400 Boko Haram insurgents killed in battle to retake Bazza, Michika, Madagali

By Kingsley Omonobi & Umar Yusuf
Heavy fighting between Nigerian troops and Boko
Haram terrorists ensued yesterday in Adamawa
State as soldiers backed from the air by Nigerian
Airforce attack helicopters launched an attack to
retake territories in the possession of Boko Haram.
In the ensuing battle that continued into the night,
Vanguard gathered that about 400 Boko Haram
terrorist had been killed while there were casualties
on the part of the Nigerian soldiers.
Military sources in Adamawa state told Vanguard
that the onslaught to retake the towns of Bazza,
Michika and Madagali was launched from the town
of Vimtim, the hometown of the Chief of Defence
Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and that the
General Officer Commanding 3 division of the Army,
Major General Mohammed Zaruwa was coordinating
the onslaught
Said the source, “I can assure you that we are
advancing successfully. We have dealt a heavy
blow on the terrorists. They didn’t expect what they
are seeing. Our armoured tanks are blasting and
they are running for their lives. The airforce is
providing air cover and hitting them also.
“I cannot give you a categorical answer regarding
casualties but so far about 400 of the terrorists
have been killed. We have casualties among our
soldiers also but the propaganda circulating that 70
of our men were killed is wishful thinking”.
“From reports on the ongoing battle, we may have
lost a few soldiers but it cannot be confirmed
because usually, they may have been injured and
are holed up somewhere for first aid treatment” the
source said.
Contacted on the development, Director of Defence
Information, Major General Chris Olukolade
confirmed the fighting but stated he cannot give
casualty figures or full details as operatives on
ground were yet to furnish him with the situation
report. He said he would give details when the
operation is concluded.
Online media reports had indicated that during the
fight at least 70 soldiers were killed in a fierce battle
between insurgents and Nigerian troops and pointed
out that the fighting was for control of the towns of
Bazza and Vimtim in Adamawa State, a claim
denied by the military source.
The source further debunked claims that Boko
Haram used helicopters to fight back noting that the
Nigerian airforce helicopters may have been
mistaken for that.
An eye witness told newsmen that the insurgents at
a point on Sunday might re-grouped at the Federal
Government College, (Technical) in Michika before
they were dislodged and chased away.
According to him, “the army came in on Sallah day
and since then fierce fighting has been on. But, as
you can see the insurgents are moving away and
the military are following them”.
“The insurgents who were in their thousands came
through Uba and attacked the Nigeria troops. “The
gallant Nigerians soldiers were attacked from the
rear by the militants but the military men engaged
them in fierce battle over five hours “.
It will be recalled that on the 7th of September, 2014
the Boko Haram insurgents overran Michika, Bazza,
Madagali and other border towns between
Adamawa and Borno State during which the son of
the former Nigeria President, Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo, a Lieutenant Colonel, Olugbenga
Obasanjo an Engineer in the Nigeria Army was shot
and wounded.
During the takeover of Madagali and Michika, the
insurgents also attempted to overran Vimtim, the
hometown of the Chief of Defence staff, Air Chief
Marshall Alex Badeh.

Boko Haram 'Beheads' Seven in Nigeria Attack

Maiduguri: Boko Haram militants killed
seven people on Monday in the remote
northeast of Nigeria, residents and an official
said, with reports indicating the victims were
beheaded in a revenge attack.
The overnight raid targeted the town of
Ngamdu in troubled Borno state, the area
hardest hit in the Islamists' five-year uprising.
When locals woke they discovered "seven
people had been brutally killed", said resident
Musa Abor.
The gunmen "slit their (victims) throats just
the way people slaughter goats", he added.
Abor and a Borno state official, who asked
that his name be withheld, said the bodies had
been decapitated, in the latest act of gruesome
violence blamed on the Islamists who have
killed more than 10,000 people since 2009.
In recent months, Boko Haram insurgents
have targeted reprisal attacks at locals who
have fought alongside the military as
vigilantes.
An army officer in Borno, who also requested
anonymity, said 15 Boko Haram fighters were
killed in clashes in Ngamdu two weeks ago
and the group had vowed revenge against the
community.
Those killed on Monday could not
immediately be identified as vigilantes and the
defence ministry was not available to
comment on the attack or the alleged
beheadings.
The violence came as Nigerian Muslims
marked the Eid al-Adha festival, a public
holiday in the religiously divided country.
Most Islamic holidays in recent years have
been marred by Boko Haram violence.
The militants are thought to be in control of
more than two dozen towns and villages in
the northeast, but the military has vowed to
retake all lost ground as part of a continuing
offensive launched in May of last year.
The military had imposed a travel ban across
Borno and neighbouring Yobe state to last
through the Eid holiday to guard against
insurgent attacks.
But the measure is almost impossible to
enforce in the remote region, where analysts
say the army does not have enough troops on
the ground to patrol a vast area with a
terrible road network and poor mobile phone
coverage.

