11 killed as military foil Boko Haram invasion into Maiduguri

A family of five and 6 other individuals were among those who were killed in a gun battle between Boko Haram members and Nigerian troops in Dala, Borno state yesterday May 29th.

According to reports, the terrorist, who came in their numbers, had tried to invade Maiduguri, the Borno state capital but met a strong resistance from the troops stationed in the area. Many residents were seriously injured as they tried running to safety. The troops repelled the attack.

Nigerian Army Dismisses 200 Soldiers for Failure to Capture Sambisa Forest

A total of 200 soldiers have been dismissed by the Nigeria Army at the Rukuba Barracks in Jos, Plateau State, for their failure to capture Sambisa Forest, a popular hideout for Boko Haram insurgents located in Borno State.

They were arraigned on a two-count charge of “failure to perform military duty and disobedience to standing order,” Vanguard reports.

One of the dismissed soldiers, Aguloye Sunday, confirmed the news but said the charges were “untrue, false, and malicious.”

He denied the army’s claim that the soldiers abandoned their duties and ran away. Sunday also stated that sufficient weapons were not provided for them to fight the terrorists and, therefore, they ran out of weapons. He also claimed that the weapons they had were obsolete.

“The bombs given to us were made in 1964; they were expired, so we could not use them. Each of us was given five bullets, not five rounds, to fire. While in the forest, our biggest weapon was to cover just a distance of 400 meters, but our enemy had aircraft weapons that could cover a distance of more than 1,000 metres, aside other dangerous weapons.We only retreated to our base and waited in vain for ammunition for three days,” he said.

Commenting in a statement, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, S. K. Usman, said in a statement:

On disciplinary action being taken against some soldiers for cowardice and desertion in the face of enemies, especially as regards the fight against Boko Haram terrorists, most of the stories and figures being peddled are far from accurate. Disciplinary processes or trials are never done with prior intention to dismiss anyone in the Nigerian Army. The only intention is to dispense justice and even at that, due process is normally followed.

Tight security around eagle square for inauguration

Abuja - Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has ordered there be tight security in and around eagle square to prepare for the Presidential Inauguration,
Security has also been increased in major hotels where important dignitaries will be lodged in.
Motorists have been warned that traffic will be diverted around eagle square to avoid congestion as well as roads leading into the FCT.

Police have apologised for any inconvenience caused by traffic and more police have been deployed in various parts of the FCT for a hitch free transition.
However, the FCT has been given a lift with miniature flags which are mounted on the streets.
Courtsy: Punch

British council's Cutting Back On CCTV

Councils are cutting back on the use of CCTV cameras to try and cut costs, a surveillance watchdog has warned.

Tony Porter, the surveillance camera commissioner, has said he is concerned about local authorities scaling back on cameras because it would make it harder for police to combat crime.

Mr Porter told The Independent town halls could face increased scrutiny of their use of CCTV, including potential inspections and enforcement.

He said: "There are an increasing number of examples where councils and employees are citing a lack of money as being the rationale to reduce the service or completely change its composition - and that does concern me.

"Because CCTV isn't a statutory function, it is something a lot of councils are looking at.

"Most people recognise the utility of CCTV for supporting law enforcement.

"To degrade the capacity may have an impact on police.

"It may well be that they will find it increasingly difficult to acquire the images that will help them investigate crimes.

"I do think public authorities should be held to greater account. If that is some form of inspection and enforcement notice.

"I think that can be achieved with a fairly light touch."

The British Security Industry Authority estimates there are up to six million CCTV cameras, with around one in 70 publicly owned.

Mr Porter has written to council chief executives to remind them of the law and code of practice.

He is due to reveal the findings of a review into standards to Home Secretary Theresa May in the autumn.

Mr Porter warned of the misuse of CCTV in some areas in a speech earlier this week.

He told the CCTV User Group conference: "I've seen councils in large towns like Blackpool and Derby stop monitoring their systems 24-7.

"My understanding is that this is not as the result of a review or public consultation but simply to save money.

"And as austerity measures continue to bite on public space CCTV will we see a deterioration of standards and training?"

Mr Porter went on to add: "I am sure that most town centre public space CCTV is in line with the code or fairly close.

"But I recently asked a large city centre council to do a survey of all public space surveillance cameras within it.

"What has come back is quite shocking but not unexpected."

Mr Porter said it was found that cameras were being used by other departments, including traffic, waste management and housing services.

Privacy assessments were also not being routinely carried out, the survey found.

A Government spokesman said: "Public safety is paramount and the majority of local authorities have continued to balance their budgets and increased or maintained public satisfaction with services.

"Crime has fallen by more than a quarter since 2010, according to the independent Crime Survey for England and Wales.

"This means citizens and communities are safer than at any point since the survey began in 1981.

"Decisions on CCTV provision should be a local decision by elected local councillors, reflecting local circumstances and the views of local residents - especially in relation to any concerns about crime."

