Troops raid terrorists’ camp, rescue kidnap victims in Taraba, Benue

Troops from the Nigeria Army’s 93 Battalion Sub-Sector 3B Operation Whirl Stroke at Fikyu cleared a terrorist base and recovered one AK-47 magazine with ten rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition in Taraba State.

The accomplishment came after people reported suspected terrorists firing intermittently in the Pukun village of Fikyu in the Ussa Local Government Area of the state on Monday, April 29.

Oni Olubodunde, the acting assistant director of 6 Brigade Army Public Relations, issued the following statement:

Similarly, troops deployed to Kofai Ammadu and Kasuwan Haske, in collaboration with troops from Sub-Sector 1A OPWS, acted on intelligence regarding the hideout of terrorists in Vingir Village of Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Benue State, and arrested a suspected kidnapper Dogo Manu.

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According to the statement, troops of 20 Model Battalion Sub-Sector 3A OPWS, while on night patrol around Gangdanbana and Kwanar Maliki in Bali Local Government Area on 27 April 2024 apprehended one Junaidu Isiaka with four sacks of substance suspected to be cannabis sativa.

The suspect has been on the watchlist of security agencies for his involvement in illegal drug deals and supplies to terrorists and other criminal elements operating within the general area.

The operation according to the Nigeria Army highlights the commitment and dedication of the troops in combating terrorism and all forms of criminality while ensuring the safety and security of the citizens.

“The Nigerian Army remains resolute in its efforts to rid the region of criminal elements and restore peace and stability, not just in Taraba but the nation as a whole,” the statement added.

Troops raid terrorists’ camp, rescue kidnap victims in Taraba, Benue

16 passengers burnt to death on Enugu road accident (PHOTOS)

Sixteen travellers tragically lost their lives in a motor accident in Enugu State on Tuesday evening, with two others narrowly escaping the same fate.

Ogun frees 49 inmates to decongest prisons

The Chief Judge of Ogun, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, on Tuesday granted pardon to 49 inmates as part of efforts to decongest correctional facilities in the state.

Ms. Dipeolu pardoned the inmates during a jail delivery exercise at Oba, Ibara, and Ilaro correctional centres in Ogun State.

Thirty-one inmates were released from the Oba correctional centre, 15 from Ibara, and three from Ilaro correctional centre, bringing the total number of inmates granted amnesty to 49.

Ms. Dipeolu said that the exercise was to decongest the facilities, adding that cases of inmates were reviewed, leading to the freedom granted to those deemed deserving.

When she visited the Ilaro correctional centre, she said correctional facilities needed improvement.

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”We cannot afford to have deaths on our hands due to overcrowding. The conditions here at the correctional centre have not improved. It is evident that overcrowding is rampant, even without official statistics. Dipeolu expressed particular concern about the overcrowding among those awaiting trial, highlighting their suffering without a conviction.

Also at the Oba correctional centre, the chief judge expressed concern with the overcrowding and condition of the facility.

“We cannot ignore the plight of those awaiting trial, many of whom have been incarcerated for years without conviction,” she said.

At the Ibara correctional centre, the CJ commended the managers of the facility for their efforts at maintaining a relatively better environment, urging them to do more to address the other challenges.

She, however, emphasised the need for swift justice and rehabilitation, rather than mere punishment, to address the root causes of congestion.

In his remarks, controller of the correctional centre, Saliu Adepoju, commended the chief judge and her entourage for exercising and upholding the judiciary’s ethics.

The CJ was accompanied by a team of judges from the state high court, the director of public prosecution management, and some officials, including the state controller and assistant controller of the correctional centre.

Ogun frees 49 inmates to decongest prisons