Regional News
Another 7000 terrorists surrender as troops kill scores in Kebbi, Borno, others – DHQ. Source: Blueprint
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Thursday said its troops deployed to different parts of the country have killed scores of terrorist and bandits in the North-East, North-west and North-central regions of the country. The military also said no fewer than 7000 Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP)/Boko Haram terrorist from different locations surrendered to troops in the last two weeks.
Nigerian Military Destroys Car Bomb In Sambisa Forest. Source: Humangle
Nigerian troops on Wednesday, March 23, destroyed a car bomb and harbour area of insurgents during an operation in Sambisa forest area of Borno State, Northeast Nigeria. The troops participating in the subsidiary counterinsurgency operation code-named ‘Desert Sanity’ destroyed a vehicle fitted with explosives and an insurgents’ enclave around Njimia-Alafa axis, according to the Army. HumAngle understands that the incidents occurred around Dure in Sambisa forest general area about 23.2 km from Bama in the central part of the state and 29 km from Gwoza in the South. The area, which is close to the Alafa axis, consists of Savanna type vegetation with trees, a network of dirt roads, and what appeared to be buildings.
How Troops Raided ISWAP Camp, Zamfara Forest, Killed 27 Terrorists, 8 Bandits – DHQ. Source: PrNigeria
This is contained in a brief which entails a summary of our operational activities in the various theatres from 10 – 24 March 2022.
Niger Bandits flee as Nigerian Military Stations troops at Warari Area. Source: PRNigeria
Following the stationing of Nigerian troops at the Warari community in Rijau Local Government Area of Niger State, bandit activities have radically reduced in the area, PRNigeria gathered. Rijau is a border axis linking Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, and has witnessed many attacks by bandits crossing from neighbouring states. An intelligence source told PRNigeria that hundreds of troops had been permanently stationed in the axis, equipped with military paraphernalia – armoured tanks and many other gadgets for seamless operations.
Over 7000 Boko Haram, ISWAP Terrorists Surrender In One Week — Nigerian Army. Source: Sahara Reporters
No fewer than 7000 Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have turned themselves in since last week, the Nigerian Army has said. This was made known by the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Christopher Musa while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Wednesday. According to the General, sustained operations against the ISWAP and Boko Haram have led to significant successes.
Nigerian Soldier Kills Civilians In Borno Village. Source: Humangle
At least three civilians were killed and 13 others badly injured as a soldier opened fire on harpless civilians in the Mafa Local Government Area of Borno state, Northeast Nigeria, witnesses said. HumAngle gathered from credible sources who saw the encounter that the soldier is attached with the ongoing Operation Hadin Kai of the Northeast Theatre Command. Bukar Musa, a resident of Mafa who spoke with HumAngle on phone said that “the soldier appeared to be drunk or drugged at the time of the shooting.
Nigerian Military And The Ongoing Operations. Source: PRNigeria
Activities of insurgents, mainly Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists have continued to ravage some parts of northeast. The booming kidnapping and banditry industry engulf the northwestern and north central region of the country. The devilish activities of unknown gunmen and ritual killers are also rampant in the southern part of the country. Nevertheless, upon all these bottlenecks, Nigeria was lucky to be blessed with one of the finest military and intelligence architectures in safeguarding lives and properties of the citizens and protecting the country’s border against territorial aggression by external forces and other non-state actors.It is therefore, heartwarming when the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) recently, announced that troops of the Operation Desert Sanity (ODS) had neutralized scores of the Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters. The troops also rescued over thirty abducted locals during a sting operation against terrorists around Ndufu and Musiri villages of Borno State.
ISWAP Fighters Evacuate Dead, Injured Colleagues After Military Forces Repel Attack on Army Base. Source: PrNigeria
A large number of the Islamic State of West African Province, ISWAP, terrorists have been killed in the North East, PRNigeria has learnt. They were eliminated on Saturday by troops of the Nigerian military in Doron Baga, a community in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The ISWAP fighters, it was gathered, met their waterloo when they attempted to attack a military base in Doron Baga.
#DapchiAbduction: Because They Went To School, They Paid With Their Lives. Source: Humangle
On this day in March 2018, ISWAP terrorists brought back over 100 schoolgirls they had whisked away from their dormitories in Dapchi, northeastern Nigeria. There were some who did not make it back alive. We spoke to their families.
ISWAP: Seven Years After Becoming An ISIS Franchise. Source: Humangle
The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has gone through a split and a series of transformations and skirmishes since Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) group seven years ago in Mar. 2015 and rebranded Boko Haram. The pledge to the then Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who died in a United States military raid in northwestern Syria in 2019, led to the transformation of Boko Haram (or JAS; Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād) into ISWAP. This development took place after persuasion within the senior ranks of the group and at a time when the Nigerian military was conducting a large-scale offensive. Upon establishing ties, ISIS was said to have begun sending support to the group in the form of ideological and operational guidance, but also some material assistance according to details from a 2020 report from the Brussels-based International Crisis Group. The support extended to media activities and battlefield tactics as well.
Peace and Security
ECOWAS invites Mali junta leader to summit. Source: Punch
The Economic Community of West African States will hold an extraordinary summit on Friday over Mali’s political crisis, according to document seen by AFP, with the Sahel nation’s junta leader, Assimi Goita, invited. The summit is due to take place in Ghana’s capital Accra, about a week since the ECOWAS envoy to Mali travelled to Bamako for inconclusive talks on restoring civilian rule. The 15-nation ECOWAS is pushing for the military, which seized power in a 2020 coup, to stage elections within 12 to 16 months.
