logo
Militants kill 5 soldiers in attacks on two Nigerian bases — security sources

Militants kill 5 soldiers in attacks on two Nigerian bases — security sources

TimesLIVE14-05-2025

Suspected insurgents killed five Nigerian soldiers in assaults on two army bases in northeastern Borno state early on Tuesday, security sources and a district official said, less than 24 hours after another deadly attack on troops in the region.
Nigeria, which has grappled with an Islamist insurgency for more than 15 years, this year witnessed a surge in attacks by Boko Haram and its offshoot Islamic State West Africa Province in Borno, the heartland of the militants.
Two soldiers from the 24 Task Force Brigade in Borno's Dikwa district said militants flew two surveillance drones in the vicinity before attacking the brigade's base in the early hours of Tuesday.
The base also housed troops from 153 Battalion in nearby Marte district, which was attacked on Monday with at least five soldiers killed.
Nigeria's Defence Headquarters, which co-ordinates the anti-insurgency operation, did not respond to a request for comment.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Shamila Batohi faces pressure to clarify NPA interference claims
Shamila Batohi faces pressure to clarify NPA interference claims

IOL News

time7 hours ago

  • IOL News

Shamila Batohi faces pressure to clarify NPA interference claims

National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi is under fire following a string of recent high-profile failures by the National Prosecuting Authority. Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers Outgoing National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi is facing mounting pressure to provide details of her claims that there is political interference in the work of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). In an interview this week, Batohi had said: 'The NPA has been infiltrated by people who do not have the rule of law at heart. 'We are having internal challenges; some prosecutors may not be aligned with the vision of really fighting for the rule of law in this country.' Calls for Batohi to be summoned to Parliament to provide explanations follow a difficult period for the NPA during which the authority has bungled a number of high-profile cases. The latest was the Free State High Court declaring the extradition of former Free State premier and ex-ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule's personal assistant, Moroadi Cholota, from the US unlawful as it did not have a valid and lawful request by the Justice Ministry. As a result of Judge Phillip Loubser's ruling, Cholota cannot face trial in the controversial R255 million tender to audit and replace asbestos roofs in the province alongside her former boss and several other individuals and companies. The NPA plans to appeal against the judgment. Another recent prominent case that intensified pressure on Batohi, who is reportedly due to retire when she turns 65 in January, was the acquittal of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso of multiple charges of rape, human trafficking, and racketeering in April. On Friday, the EFF wrote to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and Xola Nqola, chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, demanding an urgent parliamentary debate on Batohi's allegations of infiltration in the NPA. Additionally, the EFF wants the portfolio committee to schedule an urgent meeting and was not calling for punitive or reactionary action. 'This is not a casual institutional complaint. It is a constitutional red flag of the highest order. An assertion from the NDPP herself that the NPA has been infiltrated should send shockwaves throughout every organ of state,' the party said. The EFF warned that the assertions have direct consequences for the rule of law, the integrity of South Africa's criminal justice system, the fight against corruption and gender-based violence, and public trust in the country's democracy. The urgent meeting should be held on Tuesday, June 10, and also requested Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to be invited to attend, provide policy-level responses and inform the committee of the department's position and possible interventions on the matter, according to the EFF. It requested Didiza to exercise her authority under the National Assembly's rules to approve an urgent debate on 'the implications of the NDPP's public statement regarding infiltration of the NPA and the threat it poses to South Africa's justice system, rule of law, and constitutional democracy'. ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said the party was alarmed and called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to remove Batohi immediately. He said the NPA has failed to prosecute Ramaphosa for not declaring foreign currency stolen at his Phala Phala farm in 2020, which was later stolen, fugitive self-proclaimed Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri, and secure the extradition of the fugitive Gupta brothers, among others. 'The NPA has become a refuge for politically connected individuals, a place where accountability is avoided, justice is delayed, and prosecutions collapse with shocking regularity. Under Batohi's leadership, the NPA reels from one scandal to the next,' added Trollip. ActionSA will write to Kubayi demanding urgent intervention and the commencement of a process to remove Batohi in terms of the NPA Act. [email protected]

