News

2, May 2017

Nigeria navy arrests ten suspects on ship of stolen oil ⁰

The Nigerian navy has arrested 10 suspects after intercepting a vessel carrying stolen crude oil off the coast of the Niger Delta, a senior military official said on Wednesday. The suspects – a Nigerian, two Pakistanis, three Ghanaians, one Indonesian, one Beninois and two Ukrainians – had siphoned about two thousand metric tonnes of crude oil from a loading facility belonging to Shell Petroleum, the official said.

“The suspects were caught in the early hours of Tuesday while siphoning crude oil into the vessel from Afremo A platform, a loading jacket belonging to the Shell Petroleum and Development Company in Forcados River,” Navy Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, commander of the NNS Delta, said in a statement.

Nigeria is the world’s eighth biggest exporter of crude oil, but a sizeable proportion of its output is stolen by thieves who either drill into pipelines or hijack barges loaded with oil, theft that is known locally as “bunkering”.

Bunkering and attacks on oil pipelines in the Niger Delta can cut Nigeria’s output, which also affects world oil prices. Militant attacks on production facilities last year slashed output by as much as a third. Output has started to recover, and the government aims to pump an average of 2.2 million barrels per day this year.

Reuters

1, May 2017

Storms in US South and Midwest kill at least 14 people ⁰

Deadly weekend storms have left at least 14 dead in the Midwestern and Southern United States, according to officials, as eastern regions faced potential damaging winds and isolated tornadoes into Monday. Severe weather devastated homes, overturned cars and felled trees, with the National Weather Service confirming at least four tornadoes in Texas.

The mayor of Canton, Texas — a city some 60 miles (95 kilometers) east of Dallas — said the death toll there stood at four. It is heartbreaking and upsetting to say the least,” Mayor Lou Ann Everett told journalists Sunday.

A spokeswoman for the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management told AFP severe weather had caused at least five fatalities in that state. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency had confirmed two deaths, one of them a child who was killed by electric shock in floodwater.

Heavy rains also lashed the Midwestern state of Missouri, with at least two reported casualties. According to CNN one of those killed was a 72-year-old woman who was stranded in her car as it was swept away by floodwaters.

In Tennessee, a two-year-old girl was pronounced dead at a hospital in Nashville after she was struck by a heavy metal soccer goal blown over by heavy winds, according to the city’s police department. As of late Sunday the NWS was projecting major flooding to continue in parts of eastern Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana.

Authorities warned that severe storms potentially packing heavy winds, large hail and tornadoes could hit parts of the mid-Atlantic and northeastern US by Monday afternoon.

Source: AFP

30, April 2017

Douala: Soldier charged after 2 women stabbed to death ⁰

A soldier serving with the Rapid Intervention Battalion, BIR has stabbed two women to death in Douala. Military sources revealed that the serviceman carried out the evil act on the night of April 27^th to the 28^th at Ndogpassi, a popular district in Douala, the economic metropolis.

According to Cameroon Concord News sources, the soldier who recently returned from a mission to Limbe in Southern Cameroons killed his first victim inside a hotel room and then alarmed by the cries of her girlfriend, the second girl reportedly pregnant and working at the Inn, rushed into the room and was violently stabbed.

After the death of the pregnant lady, a chain of solidarity was set in motion by medics who had arrived the scene to obtain the separation of the fetus from her mother’s body. The operation was successful and was done in the presence of some judicial authorities in Douala including a State Counsel. The Francophone army has not yet reacted on this nasty and malicious act of one of its elements.

By Eyong Johnson

30, April 2017

War on terror: Fighting erupts in Kolofata District, casualties reported ⁰

A dozen of Boko Haram fighters were killed during a heavy gun battle in the Kolofata district in the Mayo-Sava Division, the Far-North region. The militants of the Nigerian Islamic sect armed with war rifle and on motorcycles attacked the village of Ndaba located at a border crossing in Nigeria forcing people to flee.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that the Cameroonian army under the banner of the Joint Multinational Force, whose first sector is stationed at Mora, reacted decisively. According to our source, some 12 assailants were killed and 6 elements of the Rapid Intervention Batallion, BIR were wounded by bullets- one seriously.

More than thirty civilians were also wounded during the Boko Haram onslaught on Ndaba. A day before the attack on the Kolofata district, 4 members of the vigilance committee based in Achigachia died in clashes with Boko Haram terrorists who alleged allegiance to the organization of the Islamic state and is now called, Province of Islamic State in West Africa.

Early in the morning of Friday, a Kamikaze was killed and 1 civilian seriously wounded, in a suicide bombing in Tchakarmari. Sporadic fighting has been reported recently when the Yaounde authorities long announced that the army had weakened the group.

