–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO (North- East Bureau):

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has been ordered by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to immediately commence criminal charges against Eunisell Chemicals Limited, Chika Ikenga and Suraj Yakubu for false information, forgery and impersonation.

The three were accused of having given
“false information, forgery and false impersonation” to the police.

The court order followed a case filed by Mr. Kenneth Amadi, Mrs. Happiness Amadi and IDID Nigeria LTD against the police for withdrawing a criminal case earlier filed by the police against Ikenga, Yakubu and Eunisell.

The court presided over by Justice Taiwo O. Taiwo in an order on Monday, instructed the IGP, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Mr. Anthony Ogizi and Commissioner of Police in charge of the Legal Department, Mr. Augustine Sanomi to “refile the charge and prosecute Chika Ikenga, Suraj Yakubu and Eunisell Chemicals Limited for the offences of false information, forgery and false impersonation as contained in charge NO.CR/361/18 between the IGP and the three accused which charge was filed on the 5th of October, 2018 and withdrawn on the 26th of February, 2019.”

The three were charged to court following false allegations of stealing and forgery against an Abuja businessman, Mr. Kenneth Amadi, Mrs. Happiness Amadi and IDID Nigeria Limited.

Kenneth Amadi, was initial accused of stealing, conspiracy and criminal breach of trust by his former employers, Mr. Chika Ikenga and his company, Eunisell.

But after three years of intense investigation, Amadi was exonerated by the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of the accusations.

In giving Amadi a clean bill, the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in its report to the Inspector General of Police, signed by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ben Nebolisa Okolo for the Commissioner, stated that investigations show that the “allegations of breach of trust and stealing Against Kenneth Amadi could not be proved, therefore cannot be charged for any criminal Offence.”

But Mr. Ikenga and Eudisell unsatisfied with police investigation petitioned the EFCC which conducted two investigations over a period of two years and came to the same conclusion as the police – acquitting Mr. Amadi of any wrongdoing.

The EFCC, in its letter signed by the Head of Intelligence and Special Operation Section, Mr. Sam Adache, stated that after the commission conducted a careful investigation into the allegations, “the conclusion of the investigation, the allegation contained in the said petition could not be sustained.”

The police was later to charge Chika Ikenga, Suraj Yakubu and Eunisell Chemicals Limited to court for presentation of false reports. But the case was later withdrawn, a situation which forced the Kenneth Amadi, Happiness Amadi and IDID Nigeria Limited who were criminally accused to approach the Federal High Court in Abuja to compel the police to continue the case.

Justice Taiwo in his ruling stated that “having considered the law and the facts before me, this court hereby grants the prayer sought by the applicant. The respondents are hereby compelled to refile the charge and prosecute Chika Ikenja, Suraj Yakubu and Eunisell Chemicals Limited for the offences of false information, forgery and false impersonation as contained in charge NO.CR/361/18 between Inspector General of Police and Chika Ikenga, Suraj Yakubu and Eunisell Chemicals LTD which was filed on the 5th of October, 2018 and withdrawn on the 26th of February, 2019.

He further ordered that the case should be refiled within 14 days by the respondents on the receipt of the enrolled order of this court.

-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) – By Austen AKHAGBEME:

One of the most embarrassing phenomenon in Nigeria today is the continued display of bravado and reckless impunity by the ravaging Boko Haram sect and their equally deadly Bandit variant, in their nefarious operations in Northern Nigeria, despite the government acclaimed superiority and control over the crisis.

It is a shame of a nation, nay a people, who boast often of their cultural and religious homogeneity to lord it over the rest of us when it comes to political leadership and electioneering.

Even with the recent massacre of harmless farmers and the feared kidnap of their wives and children, no prominent northern elite is bold enough to cry out to the powers that be. Why is there a conspiracy of silence amongst the hitherto vocal northern elites when their backyards are gradually turning into massive killing fields?

Why is it that nobody is bold enough to call to question, the integrity of those Northern sons and daughters whose hands lies the onerous responsibility to protect life and property in the north specifically and the country in general?

Where are the retired Generals and military goons that often masquerade as Kaduna mafia, Langtang Mafia, Arewa think-tank et cetera? Why is the politically controversial Arewa youth that often issues ultimatum to other “lesser” tribes to vacate the north at the slightest provocation suddenly go mute in the face of the wanton destruction of lives in their region?

