200 People Killed, At Least 140 Injured In Fresh Attack

 

An armed group linked to al-Qaeda, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), has claimed responsibility for what it says was an attack that killed up to 200 people and injured at least 140 in central Burkina Faso.

The attack took place on Saturday in the region of Barsalogho, about 40km (25 miles) north of the strategic town of Kaya, which analysts said is home to the last standing force protecting the capital, Ouagadougou.

Fighters opened fire on teams of people digging trenches designed to protect security outposts. Several soldiers were missing after the attack, and the attackers took weapons and a military ambulance.

Reporting from Dakar, Senegal, Al Jazeera’s Nicholas Haque said JNIM posted gruesome videos of the aftermath of the attack.

“We see men, women and children laying inside the trenches they were digging themselves. Effectively, they have turned into mass graves,” he said, adding that the hospital in the area has called doctors, nurses and other medical staff from Kaya to treat those who have been injured in the attack.

Haque noted that the Burkina Faso army knew on Friday that an attack was going to happen and called on the population to dig trenches.

That shows the desperation of Burkina Faso’s forces, who have lost control of half of their territory to armed groups linked to al-Qaeda,” he added.

Burkina Faso has severed its ties with Western countries such as France that had been involved in helping the country’s security forces tackle armed groups.

Haque said that recently the government had been calling on the help of Russian mercenary fighters to support it strategically but also to help stem the attacks.

Despite that help, it seems that those attacks are getting closer and closer to the capital,” Haque said. He noted that the country’s military leaders, who came to power in a coup in 2022, have also had to face down several attempted coups due to discontent with the way it has struggled with the fight against armed groups.

Armed groups have killed thousands of people and displaced more than two million in Burkina Faso over more than a decade.

The country has topped the recent Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) list of the world’s most neglected displacement crises.

The violence killed more than 8,400 people last year, double the number of deaths from the previous year, according to the NRC.

Senator Stella Oduah Slams Obiano’s Wife Over Bianca Ojukwu’s Attack

 

Senator representing Anambra North, Stella Oduah, has bashed the former First Lady of Anambra, Ebelechukwu Obiano for attacking Bianca, the widow of the late Biafran warlord, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

The fight between Mrs Obiano and Ojukwu happened at the swearing-in of Professor Charles Soludo as governor of Anambra on Thursday.

Bashing Obiano, the senator on her official Twitter handle said, “I hereby condemn in strong terms, this unwarranted attack against the wife of an illustrious son and our very own Ikemba. I wish to add that the act exhibited by the former first lady was indecorous and unbecoming of a woman who had acted as a mother of the state and even desirous of serving in other capacities.

“More condemnable is even the gutter and vulgar language used by Mrs Obiano to describe her fellow woman, who is even a widow. I have always held the view that it is only weak minds that label hardworking women like Bianca with nasty names such as “ashawo”

“What the world witnessed today at the swearing-in ceremony is utterly disgraceful, unfortunate, crude and should never be emulated by the millions of our young girls and women who often look up to public figures with respect to how they conduct themselves.”

It should be noted that former governor Willie Obiano, has declared that his wife will be running for the senatorial seat of Anambra North, the same seat being occupied by Oduah.

Breaking: Air Force Officer Arrested In Connection With Attack On Nigerian Defence Academy In August

Recall in August, 2021, the Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna was attacked by unknown gunmen, leaving two killed and one other abducted.

However, one of the suspect have been arrested.

One Sergeant Torsobo Solomon who is a Nigerian Air Force officer, has been arrested in connection with the attack.

Solomon, who is currently attached to the Air Force Comprehensive School, Yola, was arrested on Monday in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.

According to report, Sergeant Solomon was arrested on the order of the Base Commander as requested by the NDA Commander for an offence connected with the recent attack on NDA, Kaduna.

He was said to have been arrested with arms and ammunition.

The military source who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “On 08 Nov 21, at about 0600hr, NAF07/ 23922, SGT Torsobo Solomon of 153 BSG (AIRFORCE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL YOLA) was arrested on the order of the Base Commander as requested by the NDA Commander for an offence connecting with arms and ammunition with recent bandit attack at NDA Kaduna.

“At about 0815hr, ATR with reg no NAF 930 to arrive flight line to convey him from Yola to NDA KADUNA for further interrogation.

“Below is the suspect onboard the ATR ac to Kaduna.”

22 Killed In Kaduna Attack

Gunmen, yesterday, invaded four communities in Zangon Kataf council area of Kaduna State, killing at least 22 persons and burning a number of buildings.

You Can Not Attack Me Outside Nigeria - Ngige Tells IPOB

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said members of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB cannot attack him outside Nigeria. The Minister said this while reacting to the attack members of the secessionist group meted on former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, in Germany in August.