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IPOB seeks Kanu’s release over poor health

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IPOB seeks Kanu’s release over poor health

The Indigenous People of Biafra has called on the Federal Government to release its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, over his deteriorating health in detention.

The call was contained in a statement signed by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Friday.

Powerful said Kanu’s health has deteriorated inside the detention facilities.

The statement read, “IPOB is bringing to the notice of the international community that the Federal Government and her judiciary have planned a systematic murder of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, using the instrumentality of their fraudulent judicial system.

“Our leader was kidnapped and extraordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and detained for almost three years in DSS solidarity confinement in Abuja. His health has deteriorated inside the detention facilities, and DSS has been using experimental drugs and practices for his serious health issues.

“The DSS lacks proper medical facilities to take care of his falling heart conditions.”

Powerful insisted that the IPOB leader committed no crime.

“Igbo politicians must use this little opportunity they have wisely to ensure that the Federal Government who want to suffocate Kanu gradually inside DSS solitary confinement as he suffers from a terminal heart and lung disease does not do so.

“Irrespective of all the judicial abracadabra, the Federal Government must ensure that our leader must not die in their hands nor die shortly after his release. Kanu’s life is a trigger that can consume Nigeria and the generations unborn.

“Those who intend to tag us terrorists and those who are friends of Nigeria must advise the Federal Government to release Kanu healthy as the Appeal Court Justices declared. The same peaceful IPOB seen worldwide is capable of taking on Nigeria when the need arises. This is not a threat but a promise,” he added.

Earlier this week, some South-East members of the House of Representatives called for discontinuing Kanu’s trial.

Ondo, firm disagree over waste management contract

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Ondo, firm disagree over waste management contract

The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ZL Global Alliance Nigeria Limited, Dr Abiola Bashorun, on Friday, accused the Ondo State Government of not fulfilling its part of the agreement signed on the waste management of the state.

The ZL Global Alliance was contracted by the state government to manage the waste in the state, some years ago, but the two parties have been disagreeing with the contract in recent times.

The state Commissioner for Environment, Mr Oyeniyi Oseni, had earlier said the government had terminated the contract with the waste management company over the alleged failure of the latter to live up to expectations but the firm’s GMD, Bashorun insisted that the contract with the government subsists.

Oseni said the government had decided to disengage the company and started engaging Private Sector Participants in waste collection and ensuring proper environmental sanitation.

He said, “The waste private company (ZL Global) has failed us, we would collect all our equipment from them. We need the PSP to be back to work on all their zones. I want to also make it clear that we are not owing any partner, we are not owing ZL Global.”

However, the ZL Global boss alleged that the state government had failed on its part to pay her company on a monthly basis as stated in the contract signed with the state government, insisting that the contract still subsisted.

According to her, the contract was signed in 2015 and amended in 2019 and 2023.

“The ZL Global Alliance is the major partner of the state government in the private sector and our contract is with Ondo State government. I want to say categorically that none of our contracts with the Ondo State government has neither elapsed, expired nor recalled.

“The contract we are holding is a concessional agreement signed by all the three arms of power in Ondo State. If you are seeing some service issues, it is because the government has not paid us this year.

“It is worthy of note that this has become customary that the Waste Management Authority finds it difficult to process payment on time amidst these economic challenges.

“Diesel price has gone up by 200 per cent, and all lines of indices to this contract have gone up. So, we wait for them to pay for the contract to continue.

“In line with the contract, Ondo State pays monthly and this is the end of the first quarter and we have not received a dime from the government.

“Although just now, I got information that our payment for January is being processed. We await the payment and will do the needful after payment. So people should disregard any information that is contrary to this,” Bashorun explained

Highlife music icon, Kabaka dies at 77

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Highlife music icon, Kabaka dies at 77

Highlife music icon, Godwin Opara popularly known as Kabaka, who broke a two-decade silence with the release of his acclaimed “Abialam” album in September 2023, is dead. He was aged 77.

Derda Promotions, the management team, confirmed the death of the music icon, who spearheaded and transformed the realm of highlife music on Thursday.

The Chief Operating Officer of Derda Promotions, Amarachi Anyanwu, disclosed this in a statement released on Friday morning.

The statement read, “Derda Promotions is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our esteemed artist, Godwin Kabaka Opara, an icon who pioneered and revolutionised Highlife music, on March 21st, 2024.”