Why are the northern governors silent and abandoned their colleagues in the north east to face their predicament alone? Where are the rumoured numerous northern presidential hopefuls today?

It is very obvious that the ordinary man in the north has been shortchanged, bamboozled, deceived and abandoned by their hitherto noisy, manipulative and overbearing elites who never have their thoughts at heart but often resort to them for political and pecuniary gains.

From the banditry and kidnapping in the north west to the menace of the Boko Haram in the north East, northern Nigeria has never had it so bad in terms of insecurity. The painful paradox is the fact that the nation’s security architecture is wholly manned by people from the north, yet nobody raises eyebrows.

It is understood that security is the responsibility of everyone irrespective of the region you come from. And that the other regions are not eldorados or as crisis free as it should be. But the wanton spilling of innocent blood in the north and the awed unity at playing the ostrich by the northern elites, is conspiratorial and highly condemnable.

Let the north speak out against the ongoing annihilation of her people by heartless anarchists and reject the conspiracy of silence of their deceptive and predatory elites. Or else, it might be too late.

• Austen AKHAGBEME is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online

>>Isoko Sons In Govt To Meet Thursday, 26th Nov. 2020

–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA)– By Michael EKOKORUWE:

The President General of Isoko Development Union, High Chief Iduh Amadhe has called on the state government to urgently send a delegation to console the people of Oleh over the gruesome killing of the 12 indigenes of Oleh kingdom, as the women protest continues with blocking of major roads and halting of economic activities in the area.

Amadhe made the statement while appealing to the women protesters for calm at Oleh roundabout, Isoko South local government area of Delta State, just as the women vowed to continue the protest until the state government responds to their demand on quick justice over the killing of the 12 indigenes of the kingdom.

The president general stated that government is on top of the situation, assuring that justice will be served through thorough investigation, noting that the problem is not for Oleh alone, but entire Isoko nation. “It is a disgrace to entire Isoko nation, it has never happened like this in Isoko” he said.

He decried the gruesome killing saying, “how can people go to their farm and were massacred, butchered like animals. It is an abomination, even children and women were also killed”.

He maintained that a meeting of all Isoko sons in government through Isoko South local government council has been schedule to hold on Thursday, 26th of November 2020, adding that it will involve traditional rulers, cultural and religious leaders respectively.

According to Amadhe, “we shall look for traditional ways of finding lasting solution to what has happened, and while we are doing that, the Delta State government should expedite action and send delegation to come and console the community that lost their loved ones”.

Speaking to journalists, the women leader of Oleh kingdom, Mrs. Juliana Itewor stated that, the protest continued due to government negligence and lackadaisical attitude in handling the issue, stressing that the protest will continue until they get justice for the killing of the Oleh 12.

She lamented that since the killing, no government official has come to Oleh kingdom to sympathize with them over the gruesome killing, just as a pregnant woman Mrs. Egeme Oghenereke who lost her husband and six other members of her family decried the suffering and agony the killing has caused.

-Blank NEWS Online NIGERIA) –From Michael EKOKORUWE:

Oleh kingdom women in their hundreds, on Tuesday, November 24, 2020 protested over the delay for justice on the gruesome killing of 12 indigenes hired for farm work at Ada farmland on 16th of October 2020, by yet to be identified perpetrators and called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Inspector General of Police and Commissioner of Police, Delta State for quick justice, at Oleh, Isoko South local government area of Delta State.

Economic activities were brought to a halt in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area, as women of the community marched round major streets of the town, demanding justice in the killing of 12 indigenes of the community.

The protesters with black attires displayed placards and leaves with various inscription as, “Justice delayed is Justice Denied”, We need nothing but Justice”, “Hasten Justice for Oleh 12″, ” The Government must not play politics with this matter”, “Our Son’s and Daughter’s must not die like that” and ” We don’t want war, we want Justice”, among others.

The women chanted songs of grievances as they moved to Isoko South council secretariat, the palace of the Odio-Ologbo of the kingdom, HRM Anthony Ovrawah Omogha l, the Oleh divisional police headquarters and terminated at the Oleh roundabout axis of the Ughelli-Asaba expressway.

