Former Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi, is dead

One of the most iconic captains of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, and former coach of the team, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, is dead, his family has announced.
He was 54.
May his soul rest in peace, amen

Indian politician asks his government to ban Nigerians from entering India, says Nigerians cause problems everywhere

A former Minister in India, Ravi Naik, has asked the Indian Central government to "ban" Nigerians from entering India, saying his country does not need Nigerian tourists. According to Times of India, Naik said this while speaking to some reporters recently.

Referring to Nigerians as "Negroes", Naik who is also a senior Congress leader, told the reporters that Nigerians have been causing "problems" in Goa, a western state in India as well other places.

"They create problems everywhere... We do not want Nigerian tourists. The Central government should ban Nigerians,"

Naik said he demanded for a probe into the activities of Nigerians in Goa who he alleged masquerade as students.

“Nigerians come here and do ‘dadagiri’ in Delhi, Bengaluru and the entire country. We should move Nigerians out of here… Have they come here to study? Are they really studying? Are they really going to college, schools? This has to be probed. It is very important,” he said 

14yr old girl who suffered severe burns after allegedly taking septrin has passed on

14 year old Amina Ibrahim who suffered severe burns after allegedly taking popular antibiotics, Septin, has died. Amina had gone to a chemist to buy medications when she was feeling ill and when she got there, she met the 19 year old son of the pharmacist who prescribed the antibiotics for her. She took the drug and immediately started reacting to it. Within an hour, she suffered sever burns on her face and neck. She was later diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a “rare, serious disorder of skin and mucous membranes that is usually caused from reaction to a medication or an infection. 

Amina died at the Mohammed Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital in Kano State. 

Buhari hands over to Osinbajo, writes National Assembly informing them of his medical trip to the UK

President Buhari has handed over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajoi. Osinbajo will serve in acting capacity for the 10 days President Buhari will be away in the UK for medical checkup.

 

President Buhari's letter to the senate was read on the floor of the house by the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, during plenary today June 7th. This is the first time President Buhari is transferring power to Osinbajo since they both came into power in May 2015. 

Chelsea & Jose Mourinho apologize and settle with Dr Eva Carneiro after she threatened to expose embarrassing texts and emails

Jose Mourinho and Chelsea football club have ended the employment tribunal case with ex-Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro, after agreeing on a settlement package with the doctor, just minutes before she was to climb the witness stand and expose embarrassing texts and emails sent by Jose Mourinho to her after alleging that Mourinho called her 'daughter of a whore' in Portuguese and also told her she should work for Chelsea Ladies FC and not the male football team.

A deal between Jose Mourinho and Dr Eva Carneiro was done in a back corridor of the court after Mourinho begged her and Chelsea then issued a statement saying it 'regretted the circumstances' which led to former club doctor leaving and 'apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused'.

The case was expected to last seven to 10 days and could have led to potentially embarrassing witness statements and documents - including texts and emails - being made public. 

Read Chelsea FC's official statement after the cut.

The club regrets the circumstances which led to Dr Carneiro leaving the club and apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused.

'We wish to place on record that in running onto the pitch Dr Carneiro was following both the rules of the game and fulfilling her responsibility to the players as a doctor, putting their safety first.

'Dr Carneiro has always put the interests of the club's players first. Dr Carneiro is a highly competent and professional sports doctor. She was a valued member of the club's medical team and we wish her every success in her future career.

'Jose Mourinho also thanks Dr Carneiro for the excellent and dedicated support she provided as First Team Doctor and he wishes her a successful career.'

In a statement Dr Carneiro said: 'I am relieved that today we have been able to conclude this tribunal case. It has been an extremely difficult and distressing time for me and my family and I now look forward to moving forward with my life.

'My priority has always been the health and safety of the players and fulfilling my duty of care as a doctor. In running onto the pitch to treat a player, who requested medical attention, I was following the rules of the game and fulfilling my medical responsibilities.

'I would like to thank everyone who has supported me including my husband, family and friends and members of the football community.' 

Mrs Aisha Buhari & Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo visit baby Musa at the hospital

Wife of the President Mrs Aisha Buhari, accompanied by Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice President, paid a visit to Baby Musa today, June 7 at the hospital where he is currently receiving treatment.

