Home Blog Page 2318

Army says “lack of intelligence made soldiers kill three policemen”

Amos ABBA
-
0
Army says “lack of intelligence made soldiers kill three policemen”

FOLLOWING the police’s accusation that soldiers allegedly opened fire on police personnel on legitimate duty which led to the death of three police officers, the Nigerian Army on Thursday countered the claim, stating that the policemen were mistaken for kidnappers. 

On Wednesday, police operatives of the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, were allegedly attacked by soldiers of 93 Battalion Nigerian Army Takum, along Ibi-Jalingo road in Taraba State, leaving four people dead with others sustaining varying degrees of injuries.

Among the dead includes, a police inspector, two sergeants, and a civilian, while the kidnap suspect, in police custody, was freed in the process.

Sagir Musa, Army spokesperson countering the accusation in a statement said the police officers had refused to stop at checkpoints which raised red flags prompting the soldiers to respond to the situation.

“The suspected kidnappers numbering about ten were driving in a white bus with Reg No LAGOS MUS 564 EU refused to stop when they were halted by troops at three consecutive checkpoints.

“The flagrant refusal of the suspected kidnappers to stop at the three checkpoints prompted a hot pursuit of the fleeing suspects by the troops. It was in this process that the suspected kidnappers who were obviously armed opened fire at the troops sporadically thus prompting them to return fire,” he said.

He also stated that the commander of the troops made enquiries at the police station in the area whether they were aware of any police team being dispatched to operate, but the divisional police officer claimed he was not informed.

He submitted that “this lent credence to the distressed call from members of the community that the policemen, on a covert mission, were rather suspected kidnappers.”

“In the resultant firefight, four suspects were shot and died on the spot while four others sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds and 2 others reportedly missing.

“It was only after this avoidable outcome that one of the wounded suspects disclosed the fact that they were indeed Policemen dispatched from Nigerian Police, Force Headquarters, Abuja for a covert assignment,” he affirmed.

Sagir said the incident was unfortunate and could have been avoided through appropriate intelligence as the police are partners in the fight against crimes such as kidnapping amongst other internal security threats facing the country.

“To avert future occurrences of this nature, the Army Headquarters and the Force Headquarters of the Nigerian Police have agreed to constitute a joint investigation panel to be headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, DIG Mike Ogbizi, to jointly investigate and report on the true circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident,” he said.

#RevolutionNow: Court grants DSS to detain Sowore for 45 days

Rebecca Akinremi
-
0
#RevolutionNow: Court grants DSS to detain Sowore for 45 days

A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has granted the Department of State Security (DSS) to detain for 45 days Omoyele Sowore, human right activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters that convened the #RevolutionNow protest in Nigeria. 

The permission was given by Justice Taiwo Taiwo on Thursday on an ex parte application filed by the DSS.

The State Service last Saturday had arrested Sowore, former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), for convening a protest and filed an application on Tuesday, requesting to detain Sowore for 90 days in order to help it “carry out a further investigation” on why he called for revolution.

The agency predicated its application on the provision of section 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act.

The judge said the Sowore should continue his detention for a period of 45 days, starting to count from Thursday, August 8. He added that the detention order would be renewable after the expiration of the 45 days on September 21.

The justice said he granted the DSS application, “only to the extent” of allowing the security operatives to conclude its investigation.

But if the security agency required more time to conclude its investigation after the expiration of the first 45 days, Taiwo said there was liberty to apply for its renewal.

Being an ex parte application, neither Sowore nor his legal team was represented at the court ruling.

The judge noted that he would be failing in his duty not to grant the request for a detention order, even if it was one-sided.

“…although the hearing of the application is one-sided as provided by 27(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act, the use of the word,  ‘may’, in the provision is ‘directory and not ‘discretionary,” he said.

Sowore convened the nationwide protest which held in a few states in Nigeria on Monday but many of the protests ended in violence as the security operatives dispersed the protesters with teargas, arresting of them. The protest, according to the organisers, was meant to drive social change and foster a better Nigeria

He was arrested two days to the protest.

