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Boko Haram/ISWAP: CAN, opposition leaders helping insurgents achieve aim of destabilising Nigeria – Christian elders

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The United Christian Forum of Nigeria (UCFN), has accused opposition leaders and the Christian Association of Nigeria of helping insurgents achieve the aim of creating unrest in the country.

The forum made the claim following the recent insurgence attacks and killing of Nigerians in north east and reactions from the leadership of CAN and the opposition parties.

Addressing newsmen on Monday in Lagos, the forum said it was worried over the direction, wording and choice of language used by CAN and opposition leaders in the country.

Rev. Oyekanmi Rafael, Secretary-General of UCFN, who spoke on behalf of the forum, warned both bodies to stop making statements that would rather serve as a boost to the insurgents.

The group further warned leadership of CAN to stop playing the religious card to sow the seed of discord, disunity and inflame passions of hate and violence in Nigeria.

Full text of his speech below.

I wish to welcome all of you on behalf of the United Christian Forum of Nigeria (UCFN) to this press conference. I extend same felicitations to the church in Nigeria, Christian leaders, brothers and sisters in the Lord and indeed, to every Nigerian in the New Year. May the good Lord we worship unbundle His abundant blessings and protection on us.

May I also seize this special privilege to appreciate our political and community leaders in Nigeria, particularly, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR. Similarly, I pray Almighty God to continue to imbue them with Solomonic wisdom, strength and good health to sustain the progressive leadership of Nigeria.

The UCFN has decided to interface with Nigerians on what we have branded the “State of the Nation” engagement. Our standpoint is gingered by the rejuvenation of insecurity threats in some parts of the country.

We can attest to the revived and troubling incidents of Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) terrorism; kidnappings, abductions, armed robberies, armed banditry, herdsmen/ farmers clashes and other communal skirmishes assailing our land.

We proclaim that these ugly, sad, condemnable and unacceptable flashes of armed criminalities in our nation are assuming dimensions of polarizing us along ethnic and religious lines, based on reckless sentiments applied to their interpretations.

UCFN is most astounded with the recent reaction of the national secretariat of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the umbrella body of all Christians in Nigeria in a public statement over the unfortunate abduction and murder of the CAN chairman of Michika LGA in Adamawa State, Pastor Lawan Andimi by Boko Haram/ISWAP; the cold-blooded killing of a Lutheran clergy, Pastor Denis Bagauri by unknown assassins and the December 2019 abduction and beheading of 11 Christians captured in Northern Nigeria by terrorists.

These tragic incidents are regrettable and places our once peaceful country on the precipice of implosion. We commiserate with Mr. President, the families of all Christian martyrs, Muslims and Nigerians over the irreparable losses. May Almighty God grant them peaceful rest in his bosom and eternal damnation to the devil-incensed killers.

But as much as these incidents are painful and near inconsolable especially to the families, there is cause for us as leaders at whatever level or as individuals to observe restraint in the sentimental interpretations we colour the killings or the resurrected acts of insecurity. This is the time our leaders and the nation need our supportive prayers and perpetually, as against vilification.

This is the time we need to handover the tribulations in our land to the omnipotent God. The evil forces which have besieged us and feasting on our blood cannot overpower the invincible God, whose armors are greater than any other weapon manufactured by man.

It is completely inexcusable for us to abandon the divine path in this circumstance, and rather resort to hurling tantrums at ourselves and leaders. It is only capable of escalating the tensions and railroading us into a deeper mess by our utterances.

We all can confess that issues of religion are quite delicate and explosive matters in Nigeria, where the population of the dominant religions, Christianity and Islam peg neck to neck. Sponsors and funders of Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists tormenting us are not targeting Christians or Muslims alone. Everybody prone to their presence when they come on such satanic missions becomes a victim.

To this end, UCFN finds the latest statement by CAN, which its Director of Legal and Public Affairs, Kwamkur Samuel Vondip signed on behalf of CAN National President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle and indeed, previous such public statements on the menace of insecurity in Nigeria, very nauseating, inciting and illogical in the strictest terms of it.

In the reported CAN statement, the leadership gave an undisguised and sentimentally religious interpretations to the terrorists actions, imputing President Buhari’s consent to the religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria by insurgents and herdsmen mercenaries. This is unquestionably a faulty assumption that deserves an apology to the FGN from the apex Christian’ body.

We found it extremely unreasonable and repulsive for CAN to have manifested its partisan toga by freely canvasing for the sack of Service and Security Chief. This odd crusading was laced in the pedestrian argument that its composition is steeped in ethnic and religious lopsidedness. It is shameful to argue issues of insecurity in this manner as postulated by the CAN leadership.

It sadly lands us to the unconcealed politicization and partisanship of CAN, which UCFN believes is not a healthy or progressive disposition. Why would CAN seek to vacate the prerogative of Mr. President in appointing or retaining Security Chiefs of his choice? Has CAN mutated into an opposition political party?

Such drab from the CAN’s statement is damp incitement of members of rival faiths through partisan weapons which should be avoided.

However, is CAN honest in making such a generalized and inciting statements. It lacks plausibility and betrays the deadly motives of this assemblage of Christian leaders.