His death comes barely six months after his return to the highlife music scene.

Kabaka was not only a gifted highlife artist but also a renowned songwriter and guitarist whose melodies resonated deeply with legions of admirers.

In 1973, he co-established The Oriental Brothers International Band, a Highlife force celebrated for its socially conscious lyrics, musical prowess, and authentic sound that captivated audiences across Africa and beyond.

Kabaka began his solo career in 1976, when he formed The Kabaka International Guitar Band. He continued to make high-quality Highlife music, releasing fourteen albums and producing successes such as ‘Mangala Special’.

Displaying his versatility and creativity, Kabaka delved into Ezebongo rhythms, pushing the boundaries of musical expression. Subsequently, he collaborated with The Imo City Band, solidifying his legacy as an indomitable Highlife luminary.

His comeback in September 2023, marked by the release of the album ‘The Return of Kabaka’, garnered over a million streams and secured a place among the top 100 albums worldwide.

Police foil robbery operation in Rivers, kill three 

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Police foil robbery operation in Rivers, kill three 

The Rivers State Police Command said its men foiled an armed robbery operation at Prisigbara/Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic Road in Khana Local Government Area of the state and successfully neutralised three assailants.

The spokesperson for the state command, Grace Iringe-Koko, who disclosed this in a statement issued in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Friday, said the incident occurred on Thursday.

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said operatives from the Bori Division and the Anti-Cultism Unit in Bori, both in Khana LG responded to a distress call on the robbery operation.

She added that on arrival at the scene, the robbers opened fire on the operatives, resulting in a shootout but the criminals were subdued and fatally wounded, saying one of those killed was a notorious armed robber nicknamed ‘Oyoyo’ aged 25 who had been involved in cult activities and armed robbery in the Ogoni axis of the state.

The statement read, “Rivers State Police Command thwarted robbery operation in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, on March 21, 2024, responded swiftly to a distress call reporting a robbery operation on Prisigbara/Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic Road in Khana Local Government Area.

“In a coordinated effort, officers from the Police Division, Bori, and the Anti-Cultism Unit, Bori, were dispatched to the scene.

“Upon the arrival of the police personnel, the robbers engaged them in gunfire. However, due to the superior firepower of the police, the assailants were subdued, and the robbery operation was successfully thwarted.

“Tragically, during the exchange, three of the suspects sustained injuries and were immediately rushed to the Police Clinic in Bori. Regrettably, their injuries proved fatal, and they were pronounced dead on arrival.”

It further read that “the deceased has been identified as Monday Sulole, a notorious armed robber and cultist, also known as “Oyoyo.” Sulole, aged 25 and hailing from Yeghe in Gokana Local Government Area, was responsible for numerous cult clashes and armed robberies in the Ogoni axis of Rivers State.

“As a result of the operation, the police recovered several items from the robbers, including one locally made revolver pistol, with three live ammunition, one locally-made shotgun with three cartridges, a machete, and several charms.

“We assure the community that the area has returned to normalcy, and we have implemented increased police patrols in and around the vicinity to ensure the safety of residents.

“The Rivers State Police Command acknowledges the concerns raised by the community regarding the harassment and robbery of students, particularly in the densely populated area. This successful operation is expected to bring much-needed relief to the community. We urge residents to continue cooperating with the police, as your support is instrumental in our ongoing efforts to maintain peace and security.”

Call NLC to order, LP petitions SGF, Labour ministry

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Call NLC to order, LP petitions SGF, Labour ministry

Following Wednesday’s invasion of its secretariats, the leadership of Labour Party has formally petitioned relevant government institutions requesting that an urgent intervention be taken to protect the party against further aggression from the Nigeria Labour Congress.

In four separate letters written to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; Ministry of Labour and Employment and Registrar of Trade Unions, Falonipe Amos, the party also called for disciplinary action to be taken against the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and other union leaders who spearheaded the alleged vandalisation of its property.

The demand comes barely 24 hours after the embattled National Chairman of LP, Julius Abure, lamented that they lost property worth millions of naira and some staff salaries to the siege.

The ongoing conflict between the NLC and the leadership of LP escalated on Wednesday when members of the union picketed the party’s secretariats across the country.

The move was to press home their demand for Abure’s resignation.

The protesting workers were spotted laying siege to LP national headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, chanting solidarity songs and displaying banners that read ‘Abure must go’ among others.