Meanwhile, his arrest had been frowned at by many national and international organisations. The Amnesty International had called for his immediate release on Wednesday.

SERAP takes grievance of Nigeria’s human right violations to UN.

Nneoma BENSON
-
0
SERAP takes grievance of Nigeria’s human right violations to UN.

THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva, over the arbitrary arrest and repression of ‘#RevolutionNow’ protesters and organisers.

The open letter, as contained in a statement, was signed by its deputy director Kolawole Oluwadere on Thursday.

The letter recognised the repression by Nigeria Police Force and other security forces of ‘RevolutionNow’ protesters, organizers, activists, and journalists who covered the protests on Monday across the country.

It called for a special session to help stem the attack on human rights and contribute to UN efforts to prevent further abuses including arbitrary detention and excessive use of force.

The organisation stated its concern over the suppression of freedom of expression, attacks on journalists, bloggers, and human rights defenders by several state governments, as well as the intimidation and harassment of Amnesty International in Nigeria.

It noted the Amnesty International in Nigeria is consistently besieged by paid protesters, preventing it from carrying out its activities and giving the organisation ultimatum to leave Nigeria.

The organisation said the human rights situation in the country has drastically deteriorated, with the authorities at the Federal and State levels violating human rights and refusing to obey court judgments.

“The Human Rights Council should heed the rising chorus of concerns by Nigerians, journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and lawyers, and urgently convene a Special Session on the growing human rights crisis in the country,” SERAP said.

It called on the Council to address the “rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in several states of Nigeria as a matter of priority” and help prevent human right violations by Buhari government.

EFCC arrests 29 suspected ‘yahoo boys’, traditional ruler for fraud

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
0
EFCC arrests 29 suspected ‘yahoo boys’, traditional ruler for fraud

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday says it arrested 29 men who are suspected internet fraudsters otherwise known as ‘yahoo-boys’ .

The suspects were arrested at Akoto Estate, Elebu area of Ibadan, Oyo state during an early morning raid carried out by operatives of the Commission.

According to the anti-graft agency, the team had earlier conducted series of surveillance, working on strings of intelligence gathered on the activities of the suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’.

It stated further that the preliminary investigation was found to be credible, thus lead to the sting operation.

Some of the items recovered from the suspects include eight exotic cars, costly phones, and laptops, as well as documents used for their illicit dealings.

EFCC, however, said the accused persons would be charged to court as soon as it rounds up investigations on the culprits.

In a related development, the EFCC has also arrested a traditional ruler, Ibrahim Rijiya for alleged involvement in the diversion of three trailer-load of 1, 800 bags of fertilizer as well as a truck-load of farming herbicides belonging to rice farmers in Gummi Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Rijiya, the EFCC noted, connived with two other suspects, Aminu Musa, the Council storekeeper and Abdullahi Bashir to perpetrate the crime. The traditional ruler also doubled as Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in the local government.

The farm inputs were later sold each bag at N3,000 including other farm materials.

The EFCC had received a petition from representatives of seven different groups of rice farmers, alleging that sometimes in July 2018, the Federal Government approved and disbursed 12 trucks of fertilizer and herbicides, on loan to 83 cooperative groups in Gummi and that no member of the association fully collected all the items as approved by the government.

All efforts made by the Gummi Chapter of RIFAN to get the items back proved abortive.

Investigations by the Commission revealed that Rijiya conspired with Musa to divert and sell the three trailers of fertilizer and a truckload of herbicide to Bashir at the cost of N17.1million and shared the money among themselves.

The suspects, according to the Commission, later confessed to their roles in the crime, and the three trailers of the fertilizer have been recovered from the accused.

“Efforts are in top-gear to recover the diverted herbicide. They will soon be arraigned in court,” EFCC said.

NLC demands immediate release of Sowore

Nneoma BENSON
-
0
NLC demands immediate release of Sowore

THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the immediate release of the publisher of Saharareporters, Omoyele Sowore, and other protesters in the custody of security operatives.

The general secretary of the NLC, Peter Ozo-Eson, made this call in a statement released in Abuja.

