Boko Haram Attacks Borno Village, Kills 18, Burn Several Houses

Not less than 18 people were killed and several others injured when Islamist insurgents belonging to Boko Haram launched a return attack yesterday on a small community in Borno State near the border with Adamawa State.

How Nigerian Scammers Buy Exploit Kits To Defraud Asian Businesses

A small group of Nigerian scammers is using more sophisticated methods to defraud mostly Asian businesses, including buying exploit kits and malware from experienced coders, according to a new report from FireEye.

Gunmen Kidnap 92-Yr-Old Monarch In BayelsaState, South-South Nigeria

Residents rose in protest as 92-year-old paramount ruler of Tombia community the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, HRH Christian Otobotekere, was on Thursday kidnapped by about five heavily armed men.

All Smartwatches Are Vulnerable To Hacking, Cyber Attacks - HP Research

HP this week shared the results of a security assessment revealing that virtually all smartwatches with network and communication functionality are vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Tension In Niger-Delta As Tompolo And Ex-Militants Plan To Resuscitate MEND

There was concern in military circles in the Niger Delta region on Thursday following the planned meeting of leaders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

Tragedy! Over 100 Oil Pipeline Vandals Burnt To Death At Arepo, Near Lagos State

No fewer than 100 persons involved in vandalisation of oil pipelines and theft of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) were reportedly killed on Wednesday while trying to steal the product from an oil facility at Arepo near Lagos State.

30 People Dead, 105 Injured in Fresh Gombe Park Multiple Blasts

The Red Cross Society of Nigeria Wednesday confirmed 35 persons dead and 105 injured in the double bomb blasts which occurred in Gombe that night.

Beware! Car Hacking Is For Real, Car Brakes 'Can Be Hacked via Radio'

Several car infotainment systems are vulnerable to a hack attack that could potentially put lives at risk, a leading security company has said.

Boko Haram Militants Attacks Hometown Of Buratai, New Chief of Army Staff, Kills 2

Suspected Boko Haram militants burned down houses, including the family home of Nigeria’s new army chief, in Buratai, Borno State, on Tuesday.

Major General Tukur Buratai
The attack came two days after the chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, vowed to compel the insurgents to beg for peace.

Mr. Buratai was not present at the time of the attack in the early hours, Reuters reported Tuesday quoting security sources.

Since his appointment last week, Mr. Buratai has talked tough about crushing the deadly sect responsible for nearly 20,000 deaths since 2009.

Speaking Sunday, the new Chief of Army said under his command, Boko Haram would either beg for peace or face the wrath of highly motivated and combat ready soldiers. 

The Borno State-born Major General, who took over command of the nation’s army last week, said he was ready to lead soldiers to the dens and enclaves of the insurgents.

He re-christened the operational code of the counter insurgency efforts from 

“Operation Zaman Lafiya” to “Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole” – which in Hausa means ‘the quest for peace becomes a must’. 

Mr. Buratai, who was in neighboring Yobe State to celebrate the Islamic eid-el-fitri festival with Nigerian troops, moved to Borno on Sunday afternoon.

“As Chief of Army Staff, I will be actively involved in this ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya Dole’ to end the madness of Boko Haram if I will have your collective maximum support and cooperation,” he said.

“Since Boko Haram terrorists have refused peace (Zaman Lafiya), we will now force them to accept peace.

“The peace that permeated Borno and transcended Lake Chad will soon return. My wish was to clear Konduga of Boko Haram vestige so that people can return home to rebuild their houses,” the army chief added.

Source:
SaharaReporters

Suicide Bomber Kills Self, Police Officers At A Police Checkpoint In Damaturu

A suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber has killed himself and a police officer at a checkpoint ‎at the outskirts of Damaturu, Yobe State capital, witnesses said. 

The checkpoint is located along the Kano-Maiduguri highway. 

Sources in Damaturu said the explosion occurred at about ‎1:30pm when police officers at the said checkpoint stopped a suspicious Toyota Highlander heading for Maiduguri. 

“As the policemen asked the passengers of the Highlander to disembark from the vehicle and file through the checkpoint one after the other, one of the passengers who had explosives hidden under his clothing, detonated the bomb, killing himself and a policeman”, Bukar Ali, an eyewitness said.

The source said other policemen and the passengers were seriously injured.  

Police is yet to confirm the attack.

Source:
Leadership Newspaper

Head of Department in Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Kidnapped From Her Home

The Head, Department of Information Management Technology (IMT), Federal University of Technology, Owerri, (FUTO), one Dr (Mrs) Felicia Eze was reportedly kidnapped this morning from her home in Ihiagwa, a suburb of Owerri, Imo State. 

Gunmen Kidnap Professor Zibokere Daukiye in Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria

Yenagoa – Unidentified gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Friday abducted the Chairman, Odi Compensation Funds Disbursement Committee in Bayelsa, Professor Zibokere Daukiye, the police said.

Sallah Day Massacre: Gunmen Kill 20, Including A PDP Chieftain In Benue State, North Central Nigeria

It was a bloody Eid-el-Fitri celebrations in Benue State, following the killing of about 20 persons, including a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart and an elder statesman, in Katsina/Ala local government, Chief Atoza Ihindan.

South Africa Returns $15m Cash-For-Arms Seized From Nigerians in Private Jet

The government of South Africa has reportedly returned $15 million to the Nigerian government.

The South African border authorities had on September 5, 2014 seized $9.3 million meant for the procurement of arms for the Nigerian military, from two Nigerians and an Israeli who arrived the country in a private jet.

Custom officers discovered the money stashed in three suitcases after the suitcases were put through airport scanners.

The money was concealed in two black plastic suitcases, filled with 90 blocks each containing US$100,000 in notes.

The NPA said it found with the suspects, an invoice for a helicopter and armaments meant for Nigeria.

While the furore created by the cash seizure was yet to settle, South African authorities again seized another $5.7 million transferred by Societe D’Equipments Internationale of Nigeria, to South African arms company, Cerberus Risk Solutions, for the procurement of arms.

Although the Nigerian government through the office of the then National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, admitted that the money belonged to the Nigerian government, the South African government said it would not release the funds until after “due process” was followed.

The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, had said although his country had no intention of keeping the seized funds, it would only release it to Nigeria after due process had been followed.

On Friday, PR Nigeria, the consulting firm issuing statements on behalf of Nigerian security agencies said the money has finally been released.

It said the money was released as a result of some legal and diplomatic processes initiated by the former NSA which “ensured that cash seized by the South African government during the cash for arms saga last year have been fully recovered by Nigeria”.

PR Nigeria also added that “President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was forced to resort to the alternative market to obtain arms when western powers blocked every access to the formal arms market but the cash were seized both at the airport and in the bank”.

Meanwhile PR Nigeria confirmed the release of Mr. Sambo by the SSS after more than 24 hours siege of his home.

It also said Mr. Sambo was released only after the SSS seized his international passports and other vital documents.

“Even though there is no more restriction of his movement, Dasuki still feels aggrieved that he was deprived of performing his religious obligation of attending the Eid Prayers, making the end of Ramadan fasting.

“Dasuki has vowed to challenge the action by seeking legal redress in order to enforce his fundamental human rights,” the release said.

Source:
Premium Times

Police Arrest London-based Kidnap Kingpin Who Masterminded Abductions in Rivers State Axis

45-year-old man, Chukwudi Ubani has told the police how he ran a kidnap syndicate from his base in London. He was said to have been responsible for several kidnap cases in Rivers State and its environs for several years.