Tag: TROOPS

Terrorism: US deploys drones, troops to Nigeria for intelligence support

Aminu Imam
US deploys drones, troops

The United States has deployed several MQ-9 drones and around 200 troops to Nigeria to assist in the fight against Islamist militants, US and Nigerian officials told Reuters news agency. According to US officials, the troops are not embedded with Nigerian frontline units, and the drones are strictly focused on intelligence-gathering, with no airstrikes being conducted. Previously, the US operated a $100 million drone base in neighbouring Niger, with roughly 1,000 troops monitoring militant activity across the Sahel. The facility was closed in 2024 after Niger’s military government ordered US…

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Insecurity: Troops eliminate 11 ISWAP fighters in Borno, Adamawa raids

Aminu Imam
Troops eliminate 11 ISWAP fighters

Nigerian forces say they have eliminated 11 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in back-to-back operations across the country’s North-East, as part of a renewed drive to dismantle extremist cells. The clashes occurred on September 15 along the Baga–Cross Kauwa road in Borno State, and in Umbo, Madagali local government area of Adamawa State, according to the joint task force coordinating counter-insurgency operations. In the first encounter near Garin Giwa, Kukawa LGA, ISWAP fighters ambushed troops with an improvised explosive device before opening fire. Soldiers fought back, killing eight…

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Troops kill 15 terrorists in Katsina, nab 13 suspects in Kaduna, Benue

Aminu Imam
Troops kill terrorists

Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed 15 terrorists in Katsina State, apprehended 13 suspects in Kaduna, and recovered weapons from armed herders in Benue State between Friday and Saturday. A credible source at Army Headquarters, who stated this in Abuja, said that air and ground offensives were carried out at Zango High Ground, in the Kankara local government area of Katsina, where troops destroyed terrorists’ hideouts after airstrikes and ground assaults. According to the source, intercepted communications confirmed 15 terrorists were killed, with several others wounded. He said, “In…

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‘Our soldiers suffering from battle fatigue, PTSD, substance abuse’ – Army Chief, Lagbaja raises alarm

Aminu Imam
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The Nigerian Army is scrambling to save several soldiers on the frontline of the war against bandits, Boko Haram and Islamic State for West Africa Province, (ISWAP) terrorists, who are grappling with substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, (PTSD) and battle-fatigue. The Army stated this during a sensitisation workshop for officers and men of its 3 Division, Rukuba, near Jos, Plateau State, on: “The effect of drug abuse, PTSD management and Lesson-Learned Process“. PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.…

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Peacekeeping: Somali demands UN delay drawdown of troops

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir
FARMAJO, HASSAN SHEIK OF SOMALIA

Somalia has asked the United Nations to pause a planned drawdown of 3,000 African Union (AU) peacekeepers for three months to allow its security forces time to regroup after a militant attack forced them to withdraw from several recently captured towns. The African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), which is mandated by the UN Security Council, took over from another AU mission in April last year. A Somali government letter shows the national security adviser wrote to the United Nations requesting a 90-day delay in the second phase of…

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IPOB/ESN: Troops neutralise combatants in Abia, Enugu

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

Troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, and the Nigerian Police have neutralised six combatants of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN) in different encounters in Abia and Enugu States. This is contained in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, on Monday in Abuja. Nwachukwu said the troops had eliminated three IPOB/ESN gunmen in a fierce encounter during a clearance operation in the early hours of Monday at Igboro Forest, between Arochukwu and Ohafia Local Government…

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Troops neutralise 2 bandits in Kaduna

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

Troops of Operation Forest Sanity on Tuesday said its operatives ambushed and neutralised two bandits in Kaduna state. The Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1 Division Nigerian Army, Lt-Col Musa Yahaya confirmed the incident in a statement in Kaduna. Yahaya said that following a tip off from human intelligence source, troops of operation Forest Sanity, under the 1 Division Nigerian Army, ambushed and successfully neutralised two bandit leaders capturing arms, ammunition and other equipment. According to him, earlier, intelligence source revealed that a bandit leader named Isiya Danwasa intended…

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German army sends civilian airplane to relieve troops in Mali

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

The German Army, on Thursday dispatched a civilian airplane from Cologne to rotate troops in Mali, after authorities in the West African state finally granted permission, a German military spokesperson told dpa. The plane took off with 88 soldiers from the UN mission MINUSMA and five soldiers from the EU training mission EUTM Mali on board, sources close to German parliament said in a briefing. Mali’s provisional military government suspended troop rotations for the UN mission on July 14. Thursday’s flight is the first one enabling troop rotations for Germans since then, according to the parliamentary sources.…

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Terrorism; Troops kill 3 ISWAP fighters in Damask, seize weapons

Abdul-Azeez Ahmed Kadir

By; Adamu Aliyu Ngulde, Maiduguri. Nigerian troops have neutralized three members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) in Damasak. Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Army spokesperson said men of 05 Brigade, Sector 03 Operations Hadin Kai inflicted the casualties on the terrorists on Friday under a new operation codenamed Operation Dominance. He said the troops came in contact with the terrorists during a clearance operation at an illegal market they operate at Gallo Makawari, a village in Damasak. Nwachukwu says, the terrorists were overpowered by troops and forced…

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