SR SahelReporters

By Aviashima Toom Obaseki   Ahead of Friday’s governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party in Edo State, a frontline aspirant of the party, Mr Gideon Ikhine, has stepped down from the race for Governor Godwin Obaseki. Ikhine announced his decision to step down for the governor on Monday at a ceremony in Benin. Obaseki, state party chairman , Dr Tony Aziegbemi, and other party leaders across the state were in attendance. Announcing the decision, the aspirant said there was no progress without a sacrifice, adding that the governor’s defection to the party was God’s great answer to the party and his aspiration. He noted that two persons could have the same vision but the means of approaching them different. Ikhine stressed that he was not actually stepping down, but ” stepping behind the man who would lead the party to glory come Sept. 19″. He said he and his supporters had resolved to work with the governor to ensure that a better tomorrow is achieved in the state. Responding,

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja.   The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that,  Personnel of the 404 Force Protection Group (404 FPG) Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Base Kaduna have recovered 40 rustled cattle, while the troops also thwarted armed bandits’ attack along Kwauya-Tsamiya Village axis in Kaduna State.  A statement signed by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche on Monday in Abuja. The Armed forces said the operation  occurred in the early hours of Sunday, 21 June 2020, following reports that some cattle rustlers/armed bandits had raided the Fulani settlements adjacent to the NAF Base and seized some heads of cattle from some herders at gun point.  He noted that a Rapid Response Force (RRF) Team was immediately dispatched to pursue and recover the rustled cattle.  "The RRF Team, supported by NAF Special Forces deployed to Operation BADAMAMAKI, in conjunction with the local vigilantes, quickly located the bandits and engaged them i

By Aviashima Toom The Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom on Monday swore in the 23 elected council chairmen in the state with a charge on them to live with their people in their various localities in order to serve them well. The event which took place at the New Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples House Makurdi, the Governor, while congratulating the council chairmen, said their election was a proof of the trust the people have in them and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which they must justify. He also charged them to view their election as a call to serve the rural majority and contribute their quota in turning around the lives of their people through purposeful leadership based on laudable policies, programmes and projects. According to him, based on the dwindling economic fortunes, team work and looking inward would serve a great deal as the new crop of leaders take charge at the council levels, stressing that they should work closely with security agents, traditional

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja.  The Defence Headquarters has disclosed that, it troops of Operation Long Reach, a subsidiary Operation of the Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has destroyed Boko Haram facilities, while several of them have being killed in Borno state.  In a statement signed by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche in Abuja. The military said it was in continuation of the offensive strikes to push to end the activities of Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the North East of Nigeria.  The DMOs disclosed that the most recent of the gains were recorded in a series of devastating air strikes targeting terrorists’ locations at Bula Bello and Ngoske on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State.  He said that, the air interdiction missions were executed on 18 and 19 June 2020 sequel to credible intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists had resumed use of the closely linked settlements as staging points to launch attacks ag

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja. The Military says its troops of Operation Safe Heaven under Operation ACCORD has neutralized 3 kidnappers while some victims were also rescued during a commando operation at Qua'an Pan LGA of Plateau state. The military disclosed this in a statement signed by the Defence Media Coordinator, DHQ, Maj. Gen. John Enenche on Saturday in Abuja. The Armed Forces said that, the clearance was aim at curtailing the activities of bandits and other criminals in the North West and North Central region. He said daring raid was conducted on 19 June 2020 sequel to actionable technical and human intelligence on the activities of a notorious kidnap kingpin  at Pialat hotel Kwa in Qua'an Pan LGA of Plateau state.  According to him the Troops overwhelmed the suspects who opened fire on them, with superior fire power, neutralizing 3 bandits while others escaped with gun shot wounds.  He said, Troops recovered  one Barreta pistol, one single barrel gun, 2 fabric

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja. The Armed Forces of Nigeria says it troops of Air Task Force of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has neutralized several Boko Haram Terrorists, while one of their gun trucks was also immobilized at Bula Korege, a terrorists’ logistics distribution centre and meeting point, on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest in Borno State. In a statement signed by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, DHQ, Maj. Gen. John Enenche on Saturday in Abuja. The military said, the feat was achieved via air strikes executed on 17 June 2020 as part of missions being conducted under the subsidiary Operation LONG REACH after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft spotted a large number of BHT fighters and a  gun truck within the settlement.  According to him, the Air Task Force scrambled its fighter jets to attack the location. He said upon arrival overhead the settlement, the NAF jets engaged the target area, taking out some struct

By Aviashima Toom, Abuja. The Defence Headquarters says its Air Task Force of Operation Lafia Dole under the subsidiary of Operation Long Reach, stormed terrorists location, destroyed Boko HaramTactical Command Centre and neutralized some of their fighters at Yuwe in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State In a statement signed by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche on Friday in Abuja. The Armed Forces said that, the  operation was executed on 17 June 2020 after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions observed significant presence of BHTs in the settlement. According to him having also established that a prominent compound with solar panel-mounted rooftop and a large tree in the middle with a nearby flag-mounted sentry post was being used by the BHTs to coordinate their operations in the area.  He said that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets dispatched by the ATF to take out the Command Centre took turns in