"The doctors have said that he will recover but sadly he will suffer some permanent damage, cruelty meted out to a minor is intolerable. I hereby call on the government of Kano State to ensure that justice is served to the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Our children are our future, they should be nutured and protected." Mrs Buhari stated.

Doctors to begin nationwide strike on Thursday June 9th

Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) has said that they will be going on a nationwide strike starting from Thursday June 9th. President of the association, Muhammad Askira, announced this today June 7th. According to him, they are taking the painful decision of embarking on the strike action following the failure of the federal government to meet its demands of better working condition and better remuneration.
He added that the decision to go on strike was taken at the associations ordinary general meeting in Jos from May 30th to June 5th

“Sixteen out of 58 federal tertiary institutions or centres were exempted from the initial centre based strike for the commitment of the chief medical director of the hospitals to implement the federal government’s directives. If by midnight on Sunday, June 19, our demands are not met, all the members of the association, including those exempted, would join the indefinite nationwide strike. Due to the failure of the government to address the demands of NARD, it has declared a total and indefinite strike. NARD has to take this painful decision in order to highlight the plight of our hardworking members who have had to endure a long period of deprivation and disenfranchisement.”he said

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali dies at 74

Muhammad Ali has died at the age of 74, a family spokesman has said.

The former world heavyweight boxing champion, one of the world's best-known sportsmen, died at a hospital in the US city of Phoenix, Arizona, after being admitted on Thursday.

He was suffering from a respiratory illness, a condition that was complicated by Parkinson's disease.
The funeral will take place in Ali's hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, his family said in a statement,

FG releases list of recovered assets, withholds names of looters

The Nigerian government through the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed today Saturday June 4th partially released list of funds recovered from corrupt former government officials as part of the government's war against corruption. Although names of the people the assets were recovered from were left out of the list. Read the official statement below...

The Federal Government made cash recoveries totaling:

N78,325,354,631.82 (Seventy eight billion, three hundred and twenty-five million, three hundred and fifty-four thousand, six hundred and thirty one Naira and eighty two kobo);

$185,119,584.61 (One hundred and eight five million, one hundred and nineteen thousand, five hundred and eighty four US dollars, sixty one cents);

3,508,355.46 Pounds Sterling (Three million, five hundred and eight thousand, three hundred and fifty-five Pounds and 46 Pence) and 11, 250 Euros (Eleven thousand, two hundred and fifty Euros) from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also disclosed that Recoveries Under Interim Forfeiture (cash and assets) during the period totaled
N126,563,481,095.43 (One hundred and twenty six billion, five hundred and sixty three million, four hundred and eighty one thousand, and ninety five Naira, forty three Kobo;

$9,090,243,920.15 (Nine billion, ninety million, two hundred and forty three thousand, nine hundred and twenty Dollars, fifteen cents; 2,484,447.55 Pounds Sterling (Two million, four hundred and eighty four thousand, four hundred and forty seven Pounds, fifty five Pence) and

303,399.17 Euros (Three hundred and three thousand, three hundred and ninety-nine Euros, 17 cents)

According to the statement, which is based on the interim report on the financial and assets recoveries made by the various government agencies from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016, the Funds Awaiting Return From Foreign Jurisdictions total $321,316,726.1 (Three hundred and twenty one million, three hundred and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty six Dollars, one cent); 6,900,000 Pounds (Six million, nine hundred thousand Pounds) and 11,826.11 Euros (Eleven thousand, eight hundred and twenty six Euros, 11 cents).

It showed that Non-Cash Recoveries (Farmlands, Plots of Land, Uncompleted Buildings, Completed Buildings, Vehicles and Maritime Vessels) during the period total 239.

INTERIM REPORT ON FINANCIAL AND ASSET RECOVERIES MADE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA FROM 29 MAY 2015 TO 25 MAY 2016...


