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An ambush carried out by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state has left at least 7 soldiers dead.    Premium Times reported that the affected soldiers who were attached to the 153 Task Force Battalion in Marte Local Government Council of the state, were caught by surprise during the attack which occurred by 10am on Monday February 15.    It was gathered that they put up a strong fight to defend their base and ward off the insurgents, but were overwhelmed “because they could not withstand the superior firepower of the terrorists”.    Military insiders reportedly said Monday’s attack on Marte Local Government by the extremist Boko Haram group makes it the third onslaught in the area in a month.    The terrorists had ambushed soldiers at the location on January 10 and 15. The casualty rates from those attacks are unknown.   The unit, which was totally dislodged, has now been moved to Dikwa, another local government area, a developm...

The Nigerian Army has called on Nigerians to ignore a report by a group known as Coalition of rights activists and scholars that the Army conducted secret trials and executed six soldiers of Igbo origin. The group made the allegations on Tuesday, February 2 in a press statement which was made available to News Express. The report said the soldiers were secretly executed after a hasty secret trial at which they were denied legal representation of their choice.   The coalition of rights activists had alleged that it was informed of the shocking development by human rights lawyer, Mr. E R Okoroafor, who also alleged that he was denied the right to defend his client at the secret trial. The statement which was shared by News Express read; “We have received with rude shock and deepest dismay the Monday, 25th January 2021 secret execution of six Igbo Christian soldiers, attached to the Amoury Department of the Nigerian Army, Abacha Barracks in Abuja”, “the slain Igbo Christian soldiers; ...

Shekau disclosed this in a new video he released on Wednesday. Boko Haram’s factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, has mocked the newly appointed service chiefs, saying they can’t do better than their predecessors in the fight against insurgency in the North-East. According to HumAngle, Shekau disclosed this in a new video he released on Wednesday. Boko Haram Terrorists President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday appointed new service chiefs namely Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence staff; Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; Awwal Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and Isiaka Amao, Chief of Air Staff. See Also    Military   Meet President Buhari's Newly Appointed Service Chiefs  0 Comments   2 Days Ago In the video that lasted for nine minutes and 56 seconds, Shekau said he heard about the retirement of the previous service chiefs and their replacement with new ones, saying his message was to call them to Islam. The Jama’atu Ahlussunnah Lidda’awati Wa...

The Concerned Nigerians Group has filed a petition at the International Criminal Court (ICC), demanding the arrest and prosecution of the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, over allegations of human rights violations and crimes against humanity while he was in office. Buratai alongside the other service chiefs were removed from office on Tuesday, January 26.   The group in a letter filed by its Convener, Deji Adeyanju, asked the ICC to investigate, arrest and prosecute Buratai to serve as a deterrent to others who have made it a point of duty to ''indiscriminately abuse the rights of Nigerians.''   The letter addressed to Fatou Bensouda, the court’s Chief Prosecutor reads   “We write to call on the International Criminal Court and all lovers of democracy and human rights in the world to immediately investigate, arrest and prosecute Lieutenant General Buratai (Rtd) who was just relieved of his duty as Chief of Army Staff for crimes aga...

300 female officers have been deployed to Abuja-Kaduna highway as part of measures to curb the menace of banditry and kidnapping along the road and other surrounding communities.   While this is the first time female officers are being deployed for internal security operations, their role will be to complement the existing operations along the highway and the environs.   The female officers have been drafted into the Operation Thunder Strike of the Nigerian Army which is currently carrying on a special operation on the Kaduna-Abuja general area.   Governor Nasir El-Rufai who spoke at a ceremony to welcome the first batch of 100 female officers and handing over of their residential accommodation to the Nigerian Army in Kaduna state, expressed hope of deployment of more soldiers to the Abuja-Kaduna highway consolidating the successes recorded so far. 

Fired from the frontlines in 2017, Ibrahim returns as Buhari's new army chief. Maj Gen Attahiru Ibrahim replaces Buratai as COAS (BBC) President Muhammadu Buhari finally replaced his under-fire security chiefs on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. The   new service chiefs  are:

There was reportedly a violent clash between Nigerian soldiers and operatives of  Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Orlu, Imo state.    It was alleged that the clash ensued after ESN operatives responded to calls of soldiers allegedly attacking civilians.    The incident has led to loss of lives and properties in the area.  

IPOB defends Eastern Security Network's clash with soldiers in Orlu The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has defended the clash between its security outfit, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and the miitary on Monday January 25 in Orlu, Imo state.    IPOB’s spokesman Emma Powerful in a statement released on Tuesday January 26, accused Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo state of working with the Army to attack and flush out ESN officers from the bushes where they are operating from.   While the Nigerian Army said only one person died in the crossfire that ensued, IPOB insisted that five people were killed and several others were injured in the skirmish between ESN and soldiers drawn from the 34 Artillery Brigade in Obinze.   “ESN personnel are in the bush and forest chasing…terrorists and herdsmen who are over there terrorising our members and sisters in their respective farms, not Nigeria security agencies but they are looking for ESN’s trouble. “Since the ...

Nine soldiers have reportedly been killed by Boko Haram insurgents during a rescue operation in a forest along Mararaba-Udege road in Nasarawa state linking Otukpo Oweto in Benue state.   The Nation reported that the slain soldiers who were led to the forest by an officer Felix Kura, an indigene of Benue state, were Iliya Kefas, Bati Yakubu and other young officers whose names cannot be identified immediately.   It was learnt that the soldiers from 177 Guards Battalion, Shitu Barracks in Keffi, Nasarawa state were on a mission to dislodge the Boko Haram terrorists from the forest who kidnapped many indigenes of the state and held them in captive.   They killed five Boko Haram terrorists before they were overpowered by the terrorists whose weapons were more sophisticated.    A source in the barracks said;    “As soon as they ran into the ambush and they realised they were being overpowered, Kura was said to have told...

127 soldiers have reportedly resigned from the Nigerian army amid the worsening security challenges the military is currently combating in some parts of the country.   In a memo obtained by Premium Times, it was gathered that the soldiers who are drawn from various formations of the army across the country are all of the junior cadres.    The military personnel comprising of one Master Warrant Officer, three Warrant Officers, 22 Staff Sergeants, 29 Sergeants, 64 Corporals, seven Lance Corporals and one Private, will disengage in May as Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai has since approved their formal disengagement.   Though there was no clarification on those embarking on voluntary retirement and those leaving the army on medical grounds, Brigadier-General  T.A Gagariga who communicated the approval of their disengagements directed them to submit all military properties in their possession. ...