Perhaps, CAN is not aware that a Christian/Pastor, Gen. Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin is the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). By the demands of his office, the CDS supervises other Security Chiefs. There is also the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe-Ibas also a Christian. Could they have possibly conspired with Security Chiefs of rival religious sects to kill their brethren, without raising a voice?

And to our knowledge, most of the Commanders’ of the Operation Lafiya Dole headquartered in Maiduguri co-ordinating the prosecution of the counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast against Boko Haram/ISWAP elements have been Christians, including the incumbent Commander, Gen. Olusegun Adeniyi. Are Nigerians to believe they are part of the agenda to persecute Christians?

In the North Central, Operation Whirl Stroke (OWS) fighting the herdsmen/farmers clashes and the Jukun/ Tiv internecine is also headed by a Christian, Maj.Gen. Adeyemi Yekini. Has CAN any concrete evidence that troops deployed to the frontlines to battle insurgencies and insurrections comprise only Muslims, without Christians?

The CAN campaign is very destructive against the Presidency and Nigerians. And it is only serving the purpose of goading incitement and provocation of both Christians and Muslims to take up arms against themselves; entrenching tensions in the polity to cause an explosion in total breakdown of public law and order.

And nobody is prosecuting the agenda of persecution of Nigerian Christians’ as frequently stated or inferred by CAN. It’s a figment of a fluid imagination. And let us recount some experiences with terrorism to put CAN’s position on the test scale to ascertain the veracity of the claims.

UCFN wishes to precisely state that the tenor of these abductions and killings have no semblance of anyone specifically targeting Christians for persecution in Nigeria. There are documentary evidences that Muslims have also suffered the devilry and atrocities of Boko Haram terrorists’ who indiscriminately unleash mayhem on any community within their reach.

Under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Boko Haram festered more ferociously with attacks on churches than we are experiencing under the Buhari Presidency. So, was it convenient to claim, Dr. Jonathan, a Nigerian leader of Christian extraction at the time was sponsoring the mass extermination of Christians in a country he led and had absolute powers?

Of course, such religious sentiments were not promoted under the Jonathan Presidency. So, its misguided thoughts and sheer wickedness to flaunt and promote such narratives today. Let us draw your attention to a one or two incidents of Boko Haram onslaughts on churches under the Jonathan era.

On December 25, 2011 Boko Haram terrorists bombed St Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madala, a satellite town near Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Boko Haram car-bomb explosion in the premises of the catholic church during Holy Mass murdered at least 44 people. In fact, barely hours apart, terrorists bomb blasts were reported at the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Church in the central, ethnic and religiously mixed town of Jos on same day.

And on February 19, 2012, at least five people were wounded when terrorists attacked Christ Embassy Church also in Suleja. In all instances, lives were lost and properties destroyed. We could have been dishonest to say a Christian President was sponsoring terrorists’ attacks on the Nigerian church intent on persecution of Christians.

Nothing underscored the indiscriminate disposition of terrorists than the Islamic State’s released video on December 26, 2019 of the execution of the 11 Christian hostages Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists abducted in Northern Nigeria. ISWAP) explained the “beheading” of the hostages as its campaign to “avenge” the killing of IS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a US military raid in Syria in October 2019. This in every sense is a spontaneous incident of vengeance which has no Presidential conniving connotations as CAN has preached.

It may interest us to know in further enriching our knowledge that ISWAP is a 2016 breakaway faction of the Nigerian-based Boko Haram terrorist sect with roots in Iran. The splinter faction of Boko Haram was headed in Nigeria by Musab Al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram’s founder, Mohammed Yusuf.

But today, ISWAP Commanders have assumed the leadership and added weight to its brutal campaigns in the West African sub- region. ISWAP terrorists now operates in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Niger Mali and even in East Africa in countries like Kenya.

And UCFN’s fact check through Encyclopedia Britannica unveils that most of these countries where ISWAP operates are predominantly Muslim countries, an indication that they are not necessarily targeting Christians, but are just cursed minds excited in bloodletting. It does not matter whether you are a Christian, Muslim, traditionalist or atheist.

For instance, ISWAP is also active in neigbouring Niger Republic. But the country’s population comprises 90% Muslims, (Sunni 85% and Shi’ite Muslims 5%). Christians constitutes a mere 5% of the population and the rest are other religions. Could be it be the insignificant Christian population in Niger that ISWAP terrorists are targeting?

And in the Republic of Mali also under ISWAP terrorists blight, Muslims constitute Muslims 94.8% of the population; while Christians’ are a paltry just 2.4%. Is it plausible argument to claim the terrorists are targeting the insignificant Christian population in that country?

In Cameroun, Christians constitute over 65% of the population, with Muslims (Sunni) just 20% and the rest belongs to non-religious groups. President Paul Biya, a Christian has been President of Cameroun since 1982, yet the country is troubled by terrorists. By the wisdom of CAN, it implies that President Biya is also consenting to the persecution of Christians?

The same narrative is applicable to Kenya, which is predominantly a Christian nation, estimated at 84.8% of her total population. And Islam is just about 11.1 percent of Kenyans. But they are tormented by terrorists and President Jomo Kenyatta is a Christian. Could he have permitted the persecution of members of his faith as democratic leader of Kenya?

The desperation to colour or dress the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorism operations in Nigeria with the garments of Christian persecution does not blend. The fixation of CAN to politicize every national issue or embalm it with the toga of religious sentiments is becoming intolerable and preposterous for the peace and progress of Nigeria.