Cash Recoveries

Serial	Items	Naira	US Dollar	GB Pounds	Euro
1	EFCC Cash at hand	39,169,911,023.00	128,494,076.66	2,355	11,250
2	Royalty/tax/payment to FGN account in JP Morgan account New York	4,642,958,711.48	40,727,253.65
3	ONSA Funds Recovery Account in CBN	5,665,305,527.41	8,000,000.00
4	VAT recovered from companies by ONSA	529,588,293.47
5	EFCC Recovered Funds Account in CBN	19,267,730,359.36	455,253.80
6	ICPC Revenue Collection Recovery in CBN	869,957,444.89
7	Office of the Attorney General	5,500,000,000	5,500,000
8	DSS Recoveries	47,707,000.5	1,943,000.5	3,506,000.46
9	ICPC Cash Asset Recovery	2,632,196,271.71
	Total	78,325,354,631.82	185,119,584.61	3,508,355.46	11,250

Recoveries Under Interim Forfeiture

Serial	Items	Naira	US Dollar	GB Pounds	Euro
1	Cash in bank under interim forfeiture	8,281,577,243.92	1,819,866,364.73	3,800.00	113,399.17
2	Amount frozen in bank	48,159,179,518.90	7,131,369,498.49	605,647.55
3	Value of properties under interim forfeiture	41,534,605,998.00	77,844,600.00	1,875,000.00	190,000.00
4	Value of cars under interim forfeiture	52,500,000.00
5	ONSA Funds under interim forfeiture	27,001,464,125.20	43,771,433.73
6	Value of Assets Recovered by ONSA	512,000,000.00
7	ONSA Assets under interim forfeiture	260,000,000.00
8	DSS Recoveries Frozen in Banks	658,929,000.00	226,476.20
9	EFCC Cash in Bank under final forfeiture	103,225,209.41	17,165,547.00
	Total	126,563,481,095.43	9,090,243,920.15	2,484,447.55	303,399.17
	Grand Total	204,888,835,727.25	9,275,363,504.76	5,992,803.01	314,649.17

Funds Awaiting Return From Foreign Jurisdictions

	Jurisdiction	US Dollar	GB Pounds	Euro
1	Switzerland	321000000
2	UK		6900000
3	UAE	310501		11826.11
4	USA	6225.1
	Total	321,316,726.1	6,900,000	11,826.11

Non Cash Recoveries      

Serial	Items		Quantity
		ICPC	EFCC	ONSA
1	Farmland	22
2	Plot of Land	4
3	Uncompleted Building	1
4	Completed Building	33	145	4
5	Vehicles	22	3
6	Maritime Vessels		5
	Total	82	153	4

Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Lagos
4 June 2016 

Nigerian Air Force deploys additional aircrafts to the South-South Region, to tackle militancy & economic sabotage

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed additional aircrafts to the South-South region, in support of the fight against militancy, economic sabotage and all forms of criminalities. The deployment which is in support of 'Operation PULO SHIELD', was necessitated by the recent attacks by militant group - 'Niger Delta Avengers', on the Nation’s oil and gas installations. The additional platforms, comprising of fighter aircraft, helicopter gunship and surveillance aircraft, are intended to enhance the capability of the Air Force to undertake offensive air operations and intelligence gathering in support of the surfaces forces.

Since the recent deployment, there has been an increase in air operations around critical infrastructure in Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. These include but not limited to Escravos, Forcados in Delta State; Bonga oil field, Agbami offshore and Brass in Bayelsa; Bony in Rivers; Qua Iboe Terminal in Akwa Ibom State, and Opuekeba in Ondo State.

The Nigerian Airforce, as part of efforts towards coping with the dynamism of emerging security threats, have also adopted a new concept of base defence to protect its air assets and critical installations. NAF urges members of the public not to panic at the sight of low level flying aircraft and to go about their legitimate businesses. Anyone with information about the whereabouts and activities on the militant group, can also reach out to them or other security forces.

More photos...

 

Disgruntled lover kidnapped and murdered ex-girlfriend's 9-year-old son then dumped his body in a river

A South African police officer who works for a special child protection unit never imagined that one day her own child would be brutally murdered and dumped in a river by her disgruntled ex-lover.

On June 1, an emotional Sergeant Nancy Lesenya, of Mzombani near Mokopane in Limpopo, spoke of her pain. Lesenya's ex-lover Jimmy Makhubela appeared in the Mokerong Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of kidnapping.

Police are now expected to add a murder charge to the docket after Makhubela allegedly pointed out where the body was dumped. Makhubela apparently argued with Lesenya a day before the nine-year-old boy went missing.

Lesenya's son Katlego is a third child to be killed in Limpopo in the past four days, as SA marks National Child Protection Week. Police spokeswoman Colonel Ronel Otto yesterday said two other suspects were arrested in connection with the kidnapping and murder of two five-year-old girls. Otto said the naked bodies of friends Lekwelo Masola and Nthabiseng Motlaphema were found hanging from a tree near Ribone village in Gilead three days ago.

Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, Lesenya said she spent days worried about her son after he disappeared on May 21. The officer, who has worked for the family violence, child protection and sexual unit for the past nine years, said she never thought her child would one day be a victim of crime.

"I never thought this would ever happen to me. I couldn't eat. I kept waiting by the stoep hoping that he'd come home. When he left the house he was wearing a vest, so I kept wondering whether he was warm," Lesenya said.

She said her youngest child has also been asking about her brother's whereabouts.

"It's been hard because she keeps asking me, 'where is Katli?'"

Lesenya said she went looking for her child when it started getting late and he wasn't home. She said another child who was playing with Katlego in the street helped to identify the car that allegedly picked him up.

"When I realised who it was, I thought he would bring him back. I used to trust him with the children and even ask him to pick them up from school when I was working far away," Lesenya said.

But Katlego never came home until his body was discovered by members of the police search and rescue team on Monday. Otto said Katlego's body was found after the suspect pointed out the area . Otto said he allegedly threw the body from a bridge into a shallow river.

She said a postmortem would be conducted to determine the cause of death while investigations continued. Lesenya said she found comfort in that she would be able to bury her son.

"I have found closure. A dead body is better than not knowing what happened."

The child's father Medupe Lesenya, who is a soldier, clutched an orange cloth while wiping tears from his eyes. He recalled how he rushed from Johannesburg to Mokopane after being told his son was missing. Medupe said he felt that the police did not do enough to search for his son.

"I kept asking how far they were with my child's case. They failed my child. They only started looking when they heard the story being aired on the radio."

Colonel Ronel Otto said it was not true. "We have been working with the mother of the child since he went missing."

She said the police had followed up every lead that came through. Yesterday, burnt tyres near the family home told of sleepless nights spent by concerned neighbours helping with the search for Katlego, a pupil at Mokopane Primary School.

Source: Sowetan Live/South African Police 

Former Miss Turkey sentenced to 14-months in jail for insulting the country's President on Instagram

A court in Istabul today, Tuesday 31, convicted a former Miss Turkey of insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan through social media postings and gave her a 14-month suspended sentence.

27-year-old Merve Buyuksarac was found guilty of insulting a public official but immediately suspended the sentence on condition that she does not reoffend within the next five years.

 

Her lawyer, Emre Telci, said he would file a formal objection to the verdict and appeal her case at the Strasbourg, France-based European Court of Justice.

Buyuksarac, who was crowned Miss Turkey in 2006, was briefly detained last year for sharing a satirical poem on her Instagram account in 2014. The posting, an satarical adaptation of the Turkish national anthem, was shared thosands of times on social media, and it was considered by proscutors to be insulting to Mr Erdogan, who was then prime minister. Buyuksarac, however, denied insulting him.

Since becoming president in 2014, Erdogan has filed close to 2,000 defamation cases under a previously seldom-used law that bars insulting the president. Free speech advocates say the law is being used aggressively to silence and intimidate critics.

The trials have targeted journalists, academics and even schoolchildren. Coupled with a crackdown on opposition media and journalists, the trials have sounded alarms over the erosion of rights and freedoms in a country that was once seen as a model of Muslim democracy.

Erdogan caused an uproar last month when, on the basis of an archaic German law that criminalizes insulting foreign heads of state, he went after a German comedian who mocked him in a profanity-packed poem.

"These insult trials are being initiated in series, they are being filed automatically,'' Telci told The Associated Press by telephone after the verdict. "Merve was prosecuted for sharing a posting that did not belong to her. My client has been convicted for words that do not belong to her.''

Thousands of others also posted the poem. It did not mention Erdogan by name, but alluded to a corruption scandal that allegedly involved his family.

Before the verdict was announced, Erdogan's lawyer, Hatice Ozay, argued in court that Buyuksarac's Instagram post had gone beyond "the limits of criticism'' and amounted to "an attack'' on the Turkish leader's personal rights, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

How Obj, others stopped Buhari from naming looters

President Muhammadu Buhari had some weeks ago hinted he was going to name those who had looted the nation’s treasury on Democracy day.
This was to convince skeptical Nigerians that his government is fighting corruption.
However, the day came and went by, but Nigerians were not told the identity of those stealing away their common patrimony.