Coups, Nigerian Military and Pledge to Democratic Rule. Source: PRNigeria
Nobody can deny the reality that Africa has long been the world’s leading theatre of coups. According to a recent study by Jonathan Powell and Clayton Thyne, published in the Journal of Peace Research, military coups averaged four per year in Africa between 1960 and 2010, declining to two a year by 2019. But since then, however, the number of successful coups and attempts on the continent appear to be returning to their record levels. “Unlike the bloody putsches of the 1960s, 70s and 80s however, the more recent coups tend to involve the arrest and removal of sitting president or prime minister, rather than their summary execution or gun battles as used to be the case on the continent. “But like some of the cold coups, the more recent coups have also enjoyed widespread civilian support, and even with the active connivance of organized civil society and opposition political leaders following successful or attempted tenure elongation schemes by the leaders ousted from power. “The situation is explained by an observation by Annadif Khatir Mahamat Saleh, the UN Special Representative for West Africa, who said recently that the resurgence of coups “is often the consequence of political practices that are completely out of step with the aspirations of the populations.
The State Of Nigeria Police Barracks Is A Growing Security Concern. Source: Humangle
Many issues affecting the performance and welfare of Nigeria Police came to the fore when the ranks and files of the police threatened a strike, but not much was said about the deplorable conditions of the barracks where the police and their families live.
Growing Trend Of Fake Military Personnel Frustrating Nigeria’s Fight Against Insecurity. Source: Humangle
As Nigeria strives to end insecurity across the country, the military is also battling with the rise of fake personnel and abuse of fundamental human rights of civilians. Like every other profession, imposters taking over the military as personnel are now everywhere on the streets, with most of them dressing in full military gear. Some of them have even imbibed the nuances of soldiers and hardly will they be found out as fake. The rising increase in the number of these fake personnel poses a threat to Nigeria’s fight against insecurity as there have been reported cases of kidnappers putting on military uniforms to commit crimes.
Military deployment in 36 states dangerous. Source: Punch
A revelation by the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor, that 80 per cent of Nigeria’s Armed Forces personnel are currently deployed in all the 36 states of the federation performing police duties underscores the country’s grossly anomalous security architecture. The trend undermines the security institutions and civil institutions and puts the country’s fragile democracy at risk. The President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), should act fast to save all three from irredeemable damage. Some analysts fear that severe havoc has already been done. “I’m looking forward to a day when all of us, soldiers, would come back to barracks and engage in core military duties – defending the territorial integrity of our nation,” Irabor stated at the 21st Century Chronicle roundtable. “Today, close to 70 to 80 per cent of our troops ‘are’ on the field all year round, and I think we must begin to reshape it.” That task is urgent.
Chad to add troops to UN mission in Mali following France’s withdrawal. Source: RFI
Chad says it will increase its contribution to the United Nations Minusma peacekeeping mission in Mali, as France discusses with the UN Security Council how its decision to pull troops out of Mali will impact the mission. Chad’s junta leader Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno announced that his country would increase its troop numbers in the UN peacekeeping, force following France’s withdrawal of its troops from its Operation Barkhane anti-insurgent force and from Europe’s Takuba force, which is under French command.
Humanitarian
Borno IDPs Vandalising Homes, Selling Building Materials To Feed. Source: Humangle
Hunger and diminishing access to means of sustenance are forcing many IDPs in Northeast Nigeria to adopt extreme measures like pulling down their roofs and breaking concrete to extract steel to sell in exchange for cash. As hunger pang bites harder due to diminishing access to means of livelihood, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria have resorted to different desperate measures, including pulling down the roofing sheets of their homes to sell for food. HumAngle can report that many buildings and camp tents at the Gubio IDP camp have been vandalised because the dismantled building materials have been sold or bartered in exchange for food.
Zulum Sets Panel To Return IDPs Into Borno Community. Source: North East Star Live
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno state has set up a panel to return internally displaced persons (IDPs) into the Kirawa community. The border Community with Cameroon was attacked by Boko Haram insurgents in 2016, destroying public structures and displacements of residents. Zulum disclosed this at the weekend (Sunday) at Kirawa while supervising the reconstruction works with the distribution of relief materials and pledges of stipends. “This panel, is led by the Commissioner of Housing and Energy, Saleh Vungas to complete rebuilding the destroyed houses and public structures,” he said; stating that members of the resettlement committee are to complete their work in three weeks.
Stabilization and economic development
North East Masterplan: NEDC Organizes Stakeholders Meeting. Source: Newsng
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) on Monday took a mighty step towards developing a masterplan for the rehabilitation of the crisis-torn North East region with the convocation of a stakeholders consultative forum in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The forum was initiated towards producing a masterplan with credible and comprehensive strategies for recovery and sustainable socio-economic development of the North-East. At the stakeholders meeting are representatives of the Borno State Government led by the representative of Governor Babagana Zulum, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Usman Jida Shuwa, dignitaries from the Humanitarian Partners, Traditional, Religious, the Academia, Security Agencies, the Media, Judiciary and Civil Society Organizations.