A national embarrassment? ‘Scorpions 2.0' bill pitched to save failing NPA
A national embarrassment? ‘Scorpions 2.0' bill pitched to save failing NPA

The Citizen

timea day ago

  • The Citizen

A national embarrassment? ‘Scorpions 2.0' bill pitched to save failing NPA

The DA says the NPA should at least prosecute one major case successfully to regain public trust. National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi during a media briefing in Silverton where she introduced the new Investigating director at the NPA head office on Friday, 24 May 2019. Picture: Gallo Images / Phill Magakoe Lawyers for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) are under scrutiny for their inability to secure convictions in high-profile cases. The NPA has failed to secure court victories and convictions in several major cases, including controversial Nigerian Pastor Timothy Omotoso's rape case, and other prominent cases linked to ANC politicians and State Capture. In 2024, former prosecutor and now DA parliamentarian Glynnis Breytenbach proposed a set of reforms aimed at bolstering successful prosecutions. This includes introducing a 'Scorpions 2.0' bill, which is expected to establish an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). This commission will have the power to investigate and prosecute high-level corruption, free from political interference. The DA also wants to amend the constitution to ensure the head of the NPA is appointed by parliament and not the president. 'I did not expect that there would be a huge appetite for this bill, for obvious reasons. But I believe it is the only solution to the current problem. 'To rebuild, the NPA is going to take 20 years. We cannot wait 20 years for these prosecutions to take place; to fill up an anti-corruption commission with competent staff would be much easier,' said Breytenbach. Breytenbach believes that other problems that plague the NPA include budget cuts, which limit the organisation's ability to do its work. 'If you do not have a budget, it becomes difficult and then impossible to prosecute these cases in court, and that is why we see these debacles in court because there has not been sufficient consultation with subject-matter experts,' she said. Sabotage in the NPA? On Thursday, National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi expressed concern about the NPA's inability to deliver successful prosecutions. 'That actually makes me worry sometimes, that the NPA is actually being infiltrated by people who do not have the rule of law at heart. 'I do not sleep comfortably at night because of that, not because I think the NPA is a failing organisation,' she said. Breytenbach said she believes that Batohi has done her best and cannot be completely blamed for all the failures in prosecutions. She said some of the bad elements in the ranks of the NPA are known, but there seems to be no political will to root them out. 'We all know who they are. She (Batohi) has not managed to get rid of all of them either because she has not tried, but some of them we know that she has tried, and she has been hampered in the process,' she said. ALSO READ: NPA 'taken aback' over Moroadi Cholota extradition ruling, hints at appeal NPA a haven for politically connected? ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip stated that the NPA has become a haven for the politically connected. 'It has become a place where accountability is avoided, justice is delayed, and prosecutions collapse with shocking regularity. 'Under Shamila Batohi's leadership, the NPA reels from one scandal to the next. 'South Africans are left wondering if these failures are merely a result of incompetence, or is there a deliberate agenda to protect the corrupt?' he said. NOW READ: NPA 'infiltrated by those against the rule of law' – Batohi says

Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates
Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates

TimesLIVE

timea day ago

  • TimesLIVE

Mali says two more army posts attacked as jihadist violence escalates

Islamist militants hit two more military installations on Wednesday and Thursday, Mali's army said, the latest in a quick spate of attacks that the insurgents say have killed hundreds of soldiers and underscored their gains. Ground and air reinforcements were being mobilised on Thursday morning to respond to an attack on a security post in Mahou, located in eastern Mali near the border with Burkina Faso, an army statement said. The attack was claimed by Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al Qaeda-linked Islamist militant group active in Mali and Burkina Faso. Information on a death toll was not immediately available. A military spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment. On Wednesday afternoon "armed terrorists" struck a military camp in Tessit, near the border with Burkina Faso and Niger, and Mali's military sent in aerial reinforcement, a separate statement said. There has been no claim of responsibility for that attack, though security analysts said it could have been perpetrated by fighters from the Islamic State branch active in the Sahel region.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store