Last year ending, CAN through a public statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications to CAN President, Rev. Adebayo Oladeji dabbled into the alleged feud between Mr. President and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who is a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). CAN queried while 35 special aides of the Vice President were dropped; the severance of the National Social Investment Programme from his office and the dissolution of Economic Advisory Council (EAC) Osinbajo chaired.

But the VP never complained to CAN the existence of a sour relationship with his boss. This is unnecessary political and partisan interference into the running of government which has no connection with CAN. But CAN publicly vomited religious insinuations.

But President Buhari is not relaxed on ending terrorism in Nigeria. While condoling the Christian community all over Nigeria over the callous murder of Pastor Andimi, he assured that “terrorists will continue to pay a heavy price for their actions and would comprehensively be defeated by our determined armed forces. But CAN disparaged his statement. UCFN cannot discern whether it was crafted to dampen the morale of the President or encourage him.

But the President also appealed to world powers to “end all support provided to Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups whose only goal is to sow death, violence and destruction in the sub-region.”

Thereafter, President Buhari sent a high-powered delegation led by the SGF Mr. Boss Mustapha to condole the Government and Christian community in Adamawa state.

The National body of CAN should emulate the Adamawa state CAN chairman, Bishop Stephen Dami Mamza, who said, President Buhari has softened their hearts with the “high powered delegation to commiserate with the Christian community in the state,” promising that the Christian community would pair up with its Muslim counterpart to flush out armed characters causing bad blood between the two major faiths. It is an expression of an honest perspective on the problem, reflective of a burden for both Christians and Muslims.

It is our candid opinion that other leaderships of CAN playing the religious card to sow the seed of discord, disunity and inflame passions of hate and violence should seek deliverance from the spirit of Mammon. That’s if the ghost of 2019 elections is still chasing them, lest they are consumed.

There is no need for CAN to continue to posture as haunting Mr. President. Even those that lost the election have congratulated President Buhari and moved on with business. UCFN is shocked that CAN has refused to accept the reality and rather regaled in portraying itself like an association at war with the nation.

We suspect that a guilty conscience is tormenting those who benefited from the arms deal scandal and they think that by incessantly attacking the administration, the government would have been bullied enough into giving them choice lands all over the FCT as compensation. This is unthinkable and unrealistic. We cannot subscribe to the agenda of destroying our nation.

Let us handover this great nation to God Almighty, as we continue to pray for His intervention, healing and protection of the land from evil forces with His mighty powers.

War on Terror: Scores of ISWAP fighters killed as troops recover gun trucks/arms in Mainok, Lambawa forest

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The Nigerian Army troops of 29 Task Force Brigade, Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD), deployed at Jakana, near Maiduguri on Sunday dealt a deadly blow to Boko Haram Terrorists at Mainok axis and Lambawa forest killing several of them while others retreated with gun wounds.

The fierce battle took place at Lambawa forest and Mainok areas when the troops encountered an ambush by the criminals around Mainok – Jakana general area.
Jakana, a town located about 50km from Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, has of recent seen an increased terrorists activities of which the resilient troops have been able to effectively repelled.

The encounter on Sunday evening came shortly after the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Yusufu Buratai, arrived at the 29 task force brigade camp on operational visit.

While at the camp, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that, credible intelligence had revealed a planned attack on soft targets and ambush by the terrorists around the area.
The troops however, went after the criminals at about 6:00 p.m and encountered them which resulted in heavy gun battle leading to the killing of a number of the terrorists.
Due to the superior fire power of the troops, the terrorists fighters were forced to retreat in disarray causing many of them to easily be eliminated in the process.
One terrorist was captured alive by the troops, four gun trucks, a BMG, 1 GPMG, 9 AK 47 rifles and some DSHK guns and a lot of assorted weapons were also recovered after the heavy fight.

Unfortunately, one soldier paid the ultimate price, while two others were wounded.
The wounded, who are in stable condition have since been evacuated to 7 Division medical facility for medical attention.

The Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists have recently intensified ambush attacks along the Maiduguri – Damaturu road.
Some of the soldiers and motorists who have encountered the terrorists on several occasions disclosed that the terrorists usually came out by disguising themselves in military-like trucks or police patrol vehicles.
The sources also disclosed that the troops not withstanding, have been able to word off the ambushes and sudden attacks on many occasions.
They also added that several attempts have also been made by the terrorists to overrun the camps at Jakana and Mainok areas but could not succeed.

According to some soldiers interviewed, “they are ready for the criminals any day, any time and we will go after them where ever we find them.”

Mariam Sanda convicted for killing husband

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The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has convicted Maryam Sanda for the death of her husband, Bilyaminu Bello.

Justice Yusuf Halilu made the declaration while delivering judgment on the protracted trial of Missus Sanda on Monday in the nation’s capital.

Sanda is facing trial over an allegation of stabbing late Bilyaminu to death, son of former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Haliru Bello.

In November 2017, the police charged Sanda for culpable homicide and sought a death penalty against the accused on two counts.

They informed the court that the killing was premeditated.

According to the charge sheet, Sanda was said to have stabbed her husband with broken bottles at about 3:50am.

But the accused who was initially remanded in custody has repeatedly pleaded not guilty to the crime.

