The Nigerian Military has killed the new leader of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), Mallam Bako.
He was killed two days ago as confirmed on Thursday in Abuja by the National Security Adviser, General Babagana Monguno (retd).
Monguno made the disclosure while briefing newsmen after the security meeting in the Aso Rock Villa presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari during which he received briefings from the nation’s security chiefs and heads of security agencies.
The NSA made the disclosure while recounting the victories won by the troops of the military in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram, ISWAP, kidnappers, terrorists, insurgents, and other criminals in the country.
He said, “The fact again is that the armed forces, the land forces have done an excellent job because in the span of one month we have been able to take out the leadership of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) – that is Abu Musab Al-barnawi.
“Two days ago, the man who succeeded him, one Malam Bako, one of the prominent leaders of the Shura Council of the Islamic State of West African Province, was also taken out.
“They are also contending with leadership crisis. You know these things are also accompanied with inherent issues of trust, conflicts, mutual suspicion and other things.
“So, the operations being conducted by the armed forces in the Northern parts of the country put a lot of pressure on the Islamic State of West African Province, Boko Haram and also the tangential group known as Islamic State in the Greatest Sahara.”
The disclosure by Mungono comes a few days after the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Lucky Irabor had revealed last Thursday that the ISWAP leader, Abu Musab Al-barnawi has been killed by soldiers.
Monguno has now also confirmed that Bako, who is said to have succeeded Al-Barnawi has also been terminated by the military.
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Armed Forces and other security agencies to ensure that nothing stops the November 6 governorship election in Anambra…
President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Armed Forces and other security agencies to ensure that nothing stops the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State.
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), announced this to State House correspondents at the end of Thursday’s security meeting chaired by the president.
Monguno said Buhari gave the directive in response to the heightened security challenges in Anambra, orchestrated by the outlawed proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“The President has directed that under no circumstances will anything be allowed to stop the elections from taking place successfully. The people have a right to vote and select their leader.”
“No group or individual will be allowed to stimulate anarchy and chaos, leading to murderous activities. The president has made it very clear that the Armed Forces and all law enforcement agencies must make sure that the elections take place even if it means overwhelming the entire environment with the presence of security agencies.
“There are so many implications for elections to be sabotaged by non-state actors; in the first place, we are in a democracy, secondly it is important to note that if these non-state actors should succeed in destroying the potentials for orderly elections, then it is natural that other parts of the country would also want to copy this same situation,” he said.
The NSA said in the last two months, the military had recorded a lot of successes in the fight against insurgency in the North East.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, who also attended the meeting, expressed the readiness of the police to gurantee peace in Anambra and all other parts of the country.
“In particular, we talked about the Anambra governorship election coming on 6th of November and we want to assure the people of Anambra State and all Nigerians that the government is committed to conducting that election.”
“The election has to be free and fair, we are going to put every machinery in place to ensure that people are well secured. That is the only way to ensure that we promote democracy and good governance in this country,” he said.
The Nigerian Army has killed five members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Arochukwu area of Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State.
According to a source, the IPOB members were killed on Thursday during an exchange of gunfire with soldiers around the palace of the community’s monarch.
He said the IPOB members were enforcing the sit-at-home order they declared to protest the unlawful detention of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The source said the pro-Biafra agitators took to the streets to celebrate the news that their leader had been brought to court.
He added that the IPOB members who were also in a jubilant mood that Kanu is alive, contrary to reports they had been getting about the safety of the separatist leader, marched on the streets.
On arriving at the First Bank axis of the town, the IPOB members engaged the soldiers in a gun duel, but five of them surrendered to the superior firepower of the troops.
He said the gunshots caused pandemonium in Arochukwu, leaving residents to scamper for safety into nearby bushes.
The Nigerians Railway Corporation has withdrawn train services from Abuja to Kaduna State.
This is coming on the background that trains were reportedly attacked by terrorists on Wednesday.
But the corporation said the suspension was to enable it conduct maintenance.
“We are withdrawing the DMU on Abuja Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) from Tuesday 19th-Thursday 21st October, 2021 for scheduled maintenance. The DMU will return back to operations on Friday 22/10/21. Tuesday 19th & Wednesday 20th will be four trips each (I:e AK1, KA2, AK9 & KA10).Thursday 21/10/21 will be 8trips ( AK1, KA2, AK3, KA4, AK7, KA6, AK9 & KA10) respectively, While full train service will return on Friday. Any inconvenience to our esteemed passengers is regretted,” NRC announced on its website.
Senator Shehu Sani had alleged terrorists “attacked the Kaduna Abuja railway with an explosive and opened fire on the train”.
But the Nigerian Police denied the claim made by the senator who represented the Kaduna Central senatorial district in the 8th Senate.
