Nearly 50 Nigerian parliament members have angrily left the legislature’s lower house after a motion to probe a huge cash arms deal worth $9.3 million with South Africa was blocked.
The Tuesday development came after South African police announced last week that its customs authorities seized cash funds in 100 dollar bills in three suitcases, which arrived on a private jet from Nigeria at Johannesburg’s Lanseria airport earlier in the month.
South African authorities then seized the cash-filled luggage after two Nigerians and an Israeli carrying them did not declare the money, according to local press reports.
The three individuals with the funds, however, were not charged with any wrongdoing by the authorities.
No explanation has been released so far about the Israeli connection to the cash weapons deal, apparently between the Nigerian government and South Africa.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers that stormed out of the parliament chamber were reportedly mostly from opposition parties, accusing the ruling People’s Democratic Party of blocking the motion to probe the arms deal through Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihiodioha.
Ihiodioha has reportedly reasoned that since the weapons deal was an issue of national security, it could not be broached.
This is while the upper chamber of the Nigerian legislature has also summoned the country’s security chiefs over the suspicious arms deal.
However, it is not yet clear whether the security chiefs did in fact appear on Tuesday before the Senate Committee on Defense, which issued its summons last week.
Correspondents say the revelations have shocked many Nigerians and there have been calls for an inquiry.
Meanwhile, PRNigeria, which does communication consultancy for the Nigerian military and enjoys strong links with the country’s security agencies, cited a source as claiming that the money was for a legitimate government transaction to purchase weapons.
PressTV
Related story: $9.3 million in cash seized in South Africa traced to Nigerian intelligence agency
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Nigerian military backtracks on statement of rescuing kidnapped schoolgirls
Nigeria's military has retracted its statement that some of the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok town in April by Islamist militants had been freed.
Army spokesman Major General Chris Olukolade told the BBC there were girls in military custody, but not those from Chibok as originally thought.
More than 200 girls were seized by Boko Haram fighters from a boarding school in the north-eastern Borno state.
It caused worldwide outrage and sparked a social media campaign.
Protests were organised under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, calling on the authorities to do more to free the girls, who had gone to the school in Chibok from surrounding areas to take their final year exams.
Shortly after the abduction, Boko Haram released a video showing more than 100 of them and offering an exchange for prisoners.
In recent days there have been unconfirmed reports that the Nigerian government has been negotiating a deal with Boko Haram to exchange the abducted girls for imprisoned Islamist fighters.
Since a state of emergency was declared in May 2013 in the north-east to end Boko Haram's insurgency, the group's attacks have increased.
Many women and children - including teenage girls - have been taken hostage since then.
Earlier, Gen Olukolade told the BBC there was an ongoing exercise to release the schoolgirls taken from Chibok and that some of them were safe in a military barracks.
But he later called back to retract his statement, saying the authorities were trying to confirm the identities of the girls who are in the custody of the army, but they did not come from Chibok.
Boko Haram's name translates as "Western education is forbidden", and it has carried out raids on schools and colleges, seeing them as a symbol of Western culture.
BBC
Related story: Some of the kidnapped schoolgirls have been rescued by Nigerian army
Army spokesman Major General Chris Olukolade told the BBC there were girls in military custody, but not those from Chibok as originally thought.
More than 200 girls were seized by Boko Haram fighters from a boarding school in the north-eastern Borno state.
It caused worldwide outrage and sparked a social media campaign.
Protests were organised under the hashtag #BringBackOurGirls, calling on the authorities to do more to free the girls, who had gone to the school in Chibok from surrounding areas to take their final year exams.
Shortly after the abduction, Boko Haram released a video showing more than 100 of them and offering an exchange for prisoners.
In recent days there have been unconfirmed reports that the Nigerian government has been negotiating a deal with Boko Haram to exchange the abducted girls for imprisoned Islamist fighters.
Since a state of emergency was declared in May 2013 in the north-east to end Boko Haram's insurgency, the group's attacks have increased.
Many women and children - including teenage girls - have been taken hostage since then.
Earlier, Gen Olukolade told the BBC there was an ongoing exercise to release the schoolgirls taken from Chibok and that some of them were safe in a military barracks.
But he later called back to retract his statement, saying the authorities were trying to confirm the identities of the girls who are in the custody of the army, but they did not come from Chibok.
Boko Haram's name translates as "Western education is forbidden", and it has carried out raids on schools and colleges, seeing them as a symbol of Western culture.
