Troops Overrun 3 Sect Camps, Rescue Women, Children In Borno

Soldiers in Borno state have dislodged three camps belonging to suspected members of Boko Haram in Sambisa forest, rescuing three women and six children  during the operation.

This was made known by the Director Defence Information;  Brigadier General Chris Olukolade in a statement on Friday.

The women and children, he said were kidnapped from the police barracks and its environs during the 7^th of May attack in Bama by members of the Islamic sect.

He however said the troops are still on the look out for one woman and two of her children who are thought to be held in the forest.

General Olukolade added that the focus of the troops at the moment is to ensure that all camps and enclaves are dismantled and destroyed.

Soldiers arrested for aiding Boko Haram

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, on Wednesday said some soldiers and officers of the Nigerian Army had been arrested for conspiring with insurgents in the ongoing face-off between the military and militants.

The COAS however did not give the number of soldiers that were arrested.Ihejirika said that the affected troops were caught while posting comments he described as "negative" and conversing with terror suspects on the Internet.

He stated, "There are some soldiers that have been found to be posting negative comments on the Internet and some  conversing with insurgents."I want to state that any officer or soldier caught linked one way or the other will be disciplined severely, there are no two ways about it.

Well said,  chief!

Boko Haram Insurgency: Military Says Clampdown To Go On As 3 Soldiers Are Killed

The military operation in the North East has left 17 people dead on the fifth day of a push to crush the Boko Haram insurgency in the area, with a death toll of 14 insurgents and three soldiers, while seven others sustained injuries.

The spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, said the operation is continuing, with patrols sent out to secure towns and villages.Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, has conveyed President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive which urged members of the Boko Haram sect to surrender their arms and embrace the amnesty option.

The Presidency stated that the amnesty option is still open as the Presidential committee set-up to work out modalities of for it are still on the option of dialogue for a peaceful resolution.

In their biggest offence since the insurgency began in 2009, the Nigerian forces are trying to chase the well-armed militants out of territory they control in the remote semi-deserts around Lake Chad, along the borders with Cameroun, Chad and Niger.

They are also going after them in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, Borno State, where the sect has cells.

Nigeria says it has retaken five Boko Haram strongholds

Nigeria’s military said Monday it had re-established control in five remote areas of the northeast where Islamist insurgents had seized territory, as it pressed on with a sweeping offensive against Boko Haram militants.

Several thousand troops were last week deployed across three states in the volatile region, and fighter jets have pounded Boko Haram camps as the military tries to rid the country of “terrorist activities.

”The military has “secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo after destroying all the terrorists’ camps,” a defence ministry statement said.

All of the areas recaptured in northern Borno state near the Cameroon border were considered Boko Haram strongholds.

President Goodluck Jonathan sent his troops in after declaring a state of emergency in Borno and two neighbouring states of Yobe and Adamawa.

Nigeria: Troops Crack Down On Terrorists’ Attempt To Infiltrate Maiduguri

The Special Forces deployed to rid the nation of any act of terrorism that has been rocking the northern region of the country has apprehended 65 persons confirmed to be terrorists, attempting to infiltrate Maiduguri while fleeing from various camps now under attack by the Special Forces deployed after President Goodluck Jonathan declared State of Emergency on three northern States that were fast becoming the sect’s stronghold.

A total of 11 vehicles, 4 tricycles and 24 handsets were also seized in the process and the suspects are in custody of Joint Task Force and are currently being interrogated, according to the press release by the Director of Defence Information; Brigadier General Chris Olukolade.

In what is looking like a sure victory against terrorism, the troops claim that camps of these terrorists have been found deserted in several locations and they immediately take possession of the facilities.

The Director of Defence Information; Brigadier General Chris Olukolade has however advised Nigerians to report to the JTF, any group of persons roaming around the local communities with large quantities of containers in search of fuel as some of the fleeing insurgents from various camps have been noted to be in search of fuel from neighbouring communities..