The women decried the state government’s delay in handling the matter, and called on the state governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, State Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police to fish out and bring the perpetrators of the killings to book without further delay.

Speaking to newsmen, the women leader, Mrs Juliana Itewo said “Our husbands, children, mothers, innocent souls were killed on 16 October, 2020 while in search of their daily bread in the farm and since the attack, government has not done or said anything about it”.

“Since the incident, we have not been able to go to our farms. Hunger is killing our people”. adding that, “we are calling on government to come out and fish out the killers.”

On his part, Odio-Ologbo of Oleh kingdom, HRM Anthony Ovrawah Omogha l, commended the women for the peaceful protest. He urged the people of the community to remain calm, saying “be assured that God will fight for us.” noting that Oleh people don’t want war but peace.

The President General of the community, Chief Believe Alakri while commending the women for the peaceful protest said, the sticking of feathers to the ground at the scene of the incident reveal that allegation on herdsmen involvement was false.

He also called on the government and the police to carry out a thorough investigation and bring those behind the killings to book.

While appealing for calm, the Divisional Police Officer of Oleh divisional police headquarters, C.S.P Muhammad Na-Allah addressed the protesters and assured them that the police was on top of the matter, saying “nobody is happy that people were killed.”

He appealed for calm, stressing that the families of the bereaved and entire Community is secured “we are here for you and if anybody threatened you, call me or come to my office”, he said.
The police boss assured that all the perpetrators of the heinous crime will be exposed.

–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA):

Mr Olisa Ifeajika, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, says the Governor is not in any way against the clamour by oil-bearing communities to be given funds directly from the 13 per cent Derivation Fund.

He said that contrary to the reasoning and issues being canvassed by some groups and the slant adopted by a section of the media on the issue, Okowa wished that the agitation should be holistic and collective, and targeted at getting the Federal Government to give oil-producing states more percentage of funds from the remaining 87 per cent still being kept and shared across the country.

Ifeajika made this known in a statement in Asaba on Sunday.

According to him, the Governor only advised that if people and communities must agitate for the control of the 13 per cent derivation, they should also clamour for the entire 100 per cent from the Federal Government as 13 per cent is a meagre sum compared to the 87 per cent still being held and shared among all the states and the Federal Government..

The spokesman explained that the law establishing Delta State Oil-Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC), which empowered it to manage part of the 13 per cent derivation funds, was enacted long before Okowa became governor.

He said that previous administrations in the state administered the derivation funds in line with the law, which the present administration had not deviated from.

“The law establishing DESOPADEC indicates that 50 per cent of the 13 per cent derivation fund shall be used by the commission for the purpose of development projects and programmes in oil-producing communities.

“Governor Okowa in his characteristic forthrightness, which has ingratiated him to all Deltans, has continued to attend to issues concerning DESOPADEC according to the law.

“He is not opposed to communities agitating for the control of derivation funds; and for peace and progress of the state, the governor remains committed to ensuring that projects and other life-lifting infrastructure are evenly distributed in oil-producing communities.

“Since the present administration assumed office in 2015, the governor has carried out reforms to re-focus DESOPADEC, as an interventionist agency, to deliver life-changing infrastructure in the communities.

“As a matter of fact, the Okowa administration has treaded where others had dreaded, especially with the construction of over 20-kilometre roads criss-crossing the creeks, from Obotobo I, Obotobo II, Sokebulou, Yokiri in Ogulagha, Burutu Local Government Area to ongoing construction of Trans-Warri road, with 19 bridges. 

“These audacious projects by Okowa in the coastal communities also include the Okerenkoko road in Gbaramatu, Warri South-West; Burutu township concrete road, with pavements, construction of new town in Oboghoro community in Warri North, the completed Ovwor-Effurun-Otor Bridge and ongoing construction of Ayakoromo Bridge,” he said.

Ifeajika reaffirmed that the governor was profoundly concerned about peace in the Niger Delta, especially in the South-South, and had been working in synergy with his colleagues in the region to ensure that peace continued to prevail in all the states.

