Nigerian troops have neutralised no fewer than 71 terrorists in coordinated ground and air operations across Borno and Yobe, while recovering weapons and ammunition and disrupting terrorist logistics networks.

The operations include a five-hour counter-offensive at Buni Yadi, Yobe, which reportedly accounted for 48 ISWAP fighters, as well as separate air and maritime strikes that neutralised 23 terrorists.

An operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, said the Buni Yadi operation followed an attack on troops at the North-East Theatre Training School in Gujba Local Government Area.

The report said the troops repelled the assault and neutralised 48 terrorists during the ensuing counter-offensives, recovering 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns and one 60mm mortar.

It added that other recovered items include 105 AK-47 magazines, two video cameras and thousands of rounds of ammunition of different calibres.

The report said one soldier was killed during the engagements, while two others sustained minor injuries.

According to the report, the maritime component, supported by an armed unmanned aerial vehicle, had in another operation on Oct. 28, struck terrorist targets across Lake Chad.

“Preliminary battle damage assessment indicates that eight terrorists were neutralised, while 10 others sustained injuries.

“Similarly, an air operation near Ngirmishi settlement, north of Kerenoa, reportedly neutralised about 15 terrorists.

“The operation followed the sighting of suspected terrorists around a structure believed to be a logistics base, which was subsequently struck in a precision attack.”

The report said that in Borno, army troops of 5 Brigade arrested seven suspected terrorist collaborators, informants and logistics suppliers at Damasak, Mobbar Local Government Area, on Oct. 28.

Items recovered, according to the report include mobile phones, food supplies, drinks, blankets, cooking oil and other household materials, alongside N483,550.

It added that troops of 112 Task Force Battalion, working with Hybrid Forces, also ambushed suspected terrorists attempting to cross the Mafa-Ajiri road at Kassasewa, Mafa Local Government Area, on Oct. 27.

The report revealed that the suspected terrorists fled, abandoning five rocket-propelled grenade bombs and 175 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.

The report added that in another development, troops of 202 Battalion apprehended a suspected terrorist informant and logistics supplier attempting to infiltrate Bama town.

“The troops also intercepted a suspected member of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) who reportedly escaped from a terrorist enclave in Bama and was on his way to surrender.

“Meanwhile, troops of 403 Amphibious Brigade, working with the Multinational Joint Task Force and Civilian Joint Task Force, discovered an improvised explosive device along the Baga-Cross road in Kukawa Local Government Area on Oct. 29,” it said.

In Plateau, the report said troops of Operation Enduring Peace foiled a kidnapping attempt at the ECWA Staff Quarters in Jos North Local Government Area in the early hours of Friday.

It said that the troops responded to a distress call and forced the suspected kidnappers to abandon their operation and flee.

According to the report, troops also arrested a suspected kidnapper at Akwaba, Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa, during a joint operation with the Department of State Services.

“The suspect and N200,000 recovered during the operation were handed over to the DSS for further investigation.

“In Ondo, troops of 322 Artillery Regiment, working with the Nigeria Police, raided a suspected criminal and ritualists’ hideout at Kajola Camp.

“Three suspects were arrested, while counterfeit United States dollars and other foreign currencies were recovered.

“The suspects and recovered items were handed over to the police in Ore for further action,” it also said. (NAN)

A 29-year-old Nigerian man, James Abiwon, has died after a tree fell on his car during Storm Boelo in Mill Hill, north London.

According to Metro UK, Abiwon was driving along Dollis Road at about 12:30 p.m. on Sunday when the tree fell amid strong winds.

Emergency services, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics and an air ambulance, rushed to the scene. However, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Abiwon’s cousin, Tyrrell Okolo, described him as “a master of everything” and a devoted family man.

The deceased worked as a technology sales executive and held a degree from the University of Essex. He was also a semi-professional footballer who played for Aldershot, a musician whose YouTube channel had about 40,000 viewers, and a mentor to many people, according to his cousin.

Abiwon had been preparing to celebrate his 30th birthday with a padel tournament. Following his death, the event will go ahead in his memory, with proceeds expected to support his family.

His close friend, 29-year-old Kwame Affum, said they had played padel together just two days before the fatal incident.

“I’m trying hard to get my head around this,” Affum told Metro UK.

He said a friend had messaged Abiwon shortly before the accident about money owed to him for the court booking, but he did not respond, prompting concern.

Affum described Abiwon as a sports enthusiast, a talented footballer and an Arsenal supporter. He also said the deceased had graduated with a first-class degree and recently received an award at work.

“He was full of energy and talent,” Affum said.