BBC
Related story: Some of the kidnapped schoolgirls have been rescued by Nigerian army
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Some of the kidnapped schoolgirls have been rescued by Nigerian army
Nigeria's military has told the BBC that some of the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok town in April by Islamist militants have been released.
Army spokesman Brig Gen Chris Olukolade did not give details about the number of girls freed, saying the exercise was "ongoing".
More than 200 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram fighters from a boarding school in the north-eastern Born state.
It caused worldwide outrage and sparked a social media campaign.
BBC
Related stories: 11 parents of some of the kidnapped schoolgirls now dead
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan finally meets with parents of kidnapped schoolgirls
Army spokesman Brig Gen Chris Olukolade did not give details about the number of girls freed, saying the exercise was "ongoing".
More than 200 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram fighters from a boarding school in the north-eastern Born state.
It caused worldwide outrage and sparked a social media campaign.
BBC
Related stories: 11 parents of some of the kidnapped schoolgirls now dead
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan finally meets with parents of kidnapped schoolgirls
Nigeria's own Comic-Con celebrates 3 years
The country also boasts a thriving independent press, and internet penetration is rapidly rising as the government pushes out broadband. Books, too, remain popular, led by the public intellectual and Nobel Prize Winner Wole Soyinka and the emergence of the national $100,000 NLNG Nigeria Prize– although a recent decision by the Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to place a crippling tax on imported texts has limited their availability. Piracy is also a problem. On my recent trip to Nigeria, I purchased a few CDs at what appeared to be a fancy music store and they all turned out to be pirated, and even the distributors of Nollywood films pirate the films they are supposed to be selling.
The comics scene in Nigeria has been thriving since the 1980s, but has yet to burst into the mainstream. There are tastes of what may soon emerge as youth in Nigeria fully embrace the internet—check out this sci-fi short on YouTube here, which includes an animated spaceship—but comics are still an emerging industry. On Friday, the third annual Lagos Comic Con will launch in the commercial capital of 20 million people. I corresponded with comics creator and co-founder Ayodele Elegba about the event, where we wrote about attractions, popular comics, Ebola, and cosplay.
Q: How did the Lagos Comicon get started?
Elegba: The Lagos Comic Con began in 2012 when I realized that the comic medium was not appreciated by the Nigerian public like it used to be in the 80s while I was growing up. I had previously published a newsletter to raise awareness about the scene but the response was low and people kept asking me where they could get comic books and if there were comics created by Nigerians. I wanted to debunk the myth and show people that Nigerian Comics do exist and that we have comic artists and writers here in Nigeria. That was when I decided to start the Lagos Comicon, with no funds but a dream to make it an international festival.
Q: What will you have at the event?
Elegba: This year the event is much bigger because we have included other genres of entertainment such as movies, games, and animations, which are like an extension of comic books. We will have a Comic Zone, where you can buy Nigerian Comics and meet African creators. We also have Nollywood Village: this is where you can buy Nigerian-made movies with an action/comics bent and meet A-list Nigerian film stars and music celebrities. We have the Game Zone, where we’ll run a competition this year called “Battle of the Game Lords,” where gamers will compete for a prize of over US$2000. We have an Arts and Culture Zone where we showcase fine arts, sculptures, paintings, and the beautiful culture of the Nigeria. We have a workshop session with 12 speakers who will talk about various genres of entertainment. Finally, we have the Kids Zone, where kids can play and have fun while their parents shop. We also have other segments like karaoke, exhibitions, dance performances and music performances from pop stars.
Q: What are some of the most popular themes in Nigerian comics (e.g. scifi, history, romance, adventure)?
Elegba: The most popular themes right now in Nigerian comics are magical or cultural, though we have superhero comics and military comics too.
Q: Are there any topics that you won’t find in other countries? For example, there is a series on President Goodluck Jonathan.
Elegba: Well Nigeria is unique, and there is a particular comic called Central Attack which deals with the issue of Boko Haram, the terrorist group in Nigeria.
[Interviewer’s Note: Central Attack depicts an elite government strike team that protects the country against the militant Islamic sect Boko Haram. You can read more about it here.]
Q: Who are the most popular comic book authors and writers?
Elegba: The most popular comic book artists are Ibrahim Ganiyu, Jide Olusanya, Stanley Obende, Mohammed Agbadi and many more. Writers include myself Ayodele Elegba, Wisdom Omon, Niyi, and Niran Adeniji.
Q: Piracy is a problem in Nigeria for fiction authors and for films. Is this an issue for comics in Nigeria?
