PHOTOS: PRESIDENT JONATHAN'S VISIT TO YOLA, MUBI, BAGA AND MAIDUGURI

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN ON THURSDAY VISITED ADAMAWA AND BORNO STATES WHERE HE ADDRESSED NIGERIAN SOLDIERS IN  MUBI, BAGA AND MAIDUGURI.
HE ALSO VISITED THE EMIR OF MUBI, DR ABUBARKAR ISA AHMADU. HE  MET WITH GOV. KASHEEM SHETTIMA OF BORNO AND THE GOVERNOR OF ADAMAWA.

Courtesy: State House Photos

48 killed in fresh Borno attacks, Chibok schoolgirls sighted in Chad

Father of kidnapped girls dies of heart attack
NUT shuts schools for Bring-Back-Our-Girls rally
US troops hunt for schoolgirls in Chad

Maiduguri—No fewer than 48 people were killed by insurgent group, Boko Haram, in Shawa and Alagarno villages of Askira Cuba and Damboa local government areas of Borno State, respectively.
The attackers also carted away food items after setting ablaze almost all houses in the villages.
Shawa is about three kilometres south of Kwapchi village which came under attack in the last two weeks, where 12 people were killed with several residential houses set ablaze, while Alagarno village is about 30 kilometres to Chibok town, where about 275 female students of Government Secondary School were abducted by the insurgents and about 117 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
A local resident, Mallam Umaru Saina, who spoke with our correspondent on phone, said about 30 terrorists on 10 motorcycles stormed Alagarno village yesterday at 1:30a.m. and had a field day before they left.

Army summons attacked GOC to Abuja, appoints replacement

The authorities of the Nigerian Army on Thursday reacted to the mutiny of some soldiers of the Division 7 of the Nigerian Army by instituting a high powered delegation to investigate the occurrence at the headquarters of the Division at Maimalari, Maiduguri.
Investigations revealed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Kenneth Minimah, also approved the immediate removal of the General Officer Commanding the 7th Infantry Division, Major General Abubakar Mohammed.
Military sources said that the fact finding team of Military Police investigators left Abuja for Maiduguri in the morning on Thursday.
It was gathered that the Army authorities have appointed Brig. Gen. MY Ibrahim, as the replacement for Abubakar who was removed because of the deep resentment against him among the incensed soldiers and some of their colleagues.
It was learnt that Brig. Gen MY Ibrahim was appointed in acting capacity because the position was meant to be occupied by a major general.
The former GoC was expected to hand over to his successor Ibrahim on Thursday before his movement to Abuja.
The Director of Defence Information, Major Gen Chris Olukolade, confirmed the removal of the Mohammed and his replacement with Brig. Gen Ibrahim ,in a telephone conversation with our correspondent.
He admitted that the military had commenced investigation into the disturbing development and referred our correspondent to an earlier press statement issued on the soldiers’ attack on the GOC.
The   Division 7 of the Nigerian Army coordinates the ongoing campaign against the insurgents in the North East.
Olukolade had said in  a statement issued  on Wednesday night in response to the incident that the 7 Division would institute a board inquiry to investigate the cause of the mutiny.
“The 7th Division of the Nigerian Army is to institute a military board of inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of soldiers who fired some shots today while the General Officers Commanding was addressing troops in Maimalari cantonment Maiduguri.” The statement read in part.
Investigations revealed that the soldiers who attacked the vehicle of the former GOC also shot two of the soldiers in his escort on the leg for guiding him into his armoured car and facilitating his escape.
The injured soldiers are said to be receiving treatment at the medical centre of a military facility in Maiduguri.
Source: Punch ng

Chibok girls: Bisi Akande reaction irresponsible – Reuben Abati

First, we consider it most unfortunate that the chairman of the APC will use the opportunity of ​the ​situation ​in the country ​namely the abduction of the ​​girls ​of GSSC, Chibok ​to engage in partisan blackmail.
The issue of national security should go beyond partisan politics. This is a very serious moment requiring seriousness. But to reduce all of that to partisan politics is in bad taste, ​irresponsible​ one-upmanship.​ ​
One, Nigeria is not on auto pilot. There is a government in place, there is a President who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He is doing his very best to provide quality leadership and to reassure Nigerians that government stands ready always to defend their best interest.

Nigerian military retracts claim on releases

Kano, Nigeria (CNN) - The Nigerian Defense Ministry retracted Thursday a report that nearly all the 129 girls kidnapped this week from a school by suspected Boko Haram militants had been released.
Amid the "ongoing frantic efforts" of security forces, vigilante groups and hunters to find and free the students, "a report was filed in from the field indicating that a major breakthrough had been recorded in the search," said Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, director of defense information.
"There was no reason to doubt this official channel, hence the information was released to the public immediately. Surprisingly however, the school principal, one of the sources quoted in the report, has denied all that was attributed to her for whatever reasons. This is an unfortunate development indeed."

