ISWAP Intercepts Food Meant For IDPs In Borno, Loots 4 Trucks – Newstrends
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ISWAP Intercepts Food Meant For IDPs In Borno, Loots 4 Trucks

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Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Lucky Irabor

Members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) have attacked a convoy of 40 trucks of food meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and resettled communities in Borno and intercepted four of them, Daily Trust Saturday learnt exclusively. 

The attack, which occurred Thursday night around Layi village in Mobbar Local Government Area of the state, came barely 48 hours after terrorists launched a heavy attack on Kuje Medium Security Prison in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) freeing at least 69 Boko Haram suspects and hundreds of others. The ISWAP on Wednesday claimed responsibility for the attack. 

Top security sources who were briefed about the Borno attack told Daily Trust Saturday that the food and nutritional products consignment was on its way to Damasak. 

It was part of the palliative by the World Food Program (WFP) for IDPs from Abadam and victims of the Boko Haram violence returning to their homes in Mobbar. 

“The attackers were in four gun trucks. After heavy attacks on the convoy, they succeeded in intercepting four of the vehicles and emptied nearly everything from the vehicles,” the source said. 

It was also gathered that the terrorists are now firming up their control of major roads and strategic areas in the southern and northern parts of Borno. 

Intelligence sources in the area have reported that ISWAP members in four trucks have been deployed to Kareto village in Mobbar Local Government Area.  

Terror group plans eid prayer in ‘captured’ communities, enclaves

As part of their expansionist activities, the terror groups are said to have concluded plans to conduct eid prayers in some of the areas under their control, today (Saturday).

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Credible sources said like what obtained in the past years, Boko Haram members loyal to late Abubakar Shekau, and those loyal to ISWAP led by late Abu Musab Albarnawi, the son of late Boko Haram founder Mohammed Yusuf, have, among others,  cleared grounds around the shores of the Lake Chad and Sambisa forest and would observe the Eid-el-Kabir prayer there.

They, therefore, called on security agencies to checkmate the effrontery of the terrorists saying they use such festivities for massive recruitments of innocent people into their fold.

One of the sources said even though, Nigerian security forces have uprooted Boko Haram fighters from many villages and forested areas in Borno and neighbouring Yobe State, they are still lurking around in many communities.

“The terrorists are fully mobilised for celebrations at many Tunbus (islands) on the Lake Chad and their enclaves in Sambisa Forest,” he said.

Another source said the excesses of the terrorists  cast Nigeria in bad light at the international level.

“It is unthinkable the way they release videos of their atrocities. Such videos show that once the terrorists go out for their operations, they would do it with ease because nobody can stop them.

“The videos they released recently after the attack on Kuje prison is one bad example that showed our weak links. And unless something is done, they would also release videos of their eid prayers.

“They would release their propaganda videos slaughtering their sacrificial animals to the chagrin of those in authority…I am calling on our security forces to act by decimating them,” he said.

Another source said with the commencement of the rainy season, Nigerian troops are constrained by environmental factors which is affecting their performance. 

He said they cannot access many communities this time, paving way for the terrorists to replenish their supplies and logistics, as well as recruit vulnerable youths ahead of future fights.

He said the forces had missed a golden opportunity during the dry season when hundreds of terrorists came out of their enclaves and repented. 

“Why didn’t we finish the terrorists’ campaign in the North East this year? We had thousands surrendering, weakening the fighting spirits of the terrorists, but we could not clear the Tunbus, surroundings of Timbuktu Triangle and Sambisa Forest.

“Now we are bound to wait until the end of the raining season to kick start another operation. 

“Why haven’t we done enough to acquire all weather APC and  AFV and constantly revert to seasonal warfare?

“Does this mean, knowing that our North East flanks or neighbours are our most vulnerable porous security concern, yet, no efforts towards acquisition of these all important weapons?

“Must we wait till tomorrow when the Chadian or Cameroonian forces enter Maiduguri before we rush to the markets?

“Is the military waiting for Buhari’s handing over before clearing the terrorists or to use it as an election campaign strategy?”, he asked.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Correctional Service has released the names and pictures of the inmates with terrorism-related cases that escaped from the Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abuja.

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The inmates escaped from the correctional centre following an attack on the facility by members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Tuesday.