Elegba: Right now there is no piracy in comics. Piracy dwells on the financial success of a products. Comics don’t have that yet.
Q: Will scares about Ebola cause any issues for attendance?
Elegba: I don’t think so. The Ebola scare has been well curbed by the Nigerian government and so far all cases of Ebola infections have been effectively quarantined and taken care of. We have also put in place measures for hand washing and sanitization at the event. We will be checking everyone’s temperature as they go into the hall.
Q: How is the internet affecting the comics scene in Nigeria? Can you buy local comics online?
Elegba: The internet is a developing media in Nigeria, but so far Nigerian comics are doing well. We have about five indigenous online comic stores in Nigeria now.
Will there be any cosplay?
Elegba: Sure, what’s a comic con without cosplay? There will be cosplay and there will be prizes for the winners.
The Beat
Related stories: Nollywood: most prolific movie machine
How Nigerian students created Nigeria's biggest online-job search site Jobberman
U.S.A. blocks Nigeria from buying military helicopters from Israel
Efforts by the Nigerian military to procure US-made Chinook helicopters from Israel, to facilitate the movement of troops and the injured, have been blocked by the United States Government, THISDAY has learnt.
This, among other issues, including the US’ refusal to provide Nigeria’s security agencies with timely intelligence needed to defeat Boko Haram insurgents who have been riding rough shod in the North-east, would form part of the discussions when President Goodluck Jonathan meets with US President Barack Obama in New York this week.
Jonathan departed for New York on Sunday for the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations.
The Chinook is a versatile and reliable American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter produced by Boeing. Its primary roles are troops movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply.
In a war where Boko Haram insurgents move in convoys through arid towns and villages, the helicopters are required to checkmate them, reinforce troops and supplies and recover dead and wounded soldiers.
Although it has a number of variants and is used primarily for the transportation of troops, supplies and search and rescue operations, limited weaponry can be mounted on its door and window for the purpose of enemy attacks.
However, according to defence and intelligence sources, attempts to buy the helicopters and other munitions from, first the US and other Western European countries, have proved to be an impossible task, thus compelling the military to resort to Israel and several retired members of the Israeli defense forces.
Opening up on the challenges the Nigerian military has faced dealing with the procurement of arms for the war effort in the North-east, a knowledgeable official, who did not want to be named as he was not authorised to speak with the press, said: “The US government has frustrated Nigeria all the way in our war against terrorism despite its public statements in support of Nigeria, as it fights the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east… They want us to fight Boko Haram with our arms tied to our backs.
“They have refused to sell us arms and equipment and even our recent attempt to buy Chinook helicopters, which are manufactured in the US, from the Israelis was blocked, based on unfounded allegations of human rights violations by our troops. This is after the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu had initially approved the purchase.
“But because they were supplied by the Americans, the Israelis required a ‘No Objection’ letter from Washington which was refused.
“We had even tried to procure arms from Russia but this was stalled because of the Ukrainian crisis, thus compelling us to turn to other nations like Israel. But even this has been frustrated by the US,” he said.
He said it was not just in the area of arms procurement that US has been most unhelpful, adding that contrary to its public stance that it was assisting in the rescue operations of the abducted Chibok secondary school girls it has done nothing significant to help Nigeria in this regard.
Other intelligence sources also cited the fact that the US has refused to share intelligence with Nigerian security forces in a timely manner.
They said: “When we complained they started sharing some intelligence, but days after the fact when such intelligence is of little value.
“They have blocked us from procuring the helicopters and would not provide us with intelligence despite the fact that they have several drones and sophisticated aircraft overflying the North-east of Nigeria from bases in Niger and Chad where the Boko Haram fighters and movements are clearly in their sights.
“This belies their stance they want to help us to defeat the terrorists and help to rescue the Chibok girls.”
Indeed, a security analyst who spoke to THISDAY on the issue said the US’ role smacks of double standards and questioned its intent over the Boko Haram insurgency.
He warned that ignoring the threat of Boko Haram could be a strategy that could come to haunt the US in the future.
He also wondered why the same US would refuse to assist Nigeria based on unsubstantiated claims of human rights violations, which the military has repeatedly denied and insisted are carried out by Boko Haram insurgents wearing Nigerian military uniforms, yet the same US turns a blind eye to the same human rights violations committed by countries like Israel.
“Look at what happened in the recent war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip. Israel repeatedly bombed school compounds and UN buildings and in the process killed scores of women and children.
