Dec 29 2016

ARMY RECOVERS SHEKAU’S QUR’AN, FLAG IN SAMBISA – OFFICIAL

Maiduguri—The Nigerian Army yesterday said it had recovered Abubakar Shekau’s Qur’an and flag in Camp Zero, the Boko Haram’s Headquarters in Sambisa forest.

The Army also said it arrested about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram terrorists during a mop-up operation by troops inside the Sambisa forest.

This is even as Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, who represented Imo North senatorial district between 1999 and 2003, described the fall of Sambisa forest to fighting Nigerian troops in the North East as a fulfillment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral promise.

Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this while giving newsmen update on “Operation Rescue Final” in Maiduguri.

“We believe that the Holy Book and the flag were abandoned by Abubakar Shekau while he escaped.
Shakau’s flag and Quaran recovered by Nigerian soldiers (NAN)

“The Book will be taken to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Burutai, for onward presentation to Mr President.

“We have also made a lot of arrests. Our troops in Damboa arrested about 15 Boko Haram members. We also arrested one Musa from Potiskum on Christmas day which was Dec.25.

“On Dec. 26 our troops also intercepted two Boko Haram suspects in Maiduguri.

“We, therefore, warn residents of the state to be wary of people coming to hide in and around their houses.

“We are also warning residents to report any suspected Boko Haram members hiding in their houses to relevant security agencie. Any failure to do that would tantamount to supporting and sympathising with the sect’s activities,” Irabor said.

The Army said it arrested about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram terrorists during a mop-up operation by troops inside the Sambisa forest.

Maj.-Gen. Irabor, who also disclosed this, said 413 of the suspects were adults; 323, female adults; 251, male children; and 253 female children.

He said the suspects were apprehended during a mop-up operation against the sect members in the forest.

“We are interrogating them to know whether they are Boko Haram members, because there is no way somebody that is not their member would live inside Sambisa forest.

“We are still on the trail of the terrorists and I want to assure you that all escape routes have been blocked. Within this period, also, about 30 fleeing suspected Boko Haram members have surrendered to the Niger Multinational Troops on the shores of the lake Chad and we learnt that they were taken to Difa in the Niger Republic.

“The suspects include; 24 male and six females.

“We would like to use this opportunity to encourage the terrorists to give up the fight because the window is still open,” the commander said.

Meanwhile, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume has described the fall of Sambisa Forest to the hands of fighting Nigerian troops in the North East as a fulfillment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s electoral promise.

He expressed optimism that the country’s ailing economy would bounce back fully in no distant time, following the defeat of Boko Haram and subsequent take over of Sambisa forest by the military.

Araraume, now a chieftain of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, described the liberation of Sambisa forest as a landmark achievement for Buhari’s administration, insisting that the development would propel economic recovery in the short run.

The former lawmaker said in a statement yesterday: ‘“President Muhammadu Buhari has accomplished a major electoral promise to defeat Boko Haram and enforce national security.”

Araraume, who is also commissioner at the National Communications Commission, said: “The take over of Sambisa forest is a symbolism of a new dawn in the security sector, which will now prepare ground for economic recovery. Enhanced security will create enabling ground for flourishing of economic activities.

“Booming economic activities will result in new jobs and controlled inflation. Pain of recession will be gradually eased off and Nigerians will bountifully reap dividends of democracy.

“I call on Nigerians to support the Federal Government as it now focuses on economic recovery after it has crippled and wiped out that devastating insurgency. A Buhari who delivers on security promise will also deliver on economic recovery.”

He said with the fall of the forest, investments, both local and foreign, would be attracted by a more secured investment environment, adding that the 2017 budget, tagged Budget of Recovery, would now have peaceful environment for implementation.

“We must commend the officers, men and women of the armed forces for their gallantry . The Commander-in-Chief, President Buhari, deserves accolades on this historical occasion, “ he said.

Source: Army recovers Shekau’s Qur’an, flag in Sambisa – Official – Vanguard News

Dec 29 2016

NIGERIAN ARMY ARRESTS 40 FOREIGNERS AFTER FALL OF SAMBISA FOREST

More than 40 foreigners have been arrested in the last one week, following the fall of the dreaded Sambisa Forest, The Nation has learnt.

The profiling of the foreigners has started to determine whether or not they were working in cahoots with Boko Haram insurgents, who are fleeing their former stronghold.

The military has blocked all known entry and exit points to Sambisa Forest to hem in the remnants of the insurgents.

