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Nigerian Army Confirms Two Soldiers Killed By ESN Fighters In Imo, One Missing, Weapons Carted Away

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The Nigerian Army has confirmed that two of its soldiers were killed and weapons carted away by operatives of Eastern Security Network (ESN), an armed wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB is a separatist organisation seeking for the restoration of Republic of Biafra from Nigeria following age-long accusation of marginalisation of the people of the South-East region of Nigeria since the Biafra – Nigeria civil war.

In a statement on Saturday, the Nigerian Army said that incident happened at Osina, Ideator North Local Government Area of Imo State, when its troops of 34 Artillery Brigade returning from routine patrols responded to a distress call of IPOB/ESN attack on Osina Community.

According to the statement, on arrival, the troops engaged the “terrorists” with overwhelming fire power, killing some of them, with no figure specific, while adding that the “dissidents withdrew in dissary”.

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“Unfortunately, two security agents had been killed in action and one other missing in action and their weapons, an AK 47 Rifle and a Tear Gas Launcher were carted away by the terrorists.”

The statement noted that the corpses of the slain agents had been recovered and the troops have proceeded in pursuit of the fleeing “terrorists”.

The statement added, “Contact was again made with the criminal IPOB/ESN elements at Nkwachi Community and in the firefight that ensued, one of the dissidents was neutralised while others who could not withstand the troop’s fire power ran into the nearby forest. One (1) AK-47 rifle with a fully loaded magazine was recovered.

“The unrelenting troops continued to pursue the remnant of the criminals deep into Umalouma forest where a heavy firefight further broke out. The dissidents finally abandoned their weapons due to troops’ superior fire power and scampered into the thickly forested area with severe gunshot injuries. An additional five (4) Ak – 47 rifles, one (1) Fabrique Nationale Rifle and five (2) Magazines were recovered. A total of six (5) AK 47 Rifles and a Tear Gas Launcher were recovered.

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“Further exploitation is ongoing as troops will continue to trail the injured terrorists and smoke them out of their hideouts and places of treatment. We urge all IPOB/ESN irredentists and other criminal elements hiding in the bushes to surrender to the nearest troops’ location or meet their waterloo as troops of the Brigade will continue to ensure that Imolites celebrate the Yuletide Season in peace without fear or intimidation.”

The army in the statement appealed to the people of Imo State to continue to support the military by giving them timely intelligence on the hideouts and movements of the “terrorists to enable us rid the state of all criminality”.

The media had reported that since 2021 after the Supreme Court declared Senator Hope Uzodinma, who came fourth in the 2019 general election as the governor of the Imo State, sacking the people’s elected governor in a questionable circumstances, the state had been a killing field, with the military burning down several communities and markets in the guise of fighting separatists.

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SAD! Man Stabbed To Death During Rice Fight On New Year’s Day In Delta Community

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An unidentified man has been stabbed to death by another in the Ogwanja area of Sapele in Delta State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day, reports said. It was learnt that he was killed following an altercation over rice which did not get.

The deceased had reportedly had an argument with another in the area, leading to a physical fight between them.

The suspect killer, whose name residents of the area have refused to disclose reportedly picked a bottle and stabbed the deceased multiple times.

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The deceased bled profusely until the vigilante rushed him to the hospital and abandoned his body there.

The remains of the deceased had been taken to a mortuary.

At the time of this report, the Vigilante has refused to disclose the names of the suspects and that of the deceased.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe is yet to pick up phone calls as well as reply to text messages sent to him to confirm the report.
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Commuters groan over relocation of Yenagoa motor parks

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Commuters in Yenagoa are groaning over the directive by the Bayelsa State Ministry of Transport to relocate all motor parks operating within Yenagoa and its environs to the new transport terminal at Igbogene in Yenagoa.

Commuters have described their ordeal before getting to their respective destinations, particularly, during this festive season distressing and have expressed dismay and outright annoyance over the insensitivity on the part of the state Ministry of Transport to their plight.