By Rita Akana

29, April 2017

Tanzania fires 10,000 civil servants over fake documents ⁰

Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Friday fired nearly 10,000 civil servants accused of having falsified academic qualifications to get their jobs. The civil servants have been given 15 days to leave their jobs or risk jail terms of up to seven years.

Speaking in the capital, Dodoma, Magufuli described the 9,932 officials as “robbers and shoplifters” and ordered them to “immediately disappear from their work stations.” “The 9,932 employees recruited on the basis of false diplomas will not receive their salary for this month of April and have to leave their positions immediately,” Magufuli said. He added that the posts would be filled by “qualified persons” as soon as possible and called on local media to publish the names of those fired.

The officials had been implicated by an independent evaluation that sought to determine the validity of the academic papers of public employees in Tanzania. The evaluation followed a countrywide crackdown on phantom workers on the public payroll. Since winning elections in 2015, Magufuli has strengthened his reputation for fighting corruption with decisions many see as aimed at improving service delivery.

Source: Presstv

28, April 2017

Syria in talks to buy Russian air defense systems ⁰

Syria says it is negotiating with Russia to buy state-of-the-art Russian missile defense systems to help defend the Arab country against Israeli and American aggression. President Bashar al-Assad made the remarks to Venezuelan channel Telesur. A transcript of the interview appeared on the official Syrian Arab News Agency on Thursday.

“It’s natural that we should have such systems,” said the Syrian leader. “Israel has been committing aggression on the Arab states surrounding it since its creation in 1948,”he said. He made the comments Israel struck an area near the International Airport in the Syrian capital, Damascus.

Tel Aviv has conducted many such attacks in the past. The forays, however, have increased in number since the outbreak of the foreign-backed militancy in the Arab country in 2011. On March 18, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surprisingly admitted to a series of the attacks by the regime, which had hit several targets near the ancient city of Palmyra in the central part of the Arab country the previous day.

He said the attacks had been aimed at targets belonging to the Lebanese resistance movement of Hezbollah, and said Israel would continue hitting the group. Hezbollah has been efficiently assisting Damascus in its anti-terror struggle.

Assad also said, “It is natural for us to negotiate with the Russians now with a view to strengthening (our) systems, whether to face any Israeli threats from the air or the threats of American missiles.” “That has become a real possibility after the recent American aggression on al-Shayrat airbase in Syria,” he added.

The US attack southeast of the western Syria city of Homs in early April saw a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles launched against the Shayrat Airfield in the western Syrian province of Homs, causing some 15 fatalities, including civilians. Russia’s military said a day after the attack that Syria’s air defenses would be boosted.

“To protect Syria’s most sensitive infrastructure, a complex of measures will be implemented in the near future to strengthen and improve the effectiveness of the Syrian armed forces’ air defense system,” said spokesman Igor Konashenkov.

Last Saturday too, Viktor Ozerov, the chairman of the defense committee in the Federation Council, said Moscow would not hesitate to supply Damascus with the air defense missile systems it needs to protect war-ravaged Syria against any future foreign military aggression once a bilateral agreement is reached.

Culled from Presstv

27, April 2017

La Republique court adjourns trial of Southern Cameroons leaders ⁰

The hearing started today at 11:14am with the counsel for the civil parties presenting their memorandum of appearance after which they made an oral application for an adjournment to consult the case file- an application which the defense argued vigorously against by citing several provisions of the law to buttress their points.

The prosecution on the other hand declared their readiness to open their case by calling their witnesses. The prosecution had 17 witnesses to prove their case. Conspicuous among the counsel for the civil parties was the controversial Barrister Achu Julius Tabe Ngu. An application for bail to be granted to Barrister Balla and Neba by the defense was argued vigorously by Barrister Karim Khan, one of the human right lawyers from the UK attending trial. He argued the application for more than an hour citing provisions of the constitution and international conventions and treaties duly signed and ratified by Cameroon notably the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights of 1966, the Bill of Rights and the African Charter on Humans and Peoples Right. He ended his submission by saying that “judges try cases but cases do try judges”.

Other former bar Presidents four in their numbers and other senior colleagues also argued the bail application. After the lengthy arguments from the defense for the bail application, the prosecution requested for adjournment to reply to the application which was granted. The matter was thus adjourned to the 24^th of May at the instance of the prosecution.

27, April 2017

Nigerian Air Force inducts new Mi-35 attack helicopters ⁰

The Nigerian Air Force has formally inducted into service the two new Mi-35M attack helicopters, out of 12 ordered from Russian Helicopters in September 2015. The two aircraft were introduced into service during the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF’s) 53rd anniversary celebrations on 22 April in Makurdi. The ceremony was attended by Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, and Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammad Dan-Ali, who represented President and Commander -in-Chief Muhammadu Buhari.

