Troops kill 4 terrorists, rescue 61 abducted women, kids

By Kingsley Omonobi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFQmXAQJYa8

AS the military onslaught to dislodge Boko Haram terrorists from the North East gains momentum, troops of the 28 Task Force Brigade, backed by close air support by the Nigerian Air Force, have rescued 61 persons abducted and held captive by the insurgents along Bitta and Damboa axis.

The troops also in the process, cleared Boko Haram terrorists’ camps at Modupe 1, 2 and 3.

A statement by Col. Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, said: “The rescued persons were mainly women and children and have since been evacuated” while four terrorists were killed in the operation.

“The fight against Boko Haram terrorists is continuing to maintain its momentum with the discovery and destruction of terrorists’ camps, weapons and equipment, while the terrorists have been fleeing, and abandoning their bases.

“In 25 Task Force Brigade’s area of responsibility, the troops were able to clear Boko Haram terrorist’s camps at Nwalemer, Mallemiri and Bale. Similarly in Gwoza axis, troops of 26 Task Force Brigade have also destroyed terrorist’s camps in Tripkwopta and Gidan Gachi yesterday.

“The troops, however, encountered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) buried along their route of advance near Balazalla Dure that partially affected one of the leading vehicles. The troops also encountered an abandoned truck loaded with IEDs at Uvole village, which was blown up by them. The troops also recovered two dane guns in the Bitta and Gwoza area after an encounter with the terrorists at Langaran Fulani and also killed four terrorists, arrested one.

Facebook to train Nigerian Senators on use of application

Abuja – Senators are to receive free Facebook training, says the Chief of Staff to the President of the Senate, Sen. Isa Galaudu on Thursday in Abuja.

Galaudu, in a letter sent to the senators inviting them for the event, said the training was in line with the promise of the leadership of the 8th Senate to utilise the social media.

“Senators and their aides receive training on use of facebook in line with the promise of the President of the Senate to ensure more representative legislature using e-parliamentary tools.

“This is a partnership between the Office of the Senate President and Facebook.

“Senators and aides who wish to participate in the programme should please email grsenatesocial@gmail.com with their full names.’’

The Facebook team, led by the African Head of Public Policy, will be in Nigeria at the weekend for the training slated for Monday.

According to the Special Assistant to the President of the Senate on Social Media, Bamikole Omishore, the training is at no cost to the senate as Facebook offered to conduct the training for free.

EFCC, Afromedia and Citizen Gobir

THE establishment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in 2004 marked a watershed in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. For the first time, Nigeria had all previous laws and enactments on different aspects of financial and economic crimes consolidated under one agency in order to achieve a seamless and co-ordinated detection, prevention and prosecution of financial crimes.

The EFCC is charged with enforcing the provisions of other laws and regulations relating to economic and financial crimes including the EFCC Act of 2004, Money Laundering Acts of 1995 and 2004 and Advanced Fee and Other Related Offences Act of 1995.

The others are the Failed Banks (Recovery of Debts) and Financial Malpractices in Banks Act of 1994, the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act of 1991 and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the EFCC has enormous powers. It actually needs to be empowered properly for it to acquit itself creditably.

In the last few years, Nigerians have come to appreciate the EFCC’s work. However, while the officers and leadership of the anti-graft agency have shown great professionalism and dedication in the discharge of their duties, the junior officers appear to be on the loose. Even cases of financial disagreement between business partners or friends that can be sorted out by simple arbitration are referred to EFCC operatives. Instead of handling such low profile cases with circumspection to preserve the dignity of those involved, these operatives behave in a way that thoroughly embarrasses those unlucky to be in their net and expose them to public ridicule.

Nigeria dominates the world

November 9th, 2015 has gone down in history as a day Nigeria produced two world champions in the games of juvenile football and scrabble. The Golden Eaglets defeated their Malian junior national team counterparts by two goals to nil at the Sausalito Stadium, Chile, to retain the trophy they won two years ago in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Across the world in the Australian city of Perth, Nigeria also produced Africa’s first world champion in the game of scrabble when Mr Wellington Jighere trounced an Englishman, Lewis MacKay 4-0 in the English Language World Scrabble Championship.

The two resounding victories came as a pep factor to a country whose citizens have lately been reeling from several socio-political and economic downturns, including the Boko Haram terrorism, the renewed pro-Biafra protests in the East and dwindling economic fortunes of the nation.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who had the honour of receiving the maiden world cup won by the Golden Eaglets as a military leader in 1985, was in the forefront of cheering and motivating these worthy Nigerian ambassadors before, during and after their gallant endeavours.

The Eaglets not only lengthened their victory run to five wins in 20 years, our own Victor Osimhen set a new games record of ten goals, thus carting away the Adidas Golden Boot, while team captain, Kelechi Nwakali, also won the Most Valuable Player of the tournament along with the Adidas Golden Ball.

Jighere, on the other hand, beat an Englishman to a game in the latter’s own language, thus showing that Nigerians are now masters of a language considered as the most influential in the world.