News
Army raids ESN terrorists, clear hideouts in Imo
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By Francesca Hangeior
The Nigerian Army troops say they successfully cleared IPOB/ESN hideout at Ihiteukwa Community in Orsu Local Government Area of Imo State, neutralising one IPOB/ESN terrorist after an intense firefight on Saturday.
The Director of Army Public Relations, Maj.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, who made this known in a statement said the troops conducted a search in their hideout and recovered three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), one Toyota Highlander SUV, and one Hilux vehicle after overpowering the criminals.
He said that other items recovered include eight rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, six rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, and one locally fabricated single barrel gun.
“Other items recovered from the terrorists’ hideout include a pair of proscribed Biafran uniforms, one solar panel, and one CCTV camera.
“Troops also recovered 10 mobile phones, batteries, a bundle of proscribed Biafran currency, three solar street lights, three jungle hats, pairs of black boots, and assorted charms,” he said.
Nwachukwu said the troops had, in another encounter, engaged IPOB/ESN terrorists at their crossing point in the Akawa Nneato area of Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia.
He said the troops engaged the terrorists in a firefight, resulting in the terrorists scampering in disarray into nearby bushes.
“On exploiting further after the shootout, troops recovered one AK-47 rifle loaded with 19 rounds of 7.62mm (Special) ammunition, two empty magazines, and one FN rifle loaded with four rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition.
“In another development, troops operating in the Kawara general area of Birnin Gwari Forest in Kaduna State have cleared and destroyed a series of terrorists’ camps in the area.
“During the operation, troops recovered three motorbikes, one PKT Gun link containing 246 rounds of 7.62mm by 39mm ammunition, one woodland camouflage, and a pair of Desert boots.
“Other items recovered include three magazine carriers and one Boafeng Radio.
“Troops have dominated the general area and conducting further exploits in pursuit of the insurgents.
“The Nigerian Army remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of citizens and will continue to sustain operations to sanitise troubled areas in order to restore peace and stability in the country,” he added.
News
Tinubu Fires Top Appointee Over Alleged N1.4 Billion Embezzlement
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President Bola Tinubu has sacked Sani Auwalu Balarabe from his position as HoD, Chief of the Intercountry Centre for Oral Health for Africa, ICOH, over an alleged embezzlement of N1.4 billion during his tenure.
As far as one could gather from the People’s Gazette, the appointment of Balarabe was terminated on the 18th of July, following a spate of petitions that related to financial misconduct and investigations. The president appointed one Taiwo Olaniyi to replace him.
In January, several petitions were sent to the House of Assembly, EFCC, Ministry of Health, and other government agencies to investigate activities of Balarabe at ICOH. The petitions leveled accusations against Balarabe, saying that he had not conducted any research despite the institute receiving huge budgetary allocations, which is its core mandate.
One of the petitions dated January 16 had this: “Despite all these budgetary allocations, the centre has not produced a single oral health research project, which is its core mandate and the reason for its establishment.
It further brought to the fore that projects initiated under Balarabe’s administration, such as the construction of a remodeled dental clinic and administration block and the procurement of project vehicles, costing over N700 million, were never completed.
The petitions also accused him of backdating the appointment letters for new staff and paying them arrears of their salary, with such money to be returned to a particular account. These funds are said to have been applied toward some expenses at ICOH.
The sacking of Balarabe clearly typified President Tinubu’s commitment to corruption fighting and making those in charge of public institutions accountable.
News
Finally, IGP approves hunger protests across Nigeria
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The Nigerian police has finally approved the planned nationwide protests and outlined conditions for participants.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, revealed this on Friday while addressing journalists in Abuja.
He urged all groups planning to participate in the proposed nationwide protest to submit their details to the Commissioners of Police in their respective states.
The police boss said this was to ensure the protest was peaceful.
Egbetokun said, “We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest.
“However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place.
“To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”
The police boss said the information expected from the organisers also include measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.
By providing the information, he said, the police will be able to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety.
He said the police needed to know the specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.
Mr Egbetokun said the police will “establish clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; minimise the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity.
“We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.
News
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