Nigeria military kills 16 civilians in air strike 'mistake'

At least 16 civilians in Nigeria's north-western Zamfara State have been killed in a military air strike, apparently after being mistaken for criminal gangs.

Residents told local media the victims were members of local vigilante groups and civilians defending themselves from armed gangs notorious for kidnapping people for ransom.

The strikes targeted militant gangs in Zurmi and Maradun areas and the state governor, Dauda Lawal, offered his condolences to the community.

The military has acknowledged conducting air strikes, which it said had dealt "a decisive blow to bandits terrorising villages in the area".

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it was investigating "reports of vigilante losses".

"While the operation successfully eliminated several bandits and led to the recovery of some kidnap victims, the NAF views with grave concern reports of the loss of civilian lives in the course of the operation," it said in a statement.

It said an ongoing "comprehensive investigation" would ascertain the truth of the matter, which would be "communicated to inform and reassure the public".

The AFP news agency quoted a local as saying that the civilians were returning to their villages after chasing away bandits when they were bombed.

The villagers "recovered 16 bodies from the attacks and took several other people with severe injuries to the hospital", Sa'idu Ibrahim was quoted as saying.

Rights group Amnesty International Nigeria put the death toll at 20 and said dozens of others were injured in the attack on Tunga Kara village, and called on authorities to "immediately and impartially" investigate the incident.

"Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone's standard. Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military's shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect," it said in a statement.

In recent years, Nigeria's security forces have been fighting powerful criminal gangs, known as bandits, who have been terrorising north-west and central states. The bandits raid villages, burn homes and kill and abduct residents for ransom.

Several accidental air strikes have occurred in recent months including a Christmas Day attack that killed at least 10 civilians in neighbouring Sokoto state.

In 2023, at least 85 civilians, mostly women and children, attending a Muslim religious gathering at a village in Kaduna state were killed after they were mistaken for bandits.

In January 2017, at least 112 people were killed when a jet struck a camp housing 40,000 people who had been displaced by jihadist violence in a town near the Cameroonian border.

By Basillioh Rukanga in Nairobi & Nkechi Ogbonna, BBC

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Video - Nigerian Air Force accidentally bombs refugee camp - 52 dead

Military drones deployed as Nigeria loses billions to oil theft gangs

Oil exports make up 80 percent of Nigeria’s revenue, with current production at 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd), placing the country among the world's largest oil producers.

The Niger Delta, where most of the country’s oil is extracted, has long been a hotspot for illegal refineries and theft, costing Nigeria millions each month.

Chief of defence staff General Christopher Musa said security forces have been relying on technology, in land and air operations, to monitor and protect the region.

“We have drones and helicopters that fly [over], [and] patrols that go on water,” Musa said.

The government has also been tackling illegal operations that, in 2022, cost an estimated $23 million per day, according to Nigeria's Senate. Losses continued into 2023, with $1.43 billion reported in the first quarter alone.

The country suffers frequent blackouts due to load shedding – the interruption of the electricity supply to avoid excessive load on its electricity plants.

"We have the challenge of energy security in Nigeria... We must increase electricity generation and distribution throughout the country," President Bola Tinubu said in June 2024.

"As a nation, it is so shameful that we are still generating 4.5 gigawatts of electricity."

Institutional criminality

“The issue of theft would have been far more successfully tackled decades ago, had so many people not been profiting from it," said Jon Marks, editorial director of energy consultancy and news service African Energy.

He told RFI that criminality has become embedded in Nigeria's regional and national politics, as well as its business world.

“Oil theft has become institutionalised, with gangs tapping into pipes and often exporting via small ships that offload to bigger ships. This has been achieved by local gangs becoming very powerful, but even more so by the connivance of local politicians and the military – who, in turn, have become very rich."

He believes that nothing much has changed since a 2013 report by think tank Chatham House, carried out under Goodluck Jonathan’s presidency, which concluded that no concerted action against illegal oil operations could be expected soon.

Change within the military

“The big potential change under Tinubu – who desperately needs more formal revenue for an ailing economy – comes with changes within the army. He has appointed new top brass, more in tune with his thinking and factional alliances," added Marks.

In June 2023, following a meeting with Tinubu, Asari Dokubo, Ijaw leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, declared that: "The military is at the centre of oil theft in Nigeria."

Prominent Nigerian businessman Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings and a member of the Presidential Economic Coordination Council, has also chimed in, saying that the government should be able to tell Nigerians who is stealing the country’s crude oil. “Our security agencies should tell us who is stealing our oil. You bring vessels into our territorial waters, and we don’t know?"

Foreign interference

According to Marks, the authorities may be “looking the other way” because they are in on the deal. He also claims that the Russians too have become involved in the oil theft business.

“By providing more ships, the Russian shadow fleet and other players – who use unregistered carriers – transport illegally obtained crude oil offshore where bigger ships wait to pick it up,” he said.

Any action taken by Tinubu and the military chiefs he has recently appointed may be limited, Marks argued, by their concern not to upset existing power balances within Nigeria, where powerful factions would suffer from any disturbance to the oil theft business, and other sectors where reform is vital.

By Zeenat Hansrod, rfi

Related story: Nigeria to begin using drones to combat oil theft

Nigeria receives China-made armed reconnaissance drones

Nigeria probes Christmas Day airstrike that killed 10

Nigerian authorities in northwest Sokoto state launched a probe Thursday into a Christmas Day airstrike by the military that killed at least 10 people.