Some said the state government ought to have called all the gazetted transport unions across the state to a roundtable discussion on the matter before embarking on the forceful relocation of the motor parks to Igbogene.

A commuter, Mr Douye Wikimor, noted that the enforcement of the directive by stern-looking security operatives at the motor park at the popular Tombia Roundabout is a misplaced priority and a complete miscalculation on the part of the state Ministry of Transport.

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He added that other commuters like himself will have to pay double transportation fares before arriving at their destinations.

Wikimor urged the state government and other relevant stakeholders in the transport sector to re-think and consider the stress and pains the gazetted transport unions and commuters will bear as a result of the sudden and forceful relocation.

President of the Federal University, Otuoke Students Union Government, Comrade Azubike Ekene, said the relocation will cause a lot of inconvenience and pain to students of not only the university but also those of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.

Ekene said the policy is not bad, especially when viewed against the backdrop of sanitising and decongesting the motor parks within Yenagoa and its environs, but pointed out that the execution of the policy is ill-timed as the planners did not take into consideration the plight of students in the state.

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He warned that the student union body will embark on a peaceful protest if the relocation policy is not reconsidered.

In the same vein, another commuter, Tekena Kio, condemned the relocation and centralisation policy, noting that the policy will negatively affect the gazetted transport unions in the state, commuters and small and medium-scale businesses operating within and around the various motor parks.

Kio said the policy will also create room for crime and criminality as the employees of the gazetted unions will be thrown back into the labour market and the motor parks will turn to hideouts for criminals, thereby leading to insecurity in the state.

He averred that it will also affect the internally generated revenue profile of the state from the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.

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He said, “I am a commuter going to Delta State and I used to travel with Agofure buses, but I am surprised that I came to their park this morning to see that the park is under lock and key.

“In this 21st century, the government locked up a private park and business and forced them to relocate to their park which is uncalled for. By our constitution, everybody is allowed to go about their respective businesses without harassment from any quarter.

“Other Bayelsans are in other states doing their legitimate businesses. Agofure built this property to do his legitimate business. I appeal to President Bola Tinubu to wade into the matter and solve the difficulty commuters and private park owners are going through in Bayelsa State.”

Secretary of the Bayelsa State branch of the RTEAN, Comrade Anengima Jonah, bemoaned the policy as the terminal is not built for vehicles of transport unions, but for executive and government-owned transportation schemes, noting that the policy will kill private businesses around the various motor parks.

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Jonah said that the gazetted transport unions have succeeded in mopping up large numbers of unemployed youths across the state and urged the state government to have a solid discussion with the unions before going further with the enforcement order, as that is the surest way to resolve the vexing issue.

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2024: Police arrest 575 suspects, recover 142 items in Sokoto

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Sokoto State Police Command says it arrested 575 suspects for various crimes and the recovery of 142 items including weapons in 2024.

This was contained in a statement on Wednesday in Sokoto by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Ahmed Musa.

Musa said the suspects comprised those involved in culpable homicide, rape, vandalism, drug abuse, theft, fraud, rustling, and robbery.

He added that the 142 items recovered included a General Purpose Machine Gun, GPMG, with six rounds of live ammunition, nine AK-47 rifles, three magazines, and 341 rounds of live ammunition.

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“Today, I can confidently say that we have made significant progress in reducing these crimes to the barest minimum.

“We have implemented innovative strategies to address emerging security challenges, strengthened community partnerships, and enhanced the welfare and training of our officers..

“These achievements were guided by intelligence-led policing, community engagement, increased visibility, and adherence to police ethics.

“We also worked in synergy with other security agencies while upholding the rule of law,” he added.

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He applauded the State Government for donating 34 Toyota Hilux vehicles and other support to the command for effective operations.

“We also received one Toyota Hilux and five Hunter motorcycles from the Force Headquarters in Abuja. These have been deployed to areas of need, enhancing the command’s operational capabilities,” Musa said.

The PPRO emphasized the commitment of the command to continue to ensure safety and security in the state.

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