Oluwasegun Adesuyi, Author at SocietyGazette.com

Panic in Imo As Army Begins Seven-Day Show-Of-Force To Nab IPOB, ESN Operatives

It was learnt from reliable military sources that the army planned to blow off some of its expired military hardware, including explosives, to create panic for the IPOB and ESN militants and wade them off security stations.

The Nigerian Army will be moving in new ammunition and explosives into the 34 Artillery Brigade in Obinze, near Owerri in Imo State, in an apparent show-of-force to dislodge the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network operatives.

The 34 brigade confirmed this on Friday, saying the blowing of explosives would last from May 14 (yesterday) to May 21.

The acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, Lt. Babatunde Zubairu, in a statement, however, called it the “demolition of unserviceable ammunition and explosives.”

Zubairu said the 82 Base Ammunition Depot would conduct the exercise, Enugu, from May 14 to May 21, adding that the exercise would take place between 7am and 5pm daily throughout the period.

“The people of Obinze and surrounding communities are advised to keep away from the range area during the period of the exercise. This is not a cause for alarm as the Nigerian Army remains committed to the safety of Nigerians,” Zubairu had said.

“The message is clear. It is to warn the ESN and IPOB guys that the military is in town and there should be no nonsense. The army is also expecting to bring in a new cache of ammunition and other confidential artillery,” a source added.

SaharaReporters reported that the Nigerian military had drafted reinforcement troops from some of its formations fighting insurgency in Borno State to join the troops in the South-East region over the military’s clash with IPOB and ESN operatives.

Military sources had confirmed to SaharaReporters that the reinforcements were drawn from some battalions, including the 231 Tank Battalion in Biu, Borno State, under the 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau State.

“Yes, some troops are moving from the North-East to the South-east as reinforcements. They started moving from Wednesday. Among them are those from the 231 Tank Battalion; they are believed to be more trained in quelling uprisings,” a top source had confirmed.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday held a meeting with the service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, telling them to adopt specific security measures in the South-East and the South-South geopolitical zones of the country.

“The police and military have been recording casualties in the South-East during raids and gun battles with the criminals disturbing the region. Therefore, the focus would shift more to airpower in the coming weeks. Combat helicopters and other aircraft would be deployed to conduct massive raids on the hideouts from the air. It does not matter whether the hideouts are for the Indigenous People of Biafra or its armed outfit; what the military is looking for is criminals,” a source had revealed.

Heavy rain distrupts Yoruba nation Protest in Osogbo

Heavy rain and wind on Saturday dispersed agitators of Yoruba Nation at the popular Nelson Mandela Freedom park via Old garage area of Osogbo capital of Osun State on Saturday afternoon.

The Nation reports that scores of Yoruba Nation agitators stormed the streets of Osogbo on Saturday after they changed the venue where the agitators ought to gather because of the heavy security presence.

One of the leading Yoruba Nation agitators, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho arrived in Osogbo from Oyo State at 1:40 pm and went straight to where the agitators were demonstrating at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park Osogbo.

Igboho got to the venue at 2:01 pm to address the agitators.

He was addressing the agitators when the scorching sunny weather turned cloudy at 2:25 pm.

He hurriedly addressed his supporters standing on top of a vehicle. When other leaders wanted to address the agitators, heavy rain started and it dispersed supporters from the venue.

BREAKING: JAMB shifts 2021 UTME exam to June

JAMB shifts 2021 UTME exam to June

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has extended the deadline for the ongoing 2021 UTME/DE registration exercise by two weeks.

The exam body took the decision after a meeting with stakeholders following reports of widespread delay in the registration process among candidates for the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

JAMB Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, who announced the extension said the exam will now start on the 19th of June 2021 and end on the 3rd of July.

Prof Oloyede also announced that the registration exercise will now end on May 29.