The ISWAP claimed the responsibility for the attacked in a 30-second video on Wednesday.

In a statement by the spokesperson of the Service, Umar Abubakar, it was revealed that 879 inmates fled but 443 of the escapees were recaptured, bringing the total number of inmates in the facility to 578.

Also, the Minister of Defence, Major-General Bashir Magashi, said all the Boko Haram terrorists in the facility escaped during the attack.

However, the Service released the names and images of 69 inmates being tried for terrorism, including Abdulkareem Musa, Abdulsalam Adamu, Bello Haruna , Ismail Abdullahi , Modu Aji, Yakubu Abdullahi, Abdulmannan Obadiki, Abubakar Umar.

Others are Bassey Kingsley, Diko Iko, Fannami Bukar, Ishaq Farouq, Mohammed Buba and Mohammed Kyari.  

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has received briefing from security chiefs on the latest development on Tuesday’s terrorist attack on the Kuje Custodial Centre.

Confirming this to State House correspondents after the meeting of the National Security Council, presided over by the president yesterday, the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, said heads of security agencies briefed the president on what actually happened in Kuje and the way forward.  

“The service chiefs have been given very clear directives to ensure that adequate measures are taken, not only to investigate what happened, but also to take steps to forestall a occurrence of such incident,” he said.

He said the security personnel deployed to man the custodial centre at Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) did their best to repel the attack but were subdued by the superior weaponry of the terrorists.

The minister, who said the terrorists succeeded because of their large number and superior firepower, stated that President Buhari had directed the service chiefs to not only ensure that adequate measures were taken after the ongoing probe into the cause of the incident, but also to take steps to forestall the reoccurrence of such incidents.

Dingyadi, who said the president expressed deep concern over the recent developments, stated that some of the assailants were killed.

He said, “Some of them were killed. But I can’t give you the number; and I don’t know the number because like they do, whenever one of them is killed, they take the corpse away, so you cannot know the number of people who have been killed. But definitely, quite a number of them were killed and many of them ran way with bullet wounds.”

He said the meeting convened by President Buhari reviewed the security situation in the country, particularly the Kuje jailbreak, banditry in Katsina, as well as the various attacks on Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

DAILY TRUST

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Adeleke presents staff of office to new Owa-Obokun amid protest

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32 minutes ago

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December 29, 2024

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Oba Adesuyi Haastrup

Adeleke presents staff of office to new Owa-Obokun amid protest

ILESA — Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Sunday presented the staff of office to Oba Adesuyi Haastrup as the 41st Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland in a ceremony marked by mixed reactions.

Oba Haastrup’s selection follows the passing of the 40th Owa-Obokun, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, in September, after which the mourning period and succession process commenced. Last Friday, Prince Haastrup of the Bilaro Olu-Odo ruling house was elected by the Ijesa kingmakers and subsequently approved as the new monarch despite an existing court injunction restraining stakeholders from proceeding with the selection process.

At the installation ceremony, Governor Adeleke urged the new monarch to foster unity among Ijesa people and leverage his experience and connections for the development of Ijesaland and Osun State.

“Kabiyesi, now that the time of competition is over and you have become the father of all, I urge you to rally all citizens of Ijesaland for the development of the area and the State at large,” Adeleke said.

He emphasized the importance of collective efforts, stating, “There is much work to be done, and the Government alone cannot bear the responsibility. I call on all Ijesa sons and daughters to prioritise the development of our fatherland. Our administration is intensifying developmental efforts across the state, including Ijesaland.”

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The selection and installation of Oba Haastrup were met with opposition from two royal families, Ofokutu and Fajemisin, within the Bilaro Olu-Odo ruling house.

In a statement signed by Prince Adetoyese Adegbohungbe, Secretary of the Ofokutu royal family, the process was described as a desecration of Ijesa traditions.

“We have witnessed not just compromise but the desecration of the noble tradition of the Ijesa, with the blatant disregard for the most sacred tradition, which is the selection of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland,” the statement read.

The family expressed shock at the selection, citing a pending court case, and accused stakeholders of undermining due process.

The Fajemisin family also condemned the process, describing it as flawed and unlawful. In a statement by Olufemi Fajemisin, the family rejected Oba Haastrup’s selection and demanded a transparent process that respects Ijesa customs.