“He was going to celebrate his 30th birthday in two weeks. It just seems impossible this has happened.”

A witness who laid flowers at the scene told Metro UK that she heard a helicopter and went outside to discover that a fallen tree had blocked the road, with a car trapped beneath it.

According to the witness, Abiwon’s girlfriend and best friend arrived while rescue operations were still underway. They were reportedly shaking as they waited, hoping he would be rescued alive.

The witness said his aunts and other relatives arrived later and were inconsolable over his death.

She described Abiwon as someone who was clearly loved by many, adding that the community had lost one of its own.

Traffic on Dollis Road was reportedly heavy at the time of the incident, as roadworks on a nearby street had diverted more vehicles onto the road.

A neighbour whose home overlooks the scene expressed concern about the circumstances, saying: “If it had been 10 minutes later, it could have been me.”

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to Dollis Road at about 12:40 p.m. on Sunday following reports that a tree had fallen onto a moving car.

The police said they were working with the local authority and coroner to establish the circumstances surrounding Abiwon’s death.

Storm Boelo brought wind gusts of up to 84 mph across parts of the United Kingdom over the weekend.

A 60-year-old man was also killed by a falling tree in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, while other people were injured in incidents linked to the storm.

The family of a 46-year-old businessman, Kayode Akinbolusere, popularly known as Tolufe, has raised questions over his death after he reportedly recorded a video shortly before allegedly taking his own life at his office in Igba, Ondo State.

Akinbolusere, the owner of Esther Estate in Ondo State, was said to have died on Thursday after allegedly ingesting a poisonous substance.

In a video that circulated on social media before his death, the businessman spoke about his struggles and said he was leaving his properties to his wife, Esther, and their three children based in Canada.

He also stated that he was making the decision voluntarily and that nobody had pressured him.

Akinbolusere said, “I am doing this video on behalf of my family. I, Akinbolusere Kayode, is doing my will on my property. I am doing this on my own; nobody put pressure on me. I woke up and left for work, leaving my family at home.”

“The first and second machines I was using at work developed a fault. I was imagining what was happening. When I started my business, I started from the scratch and was very transparent about it.”

“My wife knew how I suffered. She didn’t trouble me. I will all my properties to my wife, Akinbolusere Esther, who hails from Ekiti, and my three children who are in Canada.”

“My wife stood by me when I had nothing and never for once wronged me. She was very supportive when I had nothing, especially when I was working as a barber. I was the one who destroyed everything with carelessness.”

However, the deceased’s uncle, Femi Akinbolusere, said the family suspected that the businessman might have been forced to make the video.

In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Femi said the manner in which the deceased spoke about “surrendering” his property raised questions that should be investigated by security operatives.

He said, “We are grieving, please. You heard all he said laughing that he surrendered. Is that a gift to anybody? Is that a will? As if somebody was behind his seat pointing a gun at him. How can somebody say I am surrendering everything to my wife and three children?”

“If security operatives look at the voice very well, won’t they find that some people were behind making him say what he was saying? Is it not that they placed a gun behind him?”

The uncle further urged the police to examine the video and investigate the circumstances surrounding the businessman’s final moments.

“That clip is enough to give them [the police] the clue. That word ‘surrender’, doesn’t it mean that they forced him? They just killed him. Somebody was behind him telling him to say this and that and he was saying it. This is terrible.”

“All those things he was saying, did he say he shared his property? Who is telling you to surrender anything? Somebody forcing you to surrender. People should look at it. Security operatives should look at it.”

“They said he should be laughing and he was laughing. They should go and conduct an autopsy for the body. He said he offended his wife. Who is that wife? Even if he goes ahead to have another wife, does it warrant for him to be killed? That wife should be called to answer so many questions.”

However, the Ondo State Police Command said preliminary findings did not show signs of foul play.

In a statement issued on Friday, the state police spokesperson, Abayomi Jimoh, said the command had commenced an investigation into the suspected suicide.

According to the statement, Akinbolusere, a resident of Road 7, Housing Estate, Igba, was found dead in his office beside BOVAS Petrol Station, Igba Town, at about 3 p.m. on Thursday.

“Upon receipt of the information, police operatives attached to Bolorunduro Division visited the scene, where two empty bottles suspected to have contained Sniper insecticide were recovered from a nearby bush.”

“Preliminary findings also revealed that the deceased had allegedly recorded a video before his death, which has since circulated on social media, in which he reportedly lamented about his life struggles.”

“His remains were subsequently evacuated and deposited at the State Hospital Morgue for preservation and further examination. No foul play or visible marks of violence were observed on his body at the time of examination,” the statement said. (Punch)