The Labour body condemned the arrest and detention of Sowore and other protesters, saying it was unlawful for security agencies to attack a peaceful protest.

The NLC added that security agencies also lacked the power “to hound its organisers into detention as the right to peaceful protests, assembly and association is fully guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under sections 39 and 40″.

It said the midnight arrest of one of the organisers of the protests was an afront on his fundamental rights as well as the collective rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression and association.

Labour said those rights were enshrined in all the international and national instruments that strengthen democracy.

The NLC said the continued detention of Sowore by the State Security Service (SSS) lacks any justification as his action did not in any way threaten the sovereignty of Nigeria nor the democratically constituted government of Nigeria.

Sowore is one of several Nigerians demanding good governance, being the minimum demand citizens could make from a government they democratically elected, the Labour Union said.

“Besides, peaceful protests against bad governance or perceived anti-people government policies is one of the critical fundamental rights that expands the entrenchment and growth of democracy.

“Our security agencies must not be allowed to continue to portray themselves as anti-democracy forces as the Monday attacks so clearly demonstrated.

“Sowore and other protesters were not carrying arms against the state and we, therefore, demand their immediate release unconditionally,” the statement read.

The Labour union has also expressed its worry at the attack on protesters by soldiers in Lagos, asking the federal government to call the military to order, because they have no role in the management of civil protest.

Sowore on Monday planned a peaceful protest, with hashtag #revolutionNow, to demand social change and promote a better justice system in Nigeria.

The protest was however disrupted with the arrest of Sowore at midnight by the security agencies, stating the demonstration was treason and a form of terrorism.

Despite his arrest, members of the #TakeItBack movement, created by Sowore had embarked on the protest to demand his release but they were faced with violent attacks from security operatives.

EFCC arrests youth corps member, NAU graduate for internet fraud

Nneoma BENSON
-
0
EFCC arrests youth corps member, NAU graduate for internet fraud

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), Lagos Zonal office, has arrested Ademola Babajide Adeniyi, a serving youth corps member, and Onabuke Adedokun Kenny, a graduate of the North American University, for alleged Internet fraud.

The information was disclosed in a statement, signed by the Acting, Head Media and Publicity, Tony Orilade, on Wednesday.

Orilade stated that the suspects were arrested on July 30, at Novojo Estate, Sangotedo Ajah, Lagos, during a raid by operatives of the EFCC.

The antigraft agency disclosed, the first suspect, Adeniyi, said, he had collected six iPhone 8 and 4 Apple laptops from his unsuspecting victims, which he sold for over N1 million.

“Items found on the suspects at the point of arrest include laptops, scam emails, pictures of some female victims, phones and a 2015 Honda Accord car,” the statement read.

In another development, the Lagos Zonal office of the EFCC had arrested a suspected member of a syndicate of internet fraudsters, Oriyomi Adeoye, in Lagos.

Adeoye was arrested on July 26, at Flanky Berry, Novojo Estate, Sangotedo Ajah, Lagos.

He was apprehended for his alleged involvement in fraudulent activities and computer-related fraud.

Items found on him include Apple laptops, scam emails, payment slips, cashier cheques, and documents,” EFCC said.

However, the EFCC said the suspects would be charged to court soon.

He named his movement ‘RevolutionNow’ and they jailed him

Editorial
-
0
He named his movement ‘RevolutionNow’ and they jailed him

OMOYELE Sowore, activist, founder of the anti-corruption news service “Sahara Reporters” and former presidential candidate, was not surprised when the Nigerian Security Service (DSS) forcibly entered his house early Saturday morning and arrested him. His crime? Organizing a protest against bad governance in Nigeria.

The DSS arrived Aug. 3 with four trucks, seizing his phones and other electronic gadgets.

Sowore launched his Revolution Now movement in part, he said, because recent elections which returned President Mohammadu Buhari to power were not credible.

But the calls for revolution were unlawful, according to the security officers.

“He crossed the line, he threatened public safety,” said a government spokesman.” Nothing will happen, there won’t be any revolution. The government, which has been elected democratically, will be in place.”

