In Search of Bombs, Army Shuts Down Gudu Spare parts Mart

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header id="cb-standard-featured" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="cb-mask" style="box-sizing: border-box; height: 325px; overflow: hidden; position: relative;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img alt="army.fw" class="cb-fi-standard wp-post-image" height="400" src="http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/army.fw_.png" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top; width: 610px;" width="750" /></span></div> <div class="cb-entry-header cb-style-standard" style="box-sizing: border-box; z-index: 3;"> <span class="cb-title-fi" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><h1 class="entry-title cb-entry-title cb-single-title" itemprop="headline" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 400; margin: 0px; padding: 15px 0px;"> Officers and men of the Nigerian Army Thursday morning sealed off the popular spare parts market in Gudu district of Abuja.</h1> </span></div> </header><section class="entry-content clearfix" itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 30px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; widows: auto; zoom: 1;"><div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> One account of the raid said the soldiers were swarmed the market following intelligence reports that terrorists were targeting it.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Another account had it that the soldiers were in the market to provide cover for the installation of high-tech security cameras.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Pointblanknews.com gathered that the soldiers arrived at the market at a little before noon and locked the entrance and exit gates, trapping hundreds of dealers and customers.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> After some time, the soldiers allowed all trapped persons out of the market, and thereafter stationed two Ford Ranger pick-ups to block the gate.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> When Pointblanknews.com visited, hundreds of distraught dealers were sighted discussing in groups.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Expressing their displeasure, some of the traders complained that they were not notified of the operation and were treated like Prisoners of War.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> “We were humiliated and made to run out with our hands in the air. Some of us were so scared and traumatized. We only hope they resolve this as quickly as possible” he added.</div> <div style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.235294); -webkit-hyphens: auto; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.301961); -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> Attempts to get the Army headquarters comment on the exercise were not successful.</div> </section></div>

In Search of Bombs, Army Shuts Down Gudu Spare parts Mart

Officers and men of the Nigerian Army Thursday morning sealed off the popular spare parts market in Gudu district of Abuja. One acco...

Read more »

Boko Haram attacks Cameroun

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h1 class="entry-title posttitle" itemprop="name headline" style="border: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 2778px;"> <br /></h1> <div class="metaStuff" style="background-image: none; border: none; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">By Ndahi Marama with agency reports</span></div> <div id="entryContainer" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="entry entry-content" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 6px 0px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">M</span><span style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">aiduguri —</span> Nigeria’s neighbour, Cameroon, yesterday, came under attack from Boko Haram Islamic sect as the terrorists launched an offensive on the home of Cameroon’s vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, abducting his wife and killing three others in the northern town of Kolofata.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/boko-abducted-girls.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color 0.2s linear, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="boko-abducted-girls" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-444111" height="257" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/boko-abducted-girls.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A local religious leader and mayor, Seini Boukar_Lamine, was also kidnapped in a separate attack on his home.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">According to Cameroon=s Information Minister, Issa Tchiroma told Reuters news agency yesterday that, “I can confirm that the home of Vice Prime Minister Amadou_Ali in Kolofata came under a savage attack from Boko Haram_militants. They unfortunately took away his wife. They also attacked the lamido’s (religious leader’s) residence and he was also kidnapped,” he said, adding that at least three people were killed in the attack.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Boko Haram fighters clashed with the Cameroonian army in cross‑border attacks twice since Friday, killing four soldiers.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Cameroon has deployed more than 1,000 soldiers along its border to help combat the Nigerian armed group.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In May, Boko Haram kidnapped 10 Chinese workers from northern Cameroon._</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A massive assault last week by Boko Haram in which the group took control of northeast Nigerian town of Damboa displaced more than 15,000 people.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Meanwhile, two persons suspected to be residents of Damboa community taking refuge amongst the over 10,000 displaced persons in Shaffa District of Hawul Local Government Area of Borno state were slaughtered weekend by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram sect.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Sources in Shaffa explained that the attackers who also went away with two Pickup vans belonging to residents of the area. removed the heads of the deceased and placed them on their chest before fleeing without confrontation.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Another source added that the attackers who after slaughtering their victims also warned residents including the Traditional ruler in Shaffa to desist from accommodating any Damboa refugees or risk deadly attacks.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It will be recalled that multiple attacks on Damboa Local Government Area of the state which claimed the lives of the Commanding Officer of 195 Battalion, a Divisional Police Officer, DPO five policemen and 16 soldiers as well as many civilians led to the sacking of thousands of residents who fled to different locations, while others were taking refuge in designated camps in Biu and Maiduguri metropolis.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Speaking further on the attack on two of the refugees, a top politician from Shaffa who did not want his name to be mentioned in print for security reason, told our Correspondent that “the gunmen did not touch any residents of Shaffa as they only traced their victims and killed them before firing sporadic gunshots in the air warning people especially the traditional ruler (name withheld) to stop receiving or accommodation any Damboa fleeing victim or risk attacks on his community”.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was also gathered that the gunmen before fleeing Shaffa told residents that they (terrorists) have vowed to hunt any fleeing Damboa refugee and kill, alleging that the people of Damboa were their enemies who were against their mission.</span></div> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/boko-haram-attacks-cameroun/#sthash.BH2wJdjN.dpuf</span></div>

Boko Haram attacks Cameroun

By Ndahi Marama with agency reports M aiduguri —  Nigeria’s neighbour, Cameroon, yesterday, came under attack from Boko Haram Islami...