Her trial centred on a judicial drama that lasted almost three years due to delays, multiple adjournments, and failure of witnesses to appear in court among others.

Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant dies in a helicopter crash

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Kobe Bryant

Retired Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant passed away on Sunday morning in a helicopter crash, per TMZ. The incident took place in Calabasas. Kobe was traveling with at least three other people in his private helicopter. The cause of the accident is under investigation.

According to the report, emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived the crash. Five people are confirmed dead. TMZ reports that Vanessa Bryant was not among those on board.

The Los Angeles Times confirmed that a helicopter crash had occurred before 10 a.m. near Las Virgenes Road, south of Agoura Road. There were foggy conditions that caused the helicopter to crash in the hills above Calabasas and burst into flames.

CALSER wants foreign interest, INGOs aiding Boko Haram/ISWAP to stop in order to halt attacks on humanitarian workers, clergymen

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The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CALSER) has called on the European Union Commission and all International NGOs in the north east providing food and drugs for the terrorists to stop in order to put an end to the continuous attacks on humanitarian workers and clergymen in the region.

CALSER made this known during a state of the nation press conference on Sunday in Abuja to address what it described as “the senseless Boko Haram/ISWAP attack on clergymen and humanitarian workers”.

According to the convener, Princess Ajibola, certain INGOs have continued to breach international protocol on their operations by aiding and abetting the supply and delivery of sophisticated weaponry, food and drugs to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group under the guise of rendering humanitarian services.

In its periodic assessment for the month of January, CALSER further warned political and religious organisations in the country not to expand the frontiers of Boko Haram by overheating the polity with unfounded allegations that are capable of undermining the ongoing efforts by the government to tame terrorism.

The centre, therefore, called on the European Union and the representatives of the United Nations in Nigeria to audit and caution international NGOs in operation in the northeast to stop the supply of arms and ammunitions and other essential items to the terrorist group.

Read full statement below:

The leadership of the Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights (CASLER) welcomes you all to the State of the Nation Press Conference to address some of the issues of national importance in the country with regards to the senseless and barbaric attack on Clergies and Humanitarian workers in North East Nigeria by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights is alarmed by the way and manner the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group has intensified attacks on unarmed and innocent clergies and humanitarian workers rendering services in North-East Nigeria.

All must condemn this callous act. It should serve as a wakeup call for all concerned stakeholders to put heads together towards ending the unscrupulous activities of the Boko Haram/ISWAP in North-East Nigeria.

It is indeed unfortunate that despite the efforts of the Nigerian Military in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria, some groups/individuals are not happy with the gains made and have consequently constituted themselves as clogs in the wheels of progress by providing the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group with logistical support in furtherance of their evil agenda against Nigeria.

Ironically, The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights has it on competent authority that some local political organizations, as well as religious bodies, are covertly providing tactic support to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group all in a bid to undermine the efforts of the government.

The International Non-Governmental Organizations, as well as some local Non-Governmental Organizations, have continued to breach international protocol on their operations in North-East Nigeria by aiding and abetting the supply and delivery of sophisticated weaponry to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group under the guise of rendering humanitarian services.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights in times past have raised the alarm in the complicity of international NGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria in fueling the Boko Haram war by supplying them food, drugs, and other essential items that they need.

This trend is unacceptable, and it is advised that urgent steps are taken to arrest this decline before things get out of control because as it stands, the Boko Haram/ISWAP have been emboldened to carry out attacks on soft targets in women and children, students, clergies, as well as humanitarian workers because of the tactic support it has been receiving from both internal and external sources.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights also wishes to use this medium to call on the European Union and the representatives of the United Nations in Nigeria to audit and caution international NGOs in operation in North-East Nigeria to stop the supply of arms and ammunitions and other essential items to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group with immediate effect. It must be stated that if this is done, we would witness a drastic reduction in the merciless killings and maiming carried out by the Boko Haram/ISWAP group in North-East Nigeria.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights also states that as a matter of necessity and urgency, the European Union must investigate the supply of sophisticated arms and ammunitions from her member countries to impose the needed sanctions on these countries. This is on the heels that many pieces of evidence indicate that some EU countries have been covertly selling arms and ammunitions to the Boko Haram/ISWAP group using fronts.

The European Union, in the interest of fairness, must act and deal decisively with its member countries that have been providing support to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group. If this is not done, the Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights might be indeed convinced that the European Union as a body might be aiding and abetting the propagation of terrorism in Nigeria.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights condemns these despicable acts and it is hopeful that the end of the Boko Haram/ISWAP threat to peace and tranquility in Nigeria would manifest soon if all concerned stakeholders indeed join hands with sincerity of mind and purpose to fight the common enemy of humanity.

The Centre for Africa Liberation also calls on all genuine stakeholders to encourage dialogue and strategic engagements in the best possible ways to bring about peace and not to destabilize the peace of the whole nation for their selfish agenda.

Religious and political bodies must exercise restraint in ensuring that selfish politicians do not take advantage of them to paint the activities of Boko Haram/ISWAP as religious or targeted at certain religions or ethnicity.

The Centre for Africa Liberation and Socio-Economic Rights wishes to state that Nigeria must be ridden of terrorism,4 and it behooves on all well-meaning countries, groups, and individuals to extend their support to Nigeria by doing what is right at all times.