The arrest could interrupt plans for nationwide anti-government protests scheduled for this week.

In a recent meeting with supporters, Sowore declared: “This series of marches and rallies will continue until we have the Nigeria of our dreams.” Currently, he said, “there’s no respect for our dignity as a people. For you to get back your dignity, do what they’re doing in Hong Kong, in Algeria, in Tunisia and in Puerto Rico.”

“Shut down this unworkable system… The revolution is now.”

Among Sowore’s many friends is Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka who spoke out against the arrest in a strongly-worded statement.

“Beyond the word ‘revolution’… nothing that Sowore has uttered, written, or advocated suggests that he is embarking on, or urging the public to engage in a forceful overthrow of the government,” the writer said.

“His arrest is a travesty and violation of the fundamental rights of citizens to congregate and make public their concerns.”

Nigeria’s Premium Times newspaper editorialized: “Speaking out is becoming more dangerous in Nigeria as curbs on free speech and repercussions for taking stances opposed to the government of the day are on the rise.

“Without a contest of ideas fueled by dissent, Nigeria will grow more ignorant, timid, and ultimately, impoverished.”

Meanwhile, income inequality is hitting a new record in Nigeria. About 90 million people – roughly half Nigeria’s population – live in extreme poverty, according to estimates from the World Data Lab’s Poverty Clock while Nigeria’s richest man could spend $1 million a day and not run out of money for 46 years, says the global charity Oxfam.

Sahara Reporters was launched in New York City in a midtown loft. Updates on Sowore’s situation can be found on sowore2019.org, and on Twitter at #FreeSoworeNow

Lisa Vives writes from New York City

Flood: 1 killed, several displaced in Bauchi

Nneoma BENSON
-
0
Flood: 1 killed, several displaced in Bauchi

OVER a hundred houses have been affected and one person killed in a flood disaster that has wrecked the Dindima village in Alkaleri Local Government Area (LGA), Bauchi state.

According to reports, the village head of Dindima LGA, Liman Katagum had said several persons were displaced and farmlands destroyed due to the intense downpour in the community.

Similarly, a bridge linking over twenty villages in Liman Katagum, another community in the state, has been damaged by flooding.

A delegation led by the Speaker of the state House of Assembly Abubakar Suleman had visited the affected communities, and the state’s emergency management agency, which was part of the delegation, had distributed relief materials to the flood victims.

Earlier, the state had recorded the death of four students and others injured at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), when a pedestrian bridge collapsed at the Campus.

The bridge linked some hostels and other buildings that had lecture rooms in it.

Bauchi is not the only state where flooding has been wreaking havoc on communities.

Nigeria has been faced with many incidences of flooding since the beginning of the rainy season, which may intensify by September, according to the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.

NIHSA, in its report, on the prediction of flood in 2019, said that 353 LGAs in 30 states of the country would be faced with ravaging flood, including Bauchi.

The report stated that, ignoring this prediction would cause more harm to people living in flood-prone areas across the country.

It further called on all citizens to ensure structures obstructing the flow of the rain be removed.

Kajuru Killings: Kaduna obtains court order to investigate, arraign ex-NHRC chairman Odinkalu

Olugbenga ADANIKIN
-
0
Kajuru Killings: Kaduna obtains court order to investigate, arraign ex-NHRC chairman Odinkalu

FOLLOWING incidents of the recent Kajuru killings, the Kaduna State Government has secured an ex-parte order from the state Magistrate Court to investigate and arraign Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The state government, through its legal team led by Bayero Dan Esq., accused Odinkalu of flouting the state’s criminal law by allegedly disseminating false information, injurious falsehood, constituting public nuisance and inciting disturbance, offences said to be punishable under the state’s Penal Code, sections 104, 373, 150 and 77.

“Upon an exparte application coming up today, the 23rd of March, 2019 for hearing before Hon. Ibrahim Musa Esq. Chief Magistrate praying for the following orders.

“An order of the honourable court directing the referral of this criminal complaint, pursuant to the provisions of Part IX of the Kaduna State administration of criminal justice law to the commissioner of police, Kaduna State for investigations of the allegation contained in the complaint.