Helicopters drop arms for insurgents —Borno, Yobe elders

Political and opinion elders in Borno and Yobe states have alleged that helicopters drop arms and ammunition, food and medicine to areas known to be strongholds of the members of the violent Islamic sect,  Boko Haram, in the North-East. They said the authorities in the states could not claim ignorance of the development and that it was a bad omen if a convoy of about 20 to 30 Toyota Hilux vehicles could move freely without being detected despite the curfew in place.

Sambisa: Hundreds of terrorists killed, 20 soldiers missing

No fewer than an estimated 2,000 insurgents were killed in a combined operation by Special Forces and the men of the Air Force on Friday and Saturday in the volatile Sambisa Forest of Borno State, which has become a prominent hideout of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

What would have been a great victory for the Special Forces was, however, marred by an operational misunderstanding between the ground troops and the officers in the Air Force Alpha Jet.

Army kills 11 B’Haram members, arrests 31

The Special Forces have arrested 31 fighters of the Boko Haram Sect who were attempting to flee the country through Taraba State and Gumti in Adamawa State into Cameroon.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said in an electronic mail on Thursday that one of those arrested was a mercenary claiming to be a citizen of Chad and Burkinafaso.

Olukolade also said that 11 insurgents were also killed during shootouts with troops in the  border communities.

He said that the terrorists who were involved in the encounter with the Special Forces were trapped and were forced out of their hideout by hunger.

Our ordeal in B’Haram’s den –Female abductees

Two women abducted by Boko Haram insurgents  in the North-East have given a rare account of life as captives.

While one who  was held captive for 15 days, said she had a marriage proposal from one of the Islamist militants, the other said she was almost turned into a killer.

“They asked me if I am Christian or Muslim. I said I am a Christian,” said 23-year-old Liatu, as she recounted her ordeal   in the hands of Boko Haram members to theBritish Broadcasting Corporation.

“On the 11th day (in captivity), they brought a man to me and said that he liked me and that  I should convert to Islam so that he can marry me,” she added in the report published by the BBC on Monday.

Army captures Boko Haram armoury, kills 10

Special Forces captured a massive armoury with arms and ammunition in one of the camps of Boko Haram insurgents near Lake Chad.
This was contained in an electronic mail sent to journalists on Saturday by the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen Chris Olukolade.
Olukolade said the Special Forces captured the large cache of arms and ammunition from a dump in one of the camps of the insurgents on Friday night.
He said the arms and ammunition were still being evacuated from the site where several of the insurgents were said to have died during the raid.

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CALLS FOR MORE COOPERATION FROM NIGERIA’S NEIGHBOURS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

PRESIDENT JONATHAN CALLS FOR MORE COOPERATION FROM NIGERIA'S NEIGHBOURS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Friday in Abuja called for greater cooperation between Nigeria and neighbouring countries in the fight against terrorism.

Speaking at an audience with a Special Envoy of President Paul Biya of Cameroon, Mr. Emmanuel Sadi Rene who delivered a special message from the Cameroonian leader, President Jonathan said that Boko Haram and other criminal groups that operate in the countries' border regions must be seen as a common threat to them all.

The President said that Nigeria and its neighbours must take urgent action to harmonise their strategies and efforts to roll-back the menace of Boko Haram and other violent criminal gangs that operate between their borders.

"The issue of Boko Haram remains worrisome. If it is not properly handled, it could affect the security of neighbouring countries. We therefore expect maximum cooperation from all countries within our region to rout the sect," President Jonathan told Mr. Rene who is Cameroon's Minister of Interior.

Mr. Rene had conveyed President Biya's assurance to President Jonathan that Cameroon was committed to cooperating fully with Nigeria to combat all forms of terrorism and cross-border criminality.

He also assured President Jonathan that the Cameroonian Government will never allow its territory to become a safe haven for terrorists or a base for the destabilization of Nigeria.

Reuben Abati
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
March 14, 2014

Suicide bomber kills 30 in Maiduguri

This year’s Eid Malud Festival was marred in Maiduguri, Borno State  by a  bomb blast  at the busy Post Office Roundabout   in Maiduguri, Borno State on Tuesday.

A lone suicide bomber, believed to be a member of the Islamist militant sect, Boko Haram, carried out the attack which eye witnesses  said   left no fewer than 30 people dead and about 50 others injured.

The attack which occurred at about seven hours after eight people  died   in an   accident  on  the Osara-Okene Express Road, Kogi State, sparked protests by youths, who  alleged that  it  was traceable to politicians.