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NAF airstrikes eliminate terrorists, destroy weapons in Borno
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says efforts by air and ground components of Operation Hadin Kai to clear the Northeast of remnants of terrorists within the Northeast region, have continued to record series of successes.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, AVM Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Gabkwet said that one of such successful operations occurred on Jan. 5, at Parisu after terrorists were, for days, observed moving items suspected to be weapons and ammunition to the area.
He said that Parisu, a location near Sambisa Forest, was once a terrorist enclave deserted after own troops had cleared the area of terrorists’ activities.
He said the convergence of terrorists within the location raised suspicion of their intent and plan, hence the directive to strike the location.
According to him, the aftermath of the strikes led to a huge ball of flames from two adjacent spots within the vicinity, while some surviving terrorists were observed scampering for safety.
“Feedback also revealed that 12 terrorists were neutralised in the strike, and their logistics destroyed, thereby degrading their ability to attack soft targets and own troops.
“Similar strikes were also carried out at a location about 1.5Km Southwest of Tumbun Agiri within the Tumbuns in the Lake Chad region on Jan. 6.
“Intelligence gathered over time had revealed the continuous gathering of armed terrorists in pick-up vehicles and motorcycles, hence the go-ahead to attack the location.
“The precision strikes on the location led to the destruction of the vehicles, motorcycles as well as elimination of several terrorists,” he said.
Gabkwet said the air component, on an air reconnaissance mission on Jan. 2, had struck some opportunity targets at Tumbun Alura.
He said the targets, which consisted of three canoes, were observed loaded with suspected Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
According to him, they were subsequently engaged with a huge explosion observed afterward.
“Similar successful strikes were also conducted at Tumbun Buwari and Sabon Tumbun on terrorist structures within the Lake Chad region,” he added.
News
Stop using repressive laws to intimidate journalists – SERAP, NGE tell FG
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, have called on Nigerian authorities at all levels of government to stop using repressive and anti-media laws to target, intimidate and harass journalists, critics and media houses.
The groups made the demand after an interactive session on ‘the state of press freedom in Nigeria’ held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.
In a joint statement, SERAP and NGE said that, “the government of President Bola Tinubu, the country’s 36 governors and FCT minister must now genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law”.
They expressed concerns about the escalating crackdown on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom and the flagrant disregard for the rule of law by authorities at all levels of government.
The groups note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement.
The statement read in part: “We would continue to speak truth to power and to hold authorities to account for their constitutional and international obligations including on freedom of expression and media freedom.
“Nigeria as a country has a long and unpleasant history of press gagging and clampdown on media freedom, which is evidence of extensive state censorship of media and in some cases, the utter control of state-owned media houses.
“This position has not changed considerably despite almost 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in the Fourth Republic.”
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FG adds 625MW to national grid – Minister
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Tax: Court orders FCT-IRS agency to seal off defaulting coys
A Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to seal off a company, Ifedi A.K. Nigeria Ltd, over allegations bordering on non-filing of annual returns.
The Magistrate, Janada Balami, gave the order after lawyer to FCT-IRS, Michael Towolawi, moved the application to the effect.
Towolawi told the court that the company had failed to file its annual returns from 2019 to 2023 in breach of Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act, LFN, 2004, and amended in 2011.
He said all efforts to make the company comply with the law proved abortive.
The lawyer, therefore, applied that the company be compel to appear before the court to explain why it acted in breach of the law.
Balami, who held that the application by the agency against the company had merit, accordingly granted same to seal the No 6, Rudolph Close, Off Katsina-Ala Street, Maitama, Abuja.
She, consequently, ordered the company, the sole defendant in the matter, to appear before the court on May 16.
The Director, Legal Services of the FCT-IRS, Festus Tsavar, told journalists after the proceeding that the service would move against companies that do not file their annual returns as provided by law.
“You know that we have a new minister in FCT that is doing a lot of projects and that hinges on money.
“And of course, you are aware that FCT has come out of TSA.
“So it is the internally generated revenue that will make the government of FCT to be able to do those projects completely within required time,” he said.
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