NAF Acquires Aircrafts To Fight Terrorism, Report Says 11, 100 Killed So Far By Boko Haram, As Sect Slaughters 7 Traders

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has purchased some new and refurbished aircraft to sustain the tempo against the terrorists in the North East with a view to restoring permanent peace and stability in the area.

The good news was disclosed by the Chief of Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Adesola Amosu in Abuja at the reception in his honour for the National Award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) by President Goodluck Jonathan in commemoration of the 54th Independence Anniversary.

Speaking at the reception held at the NAF Conference Centre and Suite, Kado, Abuja, the CAS disclosed that some new and reactivated platforms would soon arrive the country to join the aircraft in the NAF inventory, just as he maintained that there was the need to effect some changes in the current NAF Mission Statement to encompass the acquisition of the new platforms.

He expressed NAF’s determination to bring to conclusion the insurgency in the northeast region as soon as possible.

Air Marshal Amosu further reiterated the determination of NAF leadership to ensure that the Service was better positioned for greater performance and set a new focus toward national security.

He used the occasion to thank President Jonathan for finding him worthy to bag the prestigious national award of CFR. He dedicated the award to the officers and men of the NAF who were fighting the insurgency in the northeast, noting that “their gallant efforts and sacrifices deserve greater honour.”

 11,100 Dead From Boko Haram Attacks – Report

The Nigeria Social Violence Dataset, now publicly available, reports that since July 2009 when the Boko Haram conflict escalated, at least 11,100 people have died on both sides of the insurgency.

The levels of casualties, internal displacement, social disruption and government failure are fomenting a widespread crisis, spilling over the borders of neighbouring states such as Niger, Cameroon and Chad, the report says.

According to the new dataset compiled at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Boko Haram-related violence is the most lethal conflict that Nigeria has confronted in decades and that deaths attributable to Boko Haram has been increasing over time, but this increase has been particularly sharp in the past year.

The report said that since 1998, at least 29,600 Nigerians have been killed in more than 2,300 incidents, reflecting a wide range of ethnic, religious, political and economic tensions across large portions of the country.

“The conflict is rapidly intensifying. We estimate that 7,000 people died in incidents related to the insurgency between July 2013 and June 2014, compared with fewer than 1,900 in the preceding year. These deaths account for more than a quarter of all the recorded deaths in the past 15 years.

“Since January, more than 5,000 people have died, making the past eight months almost as deadly as the preceding five years,” it said.

Boko Haram attacks Borno villages, slaughters 7 top traders, others

Members of the Boko Haram sect have attacked Ngamdu village of Borno State, beheading at least seven prominent businessmen, security sources said.

The gunmen had, on the same day, also attacked Mobbar village where they also killed a number of village heads there.

The assailants, who invaded the village, which is about 100km away from Maiduguri and 35km away from the neighbouring Yobe State capital, Damaturu, were very specific in their mission as they targeted only top businessmen.

Security operatives in Ngamdu village said the terrorists crept upon the villagers at about 4am to carry out the killings.

Ngamdu is also a border town of Borno near a village in Yobe State called Kukareta, where a recently established military formation is located.

“They did not attack everyone in Ngamdu; they just selected some top business merchants there and slaughtered them in the early hours of today (Monday)”, said Abba Gava, a chieftain of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Borno State.

“We have also heard that they were attacking Mobbar village today also, but we have no knowledge of the casualty figures yet, even though those attacked and managed to escape said it was a massive attack.”