New Militant Group Demands Niger Delta Peoples Republic

A group, Movement for the Survival of Niger Delta Indigenes (MOSUNDI) has commenced agitation for self-determination and independence from the present Nigeria. The demand is coming on the heels of a similar recent agitation by the Lower Niger Congress (NLC) for the restructuring of Nigeria to allow each region of the country to be equal and to also control its resources for the betterment of their people. NLC is made up of people of the South-South and South-East geographical region.
MOSUNDI which in itself represents the six states of the Niger Delta (South-South) and part of the present Ondo State say its agitation for self-determination and independence is anchored on wicked marginalisation, deprivation and slavery by the major ethnic groups in Niger inspite of fact that Niger Delta produces the economic wealth of the nation.
In a letter to the Secretary-General of United Nations, Dr. Ban Ki-Moon and signed by its President, Prince Samuel Amaiwo, Chimezie Ezebunwo Timothy, Hon. Okan Obukohwo Okan and spokesman Godgift Edigbe, MOSUNDI seeks for a United Nations’ Supervised referendum for self-determination of the Niger Delta Peoples of Nigeria based on the UN charter, Articles, resolution, International Court of Justice decision and the Scotland referendum.
The agitation for the Niger Delta Peoples Republic according to the letter is predicated by political, Social-economic and religious discrimination of the Nigeria, Hausa and Yoruba against Niger Delta people.
It said, “from independence in 1960, the Niger Delta has been a well spring of Nigeria resource of revenue due to the huge oil deposit but the people have continued to wallow in abject poverty, environmental degradation due to economic, political, social and religious violence visited on them by the majority Hausa-Fulani/Yoruba’s Islamic elites, our people as a result of economic, political, social and religious violence visited on us, live in abject poverty without the minimum basic necessities of life, that is, water, sanitation, healthcare, education.”
“Oil exploitation and exploration and production in the Niger Delta has degraded our environment, devastated our fish stocks and our farmland, the principal sources and strength of micro-economic activities of our people health reducing life expectancy and also damaging physical infrastructure that the cost of living has sky rocketed beyond the reach of the people, of note in the oil industry which has created a ‘NEW NOVEAU RICH’ amongst the Hausa-Fulani/Yoruba elites that has wickedly and deliberately denied our people management jobs within an industry that is located at the heart of the Niger Delta Communities, the letter said.
The group noted that the people of the Niger Delta disputed the result of the 2006 population which was carried out by the Federal Government, reason being that the ploy was a measure to depopulate and reduce the number of people of the region which is being used in allocating resources in Nigeria. It queried why Nigerian Federal authority did not use water resources or the inclusion of transportation of Petroleum through VAT in determining resource allocation.
It said the proposed Niger Delta Peoples Republic is economically viable and would not depend solely on international hand-out from other countries except with respect to contributory shared Debt of the Federation of Nigeria. According to MOSUNDI, the proposed new country has would be politically stable, culturally compatible, geographical contiguous as well as religiously congruous.
It further accused the Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba of allotting 90% of the oil blocks in Niger Delta to themselves due to their vintage position at the central government level. It further remarked that the agitation for a republic of the people of Niger Delta has become a long struggle starting from the era of Willincks Commission due to the lop-sidedness of Nigeria Federalism and massive greed of the majority ethnic Nationalities and insisted that peaceful separation is the key to lasting peace in what it termed the faulty federation called Nigeria.

Police Kill 26 Cultists In Rivers

About 26 persons suspected to be cultists have been killed allegedly by men of Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of Rivers State Police Command in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state. It was gathered that the incident occurred in a forest around Obesemini community in Egi in that LGA.
Though the name of the cult group could not be ascertained, it was learnt that men of the SARS stormed their camp in the wee hours of Thursday, and gunned them down. A security source who did not want to be mentioned said neighbouring communities around the forest were Akabuka and Oyioga.
A member of a vigilance group, who also confirmed the story said the suspected cultists could be responsible for the killings that had been recorded in recent times in ONELGA. He added that the corpses which were abandoned in the forest, were discovered by some hunters early in the morning.

Police IG, Makes New Orders, Bars His Men From Carrying Bags For Politicians, Wife, Others

There is a recent welcomed development in the Nigeria police sector, as the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, on Thursday made some new orders which included warning his men from detaining suspects more than 24 hours.
The Police high-ranked inspector stressed that appropriate due diligence should be conducted before arrest warrant was issued.
He also banned policemen posted to provide security for top government officials from carrying their bags or converting themselves to domestic staff, just as he emphasised his disdain against all forms of corruption.
According to him, "management decided to invite you for interaction so we get first-hand information from you. We expect that you should no longer collect money from members of the public, you should be civil to the public and observe all forms of human right abuses.
"Some of you who are escorting think they are in their bedrooms. Misuse of firearms, Force Order 223 is there. Make sure you observe the provisions of this law. You must change your attitude to the public because we need them to support us.
"We shall train you on alternative disputes resolution. All those who dabble into land matters and commercial matters should hands off and advise them to go to the court.
"You should no longer detain anybody more than 24 hours. Before you invite anybody, ensure that you have investigated the issue and have with you concrete evidence before you invite or arrest anybody.
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"Henceforth, only government officials are entitled to police protection. You should no longer carry people's bags, open their doors, man their gates or engage in any domestic chores for anybody. I have directed the commissioners in-charge of airports to arrest you if they see you dragging your pistol with boxes or bags of anybody.
"For your promotion, immediately after the inauguration, the DIG in-charge of training will invite those of you who are qualified to the various training colleges so that you can be trained for promotion.
"On no account should we see anybody on our highways wearing slippers or shabbily dressed. If we see you, we are going to arrest you. You have been given authority to arrest anybody who is blowing siren. It has been banned, but you must not carry horse whip, you must be civil," he ordered.