Though the government said it was constrained by legal exigencies, Ripples Nigeria gathered that there were also political exigencies involved that put a stop to the planned naming and shaming of the looters.

It was learnt that some political heavyweights waded in to analyse the collateral risks of such venture to the President.
Led by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Ripples Nigeria gathered that the politicians explained to Buhari that naming looters might set the nation on fire.
A source in the presidency said: “You know these looters have hangers-on and beneficiaries that are willing to die for them.
“The truth is that corruption is the biggest industry in this country. Now, if you name the looters, you are fighting an entrenched cabal and this government can do without such battle for now.”

He also noted that the mood of the nation is not disposed to naming looters, with many Nigerians complaining of cash crunch.
“You are aware some people have started saying we should bring back Jonathan and corruption because of hunger in the land.
“Nigerians don’t care about looting as long as some crumbs get to them. So, realising this, we had to tell the President he will set the nation ablaze by such gigantic move.”
Buhari, it was learnt, also received advice from Obasanjo to jettison the idea so as not to trigger off a mob action that government cannot handle.

“If you name looters, Nigerians will go after them and we might not be able to handle the mob action,” Obasanjo reportedly told the President.
It was further gathered that the anti-corruption agencies also advised against the move, opting instead that the figures of recovered loots should be released.
The EFCC and ICPC reportedly told the Presidency it was better to secretly recover loots from affected former government officials who are cooperative than name looters and risk serious resistance.

ReppleNigeria

Armed robber gets apprehended after receiving N5k sympathy gift from his victim

26 year old armed robbery suspect, Ifeanyi Smart, has been arrested inside a hospital around Mile Two, Lagos state, after he received N5000 sympathy gift from a man named Cyril Uba whom he had robbed at his residence on Bola Lateef crescent, Lakeview Estate, Amuwo Odofin recently.
Ifeanyi carried out the robbery attack alongside his accomplice named Deji who is presently on the run. The Nation reports that Ifeanyi confessed to have gone with his accomplice to rob Cyril when he sustained some injuries during a fight with his victim.

“As soon as we entered the man’s room, I tried to hit him with an axe I was holding but he blocked it with his hand and gave me a head blow. I lost balance and he took the axe from me and hit it on Deji. So, we ran out of the house with serious wounds and the man was chasing us. Later in the morning, I went to AMC Hospital around Mile Two to treat my injury. I did not know that the man was also being treated in the same hospital. At the hospital I was shouting that I was hungry and I don’t have money. The man who was in another ward heard someone screaming and sent N5, 000. He did not know I was the one and I did not know him either. I really did not know the house we went to because it was Deji who took me there. So, after collecting the money, I decided to go and thank the good man who gave a stranger N5,000 to eat. After thanking the man, I went back to the place they were treating me. That’s where I was before the police came and arrested me.”

According to a Police source, the Victim had gone the same hospital to treat injuries he sustained during the attack. On sighting Ifeanyi, the victim immediately called on his househelp who said she noticed that one of the robbers had a tattoo with the inscription, “the Lord is my Shepherd.”

“When the man gave him the money. He did not know it was the people who have robbed him until the suspect went and thanked him. As soon as the suspect approached the man, he saw the tattoo and also saw his injury, which was at the same spot he hit him. So, the man called the maid to come and gave her another N5, 000 to go and give the suspect in order to identify him. As soon as the maid saw the suspect, she recognised him as the person who tied her. That was how we arrested him,” the police source said

The Lagos state police command spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident and said that efforts were being made to arrest Ifeanyi's accomplice who is presently on the run. 

'Leave Us Alone, Go After BIGGER Thieves', Saraki Slams EFCC

Senate President Bukola Saraki has accused the EFCC of harassing government officials instead of focusing on the corruption in the petroleum sector.

He expressed shock at the level of corruption in the oil sector and advised the EFCC on how to go about curbing it

Saraki stated this when a delegation of the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) led by its executive secretary, Waziri Adio, presented the audit report of the organisation to him.

The NEITI report states that the NNPC did not remit $12.9 billion, being the sum of dividends, interest and loan repayment from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), to the federation account between 2005 and 2013.