Troops of Operation Lafiya Dole Avert Planned Boko Haram Suicide Attack at Gamboru Ngala IDP Camp

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… Continue to Decimate the Criminal Insurgents Across the Theatre and Elsewhere

In tune with their recently declared resolve to sustain their efforts until all the remnants of the criminal Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province insurgents are completely wiped out, the troops of Operation  LAFIYA DOLE have thwarted the nefarious plans of the insurgents to attack some soft targets in Gamboru Ngala with a view to demonstrating their resilience which is clearly on a downward slide .

In a unique display of courage and resilience on their part, on 18 January 2020, troops of 3 Battalion (Main) Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed in Gamborou-Ngala LGA of Borno State gallantly repelled a Boko Haram attack on the Ngala Community. The criminal insurgents sneaked into the peaceful community in 5 Gun Trucks, motorcycles and a number of foot soldiers through the rear of a Humanitarian hub using a farm as cover with the heinous intent to unleash one of the most devastating terror attacks in recent times. Fortunately for the residents, the vigilant troops responded swiftly, engaging the criminals with overwhelmingly superior firepower, thereby forcing them to beat a hasty retreat in complete disarray. During the ensuing pursuit and exploitation embarked upon by the troops, one Boko Haram criminal suicide truck driver strapped with a suicide vest was neutralised. Items captured during the encounter include one AK 47 Rifle, one FN Rifle, one motorcycle and one heavily laden Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device with deadly explosive materials. Preliminary investigations revealed that the Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device and the suicide bomber were heading to the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Gamborou-Ngala before the valiant troops intercepted and foiled the murderous plan of the insurgents. Additionally, 5 Humanitarian workers who took refuge in a bunker during the attack were successfully rescued by the troops.

In a related development, on 24 January 2020, troops of the same 3 Battalion (Main) Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed at Ngala bridge gallantly repelled another Boko Haram attack on their location. The criminal insurgents came in 3 Gun Trucks and a number of foot soldiers late afternoon but the rugged troops immediately swung into action, engaging and decimating the marauding criminals and inflicting heavy casualty on both their men and equipment. At the end of the encounter, 2 out of the 3 Boko Haram criminals’ Gun Trucks were captured. Additionally, 2 Anti-Aircraft guns, one General Purpose Machine Gun, 2 AK 47 Rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun barrel, 688 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition, 20 rounds of PKT ammunition, 63 rounds of .50 ammunition were also captured. One neutralized body of the criminal insurgents was recovered during exploitation while several other bodies and wounded were believed to be carted away as evident by the trails of blood found along their withdrawal route.

Similarly, on 24 January 2020, troops of 7 Division Operation LAFIYA DOLE led by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division/Commander Sector 1 Operation LAFIYA DOLE, Brigadier General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim decisively cleared a Boko Haram ambush while on clearance operations between Firgi and Bank Junction in Bama LGA of Borno State. In the aftermath of the encounter, 2 Boko Haram criminals were neutralized while others are believed to have escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

In another brief encounter on 19 January 2020, troops of 159 Battalion deployed at Geidam LGA of Yobe State neutralized 2 Boko Haram criminals. Several of the insurgents were believed to have escaped with gunshot wounds as indicated by traces of blood along their withdrawal route. Items recovered afterwards during mop-up operation include, 2 AK 47 Rifles, 5 AK 47 Rifle magazines and 45 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition.

Similarly, on 19 January 2020, troops of 21 Special Armoured Brigade deployed at Bama, Borno State in conjunction with elements of Headquarters 7 Division, Theatre Special Forces 1 and 2, Camerounian Defence Forces, Civilian Joint Task Force and Vigilantes conducted a robust clearance operation to suspected Boko Haram hideouts at Gabchari, Shuwarin, Maluborin, Gremari, and Kanari Villages of same LGA. During the operations, troops made partial contact with some of the marauding terrorists at Shuwarin who realising that they could not withstand the superior firepower of the troops, abandoned the location and scampered into the nearby forest. However, one of the terrorist was neutralized during the brief encounter. Items recovered from the fleeing criminals include one locally made pistol, one wooden AK 47 Rifle (used by Boko Haram terrorists for training) and one Boko Haram Terrorists’ flag.

Furthermore, all Boko Haram structures within the enclave including some food items, a makeshift Boko Haram market, thatched houses and locally made irrigation pumps, were destroyed.

In a related development, on 19 January 2020, troops of 29 Task Force Brigade deployed at Benishiek in Kaga LGA of Borno State, in conjunction with elements of Civilian Joint Task Force and Vigilantes  launched Operation QUICK BLOW aimed at denying the insurgents freedom of action, opening and securing the major road between Benishiek – Adamamti – Bulamari – Abuja – Ari Dumbari – Jauri  Usmanti – Warsala – Borgozo, all in the same LGA for safe and seamless commuting. Relatedly, troops of Headquarters 7 Division deployed in Maiduguri, Borno State in conjunction with elements of Civilian Joint Task Force and Vigilantes under Operation QUICK BLOW also commenced aggressive clearance operations at Bulabulin, Kirkashima and Ariwuzumari in order to maintain the existing safe conditions for commuters on Maiduguri – Damboa corridor.