Read more »

FG procures 40 attack helicopters with night vision

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h1 class="entry-title posttitle" itemprop="name headline" style="border: 0px; margin: 10px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 2464px;"> All should be deployed to Northern Nigeria</h1> <div class="metaStuff" style="background-image: none; border: none; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: -23px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI-ABUJA</span></div> <div id="entryContainer" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="entry entry-content" itemprop="articleBody" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 6px 0px 0px; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> </div> <div style="text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Aftermathof the determination by the Jonathan administration to eliminate terrorism in the North East and smoke out insurgents from the hideouts, the federal government has ordered the procurement of 40 modern attack helicopters with capabilities for night operations and sound proof technology.</span></div> <br /> <div class="wp-caption alignright" id="attachment_456656" style="border: 0px; float: right; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 422px;"> <div style="text-align: left;"> <a href="http://www.vanguardngr.com/?attachment_id=456656" rel="attachment wp-att-456656" style="-webkit-transition: background-color, border-top-color; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: background-color, border-top-color; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="CAS, his entourage and one of the survivors (Flight Lieutenant NM Halilu) commiserating with Warrant Officer Augustine Nwanonen" class="size-full wp-image-456656" height="250" src="http://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/air.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.247059) 1px 1px 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; transition: margin 0.2s linear, box-shadow;" width="412" /></span></a></div> <div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">CAS, his entourage and one of the survivors (Flight Lieutenant NM Halilu) commiserating with Warrant Officer Augustine Nwanonen</span></div> </div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Saturday Vanguard gathered that the attack helicopters which are being procured from the United states and Russia, would not only shore up the inventory of the Nigerian Airforce as a result of depletion following crashes and grounding of some of the existing helicopters due to maintenance challenges, but would also enhance the distance and reach capability of the NAF in the fight against insurgency.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It was further gathered that some of the aircraft will arrive in the country as early as next month while the remaining will be received certainly before the end of the year to boost the Nigerian Airforce.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Saturday Vanguard had reported early in the year that pilots of the Nigerian Airforce prosecuting air attacks on Boko Haram terrorists, expressed the belief that if such attack aircraft, with sound proof capabilities were made available to the NAF, the issue of smoking out Boko Haram terrorists will be a thing of the past saying that when the present ones in the fleet were approaching their targets, the noise usually gave them out.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also, military and other security forces have expressed frustration that their inability to storm the notorious Sambisa Forest where Boko Haram militants are keeping the abducted Chibok secondary school girls and also serving as operational headquarters of the group was because noisy attack helicopters would enable the terrorists use their surface to air weaponry in the possession.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Government’s action in procuring the equipment according to sources is that security operatives are not only aware of the locations of the girls but are also closely monitoring the way the girls are being moved around but are afraid of the backlash should any harm befall the girls in the course of a forced rescue.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The result of past incidences during attempts to rescue British and Italian nationals in Sokoto and SETRACO workers which boomerang were some of the reasons cited by security forces as to why they have been reluctant in storming the forest and rescuing the girls.</span></div> <div style="border: 0px; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Said a security source, “Oh I wish we could have a consensus of opinion from Nigerians that we should storm the forest and rescue the girls. The day Nigerians decides that enough is enough in one voice, to clear the forest will take less than one week”.</span></div> <div class="OUTBRAIN" data-browser="safari" data-dynload="" data-ob-mark="true" data-os="ipad" data-src="http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/fg-procures-40-attack-helicopters-night-vision/" id="outbrain_widget_0" obdone="true" style="border: 0px; clear: both; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 5px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <div class="ob_brnBox_cont NA" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <span class="ob_empty" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><wbr style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></wbr></span><span class="ob_org_header" style="border: 0px; float: left; font-style: inherit; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; text-align: left; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></div> </div> </div> </div> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/fg-procures-40-attack-helicopters-night-vision/#sthash.QgpRL371.dpuf</span></div>

FG procures 40 attack helicopters with night vision

All should be deployed to Northern Nigeria BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI-ABUJA Aftermathof the determination by the Jonathan administration ...

Read more »