“…having listened to a Bayero Dan, Esq Counsel to the applicant and perusing the 4 paragraph affidavit in support, it is hereby ordered that the application is granted as prayed”.

The motion was granted 22nd March, and signed by the state chief magistrate, Hon. Ibrahim Musa.

On 28th March, the State Government, in a petition, signed by Binta U. Haruna charged the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation and Intelligent Department, Kaduna State Police Command to commence an investigation on the case – KMD/27DC/2019 against the human right activist.

How it began

Prior to the court order, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai claimed 66 people were killed during an attack by criminals on various settlements in Kajuru local government of the state. He stated that the details were provided by security officials among which 22 children and 12 women were among those killed.

Few days after, the governor put the figure at 130, condemning individuals who might have doubted the casualty figure.

He said in an earlier statement issued by his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan that he was accompanied by Major-General Faruk Yahaya, GOC 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Air Cmdr. I. Sani of the Nigerian Air Force, Police Commissioner, Ahmad Abdurrahman and State Director of the SSS, A.I. Koya including Cafra Caino, the Chairman of Kajuru LGA.

But Odinkalu faulted the casualty figure, including the timing stressing that the state governor was just playing politics with the incident.

The lawyer further claimed there was no security officer whether police or Department of State Security at the premises as claimed by the governor.

“And he was dropping this bromide like he was on some substance, with all due respect. I spent all of last night trying to verify from all the sources in Kajuru and nobody can verify or substantiate that there has been a killing of 66 people in Kajuru over the past few days,” he stated on Channels TV.

“…..66 Nigerians killed, that is too many if anybody claims that 66 people were killed in Kajuru this week, including the state governor of Kaduna state, let us all go and verify it,” the state government quoted Odinkalu in an application for Criminal Direct Complaint submitted to the Kaduna state chief magistrate. “I am not willing to allow that story to go away, it is not true”.

Odinkalu’s position was supported by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter and the North-West office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Both organisations said the claim was false.

While CAN said the figure branded by El-rufai was ‘false in its entirety’, Mr Ishaya Chonoko, Zonal Coordinator of NEMA said, “it is not true that 66 people were killed in Kaduna State. I am in Kaduna now and I can confirm to you that I am not aware of any 66 people that were killed by in Kajuru LGA by unknown gunmen,” he told PUNCH.

Odinkalu, in a text to The ICIR, expressed hope that truth would prevail when asked of a shred of evidence to back up his claim which faulted the number of deaths projected by El Rufai. He added that he has not been served any court notice regarding the matter.

“Evidence in respect of the case? I have not been served any papers. All I know is truth cannot be hidden for too long. In the end, there is only one truth in this kind of case and it will be out,” says Odinkalu. “If anyone is hiding 66 dead bodies or playing ethnic origins, in the end, the truth will be out.”

Lawyer speaks

Kayode Oguntuase, a lawyer said the court does not necessarily require the permission of the accused before being investigated but the ex-parte application was to probe the allegations.

He added that the accused still has the right to reply whenever the action is rightly brought to his notice.

“There was no need to put him on notice because it was an application to investigate the matter. They have not brought any action against him per se,” Oguntuase said. “If there was an action, perhaps before the court granted an ex-parte order to prosecute him that would be wrong.

“They are just application to THE police to investigate the matter. Basically, the order is not harmful. The court will not attempt such if it is harmful. He still has a right. When it is time, they would invite him for interrogation or investigation…then they can proceed to the trial proper.”

Uchena Amulu, a human right lawyer in his remark described actions of the state government as illegal for attempting to prosecute the accused without his notice through the ex-parte order. He also queried why the state government sought to prosecute the activist in Kaduna state and not in Abuja when the accused did not commit the alleged offence in the state and also not an indigene of the state.

According to him, the state had “gone to poison mind of the judge as he (Odinkalu) won’t have gotten justice if he were to appear in court”.

However, Amulu explained that after police investigations, proofs and other results would be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution, who would thereafter give legal advice to the state attorney-general on whether the case should proceed or otherwise.