He added that Okowa and other governors in the South-South and National Assembly members from the zone had been collaborating to ensure that clauses for adequate funds to be made available to communities hosting oil facilities and their activities were enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

He noted that Okowa’s administration had continued to ensure equity and fairness in projects and appointments, contrary to the claims by the agitators, adding that the government would remain on that lane, which had been acknowledged as progressive and prosperous for the state.

“The present administration will not be distracted in any way,’’ Ifeajika said and called on all Deltans to support the government by all hands being on deck to ensure the attainment of a stronger Delta.

–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO (North-East Bureau):

Suspected members of the terrorist sect, Boko Haram have shot down a Nigerien helicopter in Bama, Borno State.

Security source who spoke anonymously to our correspondent, said five yet to be identified passengers were killed in crash.

According to the source, the incident occurred Tuesday at about 10:am near Banki town in Bama local government area of Borno State, which is bordering Cameroon Republic.

An humanitarian aid worker, who also spoke anonymously, said when they visited the scene along with military personnel, they found out from the look of things that the attack was likely from the Boko Haram terrorists.

He said they cannot however rule out survivors for the crash.

He said from the initial finding it was discovered that the helicopter belong to the Nigerien government.

As at the time of filing this report, the terrorist group have not laid claim to the attack, also the military has not made any statement.

-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA):

The Commissioner for Information, Delta State, Mr Charles Aniagwu, has reiterated his commitment to sustain the cordial working relationship existing between the state government and journalists in the state.

Aniagwu stated this when he received the newly elected executive and members of the Asaba Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council in his office on Monday, November 9, 2020.

He said, “We are very pleased with the peaceful conduct of your election. The best thing was that you people chose your representatives”.

The commissioner who commended the immediate past Chairman of the Chapel, Comrade Paul Osuyi, for his credibility assured that improvement would be made on what was done in the past.

“I also want to appreciate the immediate past executive led by Paul Osuyi. He never had any issues of funds mismanagement. I want to assure you that our relationship will be more robust than what we had in the past.

“Government is a continuum; it means we can only improve on what we have done. We will continue to do our best.

“I want to assure you that the relationship will be more robust in the months and years to come,” the commissioner stated.

He hailed the meritorious service of Dominic Adewole at different times in the Union and passed a vote of confidence on the new executives whom he said were journalists from credible media organizations.

“For those who may have rumored, everyone knows that our relationship goes beyond the union, you know we have maintained other personal relationship and even when you were a member of the Caretaker Committee of State Council, you also contributed to the success of the election” he asserted.

On the issue of a takeoff grant, the commissioner solicited for a delayed response, saying when the atmosphere was rife, he would respond adequately.

He however, challenged the chapel to work out a strategy of saving an agreed percentage from its earnings, advising that members should endeavour to make sacrifices as true stakeholders of the union.

Earlier, the newly elected Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Asaba, Comrade Dominic Adewole, expressed profound gratitude to the commissioner for his exemplary leadership role and unwavering support towards the affairs of the chapel in time past.

“We were not elected to fight, neither were we elected to go to war. We are going to be objective and fair in reporting with a human face just as you have extended it to our chapel”.

Adewole further expressed the resolve of the new Exco members to adhere to the ethics of union in carrying at their responsibilities toward the growth of the Chapel.

In his words, “We are going to be objective; we are going to be fair, and we are going to do our work with human face.”

Adewole appealed to the commissioner to redeem his promise to provide a bus for the chapel and also solicited for a takeoff grant, urged him to keep the chapel at heart on keeping promises for its further growth.

–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –By Okanga AGILA:

Love or hate Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, but what catches that attention of everyone around him is his sagacious endowments and infectious aura are his admirably constant leadership qualities. It has secured and led him to break new grounds to the bewilderment of his contemporaries in Nigeria.

He directs timely focus to catchy areas and adopts the necessary modalities to achieve his intended results. Gen. Buratai has excellently dispensed himself in leadership as an inseparable stickler, conformist and advocate of acquiescence with the highest standards of probity, public morality, transparency and accountability in the Nigerian Army.

Gen. Buratai is the self-effacing Borno born soldier, leadership pundit, Boko Haram’s greatest adversary in recent times, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and helmsman of the counter-insurgency operations in the country. He rolls in patriotic ambience all the times and repeatedly, he has proven his prowess not only in the trenches, but in leadership as an administrator with immense treasures.