Sokoto Governor Ahmed Aliyu said in a statement he's in talks with the Nigerian Army to ensure a thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the airstrike on early Wednesday.

The military said in a statement Wednesday it was targeting the terror group Lakurawa in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa, but Aliyu said the attack “claimed the lives of innocent citizens.” State authorities said 10 people were killed and many others injured.

Aliyu extended his condolences to the victims' families and pledged to support them with cash and food.

The incident is the latest in a series of accidental strikes in recent years, raising concerns among human rights groups, including Amnesty International.

"This is yet another sign that the Nigerian military has not changed, and they have not learned a lesson from previous airstrikes that killed civilians,” said Isa Sanusi, Amnesty’s country director in Nigeria. “I believe that they have to review their procedures, they have to investigate these incidents thoroughly, and they have to find a way to end this reckless deadly use of force.

The military said that it did not target civilians and that it took necessary measures to avoid such accidents.

The Nigerian Air Force said it will investigate.

Nigeria has been waging deadly wars against terrorists, armed gangs and separatists for years, but accidents have been recurring.

Last December, a military airstrike that hit Tudun Biri village in northern Kaduna state killed more than 120 people.

In September, another airstrike in Kaduna killed 24 people.

Nigerian authorities have promised to be more cautious, but in a Christmas broadcast, Nigerian Air Staff Chief Hassan Abubakar said, "To every member of the Nigerian Air Force family, I want to especially thank you for your unwavering dedication, resilience and sacrifice in service of our great nation. Your commitment and professionalism have been instrumental in ensuring the security and stability of our beloved country."

In November, Nigerian authorities announced the emergence of the Lakurawa sect in the northwest and said security forces were tracking the group's activities.

By Timothy Obiezu, VOA

Nigeria rights body to present findings on abortion allegations against military

Nigeria's human rights commission will on Friday deliver its findings from an investigation into Reuters reports, which found the military ran a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme and massacred children in its fight against Islamist insurgents in the northeast.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which is appointed by the government, established a special panel in February 2023 to investigate the findings published by Reuters and conducted hearings in the capital Abuja and northeastern Borno state.

The Nigerian military denied the findings in the news agency's reports.

The NHRC on Thursday sent invitations to the media saying the panel was ready to present its findings and recommendations to the public in Abuja.

In advance of the Friday session, Reuters was unable to independently establish what the report will conclude.

Obinna Jude Nwakonye, NHRC head of corporate affairs who signed the invitations, did not immediately respond to calls for further comment about the commission's findings.

In the past, some rights activists have accused the NHRC of failing to hold the government to account, citing the agency's inability to secure prosecution of senior Nigerian officials accused of rights abuses – a lack of accountability underscored in United Nations and U.S. State epartment reports.

However, the commission also has previously presented hard hitting reports against the government.
In October 2020, thousands of protesters successfully demanded the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit, members of which the NHRC found had extorted, tortured and killed civilians.

That same month, the army and police opened fire on protesters in Lagos, killing at least 11 people, according to a state judicial panel that the NHRC helped set up.

The government rejected the panel's report, citing errors and insufficient evidence.

Reuters reported in December 2022, based on dozens of witness accounts and documentation, that the military abortion programme involved terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls, many of whom had been kidnapped and raped by Islamist militants.

In another Reuters report, more than 40 soldiers and civilians told the news agency they witnessed the Nigerian military kill children or saw children's corpses after a military operation.

Two decades ago, an Islamist fundamentalist movement, Boko Haram, was born in Nigeria's northeast.
In 2009, the killing of its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, by Nigerian police spurred its transformation into an armed insurgency that the Nigerian military has been fighting.

Boko Haram gained global notoriety in 2014 for the abduction of 276 secondary school girls in the town of Chibok, a raid that prompted the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Some of the girls have never been returned.

Although weakened by the military and internal divisions that splintered the group in 2016, Boko Haram remains a threat as it launches deadly attacks against civilians and government targets.
Tens of thousands of women and children have been sucked into the conflict, with some recruited into the insurgency's ranks and others forced to become fighters and suicide bombers, according to human rights groups and academics. 

By Camillus Eboh, Reuters

Related story: Nigeria government denies Reuters report of mass ‘abortion programme’ of Boko Haram victims

Nigeria s Chief of Army Staff passes away

The Chief of Army Staff, Taoreed Lagbaja, is dead. He was 56.

Mr Lagbaja, a lieutenant general, died in Lagos after a brief illness, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga wrote in a Wednesday morning statement.


“He passed away on Tuesday night in Lagos after a period of illness.

“President Tinubu expresses his heartfelt condolences to the family and the Nigerian Armed Forces during this difficult time. He wishes Lt. General Lagbaja eternal peace and honours his significant contributions to the nation,” Mr Onanuga wrote.

He was rumoured dead two weeks ago but the Defence Headquarters debunked the news, explaining that he was on leave.

A week after the rumoured death, PREMIUM TIMES reported that President Bola Tinubu appointed Olufemi Oluyede, a major general, as acting chief of army staff.

On Tuesday, Mr Oluyede was decorated with the new rank of lieutenant-general, an indication he is set to be made substantive army chief.

Lagbaja’s background

Mr Lagbaja was appointed as the army chief by President Tinubu on 19 June 2023

He was born on 28 February 1968, in Ilobu, Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State. He lived his early life in Osogbo where he attended St Charles Grammar School and Local Authority Teachers College.

He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in 1987 as a member of the 39th Regular Course. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 19th September 1992 into the Nigerian Infantry Corps.

