Tag: Major General Rogers Nicholas

Southern Kaduna Attacks: Military On Cross Border Patrol

Southern Kaduna Attacks: Military On Cross Border PatrolThe Nigerian military are embarking on a cross-border patrol of Plateau and Kaduna states to prevent any spillover of recent attacks in Southern Kaduna region.

A joint security operative with the special task force, Operation Safe Haven is doing this in collaboration with 1 Division command of the Nigerian Army to also build confidence among the affected communities that peace has returned to.

Commander of the special task force, Major General Rogers Nicholas said that the cross border patrol is to assure citizens of adequate security.

He followed it with an appeal to the people to always report strangers and unusual movement of any group of people to security agents promptly.

“We are from special task force in Plateau state; troops of 1 Division of the Nigerian Army are already deployed here.

“We crossed over to Kaduna state primarily to support and synergize so that such attacks do not happen again.

“More soldiers are to be deployed into the affected areas and (we have) also discussed with members of the communities so that we can come up with strategies on contacting security personnel when strangers are noticed in their communities.

“There should be proper channel of communication in securing the areas through the cooperation of the people,” he said.

Top military officers including senior officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the State Security Service as well as Police officers visited various communities that were affected by the several attacks.

The team was at the palace of Tum Nikyob of Kaninkon Chiefdom in Bakin Kogi, HRH Mallam Tanko Tete, as well as the palace of the chief of Godogodo where appeals were made for adequate security that will ensure that people that fled their communities can return.

The Tum Nikyob of Bakin Kogi assured the people of support as he asked for military presence so that the people that fled their ancestral homes can return and resume their farming and harvest crops that are ready for harvesting.

In addition to the presence of military personnel on ground, arrangements have also been concluded for day and night patrol by the military to ensure peace within affected communities.

Military Officers Enjoined To Exhibit Absolute Loyalty

Military Officers Enjoined To Exhibit Absolute LoyaltyDedication, hardwork, transparency and loyalty have been identified as virtues that newly promoted military officers should continually imbibe as they take responsibilities in their assignments.

Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Rogers Nicholas, representing the Chief of Army Staff, made this remarks on Monday as 12 newly promoted senior officers of the Nigerian Army, 3 Division Headquarters and a Naval officer from Operations Safe Haven were decorated in their new ranks as senior military officers.

The ceremony was witnessed by senior military officers, traditional rulers, family members as well as spouses of the newly promoted senior officers at the headquarters of 3 Division of Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment in Jos, north-central region of Nigeria.

Major-General Nicholas observed that the military expects more responsibility from the newly promoted officers with a charge to be alive to challenges of the new office.

He urged the officers to live up to expectations especially at this period that the nation is facing some security challenges.

Eight senior military officers with the rank of colonel were promoted to brigadier general while a navy captain with Operation Safe Haven was elevated to the rank of navy commodore.

The ceremony also witnessed three lieutenant colonels moving to the rank of full colonel and joining the red neck cadre of the military. Son of former head of state, President Olusegun Obasanjo was also part of the newly promoted officers.

Plateau Security: Military Equip Taskforce With Monitoring Motor Bikes

Nigerian-troops-A special taskforce maintaining law and order in Plateau State and parts of Bauchi State, ‘Operation Safe Haven’, have been equipped with motorcycles to boost their effectiveness.

They troops’ fight against insurgents, gather intelligence and check other crimes in their areas of operation.

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Commander of the taskforce, Major General Rogers Nicholas

At a ceremony held at one of the operational bases to hand over the motorcycles to the troops, commander of the taskforce, Major General Rogers Nicholas, warned troops against indiscriminate use of the motorcycles.

He stressed that it must be used for official purpose, reminding them that it was procured to enhance their access to difficult terrain that are not accessible by vehicles and to make their assignment easier.

The different operational bases of Operation Safe Haven got motorcycles for troops also referred to as Motorcycles Battalion.

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Motorcycle battalions

Part of the ceremony was the parading of some suspects for several offences ranging from armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and drug peddling among others.

Major General Nicholas said that the troops were already on continuous clearance operation to get rid of all the criminals.

“These are the people that are used by bigger time criminals to commit more havoc. We are trying to make sure that wherever we have information about criminals, concerning arms and ammunition, we will go after them,” he told reporters.