In a separate incident, troops of 121 Battalion deployed at Pulka in Gwoza LGA of Borno State successfully cleared an ambush laid by Boko Haram criminals on 18 January 2020 at Warabe, Borno State.  In the aftermath of the encounter, 2 Boko Haram criminals were neutralized while several others fled with gunshot wounds under the cloak of darkness. The troops also captured 2 AK 47 Rifles and 3 refilled rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition among other items.

In another development, the Joint Tactical Team deployed to Borno and Yobe States apprehended a Boko Haram female recruiter, one Zainab Usman at Modu Sulemri area of Abujan Talakawa Ward of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council in Borno State. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect is a wife of Alai Usman, a high profile Islamic State West Africa Province logistics supplier. The suspect is believed to be in contact with other high profile Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province Commanders, helping them to recruit young fighters.

Also, on 20 January 2020, troops of 212 Battalion deployed in Auno, Kaga LGA of Borno State in conjunction with elements of Civilian Joint Task Force arrested one Mallam Ahmed Yakuba, a high profile Islamic State West Africa Province informant at a location south of Auno Village. Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was born in Niger Republic, grew up in Sudan and has been in Nigeria for the past 15 years. However, during interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a spy for the Islamic State’s West Africa Province criminals on a mission to spy on troops’ location in Auno and other locations along the Maiduguri – Damaturu road.

In another development, on 22 January 2020, troops of 212 Battalion deployed at Gajigana in Magumeri LGA of Borno State arrested a Boko Haram criminal, one Bukar Goni Sanda in Gajigana Village. During preliminary interrogation, the suspect confessed to having left the Village 2 years ago and joined the Islamic State’s West Africa Province insurgent group where he was trained on weapon handling particularly in pistol, AK 47 Rifle, Rocket Propelled Gun 7 and Anti-Aircraft Guns, at Kangarwa and Damasak forests. He further confessed to have returned to the community in order to spy on troops’ location.

In a similar vein, on 20 January 2020, troops of 21 Special Armoured Brigade deployed at Bama in Borno State, in conjunction with elements of Cameroonian Defence Forces and Civilian Joint Task Force in the ongoing Operation RUFE KOFA, had meeting engagements with Boko Haram criminals during clearance operations conducted to identified insurgents’ hideouts at Abbaram, Nguzuwa 1, Cina and Nguzuwa 2. Resultantly, troops destroyed all the criminals’ hideouts along the axis, neutralized 5 Boko Haram criminals and recovered one motorcycle, 2 mobile phones, 2 Dane guns, 2 wooden guns, 8 refilled rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition, one AK 47 Rifle magazine and 2 locally fabricated magazines. Furthermore, 2 women and 4 children hostages were rescued. The rescued children were instantly administered with the Oral Polio Vaccine by the Army Medical Team in line with the Buratai Intervention Initiative.

Elsewhere in the North West region, on 20 January 2020, the combined troops of 2 Battalion, Forward Operating Bases at Kushaka, Birnin Gwari and Pandogari in Kaduna and Niger States while on Operation MESA, conducted a robust clearance operation against suspected bandits and kidnappers’ hideouts at Dogon Gona in Shiroro LGA of Niger State. During the operation, troops made contact with a pocket of bandits on motorcycles at Ushana Village. The gallant troops unleashed their superior firepower on them, forcing them to retreat in disarray. Following the encounter, troops neutralized one bandit, recovered one AK 47 Rifle, 3 AK 47 Rifle magazines, 10 round of 7.62mm Special ammunition, 2 mobile hand sets and one motorcycle.

Similarly, on 22 January 2020, troops of 8 Division responded to a distress call about kidnappers holding some victims within the fringes of Zugu forest in Kebbe LGA of Sokoto State. Troops swiftly mobilized to the area. After a brief fire fight, the kidnappers abandoned the 2 kidnapped victims and fled. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families. Relatedly, on 21 January 2020, troops of 31 Artillery Brigade under Operation MESA while on clearance operations had meeting engagement with bandits at Dogon Gona in Shiroro LGA of Niger State. The bandits fled due to the superior firepower of the troops. Nevertheless, troops rescued the 5 kidnapped victims, administered them with First Aid after which they were released to reunite with their families.

TROOPS OF 159 BATTALION DEPLOYED AT GEIDAM LGA OF YOBE STATE NEUTRALIZED 2 BOKO HARAM CRIMINALS AND RECOVERED 2 AK 47 RIFLES, 5 AK 47 RIFLE MAGAZINES AND 45 ROUNDS OF 7.62MM SPECIAL AMMUNITION DURING ENCOUNTER WITH THE INSURGENTS ON 19 JANUARY 2020

The Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai wishes to reassure the general public of the Nigerian Armys’ unwavering commitment to ensuring adequate security and enabling environment for a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Food crisis imminent as desert locusts invade Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia

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The Horn of Africa has been hit by the worst invasion of desert locusts in 25 years, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Friday.

A man walks through a locust swarm in Kenya on 22 January 2020, Samburu County, Ololokwe, Kenya.