Between 1992 and 1995, Mr Lagbaja was platoon commander of the 93 Battalion. From 1995 to 2001, he was platoon commander of 72 Special Forces Battalion. In 2001, he obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from the Nigerian Defence Academy. He studied Strategic Studies at the US Army War College at the Master’s level.

He was an instructor at Nigerian Defence Academy between 2001 and 2004. He was a Grade 2 Staff Officer in charge of peacekeeping at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations. Then he was a Directing Staff at Armed Forces Command and Staff College from 2006 – 2009.

By 2009, he became Deputy Chief of Staff G1 at Headquarters 81 Division and subsequently, he became Commanding Officer at 72 Special Forces Battalion Makurdi from 2012 to 2013 and 2014 to 2015.

In 2016, he was named the Chief of Staff at Headquarters 8 Task Force Division, Monguno. He served as Director of Operations at the Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations from January – December 2018. He was a Commander of Headquarters 9 Brigade, Ikeja, Lagos State and Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Before he was appointed as army chief, Mr Lagbaja was General Officer Commanding Headquarters 82 Division from March 2021 – August 2022 and Headquarters 1 Division – from August 2022 – June 2023.

Earlier in 2008, he attended the Military Observers Course on Peacekeeping Wing at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry Jaji (February – May 2008) and ECOWAS Standby Force Battalion Command Post Course – Peacekeeping Centre, Bamako, Mali – (June – August 2010).

He started his career as a second lieutenant and died as a lieutenant general, a rank he attained in September 2019

Mr Lagbaja participated in Operation HARMONY IV in Bakassi Peninsula; United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC); Operation ZAKI Internal Security Operation in Benue State; Operation LAFIYA DOLE; Operation MESA/Operation UDO KA – March 2021 – August 2022 – Internal Security Operation in South-east Nigeria (Anambra/Abia/Ebonyi/Enugu and Imo States); and Operation FOREST SANITY – Aug 2022 to 2023 – Internal Security Operation in Kaduna/Niger states.

The deceased was married to Mariya Abiodun-Lagbaja and their marriage was blessed with two children.

Mr Lagbaja is not the first army chief to die while in office.

In 2021, Ibrahim Attahiru, a lieutenant general and then chief of army staff died in a Kaduna-bound plane crash. Mr Attahiru died alongside 10 other military officers and crew.

Premium Times

Nigeria military says dozens of militia group leaders killed over past three months

Nigeria's military has killed dozens of leaders of armed militia groups and hundreds of fighters across the country following a renewed offensive in the third quarter of the year, a spokesperson said on Thursday.

Nigeria faces widespread insecurity including a 15-year Islamist insurgency in its northeast, separatist violence in the southeast, rampant oil theft in the Niger River delta and kidnapping for ransom by criminal gangs, known locally as bandits, in the northwest.

Military spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba said "troops offensive actions culminated in the neutralization of 65 notable terrorist leaders, commanders and combatants across all theaters of operations."

"Overall, in the third quarter of this year, troops neutralized 1,937 terrorists, arrested 2,782 suspected terrorists and other criminal elements as well as rescued 1,854 hostages," Buba said in a statement.

The fatalities include members of Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, and different amorphous bandit groups. Among those killed was Halilu Sububu, who was declared wanted by the military in 2022 with a bounty of five million naira, Buba said.

Earlier in September, Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu ordered the minister of defense and top military chiefs to relocate to the northwestern Sokoto, one of the worst-hit states, to combat insecurity.

Since then, the military has stepped up actions against armed groups intensifying air bombardment and land operations.

By Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Nigeria announces plans to acquire 50 military aircraft

The Nigerian air force said Tuesday it will acquire 50 new aircraft to strengthen its capabilities against armed gangs and terrorists in northwest Nigeria.

Nigerian Chief of Air Staff Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar made the announcement at the opening of new military facilities, including two aircraft hangars in northwest Katsina state.

Abubakar said the aircraft would include 12 AH-1 attack helicopters, 24 M-346 combat planes, 12 AW109 multipurpose helicopters and a pair of Casa 295 transport aircraft. He did not disclose the cost, nor did he say who would provide the aircraft.

He said Nigeria is expected to receive them by next year.

The aircraft will be used to bolster offensives against jihadist groups and armed gangs that have terrorized northwest and central states in recent years, Abubakar said.

But security analyst Mike Ejiofor says acquiring 50 aircraft is overambitious and possibly misdirected.

"I know it will bolster the fight against terrorism, but I believe that we should concentrate more on land than air. We're not at war,” Ejiofor said.

The money, he said, should “have been channeled to training and provision of welfare for the ground troops. I think we would've achieved more results."

Abubakar’s announcement came as Kaduna state authorities announced Tuesday a partnership with the military to set up three new operational fronts within the state.

Kaduna state Governor Uba Sani said, "We concluded with the military to set up forward-operating bases in southern Kaduna, and another one in the Giwa and Birnin-Gwari axis. All the arrangements are being concluded."

The Nigerian air force came under heavy criticism in December after more than 80 people were killed and dozens wounded during an airstrike in Kaduna state that was intended to target gangs.

Nigerian authorities have promised to operate with more precision to avoid future accidents.

Nigerian Chief of Defense Staff General Christopher Musa told journalists in Abuja, "The armed forces of Nigeria are highly professional. We're here to protect innocent citizens, not to harm them. Whatever it was that happened there was a mistake, but we're addressing such issues."

Ejiofor said authorities should focus more on boosting the ability of the air force to gather and process accurate information about the activities of armed groups.

