Nation
Military Hails Self Over Counter-Insurgency
The Defence Headquaters
(DHQ) says the counter-insurgency operations in the north-eastern part of the country are rapidly changing in favour of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche announced this while giving update on military operations to checkmate criminality across the country in the last one week.
Enenche explained that an indication of this was that the military currently record less direct encounters with terrorists operating in the zone.
“If you look at the briefings I have been giving for the past two or three weeks, you will discover that direct encounters between us (troops) and the terrorists is on the low side.
“I will tell you what that signifies; It means that the game is changing rapidly in favour of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and Nigerians at large,” the coordinator said.
Enenche explained that the military was able to change the game through combination of factors, including surveillance and action, among others.
“We keep increasing the tempo and changing our style (strategy) of operations. Whatever we did before it is never good for the now.
“And whatever we are going to do tomorrow, we are on the table planning constantly and that has been what is responsible.
“Most importantly, the surveillance that we maintain through the air Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) is at the peak in the North East,’’ Enenche said.
He added that while that was going on, the land forces had been aggressive in patrols taking on the insurgents.
In the north-western part of the country, he said that troops were now at the stage of dominating the area.
“Information keeps coming in; that is the interesting thing about the North-West. They (residents) will tell us the idea (give the information) and when you go there, you find see them, the bandits.
“They, the bandits, are being decimated,’’ he said
Giving update on operation in the South-South during the period under review, Enenche said that troops seized a wooden boat laden with stolen 200,000 litres crude oil and handed them to appropriate agency.
He also said that the troops demobilised an illegal refining site with nine storage tanks and four ovens containing 150, 000 litres at Olaipase Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
He added that another illegal refinery site with 15 storage tanks and eight ovens laden substance suspected to be illegally refined 250, 000 litres of AGO (diesel) was located and demobilised in the same community.
In the North Central, he said three suspected gun runners were arrested in Kafancha Local Government Area of Kaduna State and handed over the Department of State Services (DSS).
The coordinator also said that a suspected member of a notorious kidnap gang was arrested at clinic at Ungwa Carpenter village in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
He said that the suspect was picked up while he was receiving treatment for gunshot wounds sustained during a recent kidnap operation foiled by troops.
He explained that his arrest was followed by the arrest of another wanted kidnap kingpin at Fobur village in Jos East Local Government Area of Plateau.
Enenche added that during the period in the North-Central, another three suspects were arrested in connection with the alleged murder of a Fulani herder at Matyeu village of Zonzon district in Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“Two other suspects, including the prime suspect, were arrested in connection with the murder on January 4,” he said.
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied claims of media reports circulating online that a judge of its High Court issued a ruling in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara against former Governor Nyesom Wike and President Bola Tinubu, there by sacking the sole Administrator of the state, vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd).
A statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the State High Court, David Ihua-Maduenyi yesterday in Port Harcourt, described the purported report as false and misleading, particularly for linking a judge of the State High Court, Justice Boma Diepirii, to a ruling that reportedly came from a Federal High Court.
According to the statement, Justice Boma Diepirii is a Judge of the Rivers State High Court and not of the Federal High Court and currently on Easter Vacation, which commenced on Monday, 14th April.
The Chief Registrar further clarified that the Federal High Court and the State High Court are separate entities, stressing that “the inclusion of Justice Diepiri’s name in the fabricated report underscores the crass ignorance of the author.”
“The attention of the Rivers State Judiciary has been drawn to a fake news report alleging that His Lordship, Hon. Justice Boma Diepiri, delivered a judgment sacking the Sole Administrator of Rivers State. This is false in its entirety,” the statement read.
“Justice Diepiri is a judge of the High Court of Rivers State, not of the Federal High Court as was falsely reported”.
” Additionally, His Lordship is currently on Easter vacation which began on Monday, April 14, 2025, Ihua-Maduenyi stated.
The statement however advised the general public and members of the media to always cross checked information concerning the judiciary before publishing and as well disregard the said report in its entirety as its an embodiment of falsehood and fabricated story.
The Senate yesterday approved the bills for the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences and College of Education, Bende at its plenary session.
The two bills sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon . Benjamin Kalu came to the Senate for concurrence after the approvals from the House of Representatives.
The Deputy Leader of the Senate, Sen. Lola Ashiru in the absence of the Majority Leader presented the recommendations of the Lower Chamber for consideration and Concurrence .
The Bill for an Act to establish Federal College of Education, Bende in Abia State seeks to provide full-time courses, training in technology, applied sciences, commerce, social sciences, arts and humanities among others.
Kalu had in his lead debate stated that Bende has remained undivided since its creation in 1976, even though with the size of four local government areas as found in comparative federal constituencies.
“Despite its strategic location in Abia and sharing a border with Akwa Ibom, with a growing population and landmass, there is no tertiary institution in the Federal Constituency operated either by Federal or State Government. Bende deserves to have the presence of a tertiary institution to serve the education need of the teeming youthful population, especially now that the need for well-trained educationists has risen. This is accompanied by the need to fill the gaps created by both the consequences of brain drain and the lack of qualified educationists to provide quality training at all levels of education,” he said.
For the bill seeking the establishment of Federal University of Medical and Health Sciences, Bende, Abia State, he said when it becomes law, the university will be charged with the responsibility to, among other things, offer full-time training leading to the award of degrees in medical and health sciences.
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
South East Caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immorttalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu considering his commitment to achieving a practical democracy for Nigerian.
The Senators visibly angered by the Senate’s rejection of the need to immortalise the late National Electoral umpire who stood for democracy through the turbulent 1993 elections stormed out of the Senate Chambers and spoke to the press .
The Chairman of the South East Caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe ( Abia South), as he did in plenary on Wednesday, presented a motion for immortalisation of Humphrey Nwosu by naming the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , after him , for laying the foundation in 1993 and conducting the freest and fairest Presidential election in the country .
The late Professor Nwosu was the National Chairman of the National Electoral Commission ( NEC) , now known as Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) , who through option A4, conducted the June 12, 19993 presidential election , adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the country.
Abaribe in the motion co – sponsored by 15 other Senators , said late Humphrey Nwosu deserved to be immortalised like other heroes of the June 12 , 1993 presidential election .
He also urged the Federal Government to honour the late former electoral umpire with post humous national honours .
But Abaribe’s request , seconded by Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) and supported by Senators from the South East including forner Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi ( Kebbi North) , was roundly rejected by other Senators who said the deceased deserved no immortalization .
Specifically , Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( Edo North) , in his contribution to the debate said the motion to him, was nothing but an attempt to manipulate and rewrite history.
“ Professor Humphrey Nwosu as NEC Chairman in 1993, failed to deliver on the June 12 , 1993 Presidential Election for lack of Courage
“ He who is not ready to die for something , will die for nothing
“ If he was afraid of the gun from announcing the election results and winner in 1993 , he cannot be rewarded now , more so, when many Nigerians died for what he inadvertently created “, he said .
Nneka Amaechi -Nnadi