The invasion poses an unprecedented threat to food security in the entire sub region, where over 19 million people in East Africa are already experiencing a high degree of food insecurity, the agency said.
In Kenya, it is the worst invasion in 70 years, and the government is spending $5 million to manage the swarms of locust and prevent spreading.
Invasions of desert locusts are irregular in the region, the last instance occurred in 2007 at a much smaller scale.
“This current invasion of desert locust is significantly larger in magnitude and scale than previously experienced in Kenya and across East Africa,” said Dr. Stephen Njoka, the Director General of Desert Locust Control Organization.
Irregular weather and climate conditions in 2019, including heavy rains between October and December, are suspected to have contributed to the spread of locusts in the region.
“Under a worst-case scenario,” the invasion could become a plague if it is not contained quickly, the FAO said in a statement.

Emergency action plan

The locusts have already devastated large swaths of food and pasture in the region, but the extent of the damage cannot yet be determined since new swarms are spreading across borders everyday, said Njoka.
While Njoka remains positive the pesticides are working, the rapid and constant movement of the locusts makes it difficult to assess just how effective it has been.
The FAO estimates an increase in locust swarms will continue until June, leading the agency to put in place a six month emergency action plan and suggest it will take USD $70m to contain the swarms across the region.

Coronavirus: China tightens restrictions as fear spikes

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hina locked down four cities in the Hubei province at the center of a deadly virus outbreak, banning planes and trains from leaving in an unprecedented move aimed at containing the disease, which has already spread to a number of other countries. Huanggang, Ezhou and the smaller city of Chibi have joined Wuhan in shutting down railway stations and suspending long-distance buses, according to statements on the cities’ websites.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday that the new coronavirus that has emerged in China and spread to several other countries does not yet constitute an international emergency but it was tracking its evolution “every minute”.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement after its Emergency Committee of 16 independent experts reviewed the latest evidence and made its recommendations, which he accepted.

“Make no mistake, though, this is an emergency in China,” Tedros told a news conference at WHO headquarters in Geneva. “But it has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one.”

“Until this time, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission outside China, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

China’s decision to lock down Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, shows how committed the authorities are to containing a viral outbreak that emerged in a seafood market there, a World Health Organization representative in Beijing said Thursday. Gauden Galea told Reuters the move, also now replicated in nearby Huanggang, went beyond WHO guidelines. “The lockdown of 11 million people is unprecedented in public health history, so it is certainly not a recommendation the WHO has made,” he said, adding authorities had to wait to see how effective the measures were. But sealing off Wuhan is “a very important indication of the commitment to contain the epidemic in the place where it is most concentrated,” Galea said.

The outbreak of a new coronavirus that began in the central Chinese city of Wuhan has killed at least 17 and infected nearly 600 people globally. China’s National Health Commission confirmed 571 cases and 17 deaths as of Jan. 22.

Wuhan residents called for help and shared worries of food shortages Thursday, with some on the “verge of tears” after the virus-hit central Chinese city was put on effective lockdown. Few people were seen wandering in the streets, the roads were empty, official events were canceled and the state media said authorities had ordered everyone to wear masks in public. At one hotel, guests were checked for fevers and handed antibacterial gel. The few passengers aboard one train arriving from Shanghai were wearing masks and gloves upon arrival, but some put on a brave face, as reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP). Many internet users from outside the city expressed sadness and concern for residents, urging them to stay safe, while others questioned why the city was not sealed off sooner. Some blamed people in Wuhan for eating wild animals.

The first case of the new virus was confirmed on Dec. 31. There is no vaccine for the new virus, which China says is mutating. It says there is evidence of respiratory transmission. Preliminary research suggests the virus was passed to humans from snakes, but Chinese government medical adviser Zhong Nanshan has also identified badgers and rats as other possible sources. The previously unknown strain is believed to have emerged late last year from illegally traded wildlife at an animal market in Wuhan.

Global health authorities fear the transmission rate will accelerate as hundreds of millions of Chinese travel at home and abroad during the week-long Lunar New Year holiday that begins on Saturday. Thailand has reported four cases, and South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. one each. Patients in these cases were either residents of Wuhan or recent visitors to the city.

Britain’s health minister said Thursday the number of cases of the new coronavirus is likely to be higher than that so far confirmed, so the death toll will probably rise further. “All the fatalities have so far been contained to mainland China; however, this is a rapidly developing situation and the number of deaths and the number of cases is likely to be higher than those that have been confirmed so far and I expect them to rise further,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told parliament.

Church of England affirms sex is only for heterosexual marriage

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Sex is reserved for married heterosexual couples, new pastoral guidance from the Church of England has affirmed. The new guidance also draws a clear distinction between marriage and civil partnerships, noting that sexual relations are not proper to the latter.

The guidance, titled “Civil Partnerships – for same sex and opposite sex couples. A pastoral statement from the House of Bishops of the Church of England,” was issued last month in response to a 2019 change to UK law, broadening access to civil partnerships by making them available for heterosexual couples for the first time.

Civil partnerships were created in 2004 for same-sex couples but are legally distinct from marriage. Same-sex couples were given the legal right to marry in the England and Wales in 2013, but civil partnerships remained available to same-sex couples only.

“Sexual relationships outside heterosexual marriage are regarded as falling short of God’s purposes for human beings,” says the guidance on the issue. “The introduction of same sex marriage, through the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013, has not changed the church’s teaching on marriage or same sex relationships.”