"These strikes are intelligence-driven, so we must get the intelligence before they're guided to the areas,” he said. “I think what we should've done is to deploy more drones that will be sending this data."

By Timothy Obiezu, VOA 

Related story: Analysts Doubt Boost in Military Spending in Nigeria will Improve Security

Video - Over 350 abductees rescued in Nigeria’s Borno state

Some of those rescued were kidnapped 10 years ago. Most of the victims were women and children.

CGTN

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Army in Nigeria tries two of its personnel over deadly drone strike accident

Five months after admitting to killing 85 civilians in an airstrike, the Nigerian army has brought those it holds accountable to book.

The Director of Defence Media Operations announced on Thursday (May 2nd) that two military personnel were facing a court martial.

An army drone strike accidentally hit Tudun Biri village, in northwestern Nigeria on December 3rd, last year.

Civilians celebrated a Muslim festival at the time.

Major General Edward Buba told reporters in Abuja that the victims had been mistaken for terrorists.

He added the army initiated disciplinary action against those culpable following what he called a painstaking investigation.

The accused are to face a court martial for acts of ommission or commission.

Major General Buba did not provide further information.

Nigeria's armed forces often rely on air strikes in their battle against so-called bandit militias in the northwest and northeast of the country where jihadists have been waging a 14-year conflict.

Africa News 

Related news: Accidental Military drone strikes kill dozens in Nigeria

 

 

Video - Over 200 abducted schoolchildren and staff freed in Nigeria

More 200 pupils and staff abducted by gunmen from a school in northern Nigeria were released, just over two weeks after they were kidnapped from the town of Kuriga in Kaduna State. The Kaduna governor said the country's National Security Adviser had coordinated the release but gave no further details. Gunmen had last week demanded a ransom of 690,000 U.S. dollars for the release of the missing children and staff.

CGTN

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Nigerian army rescues kidnapped Kaduna students

The Nigerian army on Sunday rescued students and staff who were abducted by gunmen from a school in the country's north earlier this month, the military said, days before the deadline for a ransom payment.

School officials and residents had said 287 students were taken on March 7 in the town of Kuriga in the northwestern state of Kaduna. A military spokesperson said 137 hostages - 76 of them female and 61 male - were rescued in the early hours of Sunday in neighbouring state of Zamfara.

"In the early hours of 24 March 2024, the military working with local authorities and government agencies across the country in a coordinated search and rescue operation rescued the hostages," Major General Edward Buba said in a statement.

A security source said the students had been freed in a forest and were being escorted to Kaduna's capital for medical tests before being reunited with their families.

Kaduna Governor Uba Sani earlier put the number of kidnapped at over 200. Given the discrepancies in numbers reported, it was unclear if any hostages remained captured. Some Kuriga elders said Sani had told them all hostages had been freed.

Jibrin Aminu, a spokesperson for the Kuriga parents, said he would clarify numbers on Monday when families had been given the chance to "take account of their kidnapped children."

The rescue took place just days before a deadline to pay a 1 billion naira ($690,000) ransom for their release.

Abductions at Nigerian schools were first carried out by jihadist group Boko Haram, which seized 276 students from a girls' school in Chibok in northeastern Borno State a decade ago. Some of the girls have never been released.

But since then the tactic has been adopted by criminal gangs without ideological affiliation.
Kidnappings by criminal gangs demanding ransoms have become an almost daily occurrence, especially in northern Nigeria, tearing apart families and communities that must pool savings to pay ransoms, often forcing them to sell land, cattle and grain to secure the release of their loved ones.

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters 

Related stories: Nigerian Troops Rescue 16 Abductees in Kaduna

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kidnappers say they will kill all 287 school if $622,000 ransom not paid

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Gunmen abduct 287 students in northwestern Nigeria in latest school attack

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Nigerian Troops Rescue 16 Abductees in Kaduna

Nigeria’s military on Tuesday said troops have rescued 16 abductees in northwest Kaduna state after exchanging fire with insurgents who attacked a local community on Sunday night — one of two kidnap attacks in the area over the weekend.

According to a military statement posted on X, troops responded to a tip about the operation Sunday night of nonstate armed groups in the Tantatu community in Kajuru district.

The military said the attackers had taken several hostages before they arrived, exchanged fire with them and saved 16 of the abductees.

According to local media reports, 87 people, including women and children, went missing from the Sunday attack — barely 24 hours after gunmen captured 16 people from their homes in Dogon Noma, another community in Kajuru.

The army said troops are still searching the forests for missing people. The latest string of kidnappings in Nigeria in recent weeks is stoking fears of rising insecurity.

Security analyst Chidi Omeje says worsening economic problems and lack of governance in remote areas are to blame.

"These guys are becoming more audacious because they see the window of opportunity, and they're just exploiting it,” Omeje said. “It's very obvious that the response of the security government and security agencies are not effective enough to contain these infractions. But these are just the symptoms. The real issue here is the growing poverty and despondency in the people."

The deterioration of security in Africa's largest country comes amid a worsening economic crisis.

Kaduna state has been a hot spot of recent incidents. Just over a week ago, 287 school students were abducted in the state, and days later, another 61 residents were also kidnapped.

The latest incidents prompted authorities last week to order the establishment of a mobile police force base in the state.

But security analyst Kabir Adamu said what is needed the most is a change of strategy.

"There are gaps within the security architecture,” Adamu said. “The farther away you go from the city center, the bigger the gaps. It shows clearly that protection, especially in the rural areas, is almost nonexistent for the dwellers."

