NAF 917 – a Nigerian Air Force C130 Hercules in Kaduna, Nigeria enroute Bamako, Mali
NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Written by Chris Agbambu
Abuja
Saturday, 19 January 2013
Security agencies have discovered that
the spiritual leader of the Boko Haram
Islamic sect, Abubakar Shekau, who was
wounded in a gun duel between soldiers
of the Joint Task Force and members of
his sect early this year, is hiding in Gao, a city in Northern Mali, receiving treatment from the Tuareg rebels.
Military Intelligence sources told Saturday Tribune on Friday that Shekau was ferried to Mali through porous routes in the vast Nigerian border with a neighbouring country in the north. The source cited the discovery of Shekau’s
hideout and the training base for Boko
Haram sect members to unleash terror on Nigerians as a further justification of the action of the Federal Government to
deploy 1,200 troops as well as Airforce fighter and transport aircraft to Mali to
help flush out the Tuareg militants and
their sponsors.
Shekau was said to have been shot at a
checkpoint while he attempted to deceive operatives of the JTF by posing as a nomadic Fulani man who was returning from a journey. A gunfight ensued when the vehicle carrying him and members of the sect approached a checkpoint and they discovered that the soldiers were waiting for him.
During the exchange of fire, Shekau and
two other sect members with him
escaped with gunshot wounds, while two other members of the sect were killed on the spot. About six AK-47 rifles were recovered from the vehicle. The source noted that most of the weapons, including IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) recovered from Boko Haram members have been linked to those used during the Libyan uprising against the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi.
Addressing troops shortly before being
airlifted to Mali on Thursday in Kaduna,
the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-General
Azubuike Ihejirika, spoke of the need for
officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to be extra-vigilant, as there are indications that some terrorists may have sneaked into the country. Two Alpha jets, led by newly decorated
Air Vice Marshal Tayo Oguntoyinbo,
departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport at
about 4:25pm on Friday to Niamey, Niger Republic, from where they will launch the attack on the stronghold of the Malian Islamist Tuaregs.
Saturday Tribune gathered that part of
the mission of the Nigerian troops
deployed to Mali is also to fish out Shekau from his hideout in Gao, where he is currently receiving treatment, and bring him back to Nigeria to face trial for crimes against humanity.
Beegeagle's Blog 
hmmmmm……interesting
Breaking- Two soldiers killed in Okene Kogi state several injured from explosive blast. Full details later!!
Breaking- Convoy of Nigerian army conveying soldiers were attacked with a timed car bomb in Okene Kogi state central Nigeria. Other bombs discovered and detonated firearms recovered. Further details as it comes
Okene again?
You know I visited Okene during my roll through conflict zones last year – in March, May and July. I even have some photos from there posted on this blog. There was one major overnight gun battle there where SBS commandos, SSS and soldiers killed eleven terrorists in one night.
A few months later, a NAF helicopter attacked a hilltop hideout in that general area as well.
Okene is surely the number one flashpoint on the western side of the Middle Belt. “Dem no wan gree say hot water dey kill tortoise”
Thanks for the early alert though, Hussein..as per homeboy on that turf. Keep us posted though – use BB and WhatsApp to gather info and maybe photos, if you can.
Will do that Marshal sir, But d fresh info i have is that it happen around Osara along the Okene- Abuja express road; very early this morning between 4-5am this morning
There is this rumour that there was an attempt on the life of the Emir of Kano
Same thing now, Hussein. Osara and Okene are like Hunkuyi and Zaria; Bukuru and Jos; Mararaban Jos and Kaduna.
Osara is where you have that state-owned higher institution. It is even closer to Okene than say, the Federal College of Education is to Okene.
To me, Ogaminana, Osara and such places are Okene’s hinterland or twin towns. Is it not near the Quick Response Group ‘everybody come down’ checkpoint near NIPCO?
Let me see if I can get some photos from that axis.
Here
A Toyota 4WD and an Isuzu 3-ton gun-truck of the Nigerian Army in central Nigeria
A Toyota 4WD and an Isuzu gun-truck
It is no rumour! It is fact the emir of kano has just escaped an assassination attempt, it was a bomb and gun attack! 2 of his traditional guards(Dogarin) were killed though.
Just got the sad news too,over heard his driver and orderly took bullets for him.I think boko haram are starting to get back or retaliate the deployment of our troops to mali,imagine their evil plans had materialised,it would have been a very sad story nd probably heard their threats like ‘WE WOULD KILL MORE-BH. ‘REDPLOY YOUR SOILDERS OR FACE HELL! AQIUM/BOKO HARAM WARNS FG-.EMIR IS JUST THE BEGINNING’. Thank God fo his mercies.
Cutievik, seconded.
4-5am would indicate some sort of inside knowledge.
Lets see if this is blowback or terrorism as usual. Too soon and not enough to discern a pattern
@Oga Pecaavi, just like the Jaji job this one smacks of an insider affair.
As far as bar as 2011 I had stated this obvious danger to Traditional rulers and GEN BEEG had pointed out that they do have some level of protection. The primal fear of boko haram was that quite a few of the Northern Emirs had started to really voice their displeasure.This did not sit well as their other pathetic plans to incite sectarian warfare between Muslims and Christians failed miserably.This blow back is to be expected indeed thanks be to God that the Emir survived it is an eye opener their FRUSTRATION WILL MANIFEST ITSELF and the f.g. will take heed to be extra vigilant and to capitalize on the fact that boko haram kills more Muslims than anybody else.
Kano has been a chilling grave for the b.h. because they have been virtually wiped out this resurgence means security needs further tightening.and personnel like oga peccavi siad should be more thoroughly vetted .