Although the Church of England acknowledges that “many of the provisions in the legislation on civil partnerships are, however, similar to, or identical with, those in marriage law,” the nature of the commitment in a civil partnership is different than that of a marriage.

“In particular, [civil partnerships are] not predicated on the intention to engage in a sexual relationship,” says the guidance.

“There is likely to be a range of circumstances in which people of the same sex or opposite sex choose to register a partnership, including some where there is no intention for the relationship to be expressed through sexual activity.”

The guidance applies only to the Church of England, and not to other branches of the worldwide protestant Anglican Communion.

Since the law’s original passage, some pairs of people who are not romantically involved have entered civil partnerships for tax or benefit purposes.

In the guidance, the Church of England states that because of the “ambiguity” regarding sexual activity in civil partnerships, combined with its teaching on the nature of marriage, it does “not believe that it is possible for the church unconditionally to accept civil partnerships as unequivocally reflecting the teaching of the church.”

The Church of England has previously published policies that seem intended to accommodate modern sexual ethos and gender theory without directly contradicting Scripture and Christian history. The results have sometimes seemed gymnastic.

Although the Church of England accepts both married men and women for ordination to the priesthood and as bishops, it does not conduct or recognize same-sex marriages as marriage. In December 2012, the Church of England permited gay clergy in civil partnernships to become bishops, provided they were living in continence with their partners, that is abstaining from sexual relations.

“The House [of Bishops] believed it would be unjust to exclude from consideration for the episcopate anyone seeking to live fully in conformity with the Church’s teaching on sexual ethics or other areas of personal life and discipline,” Graham James, Anglican bishop of Norwich, stated in January 2013.

“All candidates for the episcopate undergo a searching examination of personal and family circumstances, given the level of public scrutiny associated with being a bishop in the Church of England.”

In 2018, the denomination published pastoral guidelines for liturgies concerning the so-called “gender transition” of church members. These new liturgies are intended to affirm and celebrate a person’s shift to a chosen gender identity, and to “to recognize liturgically a person’s gender transition.”

The guidelines, titled Pastoral Guidance for use in conjunction with the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith in the context of gender transition, were approved by the Church of England’s House of Bishops in December 2018, and published shortly afterwards.

CNA

500 Clerics kick- off 21 days’ prayer for Nigeria’s Unity against destabilization

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Clerics in a procession at the NIFROP 21- day fasting and prayer session at the Abuja Unity Fountains.

Over 500 clerics from diverse denominations of both Christianity and Islam have commenced a 21-Day prayer and fasting for the unity, peace, stability of Nigeria and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari whom they said is ordained by God to bring lasting peace to the country.

The group under the auspices of National Interfaith and Religious Organisations for Peace (NIFROP) on Friday, converged on the Abuja Unity Fountains in their numbers to call upon God for his intervention to end the myriad of challenges facing the country as well as expose those behind the Boko Haram insurgency and those ideologies targeted at disintegrating the country.

in his opening speech, NIFROP president, Bishop Sunday Garuba emphasised the need for true love amongst adherent of the two faiths in a way that does not negate the act of true worship.

“Brethren we have come to that point when we can no longer persist in our division and way of life that rend us asunder contrary to God’s will. We can no longer continue to posture that all is well when it is clear that God wants us to repent of the sins we commit against ourselves and the glorious land that the Lord has provided for us in Nigeria.

“We had also prayed in the past and God humbled the Boko Haram terrorists since President Muhammadu Buhari came on board. God brought President Buhari on board after the prayers of this group to redeem Nigeria and the many blessings. These terrorists had thumped their nose at God in their ignorance but they were put to shame because they never knew that President Buhari was coming as God’s right hand against their evil intentions.” He added.

Bishop Garuba called on all to be fervent in prayers as it has proven to be the only potent tool to defeat the enemy.

Also speaking on the theme: “Our similarities and not our differences define us as a people and as a country.” an Islamic Cleric Sheikh Baba Koki who took his text from chapter 6, verse 109, of the Holy Quran noted that respect for one another and tolerance remains the key factor in defeating the common enemy of the nation.

“We can’t deny the fact that, indeed, forces of darkness have set up an agenda towards the disintegration of Nigeria by attempting to pitch our Muslims brothers against our Christian brothers. In this circumstance, our doctrine of Love for All, Hatred for None, is threatened by the activities of those that do not have the interest of Nigeria at heart.” He said.

In his remarks, President of South-South college of Bishops, Arch-Bishop Julius Ediwe noted that God has envisioned Nigeria as a great nation and called on all to united in prayers for the destiny of the nation.

“We have faith that God Almighty can free us; we have faith that if we return to God genuinely, remorsefully and pensively over our sins, reconcile ourselves with one another and beg for forgiveness, our merciful God will restore to us our lost glory, which the devil has snatched from us.

“The sovereignty of Nigeria reminds us of what our Lord said  in Genesis 26: 3-4 that, “Sojourn in this land, I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants, I will give all these lands and I will establish the oath, which I swore to your father Abraham . I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and I will give your descendants all these lands and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.”

Prayers were offered for the president, Muhammadu Buhari and all the leaders of the country in various capacities.

The event which featured praise and worship was also spiced with melodious koranic recitations

As renowned gospel artist Solomon Lange took the stage with praises to the high heavens, there is no doubts that this exercise will lift burdens.

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