Speaking on the development, the State Police Spokesperson, Mohammed Jalige said, “That is not true, the command is not aware of anything. The train was faulty yesterday on its way coming from Abuja to Kaduna which caused a delay in people’s arrival time.
“They were no explosives denoted; there was no any attack.”
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mr Mele Kyari, has said that the elites, and not the poor masses are responsible for the theft of crude oil in Nigeria.
Kyari who said this on Thursday at the All-Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference described the theft of crude oil as a huge drain on the revenue of the government.
He said crude oil theft had made the corporation to enter into strategic collaborations with security agencies so to put a stop to the menace.
The GMD said before the NNPC’s collaboration without security agencies, the country was losing about 20 per cent of crude oil volume to theft.
Kyari who said the level of theft has been reduced to about four per cent, called on the media and other stakeholders to join the fight against the menance.
He said the need to address the issue of crude oil theft had become compelling, as the four per cent currently being lost is even higher than the internationally acceptable standards of 0.5 per cent.
He said, “We are pumping Petroleum products and until the intervention that I’ve just mentioned, we lose up to 20 per cent of the volume from that line without a spill.
“And I’ve said this in very many fora. There are many of the residences, accommodations and communities I see around that pipeline, with all respect they are essentially communities of thieves, because you do not see the spill.
“And today, I can also confirm that because of the interventions that we have commenced with all the relevant security agencies in the last one or so years, we have seen that fall from stealing from 20 per cent down to four per cent. That is significant.
“But when you say four per cent of 10 million liters which pass on a line every day, then this is still very significant. There is so much work that needs to be done so that we can close that gap to the tolerance level of 0.5 per cent. That’s what the industry accepts.
“Today, the losses are so huge that we are now moving forward with an alternative plan to ensure that we can secure these assets.
“I don’t want to call numbers because it can be very misleading in the international market, but I can tell you that we lose sufficient volume to crude oil theft in our country and we’re acting on it. And who steals crude oil? Well, it is not the ordinary man in the village. It’s the elites of society, and it needs all of us to fight them.
“So when we fight them, it is a survivor for all of us, but also for the ordinary people.”
On the rehabilitation of the refineries, the NNPC GMD told participants at the event that work is progressing on the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna Refineries project.
“Now I can confirm to you we have taken responsibility. We will fix these refineries, we have started the process, before the end of this year and you will see work will be delivered and we will deliver these refineries,” he added.
On the issue of energy transitioning, the NNPC Boss said that the implication is that it would lead to a reduction in demand for fossil fuels by 2050 so as attain the zero carbon emission level.
He added, “There’s something else happening in the world. It’s called energy transition. What that means is that there will be less focus on fossil fuels so that we can achieve zero carbon by year 2050.
“The implication of this is that you have to start reducing consumption or change the utilization of fossil fuel everywhere in the world. For us, its a very tall task. The reason is also very simple today as we all know we are energy deficient.
“We know that we are very far away from the jurisdictions that are advocating for energy translation. We can walk away from fossil fuels. The only resource we have that is very close to us and that is cheap is gas and we don’t develop it.We don’t put power on the ground. We don’t create gas based industries.
“We are no where near attainment of the zero carbon situation by 2050. And indeed the implication is deepening poverty and by implication also deepening insecurity which is also the theme this conference is trying to address.
“And therefore, it’s a very considered view that there must be energy justice. Energy justice means that countries will move in the pace that they can with the realities that they face, so that you can transit on the basis of your contribution to the carbons emissions.”
On the operations of the NNPC, Kyari said that things have changed now as the Corporation and it’s subsidiaries for the first time are being were allowed to do things the way it should be done.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to grant the request for the transfer of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, from the Department of States Services facility to the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
Kanu had pleaded not guilty to a seven-count amended terrorism charges filed against him by the federal government at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
After taking his plea, his lawyers led by Ifeanyi Ejiofor told Justice Binta Nyako that he had an application seeking his transfer from the facility of the Department of States Services to the Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kuje.
But the application was denied.
It was earlier reported that Kanu’s lawyer had objected to the seven counts preferred against his client.
Subsequently, Justice Binta Nyako adjourned to November 10 to hear the objection.
Ejiofor had said that his client needed to leave the DSS custody so that they could have unrestricted access to him.
After the court rose, the DSS whisked him away from a side entrance of the court.
Operatives of the Department of States Services (DSS) have produced the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Our correspondent observed that the court room was manned by the operatives of the DSS and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
Few lawyers including Kanu’s lead counsels Ifeanyi Ejiofor and Alloy Ejimakor have been let into the court room.
The IPOB leader is being rearraigned on a seven count charge bordering on terrorism.