The induction of the helicopters will enhance NAF’s operational effectiveness and capability in the fight against insurgency and other forms of criminalities in the country, the NAF said in a statement. The modern Mi-35M attack helicopter has night capabilities in comparison to the earlier version and also has higher performance, more endurance and it is fitted with glass cockpit to enhance situational awareness during operations.

Dan-Ali said successes recorded so far against Boko Haram were made possible through training and acquisition of platforms and equipment for the Armed Forces and other security agencies. “Training and the recent acquisition of brand new platforms and other supporting equipment for our armed forces including other security agencies were also intensified. This was in practical fulfilment of my promise to re-professionalise and adequately equip our military so they could effectively discharge their constitutional responsibilities. The successes recorded so far have restored our pride and honour in the comity of nations. I urge you to consolidate on the gains of air power towards sustaining the peace and stability we have attained so far,” he said.

Abubakar said the Mi-35Ms will “significantly boost the effectiveness and combat capability of the Nigerian Air Force, especially in the counter insurgency operations in the northeast. The president has also approved the acquisition of additional platforms which will soon be delivered to the Nigerian Air Force. Within the last 20 months or so the president’s support has helped to reposition the Nigerian Air Force into a professional and disciplined air force capable of timely employment of air power, in response to our national security challenges.”

During the NAF day celebration Abubakar also presented a ceremonial colour to the newly established Special Operations Command (SOC) and celebrated the awarding of pilot wings to six NAF pilots. Two of the pilots were trained at King Hussain Air College in Jordan and four at the International Helicopter Flying School in Enugu.

The previous day the NAF test fired locally made 30 mm rockets developed by its Research and Development team. They were fired from a vehicle during the Weapons Meet at Kwenev Air Range. F-7Ni fighters fired rockets and cannon during the demonstration as well. Other aircraft that took part included A109 helicopters, L-39ZA and Alpha Jet trainers.

In his speech on 22 April Abubakar highlighted the active participation of the NAF in various peacekeeping operations especially the recent Operation Restore Democarcy in Gambia which saw NAF as the only air force undertake a combat deployment to Gambia.

Other activities during the closing ceremony were aerial and static displays of various NAF platforms and hardware as well as a colourful ceremonial parade. L-39ZAs fitted with rocket pods and cannon were displayed, as well as the indigenous Gulma unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The Nigerian Air Force is expecting to take delivery of the remaining 12 Mi-35Ms by the end of 2018. The first two arrived in Nigeria in December 2016. The Mi-35M is powered by two Klimov VK-2500 turbo-shaft engines. It has an updated navigation and avionics suite which features multi-function coloured displays and target sighting systems, including a thermal imager and laser rangefinder. Apart from the attack role, the Mi-35M can be used for landing or transporting up to 8 fully-equipped soldiers.

Source: Defenseweb

26, April 2017

Boko Haram landmine kills 3 in Cameroon military convoy ⁰

Three Cameroon soldiers engaged on the front-line in the war against Boko Haram have fallen. The soldiers were victims of an explosion from an improvised explosive devise planted by the Nigerian Islamic sect.

The land mine hit their armored truck between the towns of Homeka and Bladole. Five other officers who were in the military vehicle were injured. Amongst the injured was the body guard of the Commander of the Regiment 1 of the Joint Multinational Task Force, Bouba Dobekreo.

The recent attacks come at a time when the Boko Haram terrorist group has been losing grounds though military sources consider it still very dangerous.

Cameroon’s Defense forces in conjunction with the Multinational Joint Task Force have pushed the terrorists out of the national territory and have destroyed their artillery. This explains why the terrorist group has resort to landmines and the use of children as suicide bombers. Vigilante groups have been very active assisting security forces in capturing suicide bombers who attempt to cause havoc in towns and cities in the Far North.

Source: CRTV

25, April 2017

Yaounde Military Tribunal sentences RFI correspondent to 10 years in prison ⁰

The military court in Yaoundé has sentenced to ten (10) years in prison, the Radio France International Hausa language correspondent in Cameroon. Ahmed Abba, a correspondent for the Africa section of the French State’s international radio media was also ordered to pay the sum of 55 million FCFA by the Yaoundé military court.

The Biya Francophone regime claimed to have arrested him at the end of July 2015 in possession of several identity cards, Ahmed Abba was prosecuted for “complicity in terrorist acts and not for terrorist acts” in a trial, which opened in February 2016, lasted more than a year.

The state prosecutor introduced Ahmed Abba as an accomplice of the Nigerian Islamic sect, Boko Haram in Cameroonian territory. These accusations have always been rejected by our colleague whose employer RFI, via a communiqué sent its dismayed over the court decision.

By Eyong Johnson