This comes after the JAMB Board earlier announced it’s contemplating an extension to the registration period and change of date for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Yahaya Bello Can’t Rule Even A Pig Farm – Deji Adeyanju

The co-convener of Concerned Nigerian Advocacy Group, Deji Adeyanju, has mocked the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, over his intention to run for presidency in 2023.
The activist said Governor Bello lacks the capacity to be president of a “pig farm,” let alone, rule Nigeria.

Recall that Bello hinted on running for the 2023 presidency when he pledged not to disappoint Nigerians.

The governor had said some Nigerians were asking him to run for President in 2023.

He had said: “Nigerians, the youth and women including very objective elites, are asking me to run for President in 2023.”

Reacting, Adeyanju said Bello cannot be Nigeria’s president because the governor has neglected the Kogi State civil servants.

The rights activist insisted that Kogi State remains the worst governed state in Nigeria.

In a tweet, Adeyanju wrote: “NEWS: All Nigerians are asking me to run for President in 2023, I will not disappoint – Yahaya Bello

“ME -Yahaya Bello is not fit to be president of a pig farm. Kogi State is the worst governed state in Nigeria. Civil servants are feeding from dustbins.”

Security, Operatives Seal Off Venue Of Yoruba Nation Protest In Osogbo

Also sighted at the venue were operatives of the Amotekun Corps, who were positioned at a strategic spot, apparently to prevent participants from accessing the venue.

Heavily armed security operatives on Saturday took over the Yoruba Nation Mega Rally venue, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo in Osun State.

Also sighted at the venue were operatives of the Amotekun Corps, who were positioned at a strategic spot, apparently to prevent participants from accessing the venue.

It was gathered that the development forced the agitators to change the venue for convergence.

The protesters had fixed Mandela Freedom Park, Old Garage area as a converging point but changed it to November 27 bridge, around NECO office, Africa Area, Osogbo due to security threat.

Remove IPOB from terrorism list – Ohanaeze youths to Buhari

Youths of the South-East Zone of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from the list of terrorist organisations in the country.

The youths further said part of the steps towards peace in the region would be the de-proscription of IPOB and the release of any of its members in prison.

The youths made this call after an emergency meeting of South East youth stakeholders held on Friday in Awka, the Anambra state capital.

The group’s communique was read to journalists by Comrade Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth, on behalf of other groups.

These are National Youth Council of Nigeria (south-East), Nigerian Youth Congress(South-East) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The communique regretted the heightened insecurity in the South-East which has resulted in the loss of lives of our people, security agents and properties.

It also consoled with the families of the bereaved.”

The group also called on the South-East Governors to liaise with the relevant stakeholders especially the youth to arrest the current security challenges in the South East.

It condemned in totality the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and called on the perpetrators to desist from such forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances.

“As a step towards genuine peace and reconciliation as championed by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Federal Government and South-East Governors should as a matter of urgency unproscribe IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) as a terrorist organization.

“Furthermore, we call for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction.”

The group called on the South-east governors to encourage community policing by strengthening and digitalizing the local vigilantes.

It also aligned with the resolution of the southern governors and call for necessary legal framework for immediate implementation of the resolution.

“There is a need for a quarterly interface between the Governors of the South-East and the Youth stakeholders so that the issues of the zone will be regularly reviewed.

“We call on the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the #ENDSARS panel report especially on Youth Development, and to review the Laws of their various State Security Council Committee to include critical youth stakeholders, while urging for full implementation, support and fund for community policing committee which was constituted last year,” the communique concluded.

Nigerian Army recalls soldiers from study leave to fight Boko Haram

The Nigerian Army has recalled a large number of its personnel studying in civil institutions (universities and polytechnics) across the country in order to tackle the raging insurgency in the North East.

This is contained in a leaked memo by the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Department of Army Training, Abuja.

In the memo dated May 11 and obtained by Punch, the Nigerian Army also suspended the sponsorship of personnel in civil institutions with the exemption of students in the final year.

The army has continued to suffer heavy casualties in its counter-insurgency operations that have seen hundreds of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists also killed by gallant Nigerian troops.