They were, however, prevented from gaining access into the party secretariat by security operatives posted to the area to maintain order.

But the LP national chairman insisted that the union members broke into their offices where they destroyed properties worth millions of naira and also made away with some money meant for staff salaries.

But on Friday, the party petitioned the Federal Government, demanding that sanctions be meted out to Ajaero and his loyalists for intimidating their members and vandalizing its properties.

A statement released in Abuja by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, also debunked reports describing the NLC as owner of Labour party.

According to him, the Federal Government being the regulatory agency for trade unions should define the role of the NLC, particularly on its alleged claim of owning LP for which it has continually harass and interfere in the party’s activities.

He said, “Ajaero has over reached himself by using workers funds to picket and sponsor insurrection in the Labour Party headquarters, an action which amounts to an abuse of office and should therefore be called to order and properly sanctioned. It has become unavoidably necessary to request your urgent intervention, being the regulatory agency for trade unions, including the NLC.

“It is our arguments that using workers funds to picket and sponsor insurrection in the Labour Party headquarters and its legitimate leadership is an abuse of office by the Presidents of the NLC, Joe Ajaero and should therefore be called to order and properly sanctioned. Similarly, the NLC has no right to picket an organisation where there is no trade dispute. The Labour Party has no staff members who are members of the NLC.

“The action of the NLC is a clear violation of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act, the Trade Union Act, and other relevant laws. NLC members are not card-carrying members of the Labour Party. The Labour Party cannot be owned by any association. Membership of the party is on an individual basis. The Labour Party’s Constitution says the party is open to all Nigerians who accept its ideology, programmes, and the constitution, irrespective of their religion, ethnic, gender, social, and economic status.

“As lawful citizens, we didn’t want to confront them in an uncivilised manner in order to avoid breakdown of law and order. We had the option of also mobilising party faithful to confront them.

“Doing that at this point where the harsh economic climate is having its toll on the Nigerian people will result to anarchy. Thus, the urgent need to call the NLC and its leadership led by Joe Ajaero to order, educate them on the limit of their power, condemn their rascality, abuse of office and discipline them as appropriate.”

New study reveals dogs understand owners

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New study reveals dogs understand owners

Whether dogs truly understand the words we say — as opposed to things like tone and context clues — is a question that has long perplexed owners, and so far science hasn’t been able to deliver clear answers.

But a new brain wave study published Friday in Current Biology suggests that hearing the names of their favorite toys actually activates dogs’ memories of the objects they are associated with.

“It is not so self-evident that dogs would know what a ‘ball’ is,” co-author Lilla Magyari of the Eotvos Lorand University in Hungary, told AFP, using an easy example to explain the motivation behind the research.

With a couple of famous exceptions, dogs have fared poorly on lab tests requiring them to fetch objects after hearing their names, and many experts have argued it isn’t so much what we say but rather how and when we say things that pique our pooches’ interest.

Yelling “Go get the stick!” and having a dog successfully bring the object back doesn’t conclusively prove they know what the word “stick” means.

Even scientists who concede that dogs do pay attention to our speech have said that, rather than really understanding what words actually stand for — a uniquely human trait — they are reacting to particular sounds with a learned behavior.

– Brain waves –

In the new paper, Magyari and colleagues applied a non-invasive brain imaging technique to 18 dogs brought to their lab in Budapest.

The test involved taping electrodes to the dogs’ heads to monitor their brain activity. Their owners said words for toys they were most familiar with — for example “Kun-kun, look, the ball!” — and then showed them either the matching object or a mismatched object.

After analyzing the recordings, the team found different brain patterns when dogs were shown matching versus mismatched objects.

This experimental setup has been used for decades in humans, including babies, and is accepted as evidence of “semantic processing,” or understanding meaning.

The test also had the benefit of not requiring the dogs to fetch something in order to prove their knowledge.

“We found the effect in 14 dogs, which shows the effect that we see on a group level is not only driven by a few exceptional dogs,” co-author Marianna Boros told AFP.

– Case closed? –

Holly Root-Gutteridge, a dog behavior scientist at the University of Lincoln in England, who wasn’t involved in the research, told AFP the ability to fetch specific toys by name had previously been deemed a “genius” quality.

She noted the famous border collies Chaser, who had the largest tested memory of any non-human animal, and Rico, who was the first dog found in tests to retrieve toys by their names.