“If someone has done something wrong, you write a complaint to the commissioner of police or the Inspector General who will set up a committee to look into it. They will invite the person and if the person fails to come, they can arrest the person through a warrant of arrest”.

“…after police finding, it will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution and further sent to the state attorney-general. So the police on their own cannot say a person has committed an offence except in rare cases.”

DSP. Yakubu Sabo, Police Spokesperson for the Kaduna State Command did not answer calls put to him. He also did not respond to questions sent to him via SMS.

Lawyers have, however, argued that Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, 2004 neede to be expunged, declaring it as null and void, as the criminal defamation interferes with freedom of expression.

Countries that have abolished criminal defamation includes Ghana, Mexico, United Kingdom, Norway, Jamaica, Ukraine, Georgia, Macedonia, New Zealand among others.

NNPC set to publish audited accounts, including contracts and contractors details in August – Mele Kyari

Amos ABBA
-
0
NNPC set to publish audited accounts, including contracts and contractors details in August – Mele Kyari

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has promised that it would respond to requests for the disclosure of contracts and contractors this month to demonstrate transparency and accountability in its operations.

Group Managing Director of the corporation, Mele Kyari, made this known when the management of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, led by its Executive Secretary, Waziri Adio visited the NNPC headquarters in Abuja.

He stated that the corporation was cautious of Freedom of Information, FOI requests from people who intend to drag the corporation into politics in the guise of requests for information under the FOI Act.

“As you are aware, sometimes the requests are brazenly malicious, and they are laden with political undertones. NNPC finds it difficult to respond to such requests because it is mindful of falling into the trap of being drawn into politics or maligning others,” he said.

He said the biggest contracts in the corporation’s portfolio currently were the products supply contracts under the Direct Sales Direct Purchase scheme, adding that details of the contracts and the contractors would also be made public within the month.

Using the DSDP scheme, NNPC sells crude oil to international refiners and receives refined petroleum products in return.

From 2011 to 2014, he said the corporation had inherited a total of 65 unaudited financial statements which will be audited and updated with the current financial audits.

He promised to make the monthly financial and operations reports of the corporation more accessible by publishing the soft copies of the reports from January to May 2019.

The NNPC has a blemished record for its lack of public disclosure of its financial records and also repeatedly failing to comply with the provisions of FOI Act which was signed in 2011.

The FOI law mandates public institutions to grant access and reply to a request for public records, except those on national security, within a time limit of seven days. Any insufficient denial of such request by an institution or public official attracts a fine of N500,000 payable on conviction by a court.

In 2018, the NNPC was embroiled in a legal tussle with human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, for rejecting an FOI request on its operations and finances claiming it was not a “public institution” subject to the Act.

Also, several media outfits have also been stonewalled by the NNPC in a bid to obtain information about its financial dealings. A report by the Guardian newspaper in 2014 also reveals a general defiance posture taken by the NNPC towards journalists who intend to details of its financial transactions.

In another development, the NNPC is soliciting for the support of the military for its planned commencement of full oil exploration operations in the Chad Basin, Gongola and Benue Trough.

The NNPC spokesperson, Ndu Ughamadu, quoting Kyari said the NNPC management led by the GMD paid a visit to the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, to ensure the protection of its workforce and high-tech equipment as it was prepared to return to business in the areas.

The support will enable us (NNPC) to carry out our mandate for national development. Your support in terms of providing full security for staff and equipment is critical to us,” he said.

He said the corporation requires the military to intensify its efforts in the protection of NNPC’s pipelines and Right of Way, RoW, across the nook and cranny of Nigeria.

In his response, Olonisakin described the NNPC as a strategic corporation that deserves to be given full military support to enable her to deliver on her mandate to the Nigerian people.

“It is imperative for the Armed Forces and the NNPC to collaborate and synergize for the benefit of the country going by their various strategic roles to the nation. The Armed Forces operations, code-named: Operation Wase and Operations Delta Safe, along with other operations, were geared towards protecting pipelines and various oil and gas facilities,” he said.

1...2,3172,3182,319...3,439Page 2,318 of 3,439