Kaduna is home to many military training institutions and installations.

Omeje said authorities need to revise the deployment of police officers to where they're needed the most. He said that there are many ungoverned areas while 60% of the nation’s police are devoted to VIP protection.

“Ten percent or so are in administration in the offices, then you're left with about 30% doing the real policing work,” Omeje said. “We have to be intentional about going back to the normal internal security structure."

President Bola Tinubu, who is implementing bold economic reforms, vowed last year to address insecurity if he was elected president.

On March 14, 16 soldiers, including high ranking officers, were killed and decapitated in southern Delta state. They were on a mission to quell conflict between two communities in the Bomadi region.

The Nigerian military has launched an investigation.

By Timothy Obiezu, VOA

Related stories: Video - Families and victims in Nigeria reeling from impact of kidnappings

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Nigeria military denies reprisal attack after 16 troops killed

Men in army uniform ransacked and burned homes in Nigeria's oil-producing Delta state days after youths killed 16 soldiers sent there to resolve a land dispute, residents said, but the defence chief denied military involvement.

Residents said soldiers attacked the riverside Okuoma community of a few hundred people on Sunday while looking for those responsible for Thursday's killings.

Tam Oburumu, who fled from his home, said uniformed men were going around looking for weapons and ransacked houses before torching them.

"The damage for now is huge, a lot of houses were burned,"

Oburumu said by phone from a nearby village where he has sought refuge.

Government-owned properties, including a primary school and hospital, were spared, residents said.

President Bola Tinubu said he had given the military full authority to hunt down those responsible for killing the soldiers, which he described as an "unconscionable crime against the Nigerian people".

But defence chief General Christopher Musa denied that soldiers had attacked the community.

"No reprisals by the army. We are searching for the murderers and their weapon cache," Musa said in a text message to Reuters.

There are frequent, sometimes deadly, clashes over land or over compensation for oil spills by energy companies in many Delta state communities.

Friday Addy, a trader in Okuoma, said she and her mother had left their home when soldiers arrived.

"The people have fled for their lives, and many are missing and we cannot locate them. We are helpless," said Addy.

By Tife Owolabi and Ope Adetayo, Reuters

Military in Nigeria kill 213 terrorists, apprehend 283 others

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said Nigerian troops killed at least 213 terrorists and arrested 283 others in different theatres of operation across the country in the last week.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Edward Buba, disclosed this while giving an update on the operations of the armed forces on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Buba, a major general, said the troops within the period also apprehended 67 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 26 kidnapped hostages.


He said they also recovered 189 assorted weapons and 4,003 assorted ammunition comprising 111 AK47 rifles, G3 rifles, 31 locally fabricated guns, five pump action guns, automatic pump action guns, and 26 Dane guns among others.

He said that other weapons recovered included 2,766 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 982 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 240 live cartridges, 2 shotgun cartridges, 13 rounds of 9mm ammo, and 36 empty cases of 7.62mm ammo.

Other items according to him, are 38 magazines, three G3 magazines, eight vehicles, 44 motorcycles, 19 mobile phones, four bicycles, rifle butt, rifle stock and the sum of N628,000 amongst other items.

In the North-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai, eliminated 70 terrorists and arrested 23 BH/ISWAP terrorists as well as recovered one G3 rifle, 50 AK47 rifles, 1,012 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 243 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 13 motorcycles, 10 bicycles amongst others.

He said that a total of 472 ISWAP/JAS terrorists fighters and their families comprising 26 adult males, 146 adult females and 300 children surrendered to troops within the theatre of operations.

According to him, the air component neutralised several ISWAP/JAS terrorists and destroyed their logistics within the Southern Tumbuns.

In the North-central, Mr Buba said the troops of Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke killed nine insurgents and arrested 18 violent extremists within the week.

He said the troops also recovered several arms, ammunition and other items.

In the North-west, he said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji killed 26 terrorists and rescued 15 kidnapped hostages during the week.

He said the air component had on 5 March knocked out terrorists’ commanders and their foot soldiers hibernating in Southern Tsaskiya, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State.

According to him, the Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were killed and their structures destroyed.

“Similarly, on March 6, following credible intelligence and confirmatory ISR the air component in multiple passes conducted air interdiction at terrorists’ commander Alhaji Nashama’s and Jammo Smally’s enclaves in Birnin Magaji and Maradun Local Government Areas of Zamfara.

“The locations were thoroughly scanned and observed to be active with terrorists’ activities and attacked with rockets and cannons.

“Battle Damage Assessment revealed that several terrorists were neutralized and their structures destroyed,” he said.

Mr Buba added that troops of Operation Whirl Punch killed 17 insurgents, arrested 42 violent extremists/terrorists and rescued nine kidnapped hostages.

He said the air component also conducted air interdiction at terrorists’ commander Alhaji Labi’s enclave in Gaude Forest, Kaduna State following confirmation of resurgence of terrorists at the location.

He said soldiers attacked the location killing several terrorists and destroying their logistics.

In the South-south, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation Delta Safe discovered and destroyed 45 illegal refining sites with 150 dugout pits, 30 boats, 73 storage tanks, 209 drums and 15 vehicles.

According to him, other items recovered include 105 cooking ovens, three pumping machines, two outboard engines, one tricycle and four motorcycles.

He added that the troops recovered 1.2 million litres of stolen crude oil, 313,780 litres of illegally refined AGO and 13,000 litres of PMS during the week.

