Troops of the Multi-National Joint Task Force have neutralized 30 ISWAP terrorists in Kajiwa, a village in the Lake Chad region.

The spokesman of the Force Col. Muhammad Dole, said the operation was carried out by troops of sector 4 Niger Republic when they came in contact with some members of Boko Haram Terrorists in the area of Kaji Jiwa, after a heavy gun battle, 30 terrorists were killed and 15 AK-47 rifles, 2 belts of 222 ammunitions and 179 cartridges, 2 cell phones and 1 Boko Haram flag were seized, the troops also arrested 11 terrorists, including 3 minors, who are currently undergoing interrogation.

He said that the suspects are undergoing investigations before handing over to the right authorities.

The troops also repelled an attack by the terrorists on their base at Doutchi, another village in the Lake Chad.

‘In separate encounter, some elements of the BHT/ISWAP attempted to infiltrate a defended location of sector 4 (Niger Republic) near Doutchi, but were swiftly repelled by a well-coordinated action between the Air Taskforce and ground troops. At the end of the encounter, 3 of their gun trucks were destroyed and one gun truck was recovered, and several insurgents neutralized.

‘Sadly, however, a soldier paid the supreme sacrifice and 6 others were wounded in action. The injured soldiers are currently receiving treatment at a military facility.

‘It is very obvious, that the ongoing offensive actions have significantly curtailed the terrorists’ freedom of movement and actions,’ Dole explained.

Troops of “Taskforce Arege”, which was made up of Nigerian and Nigerien troops, have continued with clearance operations to effectively dominate the general area of Fedondiya and Arege vicinity. Pushing further ahead, there was no contact or resistance, as the elements of BHT continued to abandon their enclaves and makeshifts hamlets and flee.

‘Nevertheless wherever the troops came across such make shift shelters concealed under trees suspected to be enemy outposts, the makeshift houses were thoroughly ransacked and immediately set ablaze before troops continued with their advance.

‘Likewise, Sector 1 (Cameroon) Amphibious Taskforce, have step up riverine patrols and assaults against the BHT elements in the general area of Tchol and Chaka.

In the course of these operations on sighting the advancing patrol teams, some suspected terrorists logisticians fled and abandoned some canoes fully loaded with bags of foodstuff (grains) and other materials being ferried to the criminals.

‘All the items were confiscated and destroyed while the troops continued with the patrols on the waterways to block the possible escape and supply routes used by the terrorists.

‘Meanwhile, the Force Commander (FC) Multinational Joint Taskforce has extolled the troops professionalism and uncommon display of courage and bravery.

‘He made the commendation when he visited the troops at the MNJTF Forward Operations Base in Arege near the Lake Chad.

‘He said that, their dominance of Arege was encouraging but urged them to conduct aggressive mobile operations to pin down the enemy in the Lake Chad islands.

The FC equally commended the well-coordinated synergy of efforts between the Air Taskforce and ground forces. He assured the Governor that the MNJTF troops will continue to work hard as a team with the ultimate aim of defeating the terrorists in the region.

‘The Governor who was visibly elated with the visit commended the FC and his team for the guidance and directions given to the troops, which is being translated to victory in the battle field.

‘He pointed out that some bad elements in the society are collaborating with the BHT, which is causing adverse effects on the smooth conduct of the operation.

Victor Umeh, a former Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has said that it is an injustice for the South-East part of Nigeria not to produce Buhari’s successor.

Southern governors have agreed and demand that the next president must come from their region as President Muhammadu Buhari, who hails from Katsina State, completes his two-term constitutional tenure by 2023.

Also many easterners want the South-East region to produce a candidate who will succeed President Buhari because South-East has never produced a President for Nigeria.

Umeh said that almost all the regions in Nigeria have shared power over the years, the South-West has produced a president through Obasanjo democratically for eight years, now they have the vice president standing out for eight years with Buhari, then the South-South has produced President through Jonathan who has been there for nearly six years.

He said that nobody from the South-East has been President, but now is the right time for the South to produce a President.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said it would be injustice if he did not run for the 2023 Presidential election with his great experience in the last seven years in office, he said this when he visited Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Monday in his office in Akure.

Osinbajo praised President Muhammadu Buhari assigning to him great taskses that had helped groomed his experience, he said that it was God that put people in power, but noted that it would be a betrayal of his country for him to step down with all his experience in government.

The Vice President who declared his intention to run as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday April 11th, 2022 , said he did so because nobody can bear anything God does not decide that he would be, he added that only God can make a person president, vice president, governor, anything else.

He said he believe that the hand of God must be on anything we are doing, but he declared his intention because he served, with the help of God, he served for seven years and some months.

Osinbajo said he was given many tasks by President Muhammadu Buhari as vice president and he also acted as President, and that was how he got to know so many ideas that most people will never known, he has gained a lot of experience.

He said whenever the President wants to leave the country, he points to him as acting president and told him to be fair and just and do whatever he needs to do, he said he will be the best for the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.

The Vice President also hails Akeredolu for the overwhelming projects in the state, while Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu thanks the vice president for the visit.