Gen. Buratai has a resonant intolerance for corruption, like his principal, the Commander-In-Chief of Nigerian Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari. Therefore, the Army Chief aggressively observes and pushes for the entrenchment and commitment to the culture of responsiveness, probity, prudence and accountable responsibility in the Nigerian Army.

In the last five years, the reformist Gen. Buratai has relentlessly implanted in the heart and psyche of every Nigerian soldier, the values of public morality, probity and accountability in the service of the nation. Where he sights a schism that might serve as a stumbling block to the attainment of these values, he quickly bridges them to raise a platform for smooth compliance.

A few days ago, in Abuja, Gen. Buratai did the needful. He consented to the Nigerian Army’s collaboration with the Code of Conduct Bureau for a two-day workshop on “compliance with assets declaration and Code of Conduct for Officers and Soldiers.” Assets declaration by some public leaders in Nigeria has been a thorny issue, especially for those who acquired stupendously suspicious wealth while holding public office.

As usual, Gen. Buratai has staged out to severe the Nigerian Army from this damaging cusp of national malaise. The talk -shop, learning and brainstorming forum, facilitated by Go-Getters Consulting Limited, targeted all Nigerian Army personnel entrusted with leadership responsibilities to enliven their memories on the importance of Assets Declaration and adherence to prescriptions of the Code of Conduct as focal public servants.

It is to his glorious credit that from the outset when Gen. Buratai was appointed the COAS, he discerned clearly the prime position of public morality and its contribution to the credibility of government. Leaders of the Nigerian Military in the preceding administration had credibility problems because of alleged pervasive and baffling corruption in the prosecution of the then raging Boko Haram insurgency.

Transparency International (TI) consistently had verbal battles with the Nigerian Government and Nigerian Military’s top hierarchy over same issues which some analysts claimed stifled the war on insurgency.

Therefore, desirous to win the war on terror, Gen. Buratai realized that the only option is the internal cleansing of the Nigerian Army of the proclivity to lucre. He believed without a doubt that the only action which would reposition the Nigerian Army to pride itself as a responsible institution is absolute compliance with the best etiquettes on transparency, accountability and probity.

The Army Chief therefore, immediately re-organized the Accounts Department of the Nigerian Army, migrated soldiers to IPPIS payment system and standardized procurements procedures by ensuring strict conformity with Public Procurement (BPP) laws as well as stamped transparency and prudence in financial management of the lean resources of the Army. Gen. Buratai’s renewed attention on assets declaration for officers and men at the leadership level in the Nigerian Army is the latest trademark badge of his administration.

Speaking at the two-day workshop, Gen. Tukur Buratai implored, officers and men of the Nigerian Army to absorb the culture of accountability, transparency and probity in their operations. In very certain terms, Gen. Buratai informed personnel of the Nigerian Army that they have no alternative than to fulfill their obligations as public officers in line with the provisions of the fifth schedule of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

Gen. Buratai thundered, “the Nigerian Army under my leadership is desirous to maintaining the highest standard of accountability in the conduct of our activities, consistent with the requirements and behaviours of public officers which conform with the highest standard of probity, public morality, transparency and accountability.”

The workshop which was packaged to practically tutor participants on filling of assets declaration forms and all the nitty-gritty required to comply with assets declaration for Code of Conduct for public officers is to be replicated in all the Army Divisions in Nigeria by the directive of the Army Chief. He explained that “My directive is premised on the belief that every person of Nigerian army entrusted with leadership responsibility must understand the primacy of asset declaration and code of conduct for public officers and complying with all its provisions and requirements.”

Gen. Buratai has again distinguished himself as a rare gem in the leadership spectrum of Nigeria. Whereas, many heads of government establishments hedge accountability and declaration of assets, Buratai is leading from the front and by example as an ambassador of the Code of Conduct. Without any prompting, Gen. Buratai re-declared his assets when he was appointed the COAS in 2015.

And it is Gen. Buratai’s firm conviction that the fight against Boko Haram insurgency can never be successful unless corruption in the Nigerian Army is identified and uprooted from its source in consonance with the preachments of President Buhari. He reminded officers and soldiers at the workshop of its imperative because “…accountability is a prerequisite for driving the fight against corruption which is one of the major focus of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.”