In another development, troops have engaged and dislodged elements of insurgents groups who carried out attacks on citizens in localities such as Gamboru ward and at the end of the encounter, a total of 10 suspected terrorists were confirmed dead while weapons such as Rocket Propelled Grenade launchers, assorted ammunition and rifle magazines were recovered.

Nigeria: Multiple Explosions Rock Daura

Barely two days after the declaration of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa states by President Goodluck Jonathan, suspected terrorists yesterday launched bomb attacks on targets in Daura municipal area of Katsina State.

Sources disclosed that two police stations , a branch of First Bank in the town and Daura Central Prison were among the places bombed. It was gathered that the blast started around 10pm yesterday and lasted for over two hours.

Nigeria: Military Bombards Terrorists' Camps

 Following the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by President Goodluck Jonathan last Tuesday, and the deployment of over 3000 troops and Counter Terrorists Squad (CTS) within 24 hours of the declaration, the military, yesterday, launched air and ground offensive in the thick forests of Sambisa, Borno State, an area which the Boko Haram sect was reported to have used as a recruiting and training base.

A curfew (6 pm to 6 am) has also been imposed in the three states while banks and other public and government businesses have also been instructed to suspend their operations.

 In a related development, Mobile phone service was turned off yesterday in Borno and Yobe, stifling social life and business activities in two of the three states affected by the proclamation of state of emergency on Tuesday.

There was no official statement on why the cell phone services were turned off, but insurgents were believed to have used mobile phones to remotely detonate bombs in the past.

Army Aircraft Hit By Boko Haram In Borno

The Nigerian Army has confirmed that a military aircraft was on Friday hit by Islamic insurgents in Borno State in the on-going operations across northeastern Nigeria.

The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade confirmed the attack and revealed that the aircraft managed to return to base after the encounter.

The Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade had told journalists that Nigerian forces used jets and attack helicopters to bombard Islamist militant camps in the northeast on Friday, killing a number of insurgents.

Brigadier-General Olukolade said that several camps had been attacked, including the Sambisa game reserve in Borno State.

Asked for more details about the shot military plane, Brigadier-General Olukolade declined to give further details, saying more information would be given after mop-up operations on the ground.

Nigeria deploys ‘massive’ troops to northeast

Nigeria’s military on Wednesday announced the deployment of “massive” forces to its northeastern border regions after the president declared a state of emergency in the areas where Islamist insurgents have seized territory.

President Goodluck Jonathan issued the emergency decree in a broadcast late Tuesday, acknowledging for the first time that Boko Haram Islamists had “taken over” parts of Borno state, the insurgents’ stronghold.

“Nigerian Armed Forces…have commenced operations to rid the nation’s border territories of terrorist bases,” the military statement said.

“The operations which will involve massive deployment of men and resources is aimed at asserting the nation’s territorial integrity,” it added.

The emergency measures applied to Borno and two neighbouring states, Yobe and Adamawa.

Boko Haram, which says it is fighting to create an Islamic state in Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north, had used Borno’s capital of Maiduguri as a home base, but its fighters have relocated to remote border regions following a crackdown in the city.

The borders with Chad and Niger are porous and analysts say that criminal groups, including weapons dealers, have for years migrated freely between countries.

Nigeria has warned that Boko Haram has increasingly sought ties with like-minded foreign groups, including Al-Qaeda’s north African wing and has gained access in recent months to more powerful weapons, some of which have been brought in through unchecked borders.

Nigeria President Jonathan declares State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa

President Goodluck Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has declared a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa State

The President announced this in a State of the Nation Address on Tuesdayevening.

He explained that the security situation in those states called for the action.

In a seeming departure from the norm under President Olusegun Obasanjo, the president declared that all political office holders in the three affected states would still continue in office during the emergency rule.

The president said the insurgents and terrorists in those areas prevented the government from fulfilling its duties.

“No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terrorism,” Mr. Jonathan assured Nigerians.