In the South-east, Mr Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA killed 26 terrorists and recovered three G3 rifles, 12 AK47 rifles, one fabricated gun, two pump action guns, automatic pump action guns, RPG bombs and 269 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo.

Other items recovered are 216 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 172 live cartridges, eight IEDs (OGBUNIGWE), four AK47 magazines, three G3 magazines and three motorcycles amongst other items.

“All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action,” he said.

Premium Times

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Military of Nigeria attempting to cover up mass killing of civilians

The Nigerian authorities must promptly, thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate the killing of more than 120 civilians in two military air strikes on Sunday, instead of engaging in attempts to cover up the crime, said Amnesty International Nigeria.

At around 10pm on 3 December, the Nigerian military launched an air strike on a religious gathering at Tudun Biri – a village near Kaduna northern Nigeria. A second air strike was launched around 30 minutes later, killing dozens, including those who rushed to the scene to rescue victims of the initial strike.

The Nigerian military has since put out two contradictory explanations. An initial statement by the Nigerian army in Kaduna said the air strike was a mistake. This was followed by a statement from Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters claiming that suspected bandits had embedded with civilians.

The victims were buried in two mass graves on 4 December 2023.

“The Nigerian military’s recklessness is a result of the authorities’ consistent failure to hold them to account for a long list of such atrocities. These unlawful killings of civilians cannot be swept under the carpet,” said Isa Sanusi Director Amnesty International Nigeria.

“The President Bola Tinubu administration must promptly set up an independent inquiry into Tudun Biri village air strike and, where these investigations indicate criminal responsibility, ensure that those suspected to be responsible are brought to justice in fair trials. Victims and their families must be provided with access to justice and effective remedies.”

Amnesty International found that 77 people were buried in one of the two mass graves and over 17 people from nearby village who attended the religious ceremony were also buried. Dozens severely injured are currently receiving treatment at Kaduna’s main hospital.

“The contradictory explanations offered by the Nigerian military so far show their complete disregard for civilian lives and suggest attempts by the authorities to cover-up these grave human rights violations. Air strikes with deadly consequences for civilians are becoming routine. This is completely unacceptable,” said Isa Sanusi

On 18 December 2022 an air strike by the Nigerian Air Force killed 64 people in Mutumji village in Zamfara state. On 24 January 2023 a military air strike killed more than 40 herders in Doma region of Nasarawa state. And, in January 2023, dozens of vigilantes were killed by a military air strike in Galadima Kogo in Niger state, central Nigeria.

The Nigerian military has consistently failed to thoroughly, independently, impartially, transparently and effectively investigate these incidents.

“The Nigerian authorities’ persistent failure to hold the military to account is encouraging impunity and increasingly endangering the lives of the civilians the military is supposed to be protecting. The result is that the military is routinely carrying out air strikes that end up killing civilians,” said Isa Sanusi

This is the deadliest air strike since the 2017 air strike on Rann village which killed 115 civilians.

Amnesty International

Related story: Accidental Military drone strikes kill dozens in Nigeria

Accidental Military drone strikes kill dozens in Nigeria

At least 85 civilians were killed when an army drone attack erroneously targeted a religious gathering in northwest Nigeria, officials confirmed Tuesday, as the president ordered an investigation into the latest in a series of such deadly mistakes in Nigeria’s conflict zones.

The strike took place Sunday night in Kaduna state’s Tudun Biri village while residents observed the Muslim holiday marking the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, government officials said. The military believed it was “targeting terrorists and bandits,” officials said.

At least 66 people also were injured in the attack, the National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement. Eighty-five bodies, including of children, women and the elderly, have been buried so far, as a search continues for any additional victims, the agency said.

Nigeria’s army chief, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, apologized for the drone strike during a visit to the village Tuesday and said it had been carried out “based on the observation of some tactics usually employed by bandits.”

“Unfortunately, the reports we got revealed it was innocent civilians that the drone conducted a strike on,” Lagbaja said.

Since 2017, some 400 civilians have been killed by airstrikes that the military said were targeting armed groups in the deadly security crisis in the country’s north, according to the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence security firm.

“The incidence of miscalculated airstrikes is assuming a worrisome dimension in the country,” said Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria’s former vice-president and the main opposition presidential candidate in this year’s election.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered “a thorough and full-fledged investigation into the incident.” However, such investigations and their outcomes are often shrouded in secrecy.

Nigeria’s military often conducts air raids as it fights the extremist violence and rebel attacks that have destabilized Nigeria’s north for more than a decade, often leaving civilian casualties in its wake, including in January when dozens were killed in Nasarawa state and in December 2022 when dozens also died in Zamfara state.

Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, a spokesman for Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters, said in a statement Tuesday that terror suspects often “deliberately embed themselves within civilian population centers,” though he wasn’t speaking specifically about Sunday’s holiday gathering.

Analysts have in the past raised concerns about the lack of collaboration among Nigerian security agencies as well as the absence of due diligence in some of their special operations in conflict zones.

One major concern has been the proliferation of drones within Nigerian security agencies such that “there is no guiding principle one when these can be used,” according to Kabir Adamu, the founder of Beacon Consulting, a security firm based in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

“The military sees itself as a little bit over and above civilian accountability as it were,” Adamu said.

In the incident in Nasarawa in January, when 39 people were killed, the Nigerian air force “provided little information and no justice” over the incident, Human Rights Watch said.

Such incidents are enabled by a lack of punishment for erring officers or agencies, according to Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s director in Nigeria.

