News
Army Repels Insurgents After Fierce Seven-hour Battle
A new war strategy recently launched by the Nigerian Army has spurred troops to foil an attempt by fighters of the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP) to occupy Gubio Local Government Area (LGA) in Borno State.
Eight people, including three soldiers, were said to have been killed in jihadist attacks on an army base and village in the state.
The army engaged the insurgents in a fierce seven-hour battle that forced many of the insurgents to flee.
This is coming as fighter jets of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) pounded more terrorist locations in Izza on the fringes of Sambisa Forest, killing scores of insurgents.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai, had recently charged war commanders in the North-east to embrace a new war strategy called “super camp” which he said would serve as a launching pad for mobile offensive operations against terrorist group, Boko Haram and the ISWAP.
Eyewitness accounts and some residents of the community said the firefight lasted for seven hours, between 6p.m. and 1a.m., before the insurgents were dislodged.
Also, 19 people, comprising eight soldiers and 11 terrorists, were said to have been killed in jihadist attacks on an army base and village in the state.
Three soldiers and three civilians died on Saturday when fighters from the IS-aligned ISWAP group attacked a base in Gubio, a town 80 kilometres from the state capital, Maiduguri.
Two soldiers and six civilians were injured. The jihadists attacked the base in eight pickup trucks fitted with machine guns, leading to a long battle.
The attack was repelled with the aid of a fighter jet, which deployed two hours into the clashes.
Eleven of the insurgents were killed and three of their vehicles were seized.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
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