“Even the UN cried out against the targeting of its facilities by Israeli forces, yet the US did nothing and will continue to supply arms and ammunition to Israel to defend itself against Palestinians and other hostile neighbours in the Middle East,” the security analyst said.
Efforts by THISDAY to get the White House to respond to the allegations were not successful.
Two questions to the White House and the US National Security Adviser’s office which were unanswered as at press time are: The Nigerian military, through its agents, tried to buy Chinook helicopters for the prosecution of the war against terrorism, from Israel. But this was blocked by the U.S. National Security Council and the White House. If so, why was the procurement blocked?; and the decision to block the procurement of the helicopters may have stemmed from U.S.’ concerns over human rights abuses by Nigerian troops who have been fighting the insurgents in the North-eastern part of the country. Does this not appear contradictory given the fact that the U.S. continues to supply equipment and ammunition to Israel, which is also accused of human rights violations in Palestinian territories?
More Terrorists Surrender
In a related development, as the news continued to spread about the possible killing of the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, or his body double who security forces insist has been impersonating the “real” Shekau for over a year, members of the terror sect have been thrown into disarray and are surrendering in droves to the Nigerian military.
Whereas the security agencies are yet to officially name or confirm the names of some of the senior members of the sect who were said to have been killed or captured in recent operations in Konduga, Borno State, including Shekau or his alleged imposter, more suspected insurgents have continued to surrender and hand over their weapons to the troops.
According to a statement issued on the Defence Headquarter's (DHQ) twitter handle, 10 more sect members surrendered yesterday to the Nigerian security forces at Kawuri, Borno State, and have since been taken into custody for further interrogation.
The statement read: “Another set of 10 terrorists yesterday surrendered to troops at #Kawuri. In custody for necessary security debriefing #VictoryforNigeria.”
A blood battle had ensued between members of the sect and Nigerian troops in Kawuri about two weeks ago, leaving over 50 terrorists dead.
It is believed that some 40 terrorists including those from Konduga have so far surrendered to the military.
Military Debunks Cameroun’s Claim
However, the unconfirmed death of the Boko Haram leader or his impostor has continued to generate controversy as Camerounian authorities were alleged to have claimed responsibility for the killing of the terrorist henchman.
Camerounian authorities yesterday released a photo of a dead man they identified as Shekau, the loquacious and attention-seeking leader of the terrorist group that has launched deadly strikes in Nigeria’s North-east zone as well as Cameroun.
But the claim, which went viral, attracted the attention of the Nigerian Defence authorities, which quickly debunked the rumour.
The DHQ through its twitter account described the claim by Cameroun as untrue.
The military authorities said: “There was no raid whatsoever by Cameroun or any foreign forces in any part of Nigeria’s territory in pursuit of terrorists as claimed in some reports allegedly quoting Cameroun military authorities.
“All operations ongoing in the environs of Konduga and all associated border locations within the country are completely being undertaken by Nigerian troops.”
Troops Shoot Indiscriminately in Yola
Meanwhile, pandemonium broke out at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday when some soldiers on patrol shot into the air a few meters away from the institution.
The development caused panic in the school and its environs, as students and other passersby were reported to have scrambled for safety. In the melee that ensured, some of the students sustained various degrees of injuries.
An eyewitness, who spoke to THISDAY on the issue, revealed that the soldiers were part of the troops drafted to fight the insurgents in Mubi, Michika, Gulak and Madagali of Adamawa State.
The eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said he was about to board a bus when he and other intending passengers heard sporadic gunshots, compelling them to run for their lives.
He said several vehicles were badly damaged in the process of trying to escape from the gunshots.
It also led to a traffic snarl in the area and many people sustained injuries, he revealed.
“See how our vehicles are now damaged and not one among the soldiers deemed it fit to say sorry, they just zoomed off. Only in Nigeria would you see security operatives firing shots unprovoked. They are just trigger happy,” said Ambrose Anthony, a student of FCE, Yola.
Another eyewitness, named Abdulazeez, said: “We have to run for our lives, fearing that it was Boko Haram insurgents that have taken over the state capital.”
Abdulazeez, who sustained an injury, said students were injured while scampering for their lives, particularly female students who were about to enter the college.
Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of the college, Mallam Bashir Abdullahi, said the shooting incident did not take place in the college but was nearby.
“Yes, we heard that during the show of force displayed by the soldiers, there was shooting into the air. But I cannot confirm whether there was any loss of lives or not,” he said.
