According to Dr. Peter Jack, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigeria’s active internet users currently stands at over 48 million.
Wednesday 8 October 2014
United States Exploiting Ebola Outbreak In West Africa To Establish Military Foothold
UNDER the guise of a humanitarian mission aimed at containing the spread of the Ebola virus, the Obama administration is purportedly exploiting the virus outbreak to establish a solid military footing on the African continent.
FUTO Graduate Accidentally Shoots Self To Death While Testing His New Gun In Imo State
A young man accidentally killed himself when testing his new gun just a day before traveling to Malaysia.
Outrage In Military Circles Over Plan To Court Martial Lt. Colonel, 37 Others
SOME soldiers and officers are said to be outraged and bitter over the decision of the General Court Martial, convened by the Army authorities, to try a Lieutenant-Colonel (names withheld) and 37 soldiers for mutiny.
Tuesday 7 October 2014
3 Army Officers, 13 Soldiers To Be Court Martialed Over Abducted Chibok Girls
The Nigerian Army has concluded arrangements to arraign 16 soldiers over the April 14, 2014, abduction of over 200 students of the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
Three of the soldiers are officers while the remaining 13 soldiers belong to other ranks.
Our correspondent gathered in Abuja on Monday that barring any last minute change, they would appear before the General Court Martial at the Maxwell Khobe Military Cantonment, Rukuba, Jos in Plateau State after the Sallah holidays.
The officers are Lieutenant Col. A. O. Ojo, Capt. O. O. Ogunrinde, and 2nd Lieutenant V.I. Godknows.
The 16 are among 117 soldiers facing a GCM convened by the General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Army in Kaduna, Maj.Gen. K. C. Osuji, on August 6, 2014.
A source said their trial would take place at the headquarters of the 3rd Armoured Division, Rukuba in Jos for security reasons.
The GCM panel comprises Col. J.J. Ogunlade (President); Col. J. O. Sokoya, Col. M. Kadiri, Col. M. W. Abubakar, Col. A. A. Bamgbose, Col. A. Garba and Col E.M. Albara.
Lt. Colonels B. Garke and O. S. Obot are the waiting members of the panel which has Captain A. Mohammed as the judge advocate and Lt. G. B. Suleiman as the liaison officer.
Investigations on Monday revealed that Ojo, who was the Unit Commander, in Biu, was summoned to the GCM in relation with the conflict in the number of girls said to have been abducted by Boko Haram insurgents and those rescued at the time of the incident.
The officer is also being charged for alleged failure to reinforce the Chibok community when the incident occurred.
It was gathered that the officers were being charged for failure to perform military duty, an offence that attracts
a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.
A source, who confided in our correspondent said that the Lt. Colonel had stated that the number he gave was not the one that was used in a statement by the Defence Headquarters on the reported rescue of some of the abducted girls.
The said statement was later withdrawn.
The source said, “The Lt. Colonel is being charged for allegedly giving information without verification, negligent performance of military duty and not going to reinforce the place where the incident took place. The charge attracts a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.”
He also said that Ojo had not completely taken over from his predecessor and had complained about the number of men and equipment on the ground when the abduction took place two days after his arrival in Biu for the mission.
It was stated that the shortage of men was shown by the fact that only the 2nd Lt. and 13 soldiers were in Chibok in spite of the fact that the place had a heavy presence of insurgents.
It was gathered that the other soldiers led by Godknows were on duty at the headquarters of the Chibok Local Government Area on the day of the
incident.
Another source told our correspondent that the Army was not notified of the examinations that were going on in the school.
The source said that a statement by the Principal of the School, Asabe Kwambura, corroborated the soldiers’
claim.
Investigations revealed that the soldiers left their location in Chibok to lay in ambush when they received a report that insurgents were planning to attack them on the night the schoolgirls were seized.
They were said to have lost a soldier during the face-off with the Boko Haram members.
The source said, “Only Godknows and 13 soldiers were on duty in Chibok. They were not stationed within the school. No soldier was stationed in the school and they didn’t know that the school was in session.
“Nobody notified these people that the girls were having an examination in the school. Even the principal admitted in her statement that the soldiers were not notified.
“They were told that their camp was about to be attacked so they went out to lay in ambush for insurgents. One of the soldiers died.
“But I can confirm to you that the Army has concluded preparations to arraign them.”
The abduction of the schoolgirls sparked global outrage with world leaders calling on the terrorist group and the Federal Government to ensure their safe release.
- Punch
Is It Right To Pay Ransom To Free Abductees?
The killings of US journalists and British aid workers in Syria, and a French hiker in Algeria have highlighted the dilemma for governments over whether to pay ransoms.
'One Million Nigerian Adults areBlind'
Information released by the Lagos branch of the Nigerian Optometric Association suggests that over one million Nigerian adults are blind, while additional three millions are visually impaired.
Boko Haram Burn Down 185 Churches In Borno, Adamawa Captured Towns, Thousands Displaced
The Director of Catholic Social Communication of Maiduguri Diocese, Rev. Gideon Obasogie has said that two months after the capture of 11 towns in Borno and Adamawa states by Boko Haram, residents could not return to their houses and places of worship, as 185 churches in the diocese were torched and 190, 545 people displaced.
The Boko Haram Insurgency, By TheNumbers - The Washington Post
The abduction in April of nearly 300 schoolgirls from Chibok, a northeastern Nigerian village, by fighters of the extremist group Boko Haram received wide attention from social media campaigners and the news media.
Jonathan Heads To Niamey; To meet Neighbouring Leaders Over Boko Haram
President Goodluck Jonathan will on Tuesday undertake a one-day official visit to Niamey, capital of Niger Republic, to participate in an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.
Monday 6 October 2014
Department of State Security Seizes Arms in Akwa Ibom State
The Department of State Service, Akwa Ibom State Command, has seized arms and light weapons stockpiled to disrupt the 2015 elections in the state.
Again, South Africa Seizes $5.7m Arms Cash From Nigeria
The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority has seized $5.7m (R64m) for yet another arms deal between South Africa and Nigeria.
State Commissioners of Police Now Permitted To Issue Tinted Vehicle Glass Permit
The acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba, has decentralized the issuance of tinted glass permit to vehicles.
Military Orders Arrest of General for Running Into Bush With Troops in Fear of Boko Haram
There were indications, weekend, that the Army High Command has ordered the arrest and detention of a Brigadier-General attached to the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army (names with-held) over allegations of negligence that gave Boko Haram terrorists an opportunity to overrun some communities in Borno State recently.
Sunday 5 October 2014
Amnesty Opposes Death Penalty for Convicted Soldiers
Global human rights advocacy group, Amnesty International, has opposed the death sentence passed on 12 Nigerian soldiers by a military court in Abuja for mutiny, among other offenses.
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