Three people have been confirmed dead after Lassa fever was detected in the Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, 20 patients are being treated at the Iruah Teaching Hospital in Edo State.

The happenings is said to have triggered fear in the local government region, which lacks a functioning hospital to treat the virus, forcing them to be transferred to Iruah.

Abu Okikiri, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Matters, said the cases of Lassa fever recorded for Ibaji LGA currently in care at Iruah Specialist Teaching Hospital are just three. However, it is an outbreak.”

The number of persons affected who are now seeking treatment at the hospital, according to a source from the local government region who spoke on the condition of anonymity, is higher than the figure revealed by the governor’s adviser.

A former Chairman, Ibaji Local Government Council, David Ogwu, and one-time member, Kogi State House of Assembly, said, “It is real that there is an incidence of Lassa fever in Aya and neighbouring communities in Ibaji Local Government of Kogi State.

“The first incident is that about four persons fell ill and died mysteriously without anybody diagnosing the disease or cause of death. After that, others who manifested similar symptoms were taken to Iruah Specialist Hospital, in Edo State.

He said about nine persons had been diagnosed with the disease in Iruah.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has begun distribution of 23,871 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for new registrants in Gombe State.

Mohorret Bigun, Public Affairs Officer of the commission, said that 23,871 PVCs received were for those who registered newly or requested for information update, transfer or replacement for lost or damaged cards.

He said the distribution is for those who registered during the first and second quarter of the on-going Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise conducted between June 28 and Dec. 20, 2021.

“Therefore, all those who registered or requested for replacement of their PVCs during the period are encouraged to visit the INEC Offices across LGAs where their Polling Units are domiciled to collect their PVCs from Thursday April 21, 2022.”

He assured that those who registered in the first quarter of 2022 as well as those undergoing the process now that their PVCs would be ready for collection before the 2023 general elections.

Bigun appealed to eligible Nigerians who are 18 years and above but yet to register to do so.

“This include those who wish to transfer, request for information update or replacement of lost/damaged PVC to take advantage of the last quarter of the CVR which will end on June 30, 2022.”

He further warned existing voters to desist from registering afresh as such would constitute multiple registration which according to him, is a crime punishable by law.

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has revealed that preliminary investigations on the death of a gospel musician, Osinachi Nwachukwu, have linked husband of the deceased artiste to circumstances surrounding her demise.

Baba revealed that the information obtained from the sources closed to the family and independent witnesses indicated that the husband was allegedly responsible for the artiste’s death and that they claimed her death was linked to domestic violence, perpetrated by Peter.

He noted that the findings would not be taken unilaterally, considering the circumstances surrounding her death, and that outcome of an ongoing post-mortem being conducted would still be relied on before taking a stand on the case.

According to him, considering the sensitive nature of the case, and the need to get justice, and swiftly, the police has approached the National Hospital, Abuja, for post-mortem examinations on the deceased to ascertain the cause of death.

He disclosed that as soon as investigations are concluded on the case and her husband is found guilty of the offence, he will be charged to court to face the consequences of his actions.

The Police boss, who described the demise of the artiste as untimely and heart-breaking, promised that the Force would ensure justice in the case.

An aid to President Muhammadu Buhari, Senator Ahmad Babba Kaita representing the Northern senatorial district in the Senate has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued to newsmen in Katsina on Wednesday and signed by his Media Adviser Malam Abdulkadir Lawal said, ‘today opens a fresh page in our match to genuinely entrench democracy and significantly affirm the very eloquent voice of the people on whose mandate we have served over the last four years.

Kaita noted that as a loyal party man and responsive democrat whose expansive support base in his constituency said he has remained pivotal to his passion for the reciprocal growth and development of his people.

He also said he has followed the recent events in Katsina state with keen interest and deep concern, saying, ‘Of notable implication among many of this numerous concerns is the gradual loss of credibility in Governor Masari-led administration, particularly in the avowed refusal to conduct local government elections across the state in time.

‘ The willful refusal of the administration to uphold the basic foundation of democracy has also found expression in the marginalisation of critical stakeholders by the state government and the leadership of the party at the state level.

‘ The recent Congresses at state and ward levels, with no identified genuine pro-government delegates are clearly a rape of grassroots politicians and genuine party foot-soldiers who were rigged out of open contest.

According to the Senator, the total absence of a level playing field speaks volumes about an already orchestrated decline to antidemocratic principles and challenges every good conscience including ours, noting that, ‘all politics is local.

To this end, the statement maintained that as an advocate of transparency, accountability and continuous entrenchment of popular will, Senator Kaita cannot afford to continue sharing the tent of undemocratic merchandise clearly being executed against his people by the state government and party leadership.

‘A clear stock taking of where Katsina state stands today, is already enough burden on good conscience. Our good people, in their millions have excused deprivation, poverty and hunger for too long.

‘They have endured the risk to their lives and wellbeing imposed by the incapacity of the state government to tackle insecurity headon. They have been denied enough, already, by the state government.

We cannot deny them their right of choice. The serial denial of the people’s mandate at the recent Congresses among other related developments has finally found expression in our answer to the clarion call of our people to vacate the APC following very wide consultations.