In one of the recent attacks, more than 30 soldiers were reportedly killed in April when Islamic State-aligned fighters ambushed a military convoy escorting weapons and overran a base in Mainok, Borno State.

A month earlier, about 30 soldiers were reportedly killed in four attacks by Islamist militants in the North-East.

On April 1, 2021, five soldiers and two villagers were killed in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. About 10 soldiers were also killed in the Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State on April 9.

On April 26, wherein 40 persons were killed in Anambra, Imo, Kebbi and Rivers states, two soldiers and three policemen were among the casualties.

In March 2020, at least 70 soldiers were killed in an ambush by ISWAP terrorists, AFP reported.

The insurgents reportedly fired rocket-propelled grenades at a lorry carrying troops as it travelled near Gorgi village in Borno State.

The Islamic State West Africa Province faction split from Boko Haram insurgents in 2016 and has focused on attacking troops, raiding bases and laying ambush on military convoys.

The decade-long Boko Haram insurgency has killed around 40,000 people and displaced over two million in the North-East, according to the International Crisis Group.

The military has also recorded many gains against the insurgents foiling their attempts to take over territories and also neutralising them in their numbers.

For instance, the troops sometime in April eliminated at least 40 Boko Haram terrorists in the town of Dikwa in Borno State. Several other members of the terrorist group were reportedly wounded but managed to escape.

In another operation in the same month, troops killed at least 21 Boko Haram terrorists in the Geidam region of Yobe State, according to a statement by the Army spokesperson, Brig Gen Mohammed Yerima.

Source: Punch

Photo: Building where kidnappers reside In Ikeja EXPOSED

A source has reached out to Kossyderrickent to expose a building in Ikeja, Lagos, where kidnappers, who belong to a fake company – ( MAG Limited) reside has been exposed.

Reaching out to Kossyderrickent, the source shared a photo of the building and SMS. Before the source reached out to us, we’ve seen reports about the same company and the same building.

According to the source, the building is located at 8, Ogabi Street, close to Toyin Street in Ikeja, Lagos. What they do is that they’ll send a text message to one’s phone and convince the individual that the company is genuine.

When the person goes there, he might not return or might be scammed.

The source said: “KIDNAPPERS ALERT!
This house at 8 Ogabi Street, close to Toyin Street, Ikeja is being used by kidnappers and job scammers (MAG Limited) to scam unsuspecting victims.”

“Use your professional Skills to nurture younger crops of journalists” – Buhari tasks Olowosago as he Clocks 70

President Muhammadu Buhari rejoices with Chief Monzor Olowosago, Publisher of Oriwu Sun Newspaper, on his 70th birthday, May 15, 2021.

The President salutes Olowosago for his resilience, which has seen him publishing Oriwu Sun for 36 years, turning it into the foremost community newspaper in the country.

President Buhari felicitates with the family, friends and professional colleagues of Olowosago, asking the media entrepreneur to use his professional skills in nurturing younger crop of journalists, who would value fidelity to ethics and professionalism.

He says the fact that Oriwu Sun has maintained cordial relationship with successive governments in Lagos State since it was established in 1985, “shows that the newspaper is focused, and development oriented.”

The President wishes Olowosago longer life, and greater wisdom to serve the society, and journalism, the profession he loves so much.

Police not Nigeria’s problem – Dickson Condemn attacks on personnels.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, on Friday, received former Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The Senator representing Bayelsa West said his visit was to solidarize with the IGP and the force over coordinated attacks on personnel and facilities.

Dickson condemned the incidents and called for a cessation of all criminal acts. He stated that the Police “should not be seen as the enemy of the people”.

He congratulated Baba, the 21st indigenous Inspector General, on his appointment and called for proper funding of the security agencies to enhance its operational efficiency.

Dickson added commended officers and men for doing their best in the face of daunting welfare and operational challenges.

Baba, in his remarks, assured the former Governor that in spite of the challenges, the police remain committed in its task of protecting lives and property nationwide.