“The Nigerian military is taking lightly the lack of consequences ... and the civilians they are supposed to protect are the ones paying the price of their incompetence and lack of due diligence,” Sanusi told The Associated Press.

By Chinedu Asadu, AP

Analysts Doubt Boost in Military Spending in Nigeria will Improve Security

Nigerian authorities say national defense, internal security and economic stability are the top priorities in the 2024 budget that President Bola Tinubu delivered to lawmakers on Wednesday.

Improving security is a major challenge for Tinubu's government as it desperately seeks to attract foreign investments to grow the country's struggling economy.

Under the new $35 billion budget, authorities allocated about $4 billion or 12% of the total budget to defense and security — the largest single allocation to any sector.

In his first budget speech since taking office, Tinubu told lawmakers that security is important to safeguard lives, property and investments across the country.

Tinubu said he will overhaul Nigeria's internal security architecture to boost performance operations and achieve better results.

But experts say Nigerian authorities have consistently increased military spending in recent years without making Nigerians safer or more secure.

Kabiru Adamu, an analyst for consulting firm Beacon Security in Abuja, cites the previous budget as an example.

"In the 2023 budget, security enjoyed the largest allocation and in this current budget that is submitted to the National Assembly there's almost about 30% to 40% increase in the provision but unfortunately we haven't seen remarkable improvements to equate this attention the government is giving,” he said. “So, what's the challenge? I think it has to do with accountability and monitoring the performance of the security sector."

Africa's largest economy faces many security problems, including a 14-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast, separatist violence in the south, often deadly clashes between pastoralists and farmers, and proliferation of kidnap-for-ransom gangs in the Northwest and central regions.

Tinubu, who embarked on bold economic reforms including the scrapping of fuel subsidies and removal of foreign exchange restrictions, promised to fix security problems if elected.

But this week, local residents in northwest Zamfara state, said they're still reeling after armed gangs last Friday attacked their villages and kidnapped more than 100 residents.

The gangs are demanding about $236,000 for the captives’ freedom.

Security analyst Senator Iroegbu says corruption is the reason the increased military spending is not yielding results.

"Do they have the capacity to actually maximize this budget?” he asked. “Then the issue of corruption, how's this money expended? Is it rightly used for what's it's supposed to be used for? Then there's the issue of political will and interest of conflict merchants."

In October, Tinubu signed a what he called a performance bond with cabinet members. The agreement allows authorities to review the performance of serving officials and hold those underperforming accountable.

But Adamu says he's worried about one thing.

"What we're hoping is that that [the] performance bond would be implemented in a manner that we will see an improvement in security,” he said. “Security personnel do not willingly submit themselves to civilian administration. I worry a little bit."

Meanwhile, Nigerian authorities predict the economy will grow by 3.76% next year — well above the global average.

In recent weeks, the president has been meeting with foreign officials and business leaders with the aim of attracting more investments to Nigeria. In one notable deal, Saudi Arabia agreed to rehabilitate Nigeria’s non-functioning oil refineries.

Timothy Obiezu, VOA

Two dozen Nigerian soldiers die in air crash and evacuation mission gone awry

At least two dozen Nigerian security operatives have died in total after a helicopter conveying dead and wounded soldiers from an evacuation mission in Niger state, 249km (155 miles) north of Abuja, crashed on Monday.

The evacuation mission had been to retrieve soldiers wounded or killed in an ambush by armed bandits in Chukuba village in the Shiroro local government area of Niger state.

The figures were given by a spokesperson for the Nigerian military, Major General Edward Buba, during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday. He said there were 14 soldiers and seven wounded ones aboard the aircraft when it crashed, alongside two pilots and two crew members.

Buba said an investigation is under way to determine the cause of the crash.

Authorities have yet to disclose the details of the evacuation mission or any more information about the crash, including whether there were any survivors.

“These officers and men were answering the call of duty while on an evacuation mission. In their dedicated service to our beloved country, they paid the ultimate price,” President Bola Tinubu said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We will forever remember them, not just as servicemen, but as national heroes who gave their all for the peace and security of our country,” Tinubu said.

Local news outlet Leadership reported that the helicopter was evacuating the bodies of security operatives killed by bandits before crashing in Chukuba. The newspaper said sources confirmed the armed men carried sophisticated weapons that could bring a helicopter down.

The helicopter took off from Kaduna Airfield to Minna but lost contact with control towers from both Kaduna and Minna, Leadership reported.

Dogo Gide, the notorious leader of a group of bandits that has been a source of terror across parts of northwestern Nigeria bordering the countries of Niger and Chad, has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to Premium Times, another local outlet.

The warlord, an ethnic Fulani from Niger state, has been linked to Ansaru, a faction of Boko Haram that drifted westwards from the restive northeast.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claim at the time of this report. 

Al Jazeera

UK special forces operated covertly in Nigeria for 12 years

The British Special Air Service and the European country’s other special forces have operated clandestinely in Nigeria and 18 other nations over the past 12 years, according to a report by a research organisation, known as Action On Gun Violence, AOAV, accentuated by UK Guardian.

It will be recalled that in 2012, a group of SBS commandos attempted and failed to rescue a Briton and an Italian held by an Islamist group in Nigeria.

The British SAS also operated secretly in Algeria, Estonia, France, Oman, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Cyprus, Pakistan, Somalia, the Philippines, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen and most recently Sudan.

It gives the impression that the prime minister and defence secretary frequently send personnel of the SAS, Special Boat Service, and Special Reconnaissance Regiment on dangerous operations, usually when Britain is not at war, the Guardian UK reported.