The iconic Army boss works and dreams in the shadows of the thinking or replicate the actions of Mr. President. His identity has become synonymous with how a committed public officer should conduct himself in leadership by inculcating fiscal discipline in subordinates. He spares no officer or soldier who indulges in acts of sleaze. The Army Chief loathes anyone who does anything inimical to the success of the Nigerian Army in prosecuting a victorious war against Boko Haram insurgents, ISWAP terrorists and other criminal elements tormenting Nigeria.

Therefore, as the czar of accountable leadership, Gen. Buratai’s exemplary passion for the promotion of probity and transparency in the conduct of public officials is worthy of emulation by other Nigerians entrusted with leadership. As the old cliché goes, leadership is a collective responsibility and every Nigerian must strive to show a difference and the enthusiasm of selfless service wherever he superintends like the imprints or obsession in Gen. Buratai on making the difference in the Nigerian Army.

• OKANGA wrote from Agila, Benue State.

–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –From Mike SOGBOLO (N-East Bureau):

The Federal government on Wednesday indicated it’s willingness to start oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin.

The exercise was suspended by the Nigerian government in July 2017 after suspected members of Boko Haram attacked a team of Geological engineers from the University of Maiduguri who were engaged by Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation to carry out a survey of the the Lake Chad region in Borno State towards the commencement of oil exploration.

The Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva, addressing the media after a close door meeting in Maiduguri with the military and chief executive officers in the oil sector, said the area was now peaceful enough to commence the oil exploration.

Sylvia said that the relative peace in Borno state and the Lake Chad area informed the decision for the decision to move in for exploration and drilling activities in the oil rich region.

He said: “We are here to thank the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army for the great job they continue to perform in the Northeast. We believe that without their gallant activities here, we in Abuja would not be living safely. Having thanked the Army, we also wanted to start exploration and drilling activities here because, we believe that there is relative peace in the area.

” As you may well know, we have found oil in Gombe and we believe that there is a lot of oil to be found in the Lake Chad Basin. we have seen a lot of prospects in the Chad Basin and we want to commence exploration and drilling activities and that is why we are collaborating with the Nigerian Army to ensure that security is provided for activities to commence very soon.

The Minister commended the sacrifice and galantry of the Nigerian Army in the fight against insurgency in the Northeast.

He also seek the collaboration of the Chief of Army Staff in providing enough security to secure the installations and workers on the field.

The Minister of State Petroleum was accompanied on the visit by Group Managing Director of NNPC, Alhaji Mele Kyari, Group General Manager Frontier Exploration Services, Abdullahi Bomai among other officers.

–Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –

Seven members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local hunters were killed on Sunday in a remote village of Chibok local government area in Northeast Nigeria.

According to a resident of Chibok local government area, who spoke anonymously to our correspondent, the slain men engaged suspected Boko Haram insurgents who came on Sunday morning with the intention of looting Takulashe.

He said the terrorist group stormed Takulashe at about 9am on Sunday, shot onto the air to scare off the villagers, after which they broke into homes to steal foodstuffs and livestock.

He said they were engaged by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force and local hunters who prevented the hoodlums from doing major damages.

He lamented that at the end of the engagement which took over an hour, seven men believe to be Civilian JTF and local hunters have fell.

He however said that the number of casualties from the insurgents could not be ascertained as they went away with their corpses.

A member of the Civilian Joint Task who was involved in the stand-off and evacuation of the casualties, while not identifying those killed in the attack, said the insurgents rained bullets on the village.

He said seven dead bodies have so far been evacuated from the village, but added that the search and rescue operation were ongoing still ongoing as at the time he spoke at about 5pm on Sunday.

He said the insurgents looted and carted away with foodstuff and livestock as the helpless villagers ran into bushes.

He lamented that members of the CJTF and vigilantes engaged the insurgents but were overpowered.

He said “many of my colleagues are still missing after the attacks that lasted for over an hour.”

Attempt to confirm the incident from both police and military authorities were unsuccessful as at the time of filing the report on Sunday evening as the spokesman of both were yet to respond to communication to them.