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Aug. 8, 2013 - FILE photo of Nigerian soldiers on an armored personnel carrier during Eid al-Fitr celebrations in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Hundreds of people are dying in military detention as Nigeria's security forces crack down on an Islamic uprising in the northeast, Amnesty International said. (AP) 74 Islamist militants are dead after Nigerian troops attacked several Boko Haram camps. Military officials tell Reuters that Nigerian soldiers hit the insurgent camps using both planes and ground forces Thursday, in an on going campaign to thwart terrorist activity in the region. The assault was on camps in the remote villages of Galangi and Lawanti in northeast Borno state, where militants have a stronghold. ``The operation, which involved ground and aerial assault supported by the Nigerian Air Force led to the destruction of the identified terrorist camps, killing 74 terrorists while others fle

Boko Haram members | credits: File copy A key member of the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, Momogu Bama,  has been killed by  the Joint Task Force in Borno State. He met his death the same day with his  father,   Alhaji Abatcha Flatari, described as one of the spiritual leaders of the sect  in an operation  between the sect members and the JTF operatives in Bama. Momogu,  the second-in-command to the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau,  had a  N25m  bounty put on his head by security agencies for information that could lead to his arrest. The Director of Defence Information, Brig.- Gen Chris Olukolade, who confirmed his killing, described him as a vicious Boko Haram leader who took delight in personally slaughtering  the sect’s victims. He added that  Momogu  was the expert  in charge of  mounting  anti-aircraft weapons for  the sect and coordinating  members  in Yobe and Adamawa  states. Olukolade said in an electronic mail on Wednesday to one of our correspondents th

In November 2012, Miss Mercy Okpithe reported to the Batch 'C' Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State. Her joy knew no bounds, as she looked forward to the opportunity to serve Nigeria for one year. The 2011 graduate of Public Administration from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, voluntarily joined the Dance Troupe on the camp. Like Janet Jackson in her heyday, she displayed a high level of dexterity as she moved her feet and body rhythmically to music. After the camping exercise, she was posted to the Anambra South Local Government area, and she continued as a member of the Dance Troupe. But little did Mercy know that four months later, fate would have no mercy on her. Mercy, it was gathered, was severely beaten up by the Camp Commandant at the NYSC Orientation Camp, one Captain S.O. Beke, about 11:00p.m on Monday, March 18, this year. She allegedly fainted and was rushed to the camp clinic. The following day, she was trans

Satisfied with the level of work carried out by army engineers in the reconstruction of internal roads within the Barracks at Onitsha, Governor Peter Obi Friday presented another cheque of N100 Million Naira to the Army, bringing it to N200 million given to them so far for the project. Presenting the cheque, the Governor said that it was in line with the policy of his Government to work with all the Federal agencies in the State on the reason that all of them ultimately serve the good of the State and her people. He regretted that before he became Governor, it was  a cat and mouse relationship between Anambra Government and Security agencies in the State and that the State suffered because of that. “If you remember, in that reckless era, the State was burnt down. But I can assure you that with the level of civility we have restored, such a thing would not happen again, the Governor said. He also urged the army to continue to utilize the funds properly. He said that Government was

The leader of Islamist extremist group Boko Haram claims in a video obtained by AFP on Tuesday that Nigerian soldiers have retreated during an ongoing military offensive and insurgents have sustained little damage. The video marks the first public comments from Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau since the start of a sweeping offensive by the Nigerian army on May 15 and also includes a call for foreign Islamists to join the fight in Nigeria. A video grab made on March 21, 2013 from a video distributed to reporters by purported intermediaries of the Islamist group linked to Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, shows the suspected leader of the Nigerian Islamist group linked to Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Imam Abu Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Abubakar Ash Shekawi, also known as Abubakar Shekau, at an undisclosed location in Nigeria. AFP

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika, has accused his men of collaborating with members of the Boko Haram sects by exposing top secrets of their operations to the insurgents. The army boss said this in Abuja at a seminar on personnel management and development organized by the Army Transformation and Innovation Center. Ihejirika said that soldiers who have been collaborating with Boko Haram insurgents had hindered military operations, even causing the death of his men. The COAS boss warned soldiers to stop such acts, and vowed to deal with those found guilty of the offence decisively. He added that he had advised Commanders to take it easy while dismissing soldiers, but maintained that if a soldier’s misconduct was in terms of disloyalty, then the Army would have no choice than to dismiss and jail such officer. General Ihejirika revealed that, as part of its readiness to tackle security challenges in the country, the Army was training more than 1000 amphibious s

As the military offensive to dislodge the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, from the Northern part of the country continued yesterday, Defence Headquarters said its mop-up operation had revealed that three soldiers were killed, one missing, and 14 terrorists confirmed dead. The mop-up operation also revealed that seven soldiers were wounded, 20 terrorists apprehended, while seven vehicles and 13 handsets, belonging to the sect members, were recovered. The wounded soldiers were being treated in a military facility.

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. Some of the residents in Yola, welcomed the offensive with a trader in Jimeta Market, Audu John saying, “the state has been under the control of gunmen for so long, this state of emergency is long overdue.” Soldiers dislodge sect members A senior military officer who spoke under conditions of anonymity said that  soldiers attacked the area and dislodged the sect members who fled fol