Displaying items by tag: BOKO HARAM

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah on Sunday expressed disappointment in the current administration because of the way security challenges are handled under President Muhammadu Buhari’s watch.

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, expressed concern over the killing of security operatives and the “helplessness” of the citizens, saying: “Taunted by Boko Haram, ravaged by bandits, kidnappers, armed robbers, and other merchants of death across the nation, there is collective fear as to whether Nigeria’s glory is about to depart! Retired military and intelligence officers lament over what has become of their glorious profession as they watch the humiliation of our military personnel.

“Traumatised citizens are tortured daily by bandits. The nation has since become a massive killing field, as both government and the governed look on helplessly.

“A thick and suffocating cloud of desperation, despondency, desolation, gloom, and misery hangs in the hot air. We have no message and have no idea how long this will last. Our people seek solace and protection, but frustration and darkness threaten to drown them. Is their government on AWOL?”

The Bishop recalled in the service today, that “On May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari, at his swearing-in as President of Nigeria, said: Boko Haram is a typical case of small fires causing large fires.”

According to him, “Now, before his watch, the fires are consuming the nation, and in many instances, they indeed start small.

“In all, Nigeria’s troubles are growing by the day, but our hands must remain stretched out in supplication.”

Kukah also blamed those in power for the increasing cases of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and armed robbery in the country, noting that insecurity keeps deteriorating because the ruling class pays more attention to rehabilitating bandits and kidnappers than the victims.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has dismissed claims by Boko Haram, that it shot down the missing Alpha jet which disappeared from radar on Wednesday while conducting operations against insurgents in Maiduguri, Borno State.

The Terror group, had through released a viral video clip on Friday professing responsibility for downing the aircraft.

However, the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet dismissed the claim, saying that the viral video could be clips from the missing Alpha Jet.

He pointed out that  the video was fraught with inconsistencies that established it was fake, adding that the lush vegetation in one of the videos suggest it was not in the Northeast.

According to him, “We have seen some videos but there is nothing that has proven that the aircraft in those clips belongs to us, or have you seen a Nigerian Air Force aircraft number or the body of Air Force pilot or have you seen any Air Force uniform.

He added that Until we get all these details straightened out, we are not going to go into speculation.

“That video could have been shot somewhere. I have seen four videos so far. One of them has lush vegetation in the background, and I wonder where they have such vegetation in the Northeast.

Unless they did something and they are releasing the clips bit by bit, we are waiting.

“Except we have evidence, because like I said, these persons have families and you cannot go to their wives, parents or wards, you must bring concrete evidence. There must be something to show.”

Boko Haram terror group had claimed it shot down a Nigerian fighter jet that went missing earlier this week and which the air force said may have crashed, according to a militant video released earlier on Friday.

The Alpha light attack jet was on a mission to support troops fighting militants in northeastern Borno State when it lost radar contact on Wednesday, according to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

The NAF spokesperson promised to issue a comprehensive statement on the false claim of the terrorist group shortly

Boko Haram militant group has claimed it shot down a Nigerian fighter jet that went missing earlier this week and which the air force said may have crashed, according to a militant video released on Friday.

The Alpha light attack jet was on a mission to support troops fighting militants in northeastern Borno state when it lost radar contact on Wednesday, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said.

Nigeria’s military have been battling jihadists in the northeast of the country for more than a decade and have recently been fighting them in their stronghold in Sambisa forest in Borno state.

The video, which could not be verified by AFP, was released on a Boko Haram social media channel showing a militant standing on what the group claims is the wreckage of the jet. It shows the Nigerian flag and number NAF 475 on its fuselage.

“Nigeria air force jet fighter… was sent to Sambisa to fight the Mujahideen,” the militant said.

The air force said on Friday that the jet may have crashed. It said the cause of the crash and the whereabouts of the two crew onboard were unknown.

“Search and rescue efforts are still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on ground,” its statement said.

“At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It however remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued.”

It did not respond immediately to a request for an update on the search.

In 2014, Boko Haram said it shot down another Nigerian air force jet and showed a video claiming to have beheaded its pilot.

Since the Islamist insurgency broke out in 2009, the conflict has killed around 36,000 people in the region and displaced some two million from their homes.

The violence has also spread to neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) split from Boko Haram in 2016 and has since become a prominent threat, attacking soldiers and bases while killing and kidnapping civilians.

At the start of the year, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed new military commanders after coming under pressure to better tackle insecurity and inject new life into the armed forces.

 

AFP