“We categorically reject the purported elected Owa and demand a transparent, lawful process that honours our customs and traditions,” the statement said.

Both families have vowed to pursue legal action, dissociating themselves from the new monarch and alleging imposition in violation of tradition. They pledged to defend the rights of the Ijesa people and restore the integrity of their heritage.

As the controversy unfolds, the installation has spotlighted the delicate balance between tradition, legality, and governance in the selection of traditional rulers in Nigeria.

 

Adeleke presents staff of office to new Owa-Obokun amid protest

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Paris-bound businessman excretes 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine at Abuja airport

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December 29, 2024

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Paris-bound businessman excretes 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine at Abuja airport

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), have arrested a 48-year-old businessman, Orizu Ifeanyi Arthur for ingesting 74 wraps of heroin and cocaine.

Mr Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Babafemi said that Orizu was intercepted while attempting to board an Air France flight 844 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, (NAIA) Abuja to Paris, France.

He said that the suspect was arrested at the boarding gate of the Abuja airport on Sunday, Dec. 22 during the outward clearance of passengers on Air France.

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“When he was pulled aside for a body scan, he turned down the request claiming his medical condition won’t allow him.

“He was thereafter taken into custody for excretion observation during which he excreted a total of 74 wraps of the Class A drugs over a period of seven days.

“In his statement, Orizu claimed he owns a shop at Balogun market, Lagos Island where he sells school and travel bags, adding that he was promised 3,000 Euros upon successful delivery of the consignment in Paris.

“He left his base in Lagos for the Abuja airport to connect his Air France flight to Paris, hoping to escape detection,” he said.

Paris-bound businessman excretes 74 wraps of heroin, cocaine at Abuja airport

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Police rescue 13 kidnap victims, arrest five suspected robbers

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December 29, 2024

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Police rescue 13 kidnap victims, arrest five suspected robbers

Police Rescue 13 Kidnap Victims in Lagos and Kwara

In the past week, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) successfully rescued 13 individuals who had been abducted and held for ransom in Lagos and Kwara states.

The operation underscored the police’s commitment to combating kidnapping, armed robbery, and other criminal activities nationwide.

A statement issued on Sunday by the Force Public Relation Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi said: “In a determined effort to sustain the fight against  kidnapping, armed robbery, and other forms of criminality across the country, operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have further intensified and reinvigorated their strategies, resulting in the successful rescue of numerous victims and the apprehension of several suspects.

“Over the past week, coordinated operations were conducted in various states, including Lagos and Kwara States, leading to  the rescue of 13 individuals who had earlier been kidnapped and held for ransom, and the arrest of several armed robbery suspects.

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“On the 27th of December 2024, Police operatives attached to the Kwara State Command mobilized and stormed a den of kidnappers in the Idofin-Igbana area of the state, after receiving a distress call of the abduction of 13 persons. The operatives encountered resistance from the kidnappers but successfully overpowered the kidnappers, causing them to flee the scene with various degrees of injuries and leading to the successful rescue of the 13 kidnapped victims.

“Similarly, on the 28th of December 2024, following a report of a public disturbance at Pinnacle Depot, Lekki, Police operatives attached to the Lagos State Command visited the scene and accosted two individuals identified as Lawan Mustapha ‘m’ 38 years, and Aina Daniel ‘m’ 38 years. A thorough search was carried out, resulting in the recovery of one double-barrel rifle, 90 live cartridges, and five model rifles.

“The suspects are currently in custody for further investigation and possible  prosecution. Furthermore, on the same day, at about 12:45 PM, Police operatives of the Lagos State Command arrested 3 suspected armed robbers at GRA Ikeja. A subsequent search led to the recovery of 1 locally made pistol, 4 live cartridges, and 2 cutlasses. These suspects are likewise in custody and will face prosecution upon the conclusion of the investigations”.

He said the Inspector-General of Police, (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, has reiterated the Force’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all citizens.

Egbetokun said the Force will continue its operations, leveraging all available resources to eradicate these heinous crimes from our society.

He said the Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its mission to create a safer environment for all Nigerians.

Police rescue 13 kidnap victims, arrest five suspected robbers

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