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Criminals paraded by the Operation Safe Haven

With the introduction of the Motorcycle Battalion in fighting crime, troops are now equipped to have easy entrance to places that are difficult to access in carrying out their operations and gathering relevant intelligence on criminal elements within the society.

Prioritise Troops’ Payment To Sustain Morale, Army Chief Tells Finance Corps

Military-Militants-ArepoThe Nigerian Army Finance Corps has been urged to ensure that all troops in operations get their allowances promptly to sustain the morale of fighting troops in the northeast.

The Chief of Army Staff made the request at the annual training programme held to enhance the performance of Nigerian Army Finance Corps in the senior non-commission and warrant officers cadre.

It focused on capacity development and update of personnel on the application of recent Federal Government public sector financial policies and reforms.

The policies and reforms were designed to significantly change old ways of doing things and move to a much effective and efficient methodology of financial management.

In the training held at the Maxwell Khobe Cantonment of the three armoured division, were Nigerian Army Finance Corps senior non-commission and warrant officers from different military formations.

It had the theme, “towards achieving prudent utilisation of finance resources for a professionally responsive Nigerian Army”.

The training was declared open by a representative of the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Rogers Nicholas, and organiser are looking to enhance the finance corps in effective delivery financial services.

Lectures also covered Nigerian Army financial transactions and resource management, best accounting practices and financial reporting in a professionally responsive Nigerian Army as well as ethics and financial performance in accounting practices in the Nigerian Army.

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Suspected Boko Haram terrorists killed in military operations

Troops have continued to carry out counter-terrorism operations in the northeast, decimating Boko Haram terrorists.

Operations have heightened early last year few weeks before the general elections that brought in the All Progressives Congress into power.

While the operations are ongoing, four officers and 16 other ranks of the Nigerian Army are facing Court Martial over offences committed in the theatre of the Operation Lafiya Dole, ranging from theft and sales of ammunition to murder in the course of operations.

Critics have said that poor welfare had contributed to the military officials actions, a situation that the Army Chief wants corrected with priority given to the payment of officials.

 

Over two million residents have been displaced from the homes in the region and a United nation’s agency, UNICEF, has raised concerns over increasing malnutrition in the region.

Malnutrition-in-northeast-Nigeria-Unicef
A large number of children are at risk of death in the northeast that has seen over six years of insurgency

It said 49,000 children, pregnant women and nursing mothers were at risk of death if aid do not get to them before the end of 2016.

UNICEF said they needed not just food but more nutritious foods that will aid recovery  of children it said had ‘skin over bones’.

In latest counter-terrorism operation on September 28, troops of Operation Lafiya Dole on patrol in Borno State engaged some suspected members of Boko Haram terrorist group in a gun battle in Bulabulin, killing nine of them.

A statement by a spokesman for the army, Colonel Sani Usman, said the attack occurred on Wednesday morning.

“They engaged them in a fire fight that lasted for an hour.

“The troops killed nine Boko Haram terrorists and wounded several others,” the statement read.

Colonel Usman further stated that the troops captured two AK-47 Rifles, two Hand Grenades, one Improvised Explosive Device, five Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit and nine motorcycles.

Plateau Security: Agencies Warn Against Arms Proliferation

Arms Proliferation In PlateauSecurity operatives have expressed worry over the rising proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Plateau State, north-central Nigeria.

Commander of the Task Force, Major General Rogers Nicholas, made the declaration while parading some crime suspects at the Operation’s Headquarters in Jos, Plateau State capital.

He noted that the proliferation of weapons was a threat to the peace of the state which they have been working hard to restore.

Major General Nicholas disclosed that the 13 suspects were on parade for various offences ranging from unlawful possession of firearms, armed robbery and car snatching as well as buying and selling of hard drugs among others.

He said six members of an armed robbery gang were apprehended in Langtang, southern part of the state while a syndicate that specialises in the business of hard drugs were also arrested by officers of the task force during their routine operations.

However, the special task force in the state, code-named “Operation Safe Haven”, says it has put strategies in place to mop up such weapons.

The Commander expressed delight that the inter-agency collaboration between the Task Force and other security agencies has been yielding positive results in the fight against crime and urged the public to give relevant information.