But Root-Gutteridge said the new study “shows that a whole range of dogs are learning the names of the objects in terms of brain response even if they don’t demonstrate it behaviorally,” adding it was, “another knock for humanity’s special and distinct qualities.”

The paper “provides further evidence that dogs might understand human vocalizations much better than we usually give them credit for,” added Federico Rossano, a cognitive scientist at UC San Diego.

But not all experts were equally enthusiastic.

Clive Wynne, a canine behaviorist at Arizona State University, told AFP he was “split” on the findings.

“I think the paper falls down when it wants to make the big picture claim that they have demonstrated what they call ‘semantic understanding,’” he said, though he praised the “ingenious” experimental setup as a new way to test the full extent of dogs “functional vocabulary.”

For example, Wynne said, he needs to spell out the word “w-a-l-k” when he’s in front of his dog — lest his pet get excited for an outing there and then — but he doesn’t need to take the same precautions in front of his wife, whose understanding of the word goes beyond simple association.

“Would Pavlov be surprised by these results?” asked Wynne, referencing the famous Russian scientist who showed dogs could be conditioned to salivate when they heard a bell signaling meal time. “I do not think he would be.”

AFP

65 migrants’ bodies found in Libya mass grave

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65 migrants’ bodies found in Libya mass grave

A mass grave containing “at least 65 migrants’ bodies” was discovered in southwest Libya this week, the UN migration agency said Friday.

A spokesman for the International Organisation for Migration told AFP the mass grave was uncovered by Libyan security forces.

The IOM said it was “profoundly shocked and alarmed”.

It added that the circumstances of the deaths “remain unknown”.

“But it is believed that they died in the process of being smuggled through the desert,” the agency said in a statement.

More than a decade of violent instability since the 2011 overthrow and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a NATO-backed uprising helped turn Libya into a fertile ground for human traffickers, who have long been accused of abuses against migrants.

The IOM said it appreciated that Libyan authorities had launched an investigation into the deaths. It called on them to “ensure a dignified recovery, identification and transfer of the remains of the deceased migrants”, and notify and assist their families.

“Each report of a missing migrant or a loss of life represents a grieving family searching for answers about their loved ones or acknowledging the tragedy of the loss,” a spokesperson said in the statement.

“The cost of inadequate action is evident in the increasing human deaths and the disturbing conditions migrants find themselves in.”

The IOM said the deaths showed “the urgent need to address the challenges of irregular migration including through a coordinated response to the smuggling of migrants and trafficking in persons”.

“Without regular pathways that provide opportunities for legal migration, such tragedies will continue to be a feature along this route,” it said.

According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, at least 3,129 deaths and disappearances were recorded in 2023 along the Mediterranean route to Europe, making it the world’s deadliest migratory route.

The IOM called on authorities in countries along the route to “enhance regional cooperation to ensure the safety and protection of migrants, regardless of their status, and across all stages of their journeys.”

AFP

WAEC releases WASSCE-CBT results

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WAEC releases WASSCE-CBT results

The West African Examinations Council, Nigeria, on Friday, released results of the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates, 2024–First Series.

The council commenced migration from traditional paper-based examinations to Computer-Based Examinations for its private candidates’ examinations.

A statement by the council made available to According Online added that the novel CB-WASSCE entailed using a hybrid method where all questions were projected on the computer.

It said answers to the multiple-choice questions were supplied on the computer in real-time, and answers to the essay and test of practical questions were supplied in booklets given to the candidates.

The statement revealed that the examination was conducted between Wednesday, January 31 and Saturday, February 17, 2024.

The analysis of candidates’ performance showed that out of the 8,139 candidates that sat the examination, 3,424 candidates representing 42.07 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects (with or without English Language and/or Mathematics).

“2,519 candidates representing 30.95 per cent obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

“The coordination of examiners and marking of candidates’ scripts were carried out at three marking venues in Lagos, Enugu and Kaduna from March 1 to 16, 2024. A total of 459 Examiners participated in the Coordination and Marking Exercise.

“The entry figure of 8,362 candidates showed a 4.30 per cent decrease in candidature when compared with the 2023 entry figure of 8,738. 8,139 candidates sat the examination at 140 CBT centres spread across the country.