Reacting to this yesterday, a security expert , Major Bone Efoziem, retd, described the action as a breach of Nigeria’s sovereignty as a nation and an indication that the security architecture of the country was near zero. .

He said: “It is an indictment, particularly to the government of the day as at the time the opinion was carried out, for two basic reasons. One, the personnel of an international security agency , came into Nigeria unrecognized; two they carried out these operations bearing arms and ammunitions that were basically prohibited; thirdly they operated within a terrain that is within the confines of a territorial integrity of a nation called Nigeria without being identified.”

Also reacting yesterday, former spokesperson of Nigeria Police Force, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, retd, said: “Under international law and diplomacy, every country is a sovereign and if the services – military, paramilitary or even the Police of a country want to carry out an operation in another country, there must be prior approval, certification and cooperation with the country they want to carry out such operation.”

If they do not have that permission, it may amount to evasion and the declaration of war against that country , which they can not fight.”

Retired Colonel Gbolwole Majekodunmi of the NDA Regular Course13 , said in his reaction: “Normally, they can’t come in without authorisation of either of the services. If they came in like that and the government was not aware, the implication is grievous.

”Besides, they would have communication gadgets and their internal agents among NGOs working in the north east. It has a grievous implication in the sense that they will know where our military arsenals are located and may use it against us, especially the Francophone countries surrounding us. They may leak it to their colonial masters.” 

Vanguard

Nigeria set to launch in space additional satellites

Nigeria is poised to take a major step in its security and defense capabilities with the launch of additional military satellites. This development will help to enhance the country’s security posture, allowing for greater surveillance and monitoring of potential threats. The satellites will be able to provide Nigeria with detailed images of its land, seas, and airspace, which will aid in the detection of potential security risks. Additionally, the satellites will be able to detect and track the movement of military vessels, aircraft, and other vehicles, allowing for better coordination between military forces.

The Chief of Defence Space Administration, Air Vice Marshall Ayo Jolasinmi, says Nigeria will soon launch Satellites II and III into space, during a visit to the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd.), in Abuja, Jolasinmi stated that the orbit was working perfectly and that his service would need the support of the ministry to service its frequency.

A statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Mohammad Abdulkadri on Friday read, “The Chief of the Defence Space Administration thanked the minister for approving his appointment and ensuring the timely release of intervention funds which he said was cushioning the effects of the minimal budgetary allocation.

“Jolasinmi said the DSA was better positioned to use Space products with the launch of the first satellite while satellites two and three will be launched soon.

The launch of these satellites will also help to improve communications and coordination between military forces. By providing a secure, reliable link between locations, military personnel will be able to receive and share important information in a timely manner. This will improve the effectiveness of their operations and allow for better decision-making in the face of potential threats. Additionally, the satellites will provide a platform for improved communication between ground forces and the Nigerian government, allowing for better coordination of security-related operations.

Furthermore, the satellites will assist in the identification of potential threats by providing real-time information to Nigerian security forces. The satellites will be able to detect suspicious activities and alert the appropriate personnel, allowing for a swift response to potential threats. Additionally, the satellites will be able to provide images of suspected terrorist camps or hideouts, allowing for more effective counter-terrorism operations.

The launch of these satellites will also help to enhance the Nigerian government’s ability to monitor and respond to natural disasters. The satellites will be able to detect and monitor changes in the environment, alerting the appropriate authorities of any potential threats. This will allow for better preparedness and response to natural disasters, ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian citizens.

Finally, the launch of additional military satellites will help to improve Nigeria’s overall security. By providing real-time monitoring and intelligence, the satellites will enable the Nigerian government to respond swiftly to potential threats, while simultaneously enhancing the country’s ability to protect its citizens. With these satellites in place, Nigeria will be able to stand firm against the threat of terrorism and other forms of violence, ensuring the safety and security of its citizens.

This January, the Federal Government of Nigeria inaugurated an integrated satellite called DELSAT-1 to enhance the operational capacity of the Nigerian armed forces against insecurity.

This will assist in realising the nation’s sectoral strategies that respond to identified threats to Nigeria’s national interests, such as the National Defense Policy, National Counter Terrorism Strategy and the National Policy on Public Safety and Security.

China’s 18-story Long March 3B rocket likely launched DELSAT-1 into space from the Xichang launch base in Sichuan province in southwestern China.

Nigeria’s space ambitions began as early as 2002 when the Assistant General Director of Training and Capacity Building at NASRDA made a presentation paper setting out a 28-year roadmap for the research, developing and launching of satellites from Nigeria by 2030.


A few months after the Nigerian Vice-president Professor Yemi Osinbajo signed the Defense Space Administration Bill into law on February 18, 2017, previously passed by the National Assembly, the Nigerian Military commissioned the Defence Space Administration Office Complex and the Foundation Laying of Defence Cyber Operations Centre, at Obasanjo Space Centre, Abuja.

In 2018, the Nigerian Space Research and Development Agency (NASDRA) – the agency in charge of coordinating all Nigerian space activities claims that its constellation of satellites could be the hub for out-of-space monitoring and tracking of aviation globally. The agency believes that it has the capability to locate any airborne plane within and outside Nigeria.

Recent development includes Nigeria and India signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the exploration of outer space for peaceful purposes.

Both countries agreed to sign a supplemental MoU on partnership in use of geospatial technology between the New Space India Limited (NSIL) under ISRO and the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Development and Connectivity.

By Ekene Lionel, Military Africa

Related story: Artemis Accords signed by Nigeria and Rwanda