He advocated for a review of the criminal justice administration which he said has been an impediment in dispensing justice as it concerns various arrests made by the task force.

Plateau Residents Assured Of Hitch Free Eid-el-Kabir Celebration

Eid-El-Kabir-Security-PlateauSecurity agencies in Plateau State have assured its citizens of a peaceful and hitch free Eid-el-Kabir celebrations in spite of rumours of impending attack on the state.

The Commander of the Special Taskforce “Operation Safe Haven”, Major General Rogers Nicholas, gave the assurance after a town hall meeting with officials of road transport workers, community leaderships and market operators.

Subsequent to the meeting, Major General Nicholas led the Joint Taskforce on a security patrol of major streets of Jos and Bukuru metropolis in North-central Nigeria.

The Taskforce comprises officials of the military, police, immigration, Department of State Security, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and Nigerian Prisons Service.

Addressing the joint patrol after the exercise, the Commander said the exercise was part of security measures to assure citizens of its readiness to combat any criminal activity during and after the Sallah celebrations.

He urged the officers to exhibit professionalism in discharging their duties and called for synergy among security agencies for the sustenance of peace in Plateau State.

The Major General also warned those who may want to cause trouble during the celebrations that security agencies were ever ready to clamp down on perpetrators.

On his part, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Mr Babatunde Ogunyanwo, said the police is also ready to secure lives and property during the Sallah period.

He appealed to the citizens to also cooperate with the security agencies to provide useful information and adhere to instructions on security arrangements, to forestall breakdown of law and order.

Special Task Force Beef Up Security In Jos Over Rumoured Attack

Nigerian ArmyThe special task force, ‘Operation Safe Haven’ in Plateau State has strengthened its security, following intelligence reports on an impending attack as well as rumours of assassination of some politicians.

Addressing pressmen at the task force headquarters in Jos, Commander of the task force, Major General Rogers Nicholas announced some decisions which included, the ban on tricycles within the Jos/ Bukuru metropolis from dusk to dawn and decongestion of the market areas to avoid crowding.

Other measures in addressing security challenges in the state included the visit of the task force to the local government areas and various communities to broker peace between herdsmen and the natives.

With the proactive steps being taken by the task force to avoid any major security breach in the state, citizens are also called on to compliment security operatives’ efforts, by providing adequate information on strange movements of people within their localities and report same to concerned authority.

NHRC Engages Nigerian Military On Alleged Human Rights Violation

Human RightsThe National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on security agencies involved in the fight against insurgents to abide by their rules of engagement by respecting the rights of civilians during operations.

The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Professor Angwe was delivering a speech at the 3rd National Human Rights Commission /Nigerian Military Dialogue on Human Rights.

He said that there should be a balance between military necessity and human rights protection during conflicts.

The NHRC boss also advised civilians to respect the military authorities who are out to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.

In his remark, the Nigerian Army Chief of Civil-Military Relations, Major General Rogers Nicholas, described the allegations against the military as untrue.

He insisted that the Nigerian Army respects the rules of engagement as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.

The Director of Civil-Military Relations of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Afam Chukwu, also reaffirmed the commitment of the Air Force to the protection of peoples’ rights.

Issues of alleged extra-judicial killings were further discussed but this was done behind closed doors.

Amnesty International Accuses Army Of Human Rights Violation

amnestyAmnesty International is accusing the Nigerian military of excessive use of force and violation of fundamental human rights while prosecuting the anti-terrorism crusade in the north eastern part of Nigeria.

The agency’s Country Director, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, said that some innocent civilians have either been harassed or detained unlawfully by the military across the country.

Meanwhile, the Chief of Civil Military affairs, Major General Rogers Nicholas says the accusations are baseless as the Army continues to ensure that professionalism is maintained as it discharges its constitutional duties to the state.

The Nigerian Army has been in the forefront in the war against Boko Haram in the northeast as well as other forms of uprising in other parts of the country.

Although major successes have been recorded against the insurgents, Amnesty International said that this successes are not without some violations of human rights.

The office of the Civil Military Affairs was recently established to address issues arising from the military’s relationships with civilians as well as complaints about alleged human rights violation.