Metro
Anxiety As 13 ‘Repentant’ Boko Haram Terrorists Escape with Govt Rifles
No fewer than 13 repentant Boko Haram ex-fighters have escaped with rifles and motorcycles they got from the Borno State government, which co-opted them to join military operatives in the fight against insurgency in the State.
They are among hundreds of former Boko Haram fighters and their families who surrendered to the government.
Reports said 13 of them attached to the military operatives in Mafa escaped from their camp between September 1 and 2.
Last year, Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, said that more than 160,000 Boko Haram members and their families voluntarily surrendered to the military amid a sustained onslaught.
The “repentant” Boko Haram members and their families are being managed under the Borno Model, a post-conflict amnesty programme with a focus on de-radicalisation, rehabilitation, reintegration and resettlement of low-risk persons previously associated with armed groups.
According to reports, nearly 6,000 combatants are awaiting “transitional justice,” and Borno State Government further co-opted some of the ex-fighters into the fight against insurgency, helping the military to penetrate deep into the terrorists’ enclaves.
The “repentant” fighters have become helpful to the military. They are popularly known as “hybrid forces” formed by the military fighting insurgency in Borno State
“Together, they have conducted joint operations to locate and destroy Boko Haram weapons caches, rescue hostages, and fight the remaining jihadists.”
The Director of Defence Media Operation, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, could not be reached for comments.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing Umar Damagum as the acting National Chairman of the party.
The court ordered that no other person must be recognised as PDP national chairman other than Damagum until the national convention of the party scheduled for December next year.
Justice Lifu issued the restraining order against the PDP NEC, BoT, and others while delivering judgment in a suit instituted against them by Senator Umar El-Gash Maina.
The judge held that in line with Articles 42, 47, and 67 of PDP, it is only at the national convention of the party that national officers can be elected.
In the suit, Justice Lifu said that PDP members are bound by the constitution of the party and as such must always act in line with the provisions and obedience to the party’s law
The plaintiff, who claimed to be chairman of PDP in Yobe State, had instituted the suit against PDP and eight others alleging that some stakeholders of the party have been holding clandestine meetings to forcefully remove Damagum from office in gross violation of the party’s constitution.
He said that a former deputy governor of Kogi State, Phillip Salawu, was being pushed forward as a replacement for Damagun by the stakeholders.
Maina claimed that upon becoming aware of the plan, two separate letters complaining against the clandestine meetings were delivered to the national secretary of the party, Samuel Anyanwu, and that despite the acknowledgment of the two letters, the national secretary and BoT members have never deemed it fit to act on the letters and their claims.
In the suit instituted on his behalf by Joshua Musa who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the plaintiff therefore prayed the court to invoke articles 45, 47, and 67 of the PDP Constitution to stop the move to replace Damagum as the acting national chairman.
The plaintiff specifically asked the court to declare that the national chairmanship of the PDP is rotated between the north and south regions and not through any other procedure not enshrined in the PDP’s Constitution.
In his judgment after perusing the PDP’s Constitution and exhibits, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff that Damagum can only be replaced at the national convention of PDP or through an order of a court.
Justice Lifu also held that any attempt to truncate the un-exhausted four-year tenure of the northern region without the national convention of the party would amount to an affront to the Constitution of the PDP.
Earlier, the judge had dismissed the opposition of the defendants to the suit on the grounds that the plaintiff had no locus standi to bring out the case and that the court lacked jurisdiction.
Justice Lifu held that the plaintiff predicated his suit on the protection of the PDP Constitution from being violated and the northern region where he hailed from being shortchanged from the four-year tenure.
Justice Lifu said that the plaintiff having displayed his PDP membership card before the court and having raised the fundamental issue of protection of PDP’s Constitution had sufficient interest and justiciable cause to institute the case.
Nestlé Nigeria has announced the call for entries for the 2024 Media Awards, an annual event to recognize and reward journalistic professionalism and excellence across Nigeria.