Efforts to get the army spokesman, Captain Jafaru Nuhu, proved abortive as
he did not pick his phones.
Nonetheless, security operatives were said to have arrested five suspected members of Boko Haram in the internally displaced persons (IDPs)camp in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police Michael Haa, confirmed the arrest of some high-risk criminals at the IDPs camp in the state capital.
He said the police were yet to unveil the true identity of the suspects, clarifying that the suspects were high-risk criminals and were being investigated.
This Day
Related stories: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau possibly dead
Video - The state of Nigerian governance and Boko Haram
This, among other issues, including the US’ refusal to provide Nigeria’s security agencies with timely intelligence needed to defeat Boko Haram insurgents who have been riding rough shod in the North-east, would form part of the discussions when President Goodluck Jonathan meets with US President Barack Obama in New York this week.
Jonathan departed for New York on Sunday for the 69th General Assembly of the United Nations.
The Chinook is a versatile and reliable American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter produced by Boeing. Its primary roles are troops movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply.
In a war where Boko Haram insurgents move in convoys through arid towns and villages, the helicopters are required to checkmate them, reinforce troops and supplies and recover dead and wounded soldiers.
Although it has a number of variants and is used primarily for the transportation of troops, supplies and search and rescue operations, limited weaponry can be mounted on its door and window for the purpose of enemy attacks.
However, according to defence and intelligence sources, attempts to buy the helicopters and other munitions from, first the US and other Western European countries, have proved to be an impossible task, thus compelling the military to resort to Israel and several retired members of the Israeli defense forces.
Opening up on the challenges the Nigerian military has faced dealing with the procurement of arms for the war effort in the North-east, a knowledgeable official, who did not want to be named as he was not authorised to speak with the press, said: “The US government has frustrated Nigeria all the way in our war against terrorism despite its public statements in support of Nigeria, as it fights the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-east… They want us to fight Boko Haram with our arms tied to our backs.
“They have refused to sell us arms and equipment and even our recent attempt to buy Chinook helicopters, which are manufactured in the US, from the Israelis was blocked, based on unfounded allegations of human rights violations by our troops. This is after the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Natanyahu had initially approved the purchase.
“But because they were supplied by the Americans, the Israelis required a ‘No Objection’ letter from Washington which was refused.
“We had even tried to procure arms from Russia but this was stalled because of the Ukrainian crisis, thus compelling us to turn to other nations like Israel. But even this has been frustrated by the US,” he said.
He said it was not just in the area of arms procurement that US has been most unhelpful, adding that contrary to its public stance that it was assisting in the rescue operations of the abducted Chibok secondary school girls it has done nothing significant to help Nigeria in this regard.
Other intelligence sources also cited the fact that the US has refused to share intelligence with Nigerian security forces in a timely manner.
They said: “When we complained they started sharing some intelligence, but days after the fact when such intelligence is of little value.
“They have blocked us from procuring the helicopters and would not provide us with intelligence despite the fact that they have several drones and sophisticated aircraft overflying the North-east of Nigeria from bases in Niger and Chad where the Boko Haram fighters and movements are clearly in their sights.
“This belies their stance they want to help us to defeat the terrorists and help to rescue the Chibok girls.”
Indeed, a security analyst who spoke to THISDAY on the issue said the US’ role smacks of double standards and questioned its intent over the Boko Haram insurgency.
He warned that ignoring the threat of Boko Haram could be a strategy that could come to haunt the US in the future.
He also wondered why the same US would refuse to assist Nigeria based on unsubstantiated claims of human rights violations, which the military has repeatedly denied and insisted are carried out by Boko Haram insurgents wearing Nigerian military uniforms, yet the same US turns a blind eye to the same human rights violations committed by countries like Israel.
“Look at what happened in the recent war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip. Israel repeatedly bombed school compounds and UN buildings and in the process killed scores of women and children.
“Even the UN cried out against the targeting of its facilities by Israeli forces, yet the US did nothing and will continue to supply arms and ammunition to Israel to defend itself against Palestinians and other hostile neighbours in the Middle East,” the security analyst said.
Efforts by THISDAY to get the White House to respond to the allegations were not successful.