South Africa seizes another $5.7m Nigeria’s arms deal

south African authorities have seized another US
$5.7 million arms money from Nigeria, just three
weeks after the $9.3 million cash transported by
two Nigerians and an Israeli for arms purchase,
South Africa-based City Express reported Monday.
As with the first deal, South Africa’s Asset Forfeiture
Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority seized the
$5.7 million (about N952 million) for allegedly being
the proceeds of illegal transactions, the paper said.
The news came more than two weeks after two
Nigerians and an Israeli national were arrested in
South Africa after they attempted to smuggle US
$9.3 million apparently meant for buying arms for
the Nigerian intelligence service.
The men landed at Lanseria International Airport,
Johannesburg, on September 5 in a private jet from
Abuja with the money stashed in three suitcases.
At the time, the South Africa Revenue Service,
SARS, said customs officers became suspicious
when the passengers’ luggage were unloaded and
put through the scanners.
The National Prosecuting Authority, NPA, in South
Africa said there was an invoice for helicopters and
armaments intended to be used in Nigeria.
Two black plastic suitcases, filled with 90 blocks
each containing US$100,000 in notes, with
combination locks, were seized, as well as two
pieces of hand luggage also containing US currency,
according to City Press.
The Israeli national, Eyal Mesika, had the
combination to open the locks.
Under South African laws, a person entering or
leaving the country is expected to carry cash not
exceeding US$2,300, or the equivalent in foreign
currency notes.
The South African newspaper, City Press, said
documents in its possession show that the first
consignment was personally signed off by the
National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who
issued the end-user certificate for the transaction.
An entire “shopping list” was supplied with the
certificate, which included everything from
helicopters to unmanned aircraft, rockets and
ammunition, it said.
The latest transaction, according to the paper, was
between Cerberus Risk Solutions, an arms broker in
Cape Town, and Societe D’Equipments
Internationaux, said to be a Nigerian company
based in Abuja.
The paper said the deal fell apart after Cerberus
which had earlier received from Nigeria R60 million
(N1.02 billion) in its account at Standard Bank, tried
to repay the money as it it could not resolve its
registration formalities with the South African
authorities.
“Cerberus was previously registered as a broker
with the National Conventional Arms Control
Committee (NCACC), but the registration expired in
May this year,” City Press said.
“The marketing and contracting permits also
expired at the same time. The company has since
applied for re-registration, but the application lay in
the NCACC’s mailbox for more than two months.
“Sources told Rapport that Cerberus apparently
tried to pay the money back to the Nigerian
company, after which the bank became suspicious,”
the paper reported.
The paper added that while the NPA’s Asset
Forfeiture Unit subsequently obtained a court order
in the South Gauteng High Court to seize the money,
the NPA spokesperson Nathi Mncube, said there
were no indications the two transactions were
related.
“However, both are now the subject of a criminal
investigation and all possible information and
connections are being investigated,” Mr. Mncube
was quoted as saying.

P-Square Unveils Their Own Brand of Beer in Congo • Photos

That’s huge! Africa’s favourite singing duo P-
Square, took to social media to reveal their latest
business venture…beer! The pair have signed up
with a beer manufacturing company in Congo, to
create and sell beer, branded with their name.
Congrats to them! See more photos…

How to Do Business Like a Genius

Who is the smartest person you know? An
average IQ is 100 points, while someone who is a
genius has an IQ of 140 points or more.
Of course we can't all be prodigies (actually, the
IQ score is debatable as a measure of
intelligence), but you can take a cue from Albert
Einstein or Bill Gates by incorporating the
characteristics and habits of highly intelligent
people in your approach to business.
Here are four..
1. Be persistent. Don't let failure define
you. After all, Thomas Edison had to
get through more than 1,000
prototypes for the light bulb before he
made one that worked.
2. Be goal-oriented. Setting a high bar
for yourself and sharing your goals
with others -- whether they are
friends or colleagues -- can make
you more likely to accomplish them.
3. Read more. People who read for 15
minutes a day can be exposed to
more than 1 millon words a year.
4. Be curious. Smart people are always
asking questions, making inferences
and thinking critically about the world
around them.
For more on intelligence, and the bad habits of
smart people, check out the video above.

NINA ZIPKIN
ENTREPRENEUR STAFF
STAFF REPORTER. FREQUENTLY
COVERS MEDIA, TECH, STARTUPS,
CULTURE AND WORKPLACE TRENDS.