of the senior officer and soldiers have been contacted.
 
The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya deeply commiserates with the families and relations of the fallen heroes. He has also directed that the troops continue in the ferocious counter offensive and hot pursuit to eliminate the remnant of the fleeing terrorists.
 
ONYEMA NWACHUKWU
 
Brigadier General Director Army Public Relations 13 November 2021

Again, Nigerian military engages ISWAP terrorists in Borno, kill 4

By Muhammad Sabiu

Nigerian soldiers combating the insurgents terrorising the northeastern part of Nigeria have again succeeded in eliminating some members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in Ngwom community under Mafa Local Government Area of Borno State on Tuesday.

A source whose identity has not been revealed disclosed that the military acted swiftly by mobilising troops of 195 Battalion Operation Hadin Kai in Jere to engage the insurgents.

The source was quoted as saying, “We have counted four corpses of the invaders and still pursuing others using the track of blood in the bush.

“After our clearance operation on their escape routes, detailed updates can be provided.”

This is not the first time Nigerian soldiers engaged insurgents, who usually in recent times suffer a heavy casualty.

Nigerian military repel ISWAP’s attack, eliminate 5 insurgents

By Muhammad Sabiu

Reports coming from northeastern Nigeria have indicated that Nigerian soldiers have successfully repelled an attack on their convoy by combatants of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) along Maiduguri-Damaturu road.

The soldiers were said to have acted based on an intelligence report they received after the “terrorists’ communication was intercepted.”

The terrorists also attempted to abduct travellers who were plying the Maiduguri-Damaturu road.

A source in the know of the incident, who pleaded anonymity, confirmed to journalists that “the armed terrorists had stormed Tamsukawu community in Kaga local government with the intention to attack a military convoy on a special mission/movement.”

He added: “Unfortunately for them, a signal was received on the movements of terrorists from various directions for the attack.

“The troops’ movement was well fortified with adequate security and air cover from the air task force.

“The movement was very successful even though with some confrontation which we tackled.

“Meanwhile, the troops were also mobilised to deal with another remnant of ISWAP fighters who attempted to attack and abduct travellers at Tamsukawu community.”

Confirming the number of casualties on the side of the insurgents, the source said, “The troops and the terrorists engaged in a heavy gun battle before they were subdued, killing five of them after the arrival of the Air Task Force and Rapid Response Squad Team from a Super Camp at Ngamdu.”

This is not the first time the Nigerian military has engaged terrorists in a gun duel, which has made a number of the insurgents meet their Waterloo.

Security forces kill several bandits in Kaduna

By Hussaina Sufyan Ahmad

It has been reported that security forces have killed several bandits and destroyed their camps during clearance operations at Igabi and Chikun Local Government Areas of Kaduna State.

The State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, on Friday, said the clearance operations were planned to conducted in Faka, Katuka, Barebari and Maguzawa general areas, spanning Chikun and Igabi LGAs.

According to him, an unconfirmed number of bandits were however later neutralised by a Nigerian Air Force attack helicopter after they were sighted on the high ground across the Maguzawa River.

Southeast: Nigerian soldiers repel attack, kill Biafran combatant

Muhammad Sabiu

Nigerian troops stationed in the southeast have on Thursday, October, 28, successfully eliminated a Biafran National Guard combatant in an encounter in Amaekpu, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State.

The troops also recovered some vehicles and weapons which belonged to the combatants.

In a Facebook statement signed on Friday by the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier Onyema Nwachukwu, he stated that although the Biafran combatants were heavily armed, they were successfully overrun and had no option but to flee.

Read Brigadier Onyema’s full statement:

TROOPS NEUTRALISE BNG GUNMAN …Recover Arm, Vehicles

Troops conducting Exercise GOLDEN DAWN have neutralised one of the Biafran National Guard gunmen who attacked troops’ location at Amaekpu, Ohafia Local Government Area of Abia State on Thursday 28 October 2021.

The assailants, who were heavily armed and conveyed in several vehicles opened fire on the troops’ location, but were met with stiff resistance by the troops. In the encounter, the troops neutralized one gunman, while others abandoned their vehicles and retreated in disarray with gunshot wounds. The troops also recovered a pump action gun, among others.

While the criminals withdrew, having been overwhelmed, they were promptly intercepted at Eda by troops of Forward Operating Base Ohaozara in Ebonyi State. The troops recovered additional three vehicles and apprehended one of the gunmen.

ONYEMA NWACHUKWU Brigadier General Director Army Public Relations 28 October 2021

Nigerian gov’t confirms death of Albarnawi’s successor

By Muhammad Sabiu

The National Security Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, General Babagana Mungono, has confirmed Thursday that Malam Bako, the top Boko Haram commander, who recently took over the leadership of the deadly Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) from the late Abu Mus’ab Albarnawi, has been killed.

General Mungono, who spoke to journalists at the State House, stated that the military had launched an attack on the insurgents “two days ago”, which led to the elimination of the commander.

Mungono was quoted as saying, “Two days ago, the man who succeeded him, one Malam Bako, one of the prominent leaders of the Shura Council of the Islamic State of West African Province, was also taken out.

“They are also contending with leadership crisis. You know these things are also accompanied with inherent issues of trust, conflicts, mutual suspicion and other things.

He added that the efforts of the military are really making an impact in the fight against terrorists.

“So, the operations being conducted by the armed forces in the Northern parts of the country put a lot of pressure on the Islamic State of West African Province, Boko Haram and also the tangential group known as Islamic State in the Greatest Sahara,” he said.

No Maulud procession in Plateau this year—Troops

By Muhammad Sabiu

 

The troops saddled with the responsibility of maintaining peace and order due to the fragile peace in Plateau State have declared that there would be no Maulud procession across the state this year.

The Troops, also codenamed as Operation Safe Heaven, have in a statement signed by their spokesperson, Major Ishaku Takwa, said they had been directed “to ensure that no group organises any form of procession during the period of the Maulud.”

According to the statement, “Operation Safe Haven has noted the arrangement by some Muslim Youths on the Plateau to hold a procession to commemorate the birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW (PBUH) on Tuesday, 19 October 2021.

“Information received also indicated that the procession is organised without the knowledge of Jamaatul Nasir Islam (JNI), security agencies and the Plateau state government.

Nevertheless, the troops indicated that “While felicitating with the entire Muslim ummah on the birth of Prophet Muhammad SAW (PBUH) and recognising the right to such processions under different circumstances, it is, however, expedient to state that the fragile peace on the Plateau does not present a conducive atmosphere for any form of procession at the moment.

“Further to this, Operation Safe Haven, therefore, wishes to draw the attention of the youths and members of the public on the ban of any kind of protest and procession in force in the state.

“The Military task force encourages Muslim faithfuls to observe the Maulud without any form of procession.

“The Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Major General Ibrahim Ali has directed troops to ensure that no group organises any form of procession during the period of the Maulud.”

Recall that there were in recent months a series of ethno-religious violent attacks and reprisals that led to the death of many and many others sustained injuries.