According to a military source, the identities of the foreigners and their missions in Sambisa Forest will not be revealed until after a thorough screening has been completed.

Intelligence officers are profiling the foreigners, who are suspected to be providing “back-up” for Boko Haram.

The source said: “”In the last one week since we launched massive operations in Sambisa Forest, we have arrested over 40 foreigners.

“We will come up with the details later after the profiling of these suspects. They are all being debriefed. But we discovered that there were so many foreigners in the midst of Boko Haram.

“We have also rescued a lot of people who are being screened too.”

Responding to a question, the source explained the significance of the military routing of the insurgents in Sambisa.

He said the troops’ success was no fluke.

He added: “As for the operations in Sambisa Forest, our gallant troops have successfully taken over Camp Zero and Camp S (Shape) which are the headquarters of Boko Haram.

“The success of the operations is significant because there is no habitation beyond these areas in Sambisa Forest. The area is about 66,000 sq kilometres and there are so many parts uninhabited.

“Many insurgents, including their leaders, were killed and many were captured. Many insurgents are now fleeing. The situation now is that Boko Haram insurgents have been dispersed and dislocated.”

On the fate of the remaining Chibok girls, the source said: “The fleeing Boko Haram insurgents must have relocated them from Sambisa Forest but we are already hunting for them.”

Director of Defence Information Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, said: “The operation in Sambisa Forest is still ongoing. Troops are not relenting. We are now all over the place. We’ll ensure no entry to Sambisa Forest; no exit.”

“We have advised Nigerians to be wary of fleeing insurgents who may likely disguise.”

A source in the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday said the invasion of Sambisa Forest had entered the second phase, which is the pursuit of the fleeing insurgents.

The source, who admitted that the operations in Sambisa were both intelligence-driven and military onslaughts, said the elimination of the insurgents from the forest was 90 per cent completed.

The security chief added: “We have finished almost 90 per cent of the job with Boko Haram. We are now in the second phase which is the most difficult. We are pursuing the fleeing Boko Haram insurgents.

“The good thing is that we prepared for this fallout (the fleeing of the insurgents) long before the takeover of Sambisa Forest. We are trained professionals to curtail the effects of Boko Haram insurgency, especially the fallout of routing them out.

“We are apprehending the fleeing insurgents. Even yesterday, we took some of them in.”

http://saharareporters.com/2016/12/28/nigerian-army-arrests-40-foreigners-after-fall-sambisa-forest

May 10 2014

#BringBackOurGirls…ONE EVIL OF SOCIAL NETWORKS CALLED “MISEDUCATION OF NIGERIANS” IS GROWING!…WE SHOULD QUERY IN OUR MINDS WHAT WE READ OR SEE!

2 QUICK EXAMPLES WE NEEDED TO HAVE THOUGHT OUT CAREFULLY

1.The video of the girl being buried and stoned which was said to be from Sambisa forest.Many of us at first were gripped by the unfortunate spectacle.Even the music sounded like a dirge hitting our bone marrows with untold sadness.

Before you could call Jack before Robinson it was all over the social networks.Everyone was feeling sad.Everyone was imagining the sadness it must have brought to the family of the girl in Chibok.

But some of us refused to play along with the crowd.We did not want traffic on our blog showing such drama.Above all we kept wondering about the background in the video.It wasn’t really a forest like what we had got to hear about Sambisa.The opening was almost as big as a football field and we kept wondering too if this wasc a location our armed forces could not easily pick up.

So we kept ruminating through several pages and sites on the matter not really knowing what we were looking for.But it was not for nothing. Lo and behold! We stumbled on a site apologizing for putting up the video. It was false because it was not about any Chibok girl.It was a 2007 clip from Somalia!

The next question to ask is whether many blogs or sites are being deliberately led by the nose to fool Nigerians as in the case of PSQUARE brothers.

2.The pic of 2 U.S marines with someone who looks like an arrested Boko Haram member.Though many sites confirmed that the pic was unconfirmed and was likely to be from another land it still amounted to publication of false info.Maybe it was because the picture seem to mirror our expectations from the foreign forces just coming in but it was deceitful.

Above all, it was said that two arrests were made in Benue state! Please give us a break! When did the U.S invasion force land?.When were they deployed?What were they doing in Benue State? When did our police officially outsource their power of arrest to them?

WHAT TO DO?

Please set out to challenge what appears too darkly to us.Let us go to these blogs and websites including ours to make our feelings known or join in offering appropriate education to our own people.Please lets stop digesting 419 info from social networks.

Thanks.