Saraki said: “I studied the report in the early hours of this morning, and honestly I was just dumbfounded about the figures that we are talking about.
“This is just 2013, one year’s report. It is not cumulative. In one year’s audit report you are talking about figures of over $3.8 billion; at that time I am sure the rate was close to N150 per dollar.
“So you are talking about N650billion. Then you are talking about another N358billion which brings it close to about N1trillion.
“Then you are talking about assets that were undervalued and transferred to NPDC but still no payment was made.
“You are talking about NAPIMS paying cash calls for an asset that doesn’t belong anymore to NNPC and you truly wonder that this is going on right under our nose here in this country.
“What is the ICPC doing? What is the EFCC doing? This is what is killing this country.
“Honestly, I just concluded that as a country I don’t think we are serious. We are just paying lip service to this issue of fighting corruption because this is the real terminology of economic sabotage.

“This is what I believe agencies that are truly fighting corruption should have taken up. Meanwhile you see them sometimes chasing a local government chairman for N10million or chasing even the state governments for less amounts.
“These are just astronomical figures and nobody is being asked where the authority came from. Even if you say it was a minister, do we have where managements of those organisations have been able to say this is not what should be done?

“There are people who are responsible in management to advise on what should be done.
“And these people am sure are just walking the streets up and down without anybody asking them any question. It is incredible.
“Honestly, we must begin to do something about this because unless we do that we are just wasting our time. We are just chasing areas that maybe catch news headlines but they don’t have any effect.

The HeraldNG 

The Ghanaian man in the viral pre-wedding photos showers praises on his bride-to-be. 'You are the best I've ever had'

Kojo Prince from Accra Ghana took to his Facebook page to share more photos from his pre-wedding shoot with his bride-to-be and wrote:

"You have always guided me when I was wrong. You came into my life and totally changed my world. I have lost total control of myself. My heart does not belong any more to me. It's given away to you. My baby, my heart, my world you are the best I've ever had"

Nigerian Army releases statement on the clash with Pro-Biafrans in Anambra two days ago

The Nigerian Army has released a statement stating its own side of what transpired during its clash with some Pro-Biafran group members in Nkpor Onitsha, Anambra state two days ago May 30th.Over 40 people were reportedly killed during the clash. Read the statement which was signed by the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Hamza Gambo, below...

The attention of the general public is hereby drawn to the unwarranted attack that was launched by combined members of the Movement for Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) against the peace loving populace as well as security agencies at about 0415 hours on 30 May 2016. This attack was purported to have been orchestrated in order to mar the first anniversary of the present democratic government as part of the activities earmarked to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Biafra. Due to the wide spread panic, tension and apprehension that generated from the activities of the MASSOB and IPOB members, security agencies which comprised of detachment of Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, Department of State Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency were compelled to intervene in consonance with constitutional provisions of aid to civil authority where and when such occasion demands. The over arching imperative to ensure a reign of peace, security and stability in this circumstance was most starring.

However, the MASSOB/IPOB members who had earlier assembled at a school location on Ataa Road near Saint Edmunds’ Catholic Parish Maryland Nkpor-Agu in Anambra State resorted to fierce attack against the intervening security agencies who were carrying out their legitimate mandate. The nature of this attack involved brazen employment of various types of fire arms and all sorts of crude weapons, volatile cocktail such as acid and dynamites. Instructively, troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army as the lead agency of the security agencies had to invoke the extant Rules of Engagement (ROE) to resort to self defence, protection of the strategic Niger Bridge, prevent re-enforcement of the pro Biafran members apparently surging ahead from the far side of the strategic Niger Bridge at Onitsha. All these efforts were in order to de-escalate the palpable tension as well as ward off the apparent threats to lives and property in the general area.

In the aftermath of the fire fight that ensued, many of own troops sustained varying degrees of injury. These injured troops are currently receiving treatment at own medical centre. Similarly, 5 members of MASSOB/IPOB were killed, 8 wounded while 9 were arrested for due legal actions.

This unfortunate incident notwithstanding, 82 Division Nigerian Army wishes to assure all of its professional commitment to the protection of lives and property of the good people of Anambra State and indeed across its entire Area of Responsibility in tandem with the recent directive of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Chief of Defence Staff to the Chief of Army Staff to avert occurrences of such unwarranted and uncivilized attacks against the good and law abiding people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

COLONEL HAMZA GAMBO
DEPUTY DIRECTOR ARMY PUBLIC RELATIONS