Two questions to the White House and the US National Security Adviser’s office which were unanswered as at press time are: The Nigerian military, through its agents, tried to buy Chinook helicopters for the prosecution of the war against terrorism, from Israel. But this was blocked by the U.S. National Security Council and the White House. If so, why was the procurement blocked?; and the decision to block the procurement of the helicopters may have stemmed from U.S.’ concerns over human rights abuses by Nigerian troops who have been fighting the insurgents in the North-eastern part of the country. Does this not appear contradictory given the fact that the U.S. continues to supply equipment and ammunition to Israel, which is also accused of human rights violations in Palestinian territories?
More Terrorists Surrender
In a related development, as the news continued to spread about the possible killing of the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, or his body double who security forces insist has been impersonating the “real” Shekau for over a year, members of the terror sect have been thrown into disarray and are surrendering in droves to the Nigerian military.
Whereas the security agencies are yet to officially name or confirm the names of some of the senior members of the sect who were said to have been killed or captured in recent operations in Konduga, Borno State, including Shekau or his alleged imposter, more suspected insurgents have continued to surrender and hand over their weapons to the troops.
According to a statement issued on the Defence Headquarter's (DHQ) twitter handle, 10 more sect members surrendered yesterday to the Nigerian security forces at Kawuri, Borno State, and have since been taken into custody for further interrogation.
The statement read: “Another set of 10 terrorists yesterday surrendered to troops at #Kawuri. In custody for necessary security debriefing #VictoryforNigeria.”
A blood battle had ensued between members of the sect and Nigerian troops in Kawuri about two weeks ago, leaving over 50 terrorists dead.
It is believed that some 40 terrorists including those from Konduga have so far surrendered to the military.
Military Debunks Cameroun’s Claim
However, the unconfirmed death of the Boko Haram leader or his impostor has continued to generate controversy as Camerounian authorities were alleged to have claimed responsibility for the killing of the terrorist henchman.
Camerounian authorities yesterday released a photo of a dead man they identified as Shekau, the loquacious and attention-seeking leader of the terrorist group that has launched deadly strikes in Nigeria’s North-east zone as well as Cameroun.
But the claim, which went viral, attracted the attention of the Nigerian Defence authorities, which quickly debunked the rumour.
The DHQ through its twitter account described the claim by Cameroun as untrue.
The military authorities said: “There was no raid whatsoever by Cameroun or any foreign forces in any part of Nigeria’s territory in pursuit of terrorists as claimed in some reports allegedly quoting Cameroun military authorities.
“All operations ongoing in the environs of Konduga and all associated border locations within the country are completely being undertaken by Nigerian troops.”
Troops Shoot Indiscriminately in Yola
Meanwhile, pandemonium broke out at the Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday when some soldiers on patrol shot into the air a few meters away from the institution.
The development caused panic in the school and its environs, as students and other passersby were reported to have scrambled for safety. In the melee that ensured, some of the students sustained various degrees of injuries.
An eyewitness, who spoke to THISDAY on the issue, revealed that the soldiers were part of the troops drafted to fight the insurgents in Mubi, Michika, Gulak and Madagali of Adamawa State.
The eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said he was about to board a bus when he and other intending passengers heard sporadic gunshots, compelling them to run for their lives.
He said several vehicles were badly damaged in the process of trying to escape from the gunshots.
It also led to a traffic snarl in the area and many people sustained injuries, he revealed.
“See how our vehicles are now damaged and not one among the soldiers deemed it fit to say sorry, they just zoomed off. Only in Nigeria would you see security operatives firing shots unprovoked. They are just trigger happy,” said Ambrose Anthony, a student of FCE, Yola.
Another eyewitness, named Abdulazeez, said: “We have to run for our lives, fearing that it was Boko Haram insurgents that have taken over the state capital.”
Abdulazeez, who sustained an injury, said students were injured while scampering for their lives, particularly female students who were about to enter the college.
Reacting to the development, the Public Relations Officer of the college, Mallam Bashir Abdullahi, said the shooting incident did not take place in the college but was nearby.
“Yes, we heard that during the show of force displayed by the soldiers, there was shooting into the air. But I cannot confirm whether there was any loss of lives or not,” he said.
Efforts to get the army spokesman, Captain Jafaru Nuhu, proved abortive as
he did not pick his phones.
Nonetheless, security operatives were said to have arrested five suspected members of Boko Haram in the internally displaced persons (IDPs)camp in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.
Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police Michael Haa, confirmed the arrest of some high-risk criminals at the IDPs camp in the state capital.
He said the police were yet to unveil the true identity of the suspects, clarifying that the suspects were high-risk criminals and were being investigated.
This Day
Related stories: Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau possibly dead
Video - The state of Nigerian governance and Boko Haram
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)