Now in its fourth edition, the awards continue to honor media professionals whose exceptional storytelling brings critical attention to key issues in the food and beverage industry, while championing impactful and necessary conversations that resonate with the Nigerian public.
Commenting on the impact of the awards, Victoria Uwadoka, Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria said, “The Nestlé Media Awards are not merely a celebration of journalistic excellence, but a force for positive change. By recognizing and rewarding outstanding media contributions, we are fostering high standards in journalism while motivating intentional, impactful reporting.”
Award Focus Areas
Journalists are invited to submit stories that align with key thematic areas such as:
• Nutrition and Affordable Food Solutions
• Environmental Sustainability
• Youth Empowerment and Development
• Women Empowerment
• Community Development
• Finance
• Agriculture
• Best Photojournalist Award
Eligibility and Categories
The competition is open to all Nigerian journalists and media organizations in print, broadcast, and digital platforms. Participants can enter individual or team submissions in any of the categories listed above covering activities of Nestlé Nigeria PLC or Nestlé as a global company. Stories must have been published from November 10, 2023, to November 8, 2024 – the closing date of the entries for The Awards.
Submission Requirements
To enter, journalists are required to adhere to the following requirements:
• All entry materials must be works published in mainstream, online or broadcast platforms in Nigeria
• All submissions must cover Nestlé Nigeria PLC or Nestlé as a global company activity relating to the themes
• Supporting documents required for entries should include links to the published works, minimum of 100 words profile of the individual/organization, and a 100-word vivid description of the entry.
• A piece of work can only be entered in one category. A series of photographs on one subject with captions (news or features) will be counted as one entry.
• Participants can only enter one story/published work per category. Multiple entries in the same category by the same individual may lead to disqualification.
All submissions must be made to 2024 Nestle Nigeria Media Awards Form by November 8, 2024.
Judging and Criteria
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of industry experts based on the following criteria:
• Accuracy and Balance: How well the story presents a well-researched, factual narrative.
• Depth: Insightfulness and thoroughness in covering the subject matter
• Alignment with Focus Areas: How closely the story aligns with Nestlé Nigeria’s core values of sustainability, nutrition, and community-building.
Awards Ceremony
The winners will be announced and celebrated at a grand ceremony on December 8, 2024, in Lagos, where leaders from media, agriculture, and corporate sectors will gather to recognize excellence and innovation in reporting.
The newly built council secretariat at Isiokpo in the Ikwerre Local Government area has been set ablaze.
A resident in the area confirmed the incident to Channels Television on Monday even as videos circulating on social media show the administrative building on fire.
Police authorities have not commented on the incident and the extent of damage is still unclear.
This followed the withdrawal of the police officers securing the 23 council secretariats by the commissioner of police.
The Emohua Local Government Council secretariat has also been set ablaze. Some youths blocked the entrance chanting songs in solidarity with the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and insisting that the new chairman David Omereji would not be allowed to take office.
Earlier, some sections of the Eleme council secretariat went ablaze.
A former ambassador Oji Ngofa who hails from Eleme told Channels Television that the newly elected chairman of the council Brain Gokpa came to the secretariat accompanied by his councilors and supporters.
According to him, the LG boss, however, discovered that a few of the buildings in the council had been set ablaze.
The new council chairman, his councilors, and supporters have vowed to take over the secretariat come what may. The Chairman accuses his predecessor for the arson attack and says he has reported the incident to the police.
In Emohua council, some unknown individuals have barricaded the entrance to the secretariat. They’re resisting the resumption of the new Chairman, David Omereju. In a social media video, they can be heard chanting “No Wike, No Rivers State!”
So far, no arrests have been made and the police are yet to release any statement on the situation. There is a palpable fear of a potential outbreak of violence in some councils of the state.
The incident adds to the list of issues that have propped up since Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s swearing-in of the new chairmen in Rivers State on Sunday.
Saturday’s election was filled with drama, intrigues, and twists in the lead-up. There were also explosions, protests, and gunshots during that period and on the day Rivers residents went to the polls.
