Metro

17 Nigerian soldiers killed, equipment stolen in multiple Boko Haram onslaught

A roadside ambush and two gunfire attacks reported earlier this week killed at least one officer and 16 soldiers and wounded 18 more troops in the volatile North-east region of Nigeria, in a daring continuation of Boko Haram’s renewed rampage against military targets that escalated with the raiding of two formations last week

Published

6 years ago

July 28, 2018

Africa News Watch

Top military sources who briefed PREMIUM TIMES on the aftermath of each of the three attacks executed over a five-day span said the insurgents also carted away valuable military hardware, including anti-aircraft gun trucks, Toyota Hilux trucks and at least one armoured personnel carrier.

The near-simultaneous and increasingly frequent attacks appeared to have greatly unsettled the military leadership in recent days, with sources attributing the latest redeployment of top commanders overseeing the counter-insurgency operations to the disappointment being felt at the Defence Headquarters.
It was the fifth reshuffle since 2015 in commanders of Operation Lafiya Dole, Nigerian military’s flagship anti-terrorism campaign across the Northeast.

Another Week Of Heavy Military Losses

In at least one instance, the terrorists destroyed an anti-aircraft gun truck rather than drive it away in Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe State, sources said. This was when a detachment from 223 Battalion led by a lieutenant colonel lost eight soldiers after it was ambushed on July 21, marking the first of the last one week’s attacks.

One soldier was seriously wounded in that attack.

On July 24, soldiers on patrol in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State encountered Boko Haram attackers in Yajiwa-Kaffa axis. One officer and six soldiers were killed while 14 other members of the team, including two local hunters, were seriously injured in the gunfire that erupted, military sources said.

The army did not disclose the attack to the media, which was why it went unreported until military sources informed PREMIUM TIMES about it Friday night as part of the paper’s findings about military and civilian casualties in the renewed Boko Haram attacks.

The terrorists continued their deadly campaign with the attack on Thursday night in Jakana, Borno settlement which lies west of Maiduguri on the road to Kano. Although the attack was largely repelled as security agencies said, two soldiers were still killed and three injured, facts the Nigerian Army and police concealed in their respective statements but which senior officers have now disclosed PREMIUM TIMES.

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Metro

Catholic bishops in Zambia decry ‘shrinking democratic space’, hounding of opposition parties

Published

11 hours ago

November 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has decried what it describes as a shrinking and deteriorating democratic environment, marked by the arrests and prolonged detention of opposition leaders.

In a letter signed and issued by all 11 Catholic Bishops in Zambia in Lusaka on Sunday, the clerics lamented that at least six opposition leaders were currently facing charges linked to their political activities, highlighting what they termed as a significant restriction of democratic freedoms.

“We are gravely concerned by the shrinking democratic space in the country. For example, about six or more opposition leaders are facing the law simply because of their participation in political activism,” the letter stated.

The Catholic Bishops called on the ruling United Party for National Development (UPND) to ensure fairness in the political landscape.

“We urge the government to tolerate divergent views and promote democracy in the country,” they said.

The Bishops also condemned the prolonged detention of political figures, journalists, and other individuals without trial, asserting that such practices undermine democratic principles.

“Of concern is the detention of individuals, journalists, and opposition political leaders for expressing their views on governance issues,” the letter read.

The pastoral letter also criticized the UPND government for its use of derogatory language against the Church, referencing UPND Secretary-General Batuke Imenda’s labelling of Lusaka Archbishop Alick Banda as “Lucifer.”

“The Church expected Mr. Imenda to apologize for his remarks, as they were not only an insult to Archbishop Banda but to the entire Catholic Church,” the Bishops emphasized.

The letter further condemned the deployment of police officers to the Cathedral of the Child Jesus, viewing it as a form of intimidation.

Metro

Nigerian economy to grow in leaps and bounds in 2025, VP Shettima predicts

Published

16 hours ago

November 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has predicted that the country’s economy will grow in leaps and bounds in 2025 due to the reforms put in place by President Bola Tinubu.

Shettima, who made the projection at a retreat organized for presidential aides in Abuja, gave reasons for his optimism, citing economic improvements recorded so far, including crude oil production reaching 1.8 million barrels per day.

Shettima emphasized that despite the challenges confronting Nigeria, the nation’s economy was on the path to growth due to Tinubu’s policies and determination to transform the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“President Bola Tinubu is determined to change the fortunes of the nation. We all want to bequeath to the younger generation a united and progressive country,” Shettima said.

He emphasized that though the Nigerian economy is facing challenges, the current government is doing everything possible to turn things around.

“Yes, the economy has faced and is still facing challenges, but we have turned the corner. As of now, we are producing 1.8 million barrels of oil per day. The economy is on an upward trajectory, and I believe that in the new year, the economy will grow in leaps and bounds.”

“The country is greater than all of us. I urge you all to work as a team and as a family.”