“Amongst the candidates that sat the examination, 21 candidates, with varying degrees of Special Needs, were registered for the examination. Out of this number, nine were visually challenged, two had impaired hearing and two were Albinos.

“All these candidates with special needs were adequately catered for in the administration of the examination,” the statement read.

Buy made-in-Nigeria goods to strengthen naira, Tinubu urges Nigerians

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Buy made-in-Nigeria goods to strengthen naira, Tinubu urges Nigerians

President Bola Tinubu on Friday urged Nigerians to patronise made-in-Nigeria products and services to sustain the recent gains of the naira in the foreign exchange market.

He said the recent appreciation of the value of the naira against the dollar does not spell Uhuru yet.

Therefore, he called for more collaboration from citizens, whom he urged to blow the whistle on persons seen engaging in practices that undermine the local currency.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed these to journalists when he delivered Tinubu’s message at a State House briefing on Friday.

Upon assuming office 10 months ago, the Tinubu administration discontinued subsidies on petrol, which, he said, would save the government monies for infrastructural expansion.

He also unified the foreign exchange rates to curb currency arbitrage. However, these moves sparked collateral instability in the value of the Naira and heaped hardship on Nigerians as food prices soared.

In February 2024, N1,900 was exchanged for one USD in the black market. The Naira has recently seen a steady climb against the US dollar, exchanging N1,382/$ at the official market on Thursday.

Ngelale argued that a stronger naira is necessary for working citizens as it would complement the new minimum wage upon implementation.

He explained, “I’m confident that Nigerians have witnessed the strengthening of the Nigerian Naira against the United States Dollar. This is clearly the direction all of us have wanted to head, and we are very sober to the fact that this is no time to rest or to clap.

“This is why His Excellency President Bola Tinubu has approved a series of interventions to ensure that we see a mass strengthening of the Nigerian Naira against all other global currencies.

“One, President Bola Tinubu, wants to communicate very clearly to our people that there has never been a more important time in our history to actively agree together that we will patronise and purchase made-in-Nigeria products across all value chains, across all sectors.

“There is an intentionality that we must have on this issue, and we want a strong currency. We want the spending power of our people to go up. We want every Naira and kobo we earn to be more valuable, not just here, but when we travel abroad, the way to achieve that is by doing just this.”

He noted that the strengthening of the Naira was achieved through collaboration with the Central Bank and other government agencies in “dealing decisively with sharp practices on certain crypto-currency trading platforms, within the parallel market of the foreign exchange ecosystem.”

To complement these efforts, the presidential spokesman said Tinubu is appealing to Nigerians to “blow the whistle wherever they see any of these sharp practices taking place, to communicate with the agencies that deal with these issues directly.”

They must do so understanding that “this is not a government versus malign actors’ issue. This is the Federal Republic of Nigeria versus malign actors’ issue, and the activities of these actors negatively impact everybody.”

“So all of us have to take up the mantle and agree that we will collaborate to deal with these issues,” he added.

Ngelale, who said the minimum wage negotiations are ongoing, warned that the efforts would be a “moot point, nullity…if we do not get a firm grip on the value of our currency.”

He noted that while the administration is poised to arrive at a new minimum wage states can afford; it also wants it pegged at a number that is “sustainable over a number of years based on the long-term stability that we want to bring to the Nigerian Naira with the interventions we’re presently making.”

Meanwhile, Ngelale explained that the FG expects to save N5bn quarterly by imposing a strict three-month ban on all publicly-funded foreign trips for ministers, heads of government agencies and other officials.

In a letter dated March 2, 2024, from the Office of the President’s Chief of Staff, Tinubu imposed a three-month ban on all official foreign trips for heads of ministries, departments and agencies beginning April 1, 2024.

The letter explained that the aim is to reduce the rising expenses incurred by ministries, departments, and agencies on international travel and ensure that cabinet members and heads of MDAs focus on their respective mandates for effective service delivery.

The Presidential Spokesman said, “With the temporary ban being put in place from April 1 on all but unnecessary foreign travel, we’re expecting to save over N5bn per quarter.

“This is going to be one out of several initiatives the President is taking to ensure that we reduce waste in the public sector in such a way that we can actually steer these very needed recurrent resources into the hands of those who are doing important work on behalf of the Nigerian people.”

He cited recent reviews of the pay structure of judicial officers to ensure internationally competitive remuneration.