Turkish President, Recep Erdogan has revealed that the terrorists that tried to remove him from power are still active and resident in Nigeria.
Erdogan, who recently visited the country to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari was almost removed from Power in 2016 in a shocking attempted coup d’etat.
The arab leader accused allies of renowned cleric, Fethullah Gulen, who own Turkish schools and hospitals across Nigeria, of sponsoring the coup.
Speaking on Wednesday, Erdogan said; “As Turkey, we have been closely monitoring the development in Nigeria, our brotherly and friendly nation. The terrorist organisations, the armed gangs and the marine vendors are continuously active in Nigeria and the Nigerian authorities are continuously fighting them.”
“The sensitivity we show in fighting terrorism, I hope will be reciprocated by our Nigerian brothers and sister and our counterparts. The perpetrators of the heinous failed coup of July the 15 FETO are still very active in Nigeria. And we are continually sharing our intelligence with Nigerian interlocutors and authorities.”
He expressed optimism that the relations between Nigeria and Turkey would be further developed on the basis of a win-win situation and on the basis of mutual respect.
There is a thick cordon of security around the Federal High Court Abuja ahead of the rearraignment of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The WHISTLER observed the presence of over 65 security operatives and not less than 10 patrol vehicles stationed around the court.
The operatives comprise of the Department of States Services, Nigeria Police, Civil Defense and the court’s security officials.
The DSS operatives are fully armed while anti-riot Police came with shields.
One of the DSS officials explained to newsmen that the barricade was “necessary”.
Reporters are yet to be allowed into the court premises as of the time of this report.
Recall that Kanu was formerly being tried on alleged treasonable felony charges.
But the federal government filed an amended seven count charges bordering on terrorism, insulting the president, treason, amongst other things.
The seven count charge reads :
Count One:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afaraukwu lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State being the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on diverse dates in 2014 and 2015 in London, United Kingdom, did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu and other areas within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, preparations made by you and others now at large for states in the South-East and South-South zones and other communities in Kogi and Benue States to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a view to constituting same into the Republic of Biafra and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 41(c) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP. C77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count Two:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area ot Abia State, on or about the 28th April, 2015 in London, United Kingdom did broadcast on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, referred to Major General Muhammadu Buhari, GCON, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a paedophile, a terrorist, an idiot and an embodiment of evil, knowing same to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Count Three:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male adult of Afaraukwu lbeku Umahia North Local Government Area of Abia State between the month of March and April 2015 imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulusiuzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra state within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court , a Radio transmitter known as TRAM 50L concealed in a container of used household which you declared as used household items and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 47 (2) of the Criminal Code of Act ,Cap C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Count Four:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult. of Afaraukwu iIbeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State in London, United Kingdom between 2018 and 2021 Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and FCT, Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, professed to be a member of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organisation in Nigeria and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 16 Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.
Count Five:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 22th of April, 2021 in London, United Kingdom on Radio Biafra monitored in Enugu, Enugu State and other parts of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did an act of terrorism in that you incite the other members (followers) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB}, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria, to look for security personnel, their family members through a Radio Biafra on 102.1FM monitored through the IPOB Community Radio and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act.
Count Six:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia Stale on the 16thh of May, 2021, in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did commit an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism by making a broadcast that “In 2 weeks’ time, what will happen will shake the world, people will die, the whole world will stand still, mark my word” and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.
Count Seven:
“That you Nnamdi Kanu, male, adult, of Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State on the 31st of May, 2021, in London, United Kingdom within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism by issuing a deadly threat that anyone who flouted your sit-at-home order should “write his/her will,” as a result banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations were not opened for businesses and vehicular movements grounded and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 1 (2) (b) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.”
Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist, has told the Federal Government, to produce Nnamdi Kanu in court today, Thursday.
It will be recalled that the Department of State Services (DSS) failed to produce the Biafra separatist leader in court last time out, and many supporters of the 54-year-old are calling on the government to ensure Kanu appears in court today — for them to be sure he is alive.
Kanu’s organization, the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a controversial group canvassing for the sovereignty of Eastern Nigeria, and Kanu has always run into trouble with Nigerian authorities.
“#FreeNnamdiKanu today asking for self-determination is not a crime! In particular, the Federal Govt must produce him in court early this morning #RevolutionNow,” Sowore wrote on his official Facebook page on Thursday morning.
Recall this newspaper reported earlier that the Federal Government slammed an amended seven-count charge against Kanu, while the Federal High Court issued a hearing notice for Thursday.
The notice titled “Federal Republic of Nigeria Versus Nnamdi Kanu” with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15, was served on Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor and the prosecuting lawyer, Shuaibu Labaran.
Kanu is being tried on charges of treasonable felony.