Ngelale said this is crucial for the country “in the sense that we can dramatically reduce the impact that corruption has always played in the judiciary, which has an impact on not just the ability of Nigerians to get effective justice but also to ensure that businesses who we are now asking around the world to invest in Nigeria have a judicial system that they can trust with respect to any litigation that could arise from business practice in the country.”

To complement the recovery programme of the administration, the Presidential aide cited various measures Tinubu introduced to ease the effects of the harsh economic realities, saying the programmes are about to go live.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going to ensure that our micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises in the country have what they need to get through this difficult period.

“This is why he has approved the Presidential conditional grant scheme in which over 1 million Nigerian businesses will be empowered with conditional grants; this is money they will not have to pay back of up to N50,000 per nano enterprise, with over 1 million Nano enterprises being selected and granted these funds within every local government area of the Federation,” he explained.

He also announced that more than N150bn is being disbursed from the Bank of Industry and Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency while also approved is the single-digit interest rate loans of up to N2m to hundreds of 1000s of small and medium scale enterprises across all local government areas of the Federation.

Ngelale added that Tinubu is prioritising intervention of N75bn to 75 industries and manufacturing companies with a staff strength of over 1000 workers to ensure necessary support is given to such firms, thereby expanding their hiring strength.

“We want to ensure that those industries and sectors that are massively employing our people are those industries that are prioritised concerning government intervention, which is why the President has approved over N75bn to be dispersed to 75 large-scale manufacturers across all states of the Federation.

“These will be manufacturers who employ over 1000 Nigerians in each of their facilities and industries. We are going to ensure that they have the support that they need on a large scale so that Nigerian families who rely on these large-scale businesses are protected.

“We want to see our large-scale industries not just refuse to fire people but actively increase and expand their hiring at this difficult time,” he added.

Delta bloodbath: Help fish out culprits, DHQ urges state govt, others

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Delta bloodbath: Help fish out culprits, DHQ urges state govt, others

The Defence Headquarters has called on the Delta State Government and residents of the Okuoma community to assist in fishing out those behind the murder of military personnel in the community.

A total of 17 military personnel were killed by irate youths during a communal clash over a land dispute in Bomadi and Okuoma communities in the state.

The personnel attached to the 181 Amphibious Battalion were responding to a distress call when they were ambushed and killed last Thursday.

In a statement on Friday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Buba Edward stated that the whereabouts of the preparators of the crime should not be concealed.

He added that the state government and members of the community should see the call as a clarion call.

The statement partly read, “Accordingly, the state government and host communities of these personalities are required to assist the investigation in fishing out the perpetrators of the crime.

“There can be no hiding place for perpetrators of such dastardly acts against our nation. This is a clarion call to duty for members of this community and the state government.”

Buba said the viral video of a man admitting to having been involved in the crime would help the military narrow investigations to persons of interest.

He said, “Significantly, there is a viral video of a person admitting to have perpetrated the killings of the soldier in Delta State. The video, among other things, helps to narrow investigations to persons of interest and their cohorts.”
Buba, however, said clearance operations were ongoing to recover weapons stolen from the slain soldiers.

Buba, however, said no significant arrests had been made.

He said, “Troops have continued a manhunt for the perpetrators of the barbaric killing of 18 soldiers that occurred on 14 Mar 2024. Accordingly, clearance operations as well as cordon and search were conducted to, among other things, recover the weapons of the deceased soldiers.

“Some of the communities in which troops operate include Akugbene, Ukuama, and Okoloba Communities in Ugheli and Ugheli South of Delta State. Others are Ukuama Amusamo, Akwagbe, Arhavwarien, Pirigbene, and Igbomatoro Communities, all in Delta State.

“The decomposing hearts of some of the killed soldiers were recovered during the search, while the manhunt continues with no significant arrest yet made.”

On the successes of the military recorded in the last one week, Buba said troops killed 106 terrorists and arrested 103.

He said, “Across theatres of operation in the country. Troops during the week neutralised 106 terrorists and made 103 arrests. Troops also arrested 22 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 96 kidnapped hostages.

“In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of N754,149,600.00 only. Furthermore, troops recovered 171 assorted weapons and 2,452 assorted ammunition.”

According to the officer, the pension amount, which is for life, will be determined by the incumbent governor, adding “on death, the state government will pay the family an amount equal to the deceased annual salary. All these are at the expense of the government.”

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